The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-18

intense popular interest in airships.
The fiights OF Orville Wright at Fort
Myer last fall, which Terminated In the
death OF Lieutenant Selfridge. the in
jury Of Wright and the wreck OF the
aeroplane. were only tests. The fuani-
ment of the contract of the Wright
brothers with the government VIII
yield them $4,000, with liberal boz
mus for extra Speed.
The Wright brothers proved In the
United states their claims as pioneers
in the realm Of the birds. and then
proceeded to astonish Europe. They
are selling aeroplanes in France ana
Italy, the French government having
paid them 100000 for their patent
rights In that country. A company
has been organized in Germany for the
construction Of Wright aeroplanss. The
brothers will return to Europe later
this year and give demonstrations in
England, Germany and perhaps other
countries. The machines which they
are now building win carry two pas
sengers but they say the aeroplane
eventually may be capable Of carrying
fourteen or sixteen passengers. sixty
Wright machines are being built In
France, at cost of $500 each. The
Wrights have already eliminated the
awkward starting device which was
feature of their aeroplane, and are said
TO have about evolved great improves
ments in the steering apparatus
Miss Katherine Wright Is no longer
designated as "the sister of those
crazy Wright boys" She participated
In part of their European triumphs.
and the three received a royal welcome
when they returned to America. The
city OF Dayton, o., the home of the
avtators. broke all records for a real
"home coming" celebration, at which
nothing was left undone which would
show the pride which their fellow citi-
zens and neighbors took in the achieve
ments Of the inventors. The brothers
received medals from their State and
city, from the Aero Club OF America,
and, finally from the United states
government. President Taft himself.
in the historic East Room of the White
House. pinned upon the bosoms OF the
champion navigators of the air, the
beautiful gold medals awarded them by
Congress.
The records Of the patent ONCE show
that over 400 patents on flying ma
chimes Of various kinds and their parts
have been granted, of which ffty or
more were issued during the last six
months. Two Of these were granted to
the wrights for improvements on their
aeroplane. Representative Butler
Ames OF Massachusetts,, grandson Of
General B. +. Butler, has applied for
a patent on a machine, the principal
feature Of which Is that the planes re-
volve on horizontal axes. The inven-
tor is said to have obtained the idea
for this scheme by watching hutter to
the ground. bent pasteboard card,
which he had thrown into the air.
The Aeronautical Experiment Asso-
citation, of which the moving spirits
were Professor Alexander Graham
Bell. inventor of the telephone, ana @.
C. Curtiss, has been dissolved. 1t was
organized to perfect successful heav-
ier-than-alr dying machine. After a.
long series of experiments at Ham
mondsport. New York. and in Nova
Scotia, this was accomplished. The
association built and operated the
June Bug" the RED Wing" and the
silver Dart" all successful aeroplanes.
The last named was the first heavier
than-air machine TO fly in Canada.
factory for making similar machines
has been established in that country
DR.. Bell recently sailed for Europe
on q vacation. but while there he may
get some ideas for improving his tetra-
hedral kite, "Cygnet IL" This was
successfully flown In Canada last win
ter, and DR.. Bell is satisfied that 1t
can compete with the aeroplane as soon
as he obtains suitable engine for his
planes, Cygnet II Is made up OF num-
Der of small triangular cells, which
afford larger surface for lifting than
mere planes, but which at the same
time condne the air pressure to small
area of each cell, SO that the apparatus
is said to be very steady In gnsty
weather.
A. N. Herring of Philadelphia, has
constructed for the War Department,
aaFnnIanA
to be tested at Fort Myer. He claims
that the chief features Of bis machine
are automatic control, and an engine
of extraordinary small size an light
weight. Walter Wellman Is In Paris,
and is due to start for the pole from
Spitzbergen in an airship In August.
His ship Is said to be the second larg-
est in existence. Emile Berliner and
]. N. Williams are experimenting with
a helicopter near Washington, which
is the type of flying machine favored
by Thomas A. Edison.
Aeronautics IL becoming a practical
science. Flying machines are no long
er toys. Military experts say their
utility in time OF war for scout work,
for the quick transportation of dis
patches, and, possibly for transporting
troops and bombarding forts and ships,
cannot be questioned. In France, sci
entists are finding an entirely peaceful
use for the balloon. On the approach
of a hailstorm explosives are sent up
in one Of the big ships of the air, and
when at q great elevation, are touched
off for the purpose of dissipating the
storm which threatens the vineyards.
The United States Weather Bureau
uses captive or free balloons and kites
in its station at Mt. Weather, Virginia,
to ascertain the temperature, baromet-
rie pressure, wind velocity and humid
ity in high attitudes.
Professor Todd. noted astronomer,
now proposes to ascend next Septem-
Der. to a height of ten miles IN bal
loon equipped with wireless antennae,
in the hope Of catching some of the sig
nails which he supposes the inhabitants
of Mars to be trying to transmit to the
earth. Eventually. 1t may be possible
to communicate with the sister planet,
If not to visit 1t, by means of an air
ship. The United States Signal Corps
Is equipping the army balloons with
wireless apparatus and Leo Stevens.
the celebrated aeronaut. Is using the
wireless telephone with some of the
balloons he is making.
The United States War Department
is far behind the war offices of other
powers in the matter of ownership Of
means of air navigation. The United
States now owns but one military air
ship, a small dirigible, constructed by
Captain Tom Baldwin. and several or
binary free and captive balloons.
Germany, on the other hand. has seven
huge dirigibles. including one OF the
Zeppelin. One of this type. $50 feet
long, not long ago carried a company
on a twelve-hour run. and only few
DAVIS a 0o ZeDuelin made a run of about