The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-10-29
DAKOTA Man HAS
PAPER AIRSHIP
AT LEAST IT'S ONLY ON PAPER
NoW-METcALF or DRlscoLL
WILL HAVE REAL ONE.

coast patrol, designed to sail In the
air, trundle along a stretch OF sandy
beach or across neck of land, or ia
plow through the surf, as the exigen-
cies OF the case demand. Ia the inven-
ton Of r. nj. Metcalf, a farmer living
three miles southwest OF Driscoll, NJ
u. Mr. Metcalf has completed his de-
sign and has patents pending in the
United States and several foreign
countries. He was in Minneapolis yes
terday arranging for the manufacture
or purchase OF sundry parts OF his ma :
chine and in about three weeks expects
20 have a working model ready for
trial on his North Dakota farm.
Mr.. Metcalf Is not a novice in flying
machine studies. As long ago as 1875,
when he was a curious lad OF 16 years,
ne, like Darius Green, although without
the painful experience of Darius, de-
voted considerable thought to aero
nauttcs, then In most primitive state
OF development But 1t was not until
a year ago that he took up the ques-
tion seriously. There was much liter
azure on the subject then, and the
world was waiting TO applaud the sue
cessful flyer. And some flyers have
had a measure OF applause, too Mr.
Metcalf has taken his time and now
he, believes he has a machine that will
be Of practical use in many ways.
Not Like Other Machines.
i This mechanical waterfowl, Mr.. Met
calf says, does not infringe on the in
yentions OF the Wrights, Curtiss or OF
any Of the other makers Of successful
machines. On a blue print, which was
all Mr.. Metcalf had with him here, the
machine looks like a complicated mass
OF sails, propellers and connecting rods.
But 1t is not as complicated as 1t looks,
he says.
The boar part of the machine is made
| or canvas, light and waterproof. In
| 1t Is located the gasoline engine. which
for machine able to carry ten passen-
| gers, will have something less than 100
horsepower. The passengers will have
seats in the boat whether on water,
land or in air. Four wheels at the cor
ners of the boat, where wheels natural
ly would be, win serve as propellers
when In water. being fitted with pad
dies on the side. On land the wheels
will be as useful as the wheels OF an
automobile. In air the wheels will be
OF no more use than a goose,s feet.
| Moreover. on water or land the spread
Of sail can be reduced to one-third or
less Of the. flying surface by an inge-
NOUS scheme Of hinges. The sails fold
like a birds wings.
VIII Carry Ten Passengers.
In the air the machine measures
about fifty feet from tip to tip, speak
Ing after the manner Of bird hunters;
1t is about fifty feet rom stem to
| stern, speaking nauticalIy, and rom
bottom to top 1t is about twenty feet.
The weight would be about 500 pounds.
Such machine, the designer thinks.
would carry ten passengers handily.
yThe frame Of the boat extended forms
the frame OF the upper works carry
ing the sails and the air propellers.
the latter operated by chain gear from
the motor down In the boat. The
steering is all done by one lever, and.
theoretically at least the machine at
all times is under perfect control.
| Mr.. Metcalfs machine is lighter
than other flying machines consider
ing its weight carrying capacity. The
French machine that recently flew
across the English channel weighed
500 to 500 pounds, but could carry
not more than two passengers. The
Wright machine is about the same
Mr.. Metcalrs machine, moreover has
about 5000 square feet of sustaining
surface, ten times as much as other
successful machines. The Wright ma
chine has only $50.
Wants Practical Test.
The proof Of flying machine is in
the flying, and Mr.. Metcalf is anx-
ious for practical test. He has the
machine all but completed, and within
month will know what 1t can do. He
knows that the boat win float; he
knows that the wheels will roll along
the ground. so there Is no use to waste
time testing those. So the first ma
chine will be tested without the boat
and wheels. "A platform will support
and aerial propellers will be rugged as
they would be IL the hull were used
The inventor will run no risk OF
having his machine take header like
q badly balanced kite, humping its
mechanical brains out on the ground.
He has rugged a wire, something like
@ trolley wire, or wire in the back
yard for giving dog exercise. His
WIRE - IlLLy~HV0 TOQS long between
posts. and the posts are twenty two
feet high, but there is valley between
them. The machine will be tested un-
der that wire. If the machine makes
those fifty-five rods carrying the WIRE
instead OF the wire carrying the ma
chine, Mr.. Metcalf will conclude that
he has something worth while in the
way of an aeroplane. The machine
may need tinkering or encouraging
but the inventor feels certain that he
Is on the right track, and that even
tually men who need to patrol a
coast can have their choice Of con-
veyance, air, land or water. He will
let the public know when he Is ready
for the test.
Foley's Honey ana Tar clears the
air passages. stops the Irritation in the
throat, soothes the infiamad membranes
and the most obstinate cough disap-
pears Sore and irfiamed lungs are
healed and strengthened, and the cold