Evening star., 1909-09-04
EDDIE HOOD, HIS GUESS
Twas Way Ahead of Time,
But as Good as Gold.
REAL AER0PLANE PROPHET
Predicted Many Things That Have
Since Happened.
BUT HE ALWAYS WAS WISE
Read This Fine Yarn Of His About
the Highways Of the
Upper Air.

the Highways Of the
Upper Air.
Under the title ''Aerial Traffic. It's Reg
ulations and Limitations" Edwin NJ
Hood, better known to public men as
Eddie Hood, a veteran Washington
newspaper man. contributed to The Sun
day Star Illustrated Magazine of July
s. 1906. an article that was full of inter-
est. At that time 80 men out of every
100 looked upon aerial navigation by
means of aeroplanes as a wild dream.
But in his article Mr.. Hood wrote:
THAT such a machine can be construct
ed admits of mathematical demonstra-
tion' The Wright brothers. Curtiss and
Bleriot were then practically unheard Of
But twenty-five years of active work
in the newspaper field of Washington
throws man in the way of learning a
good many things. Mr.. Hood, as a rep
resentative Of the Associated Press, has
spent that length of time in and about
the State. War and Navy Departments.
where he came into contact with scien-
tific experts of the army and navy and
watched the perfection of many marvel
Gus Inventions Two years ago he knew
what had been accomplished by the Sig
nal Corps of the army with balloons, and
he knew what experiments were being
made with aeroplanes. So to him what
has occurred In two years did not ap-
pear at all impossible, or even improb-
able.
Hero Is His Prophecy.
Speaking Of the regulation of aerial
traffic, he wrote:
"The safety Of human life and property
being the first consideration, it will fol-
low that aerodromes must conform to
legal regulations in many respects. OF
course, the strength and stability of the
machine must be established beyond ques-
ton; this certainly as to public carriers
and probably also as to individual ma
chimes. AS the owners of automobiles
strenuously resisted the application of
laws regulating their speed and prescrib-
ing the numbering and lighting systems,
and limiting the emission of noxious va
pors and smoke, SO will the future aero
naut protest against local laws that limit
his freedom, but also without success
so it will happen that, at least in
populous centers, the aerodromes will be
| required to start from and alight at GER
| tain prescribed points. probably on the
| outskirts OF the cities. 1t cannot be con-
| templated with equanimity that q score
of persons below should be put in
| jeopardy OF their lives through the pos
sible carelessneSs of an aeronaut above
| them in the management of his machine
Apart from the danger to life below of a
falling machine would be the dropping of
oil and refuse
so the machines must not fly over the
cities and towns; that must be prohibited
by law. And even in the agricultural
country farmhouse and yard would
| appear to have a claim to protection. and
the farmers vote will probably be as po-
tential in the future as now with the
lawmakers His protection would involve
charge from above of any Objectionable
matter. Possibly it might be found
difficult for the aeronaut entirely to avoid
this: certainly 1t would be In the infancy
of the science of aerial flight, with crude
and experimental machines.
Highways Of the Air.
This fact naturally suggests the feast
bility and desirability of prescribing
aerial routes of traffic connecting the
great centers of population, corresponding
with the ocean lanes which are followed
by the steamships of the world with In
estimable benefit to the mariner. At first
suggested by the economy of taking ad-
vantage of seasonable currents and winds
of great circle navigation and avoidance
of icebergs, the establishment of these
lanes was found to have largely eliminat-
ed that dread of the sailor-a collision at
sea. So the aeronaut of the future,
though naturally chafing under the re-
strictions upon his freedom of movement,
may in the end-thOugh the primary pur-
pose of the law establishing aerial lanes
Of flight will be the protection of the peo-
pie below-be glad to reduce the chance
of frightful collision in midair by fol-
lowing the rules of the road.
THE mere thought of collision in mid
air is enough to shake the stoutest spirit,
hIyf h f,1l 10
ination the terrible crash of the two great
but fragile machines, laden with human
freight, in the shadows Of night and
speeding In opposite directions at the rate
of hundred miles an hour. Destruction
to every living being in such crafts would
appear to be Inevitable.
1T may be reasonably expected that in
its initial phases the science of aero
dromics will follow in general lines the
rules of navigation upon the high seas.
Airships will be fitted with simple horns
or whistles. sounding one blast to pass
to starboard or two to port. Likewise at
night, II there are aeronauts so venture
some as to try the upper darkness, the
aerodromes must carry the familiar red
and green lights on left and right Other
signals common to water navigation will
be adopted to give notice of the intention
of the aerial captain to pass to one side
or another of a slower craft ahead. as
we'll as to signal his approach to his home
station. just as the returning river ex-
cursion boat calls out its dock hands to
catch its mooring lines.
Harbors in the Clouds.
Successful aerial fight must obey
many of the laws of navigation Ships
on long voyages must make port between
to take on water and fuel, if not fresh
food. So must the aerodrome, and in the
beginning Of the science of aerial flight
the stops must be often because of the
small size Of the machine. Two hundred
miles, straight away, at full speed, would
tax a good locomotive. That distance
would be but the decimal Of the perform
ance of an ocean liner; but it might, in
the beginning, at least, mark the limit of
endurance of an aerodrome in average
weather conditions. and in bleak and ad-
verse head winds the possible fight might
be less.
And SO there is to be the aerial relay
station, just as there is the water tank
and. the coal hopper alongside the rail-
way trunk lines. The shape is problem
attic at this stage. Probably on some high