Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-23

was the first to contract for Wrigh,
machine and A. P. Warner bough,
: one of the Herring Curtiss type. Both
machines will probably be tested on
the Long Island grounds. The indi-
cations are that aeroplaning will be-
come a sport long before the machines
can be relied upon for practical use.
Glenn H. Curtiss, the inventor, is
an enthusiast in the belief that the
laeroplane will find rapid favor with
the keen sportsman. ''The lightning
Iexpress rate Of speed" said Mr.. Cur
tiss, affords a spice of danger that ap-
peals to the sportsman. Men will go
in for aeroplaning as they do for au-
Itomobile speeding. OF course the use
Of the aeroplane will be confined to
the country, as in it's present state of
development it could not with safety
sail over skyscrapers.
"It is a mistake to think that man
must have a scientific knowledge Of
air currents in order to learn to ride
lit. And one who has activity enough
to balance on a motorcycle can learn
the control of flying machine. The
beginner should start by flying close
/ to the ground and should not attempt
to make a turn before he has made
twelve or fifteen flights. After he be-
comes familiar with the machine it
does not require steady attention and
the aviator may study the effect Of the
surfaces on the air.
AFTER he has got perfect control
of the apparatus he may go In for
conquering height. The sensation Of
rising and falling is interesting. The
height experienced from an aeroplane
is unlike that felt in looking down
from a tall building; there is not that
dizzy feeling or desire to jump. AS
the machine ascends there is sensa-
ton that the earth is dropping away
from you, and in descending that the
earth is coming toward you. The
varying sensations will appeal to the
novice who is always ready for new
experience. The hope Of conquering
the air lies in making the aeroplane
popular for sport. I believe the COM
ing year will see many aeroplanes in
use for this purpose"
While the strenuous sportsman may
go in for aeroplaning there are those
who still find enjoyment in the spher-
ical drifting balloon. Alan R. Hawley,
director Of the club and balloon
enthusiast. has suggested that mem
bers Of the club who do not own large
racing balloons buy small spherical
balloons of 10000 cubic feet capacity
with sufficient power to lift one man
and carry the necessary ballast. These
pigmy air craft, he says, would afford
capital sport for short distance point
to point races. A particularly advan-
tageous feature is that the silk gas
bag can be folded and tucked way in
suit case and the entire apparatus
can be transported from place to place
on an automobile.
5000. The matter Of initiating such a
balloon would be simple, as any one
with a country home could easily
have his own hydrogen plant. Mrs.
Carl E. Myers has used such balloon
on many short pleasure trips. A
large number of the club members
already own the balloon Of 1900 Gu
bic feet, but the cost Of these big bal
looms, which ranges from $1,100 to
$4,000, keeps them a toy Of the man
Of means and leisure. Each time one
of these balloons is inflated 1t repre-
sents a cost of about $50, and then
there is the expense of shipping it to
suitable place for good gas facilities
Unfortunately New York is too near
the seacoast for good ballooning.
Generally speaking, it isn't safe to
make an ascension near the seacoast
unless the wind is blowing inland
The sea is one great menace to bal
looming, because unless you keep very
near the eartn it Is possible that shift
Of wind may carry the balloon out
where a dry land descent cannot be
made. 1t is for that reason that in
land points like North Adams, Pitts
field, Springfield, Mass, Indianapolis,
st. Louis and Milwaukee have been
selected for initiating stations when
the large balloons are to be used
The longest time one of these balloons
i has remained in the air is seventy
three hours, the winning balloon in
the international race of 1908 estab-
fishing this record. The contraction
and expansion regulated by the air
conditions in which a balloon travels
have much to do with the length of
time it stays aloft and the distance 1t
is capable of travelling.
1t may be interesting to the ground
man to know how food is prepared on
one of these aerial voyages. AS any
sort Of flame would be dangerous on
account of the gas bag Stacked lime
is used for heating the coffee and
warming the canned goods or cooking
eggs. Two tin vessels are used. One
is filled with water and the canned
goods placed inside of this. Thermo
bottles are used as well. Those given
to this mode Of aerial sports believe II
supersedes all Others as when you start
on such a journey there is an uncer-
tainty as to destination that makes II
particularly attractive.
Among the members of the Aero
Club that own these large balloons are
!, A. Holland Forbes Clifford B. Har-
mon, n. H. Arnold, Thomas S. Bald
win, Charles Glidden, Carl Myers, Lee
!, Stevens, ]. H. Wade, A. H. Morgan
]. c. Mccoy, John Berry, Carl Fisher
!, and G. S. Bumbaugh.
The pleasures and advantages OF
the dirigible. which is sort of half
way between the buoyant spherical anG
the aeroplane, are not to be over
looked. The dirigible travels at q
lspeed undreamed of in the drifting