The Sentinel=record., 1909-10-14
INVENTOR RICE
 ABOUT ID FLY HOT SPRINGS MAN HAS AlRsHlP ABOUT READY TO START START FROM NEW YORK.
With His Son He Expects to Make the Initial Trip On October
 IS, Flying southward.

New York, Oct 1s-On Friday October l5 a midair journey by two Arkansans in the largest dirigible bal loon ever floated will be begun m New York and from there continue to Washington, D. C., and through the South.
 Two Hot Springs men. Jos T. Rice and John A. Riggs, have been busily engaged in New York during the last few days putting the finishing touches Q the ibig air machine, and it is ex- pected that by Friday all will be in readiness for the initial ascension. The imitation of the big envelope be- gan yesterday.
 MT. Rice says that he will go by successive stages to Washington and then southward, showing ihe machine as he goes.
 We will exhibit inc machine as we go," said MT. Riggs yesterday. and make several flights in the vicinity of the towns where we stop. The idea, apalt from the exhibition feature. is to demonstrate the practical uses of a properly equipped dirigible balloon for long-coniinued cross-country traver'
 The airship has several novel feat ures. Air. Rice has dispensed with a rear rudder. The big propeller in front of the frame Is attached to the main shaft, and instead of merely giv ing the propening power it will also act as the rndder, being contrived to turn readily from side to side. Being in front, the propeller actually will pull the big ship through the air. Mr Rice says he obtained patent on this two-fold principle in 1904. He but machine last year at Hot 1 Springs, but the balloon proved to be too weak to sustain the frame. Instead of building his frame, which is S7 feet long, of wool. he has con strucsed it wholly of steel, hollow steel rods being used. giving him the only dirigible balloon with a steel fame in this country The frame weighs $40 pounds. and at point about one-third back from the frone the car will be attached. It will be large enough 10 carry three persons, the operator and two passengers. The entire weight of the dirigible. with the balloon inflated. will be about 1000 pounds.
 The balloon portion was made by Leo Stevens. It is Of the usual cotton balloon fabric. vanished and has a capacity of more than s5.000 cubic feet To catch the hydrogen gas leak. ing from she valve. Mir. Riggs will at- tach smaller balloon bag to the mainI envelope to catch the escaping gas and, as needed, it can be pumped hack into the main envelope.
 Another novelty will be two smaller propellers attached on each side of the projecting frame a few feet back from he main propeller These sub. sidiary propellers. while also acting aa pullers, are connected with the crank shaft in such manner that they mar be depressed or elevated. this assisting the balloon to rise or descend Their function will be very similar to the forward tilting planes oi aercplanes In the car an eight cylinder curtiss motor. supplying thir. ty-fcur horse power, will be installed.
 With Mr Rice at Morris Park are his two sons, l A. Rice and R. A. Rice.
 My frs landing place after leave New York" said Mir. Rice. will prob. ably be Newark. One of my sons win go with me on ny first trip. Our intention is 10 ship large tent from place to place in which to store the balloon. f the machine is a success l have received a tentative offer to Duld one like t for member of the Aero club of America. My dirigible VIII be easier to manage than any other l know of. and our daily cross country runs will average fifty to seyenty-iive niles
 DTS. c A and II c. King have removed to new and elegant offices in