The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-05-10

f1iSht III Any Weather and Ho,,h
Speed of 20 Miles an fIo,,
perinents Secret.
DR.. William W. Chr;sfnqe
tive of Warrenton, y. c.. who. 3. -
sided in Washington, y. a.
1879, has made u discovery ~,
nautics, and claims to have a,....~
bipiane that has solved tha ara =
OF aviation, containing Il h3s. ..."
device thai makes the f!ying m..r
maintain q stable flisht .r
weather and attain q snaad
miles an hour. DR.. Christma. .
W~ell-known physician and -..a,.,
OF Washington, and has been .,..-
menting in aeronautics sine. -5z
when he began making flights
m~an-Carrylng kites. He claims r., n...
beaten the worlds record mad.
the Rheims tournament. for e.r.I
navigation, in a biplane Of his m...,
ton a year ago.
h Washington papers have CON.
tanned extensive stories ab9.t tina
wonderful machine, but Dr. Chrs~rrI5
has not permitted q full d-e.r,n..n
Of 1t to De published.
The following extracts arr t.-.7
from Il report in the WasAt.g,aa
Herald:
DR.. William W. Christmas ii .rg-
stefan Of this city, with offices at -.,
Twelfth street northwest, has ir..-t-
ed an ~aerOplane, for which he .,.n.g
a speed of 10 miles an hour and
which he says can autom8tica.N- u.I-
ance itself in any Kind Of weather
The Christmas machine is IL biz
plane. The supporting surface of The
two planes is SIS square fee. whs.
planes are 81 feet from tip to tip. with
a width of 7 feet, so curved as to OBJ
tain the maximum lifting bower
without interfering with thu sr-eI
The planes are mounted on a France
work 27 feet long, which rests on BIZ
cycle wheels, two in front and ONE in
h rear. The machine ordinarily de-
Velops the necessary speed Oh the
wheels to rise in the air, but the IN
ventor say that if facing a stiff vino
the biplase will rise at the viii u
the engineer.
For motive power there is nm en-
CINE different from any now in use on
aeroplanes. 1t is said to be the light
est in the worl of the same horse
power. 1t is q five-cylindcr. 0Ic-
cooled, m~agnetO-fired motor of $3.50
horsepower, and is constructed II
vandium steel with baIIbrarjngs
throughout. There are two fuel tanks
for gasoline. with capacity enough
for a 50O-mile run.
Can Carry Three Persons.
The propellers, two in number. ara
each s IL feet long. and are built ~
French walnut. They are shaft driven.
The steering of the %aerOplane is done
by an automobile wheel directly ia
front of the operator, the entire con-
troll being directed from the opera
tors seat. The entire weight Of the
machine is 1900 pounds, and 1T H. de-
signed to carry three passengers. in
Guiding the engineer and pilot.
Besides the main planes and tn8
forward lifting planes there are ral-
der planes n several auxiliary hoI-
ancing devices which have never be-
fore been put on a Observation-Disclosures
flying machine.
h greatest feature Of the Christi
mas aeroplane is the bala''".ns "'-
vice, which the inventor says is .''-
tain to keep the flyer rigIS s|1" up
and on an even keel, even in il hA.'.
cane.
Several features OF the Chrizth''
machine have been patented III .''
What the Inventor say.
When seen at his offices yes.
DR.. Christmas was not dlSpo@1
give much information c~oncern|"2 -'
invention. He said, however:
.rLt
up to this time | have not "..
to make public any Of the facl9 @''',
my aerial craft. I believe that 3
evolved a method Of tranSPoI.
through the air by which can. .+ .l
machine. maintain q stable .H-..
any weather and develop an lmHt.'.
speed. The machines great
vantages are its simplicity and
Ough reliability. You must
stand that [ am not taking ~
ture experiments" continue"
Christmas. Il have demonstTal"
great improvements in my bip.@
actual flights in q similar ma
The inventor, however, reIh7.'
make public the place Whr.
flights We're made. It was
that several oyage OF the h'> ~,
chine have been made from
Maryland side of the Potomac
below Alexandria.