Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-05
INVENTOR WOULD JUMP
FROM MONUMENT TOP
C. R. RuderseiII of Baltimore
Wants to Try New Parachute.
AeropIane Show Today.

A Baltimore inventor, seeking fame or
a funeral, called at the Washington
Monument yesterday afternoon. He got
neither, but he says he is not yet through
and will get one or the other or both
He is c. r. Ruderseill, the inventor of a
parachute which he says will prevent
aeroplane accidents. He is one Of the
exhibitors at the aeroplane show which
opens this afternoon at the Exposition
building. North Capitol and M streets. Mr..
Ruderseill went to the Monument with
his parachute unconcealed and was
promptly held up by the attendants. He
explained that he only wanted to jump
from the top.
The guards said that the Monument
was not built for the purpose of spectacu-
lar suicides, but the inventor insisted
that there was no suicide intended and
that the parachute, which was Of silk and
rolled up something like an umbrella,
was quite capable of supporting him IN
the air. The doubling guards, however,
referred Ruderseill politely to Col. Cosby,
superintendent of public buildings and
grounds, saying that IL he would issue
permit for the parachute man to jump
off the Monument he was welcome to do
it and they would clean UP the resulting
spot on the pavement If there were one.
Cosby Declines Permit.
Col. Cosby, however, was no more ac
commodating than the guards and kindly
but firmly declined to issue any such per-
nit Ruderseill said afterward that he
was determined on making trial from
the Monument and that if he were held
up the worst that could happen to him
would be to get pinched for disorderly
conduct. Some unsympathetic spectators
assured him this would be better than
what would happen to him IL he made
the trial.
The preparations for the aeroplane
show at the Exposition building contin-
ued all last night. 1t is the biggest hall
of its sort in the country and the work
Of decorating 1t was a large contract.
This was accomplished by {. w. Ray,
who by last night had the whole Of the
immense roof hung with flags and bunt-
ing.
The railroads came near serious Grip
ping the show at the last moment, for in
spite of the fact that three carloads of
aeroplanes and accessories were shipped
from Boston February u, they had not
arrived at the hall late yesterday after
noon. There were three local machines
put together last night. however. They
were the Rex Smith biplane that has been
making ulSulS SlIlCc last X<OtSHOST al
College Park, the Rooney triplane of
Washington. the biggest machine in point
or area in the show.
Machine Has Two Decks.
The third is a biplane exhibited by
Harry A. Orme Of Washington. 1t is one
Of the prettiest machines that has yet been
exhibited. 1t has two decks and a steer
ing device on top that looks something
like fiat umbrella, but that, Mr.. Orme
says, has worked perfectly in his models.
The machine is a very attractive piece OF
workmanship.
The Smith machine looks like headless
Wright biplane, >but has ailerons like a
Curtiss machine for maintaining the later
at balance, and has high chassis and
landing gear like the Farman. 1t Is a
powerfully built machine, and is driven
by an Emerson twO-cycle engine.
There are three Curtiss machines now
on the way to the show. one of them the
famous Junebug with which Curtiss won
the Scientific American trophy the first
year 1t was offered. The right machine
is the big biplane that was displayed at
the Boston show.
The motor trucks and motor boats that
constitute a part of the show will be
installed this morning.