University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-02-20
Hyir,g.A New Art

49,
For decades and decades the mys
terry that has surrounded the art of fly
ing has interested man and led him
to make many fruitless attempts to
as the old writer's would say, "soal
like bird into the ethereal blue
Although much money has been spent
and many lives have been sacrificed
in this cause, it has not been until re
Gently that we could begin to speak
of flying as an art.
The atmosphere has been the one
element that has persistentiy opposed
all efforts of man to venture into It.
The land and sea alike have been con-
verted into bearers of burden for man.
They alone have been the things upon
which and into which the inventions
have enabled man to travel and carry
on trade. The air has been left to
the eagle, the sparrow and the hum
ming bird. Through all time, up to
the present. man has acknowledged
his utter defeat when he dealt with
the air and the laws of gravitation.
There have been times when some in
ventor or fanatic, as he was then
called, would spring up above the
common mortals" and sail about in
the air. only to come to earth with the
wreckage of his dream about him.
aeronautics has proved
an interesting study through all ages
Who is there that has not heard the
story Of Icarus, in old mythology, who,
with his father, made some wings,
fashioned after those of birds, and
flew? Aviation. probably had its first
devotee in him, but he was like many
Of the. aviators of the present day
he flew too high, and fell.
Then there is the story of Darius
Green, which by its more modern
is more easily believed and
lnderstood-that is, by a select few
Of the people of the earth. This Green
also had aspirations to fly. He built
an airship, sort of glide" as it
would be called in the terminology
Of the bird men of today. Green took
his machine, with which he was fully
convinced that he would ascend into
he heavens, to the top of his fathers
barn, unknown to any of the villagers,
md then when favorable wind came
lie was off-but not into the heavens;
le dropped like plummet" among
he cattle in his fathers barnyard.
Ind thus took place the first calamity.
n now what Is a rapidly growing list
# fatalities. from men venturing into
he air in unstable flying machines.
These stories, fictitious though they
re, show to certain extent the trend
4 thought in regard to aviation. Per
ons of all races have always had a |
esire to fly. Most men, however
iffering views they may hold regard
ng flying. have at some time been
cry much interested in the air. There
re very few boys but have made para
hutes and jumped from some barn or
snce; or have made balloons or kites
nd sent messages and playthings I'D
Ito the air. Thus such inherent de-
res may be said to be Just now find
lg a sort of an outlet in the achieve
tents Of aviators Of the present day.
Samuel P. Langley, former secre-
Iry Of the Smithsonian Institution,
ay be said to be the first American
} lend any dignity to the art of trav-
ing through the air in power-driven
,roplanes. He was the first to lift II
lstimes and theories of cranks. He Il
lstime and theories of cranks. He
orked twenty years endeavoring to
Vance his theories by studies and
'periments. His first model aero II
ane weighed twenty-seven pounds
I'd was driven by small steam en-
ne having one and quarter horse
'wer. The model few distances of q
'out mile before its fuel gave out.
'ofessor Langley then built another
roplane about twice as large as the
st and through this he discovered IL
at he would be justified in building la
man-carrying aeroplane. He there v
re built one. and it was tried sew la
ii times on the Potomic River In "
os. but was destroyed before it's ip
acticability could be demonstrated. !e
Hiram Maxim and NJ. Clement |c