Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-06-20
WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington June i5.-Hss ayis-
ton. human fight in hesyIer-than-
air machines reached It's limit Of
Development VIII the aerOplsne
always remain q precarious play
thing IN which human dare devils
ei;Ser for amusement or pay will
continue 20 thrill less yenturesOme
beings or as q hazardous but reces-
sary machine fo- the uses Of var
Or has tie as-oplare q greater
destiny VIII il beeome a powerful
eiyilizing agent made safe by pro
Gressiye Invention 2 great ins;rU-
nent IN reducing the cost Of living
aud adding TO the comfort and con
yenienee of the population.
William G. Sharp Of Ohio who IS
being prominently mentioned Is
the next chairman Of the Demo
cratic Congressional committee Is
one OF those whO has intense faith
in the great future Of human fight.
He believes that the flying machine
Is still il its crawling infancy that
It's future development will be as
amazing ss that O: the automobile.
He Is convinced that scientific dis
'eovery and Invention will in time
make the zercplane IS safe and as
widely used a. automobiles and
motor boats are now.
Aviation IS Shsrp's legislative
hobby He has shown this by the
many bills and resolutions be mas
introduced looking to government
encouragement Of seronautical IL
vention. While Sharp Is Z dream
er he Is a very scientihc and prac-
teal one. His whole life has been
practical: his business success Is
proof OF that. His mind mas been
keen to grasp the possibilities OF in
vention as Is shown By the success
Of the chemical manufacturing
business cut II Ohio Of which he is
the proprietor. 1t Is the largest
Industry Of its kind in the world
While Mr.. Sharp realizes that i,
Is easy 10 secure government en-
courzEsment Of aviation b. appeal
ing 70 the patriotism Of the people
that Is, by emphasizing the need
OF ar aerial feet tor use in war
yet re believes that the greater use
+ human aiEh, will be in the pur-
suits Of peace 10 scientific inyesiga-
lions in Improving transportation.
Think what opportunities for
scientific research our syia;ors of
today are missing" sid Mr.. Sharp
10 me recently. After each alti-
tude record is made the aviator
speaks of the fact that the higher
he goes in the air the blacker the
clear sky becomes. But ne observes
this merely as an interesting sight
and that is all.
But let a scientist ascend 10
that great height and there is no
telling what profound results in
human life his expert Investigations
may have. There never has been
aistudy Of life made # the higher
strata of the air. There IS a most
wonderful substance in space-we
call il ether. II Is the medium
which carries the wireless message
and which conducts the suns light
and heat 10 the earth yet man
knows little or nothing about it.
Il believe that aviation is going
to make possible the study of ether
by scientists. This study nay re.
suit in revealing to the human fam
ily a wonderful new force Of nat
ure and make possible its practical
use by mankind.
There are tremendous possibili-
ties for the flying machine in trans.
portstion. The free cir above US
may furnish the commercial high.
ways Of the future. Greater speed
end cheapness in the transportation
of passengers, freight and mail
these the public demands and the
craft Of the air may furnish both"
Congressman Sharp has iutroduc-
cd measures looking 10 the deliy-
cry Of mail by aeroplane to mac
cessible regions such as exist in
Alaska and the mountainous re.
gions of the west. This project is
regarded f~avorably by the Post
Office Department. He is an en-
,huyisstic advocate Of a govern
ment bureau and laboratory for