New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-24
MOTORS READY FOR
WANAMAKER FLIGHT
Curtiss TO Test Engines
for Airship to Fly
Across Ocean.
LIEUT.. TOWERS MAY
REPRESENT y. S.
Pulling Problem IN Air Ioha''
tons - Passenger Line
Plans Praised.

Plans Praised.
Glenn H. Curtiss. who has been "o' h
.ua out the plan for the fyins boat u
dered by Rodman Wanamaker for trans
atlantic flight ~ IN thls CRY @ ""r',,,f
the arrival from England of lheutohai''
! g. Porte. who has been selected a.
ono 81 the pilots Of the new craft. Lieu
tenant Porte is expected 10 land TINS
morning and will % into conference al
once with Mr.. CuTuss and Lieutenant d.
II. Towers. OF the aeronautical division o'
the United States army.
While il is generally believed III aero
nautical circles that Lieutenant Tower
will be picked as the second plot row
ors himself is non-committal On the sub
ject
OF have been sent here 10 Investigate
the proposed plan" said Towers las'
night at the Aero Cub. and cannot give
even a personal opinion on the subJec'
NJ the light until the proposition has been
laid before INC and explained. That the
Government will select me for one of the
pilots is by no means certain and no
steps Of any Lind will be taken until
have gone over the matter and made my
rcport expect TO leave with Mr.. Curtiss
for Hammondsport Tuesday night
In reply to 4 question as TO what prog
ress had been made on the Wanamakei
plane Mr.. Curtiss replied: up to the
present time most Of the work has hac
to do with the plans and drawings 81 the
machine. Every detail has been the sub
iect OF much study and consideration.
should say that the plans for the plane
itself are 20 per cent completed. VINE!
We have satisfied ourselves that every
thing is right il viii be matter of less
than four weeks 10 do the actual con
struction work.
The motor is practically finished. Sis
engines Of this type have been built and
we shall start testing them within few
days. To show how rapidly we can con-
struct 4 machine I will tell you OF an in
stance which occurred last summer y
man came 20 mo and said he wanted q
machine in a hurry, meaning as quickly
as we could turn it out. That was on a
TUESDAY. The following Tuesday he was
flying IN the machine and not single
part Of the plane was built Of our stock
material. but to special plans furnished
by the buyer.
To 90 back 10 the original subject
CoutinGed Nj Curtiss. the propeller OF
the transatlantic flyer viii be Of the
traSfor type, whether two or -four blades
has not been decided ] expect it will
turn over at the rate OF go 10 1000 revo-
lutons. which condition. Of course. will
call for a fairly high pitch. After the
motor tests / can tell more about what
the propeller requirements will be-
Captain Thomas :. Baldwin and J. 4.
D. McCurdy spent several hours discuss
ing the transatlantic project at the Aero
Club Yesterday afternoon. McCurdy, in
1871. attempted to make the first fight
from Key West 70 Havana and fell into
the water when within three miles Of his
goal
speaking Of the transatlantic attempt.
McCurdy said. What experience l have
had dying over water has convinced me
that should wish TO be dead certain
that any machine I'm which / started
across the Atlantic would rise from the
water. under normal conditions at sea,
should it be necessary TO descend TO the
surface.
"While the air currents attendant 10 a
disturbance over the water would un-
doubtedly help the aviator In the begin
ms Of q trip over the ocean. these same
currents would likely become detriment
later IN the voyage.
President Alan r. Hawley or the Aero
club yesterday expressed the opinion
that America is about to forge 20 the
front in matters aeronautical. He said
that the fact that over 100000 has been
offered I'm prizes abroad this year, while
only a few water flying contests had been
arranged here. is not Of great slgnif-
canoe.
Henry Woodhouse, publisher OF Fly
ing" said. I'VE are backward only In
military aeronautics. and there IS great
promise Of expansion in that line, too.
The nations Of the world have spent
$4,000, 900 in aeroplanes in the last two
Years. Germany spent IS CO... 0o0; France,
-. 10000. and Russia. 81, 0co coo. America
has spent only $4,000 in Ave years. But
the military authorities and Congress
are now anxious 10 give substantial
aeronautical support 70 the army and
navy.
Americas future in aeroneutics does
not lie in military fields. The great prob
lem OF transportation is what has occu-
pied the American inventors for a Ions
time Even now. a passenger line which
has been established in Florida is meet
ing with good success and many such
projects on a larger scale are under way.
While the European aviator flies over
mountains and seas 10 wiz fat purses
the American Is working steadily toward
that important goal, the Commercializing
Of the aeIoplane.'
Glenn Il CurtisS. Lieutenant j. n.
Towers and Lieutenant j. &. Porte will
leave the city for llammondsport tonight.
ARRESTED AS GEM THIEF