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PROGRESS WITH THE
FLYING
Working Out the Man-Flight Problem Along Scien-
tific Lines Near Chicago.
Tke tiny is almost at hand ivhen man
•will dispute with the bird for suprem¬
acy in the air. For hundreds of years
his ambition has been at work with
such persistency of effort that he now
begins to see the end. He has grap¬
pled with the invisible forces of the
atmosphere, sometimes blindly, but
always courageously; generally to
meet with disappointment, but happily
with enough success to keep alive his
determination to master the most dif¬
ficult of all problems in physics. Lives
have been lost and fortunes bave been
expended in the pursuit of this baffling
question of lnau-llight. Ridicule has
been heaped upon the heads of those
who sought to cope with the feathered
messengers of the air, and their sanity
questioned by the world at large.
The advancement made toward the
full solution of the problem of man-
flight- during the year 1896 was greater
than that of any previous year, and
attracted the widest attention among
scientists. Probably more interest
centered in the experiments conducted
thirty miles southeast of Chicago on
the shore of Lake Michigan by Octave
Chanute, of Chicago, than anywhere
else. The prominent position occu¬
pied by Mr. Chanute in the scientific
world was accepted as a guarantee that
he had faith in his experiments, and
that ,he had.no other purpose in view
but to demonstrate certain principles
involved in the problem.
At the time he was thus engaged Mr.
Chanute observed much caution in his
utterances concerning the results ob¬
tained. Fearful lest his conclusions
might not be properly formed, or that
he might be misunderstood, he re¬
frained as far as possible from commit-
ing himself on the subject further than
to say his experiments were very satis¬
factory. Since then he has gained
courage, so to speak, and has become
enthusiastic over what has been ac¬
complished. He is now confident that
the way is clear for the solution of the
problem, and modestly takes to him¬
self a goodly share of the credit for
pointing the way. He claims that his
experiments have marked out the best
lines for investigators to follow, and
numbers them a3 follows in the order
of their importance:
1. The development of the self-pro¬
pelled aerodrome.
2. The development of the motor¬
less air sailer.
3. The development of the motor.
During the past week the experi¬
ments of last year have been renewed
near Dune Park, Ind., and Mr.
Chanute hais been almost a daily
visitor to the scene of action. His in¬
terest in the result will not let him
stay away longer than one day for sev¬
eral reasons. One reason is that the
machine being used is one of his own
invention in its most important details,
and another is that the experiments
are following the second line of in¬
vestigation, which he laid down as
necessary for the solution of the
problem of ma-n-flight. It is said that
Mr. Chanute is the real one who is
conducting the exjieriments, but this
he denies in favor of A. M. Herring, a
young man of considerable scientific
knowledge, who was associated with
Mr. Chanute last year in his extensive
experiments at the same place.
The machine with which Mr. Her¬
ring is now experimenting daily repre¬
sents the ideas of both himself and
Mr. Chanute. It belongs to the same
class as the machine which the late
Otto Lilienthal, of Berlin, brought out
in 1894 and in the use of which he met
his death last year. It might well be
termed a flying machine, and yet this
description does not fit accurately. It
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PROFESSOR CHANUTE’S LATEST FLYING MACHINE.
is technically known as an aero-curve,
or a gliding machine. Better still, it
might be called an air coaster, for in
its action it approached very closely to
the motion of those machines known
as roller coasters. The fiesemblanee
is carried still further in the applica¬
tion of the principles sailing of operation. machines
It is one of three
invented by Mr. Chanute, including a
steering apparatus designed by Mr.
Herring. The first machine was based
upon a reverse of the principles evolved
in the Lilienthal apparatus. Instead
of the man moving about under tho
machine to bring the center of gravity
under the center of air pressure, it
was constructed with a view to bring¬
ing the center of pressure over the
center of gravity by the aid of wings
moved automatically. This machine
had twelve wings, each six feet long
and three feet wide, and each pivoted
to a central frame. It had a total
wing surface of 177 square feet, and
weighed thirty-seven pounds.
By a process of evolution this ap¬
paratus became the machine in use at
the present time with which such re-
markable results have been obtained,
Experiments showed many defects in
the machine, and it was rebuilt on a
different principle. The twelve wings
were discarded, and in their stead
were substituted three superimposed
/( V
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A GOOD START.
concave surfaces, each sixteen feet
long and four feet three inches wide,
with an aggregate surface of nineteen
square feet. Attached to the rear of
this machine was a combined horizon¬
tal and vertical rudder, designed by
Mr. Herring as a result of his frequent
trials of the machine. In the course
of the experiments it was found neces¬
sary to remove the lower surface, and
this left the present machine.
The several changes therefore re¬
duced the sustaining surface of the
machine from 177 square fe’et to 135
square feet. Tho weight was lowered
at the same time from thirty-seven
pounds to twenty-three pounds. This
general reduction did not impair the
strength of the machine, while at the
same time it improved its efficiency to
a remarkable degree. Repeated trials
showed the machine capable of sus¬
taining an aggregate weight of 178
pounds, this figure representing the
combined weight of the operator aud
the machine. The frame is con¬
structed of spruce wood, braced with
fine piano wire, and the concave sur¬
faces are formed by varnished silk
stretched over the frame to the highest
tension.
Will this machine fly? Mr. Chanute
will answer this question by replying
that was never intended to fly. He
will inform those asking the question
that the machine is made for experi¬
mental purposes solely, with the end
in view of developing the motorless
air sailer. At the same time, Mr.
Chanute might say, the experiments
may lead to a solution of tho most im¬
portant part of the problem of man-
flight—-the maintenance of the equilib¬
rium of the machine under all cir¬
cumstances. He holds that this prob¬
lem must be solved first. It has been
demonstrated to his satisfaction that
until automatic stability at all angles
of flight and conditions of wind is
evolved aud safety thereby secured it
would be premature to seek to apply a
motor or a propelling instrument to a
full-sized machine.
The ordinary observer would an¬
swer that the machine does fly, never-
*heless, after witnessing a day’s ex¬
periments among the sand dunes. The
distinction between sailing and glid¬
ing and flying would not appeal to any
but the scientific mind while watching
the “double-decker” travel through
the air a distance of 200 yards with
Mr. Herring hanging by his arms be¬
neath. If the spectator was daring
enough to tackle the machine himself
and succeeded in getting the right
kind of a start he would be willing to
take oath that the machine flew. He
would also be willing to testify that
his sensations while the flight lasted
were indescribably thrilling and de¬
lightful.
All the flights begin from an emi¬
nence, the numerous sand hills near
Dune Park offering all the opportuni-
ties desired for starting. Another re¬
quisite is that the operator must start
facing the wind, although with pro-
fioiency good results may be obtained
with the machine traveling at an angle
with the wind. Those who have seen
a buzzard or most any other large bird
begin a flight from the surface of the
earth will have noticed that the bird
invariably faces the wind and runs a
few steps before rising. For the same
reasons the operator of the Chanute
flying machine must face the wind,
holding the machine over his head,
then run a few steps down the side of
the hill on which he stands and finally
give a jump outward into space as
though he never expected to come
down. He will be doing nothing more,
in effect, than lie did when he jumped
from the top of a fence in boyhood
days with an umbrella over his head.
The wind rushing against the lower
sides of the two surfaces of varuished
silk holds the operator suspended,
while the angle at which he holds the
surfaces either impels it forward or
retards its motion. Sometimes a
strong gust of wind comes along when
least expected and suddenly raises the
machine higher than the starting point,
But for the automatic rudder thi3
might prove disastrous to the operator
He would, in all likelihood, turn a
back somersault with the machine and
get badly hurt. Again, a blast of air
from above might strike on the top of
the machine and cause it to shoot down¬
ward at a terrific rate of speed. This
is what happened to Lilienthal last
year, and was the cause of the accident"
which resulted in his death.
The line of flight of the machine in
the hands of such a skillful oiierator as
Mr. Herring may be controlled very
largely. He has demonstrated time
and again his ability to steer the ma¬
chine in broad curves by simply shift¬
ing the weight of his body from one
side to another. Last Monday he suc¬
ceeded in describing a compound
curve during a flight of about 300 feet,
and landed with his back almost com¬
pletely turned to the wind, It has
also been demonstrated that the ma¬
chine can be made to travel almost at
right angles with the wind at a high
rate of speed.
Flights have been made in all sorts
of winds, the speed of which varied
from ten to twenty-one miles an hour.
The latter wind is higher in its speed
than any gliding machine was ever
tried in before and tested the steadi-
*
SC,—■
__.—as —~
ALBATKOSS WHICH FAILED.
ness of the machine most thoroughly.
The speed at which the machine travels
rests very largely with the operator
and depends upon the angle of descent
from the starting point. When he
finds that he is approaching the ground
too swiftly it is only necessary for him
to tilt the front of the machine upward,
when its speed will be immediately
checked, and a landing can be made in
safety. The range of flight is also
very largely within the control of the
operator, one who is skillful being
aide to alight within ten feet of any
fj'ot indicated while the wind main¬
tains an even rate of speed. The
longest flight recorded is the one made
this year by Mr. Herring, which was
almost 900 feet. Another flight of GOO
feet was made last week.
Long flights are not the aim of the
men who are conducting the experi¬
ments with the gliding machine. They
are seeking to arrive at intelligent
conclusions concerning the problem of
automatic stability more than anything
else, and it is claimed by Mr. Chanute
that many new facts have been discov¬
ered bearing upon this question. In
anticipation of an early solution of the
question Mr. Herring is hard at work
on a motor which he hopes to be able
to apply to the gliding machine. An
evidence of the faithtbatis within him
is shown by the fact that he predicts
that an air ship will bo constructed
within another year which will fly to
New York with but four stops on the
way to replenish the stock of fuel.—
Chicago Time3-Herald.
Rewarded For Finding a Feather.
The Gazette of Moscow says that
while the King of Siam was passing
through the streets of that city a white
feather fell from the plume of his hel¬
met, and was picked up by the peasant
Toukianow, who is in the service of
M. Koch. Toukianow hastened to re¬
store the feather to the chief of police.
He was greatly surprised several days
later upon receiving from this official,
in the name of His Siamese Majesty, a
casket containing a portrait of the
King and a massive gold chain deco¬
rated with a token of the same metal
bearing the arms of Siam in enamel.
Toukianow has not yet recovered from
this unexpected piece of giod fortune.
)
RESIGEATIONS OF MINISTRY IS
ACCEPTED BY THE QUEEN.
NO SURPRISE IS MANIFESTED.
Affair* Brought to a Criain Through Dla-
aentlons Among Supportors
of the Government,
A Madrid special states that the
Spanish cabinet has resigned and that
the has accepted the resignation, .
queen
but has asked General Azcarraga to
continue in office until a solution of
the crisis is found.
Her majesty will summon the lead¬
ers of the various parties and tho pres¬
idents of the chambers to consult as to
the situation.
United Sta’es Minister Woodford,
the duke of Tetuan and the president
of the senate, tho Marquis Pazo do la
Mertzed, held a long conference Wed¬
nesday, and General Woodford pre¬
sented to General Azcarraga the mem¬
bers of the United States legation.
Owing to the cabinet crisis the Cuban
pour parlers have been postponed.
It is said that Senor Sagasta is in
favor of superceding Captain General
Weyler, and of granting autonomy Gainazo to
Cuba immediately. Sonor
will probably be minister for foreign
affairs in the new cabinet.
Washington Officials Not Surprised.
The news of the Spanish cabinet
crisis was first brought to the attention
of the officials of the state department
aud diplomatic officials at Washington
through the Associated Press bulletin
from Madrid. It is surmised that
Minister Woodford’s failure to cable
the department was attributable to
the fact that it was after nightfall in
Madrid before the news became known.
It cannot be said that the event
caused surprise among the officials of
the state department or among the
members of the diplomatic corps in
Washington.
The ministry, it was explained by
diplomatic officials entirely familiar
with the facts, is conservative through¬
out. It was chosen after the assassi¬
nation of Canovas and was regarded as
a continuance of the Canovas regime.
As to what is to follow the resigna¬
tion of the cabinet, officials at the
capital are completely in tho dark.
Secretary Sherman does not believe it
will materially affect the relations
of Spain either to the United
States or to Cuba, which seems to in¬
dicate an expectation on his part that
when the cabinet is reorganized it will
be found to be still of a conservative
tendency.
On the other hand, high officials in
the administration expect a liberal
cabinet under the leadership of the
veteran Sagasta will be erected on the
ruins of the Azcarraga cabinet. If
this should be the case the future is
held to be full of promise for Cuba,
for it is recalled the liberals have not
hesitated to express their opposition
the , great , expenditure ... of .. human ... life
to
and vast treasure m the effort to carry
out the repressive conservative
gramme for the conduct of the war.
In the event of the formation of a
liberal ministry, Minister Dupuy De-
Lome would undoubtedly submit his
resignation as the Spanish representa¬
tive at. Washington, as is usual on a
change of political control of the cabi¬
net, and the minister is, moreover, a
conservative in politics.
LOSSES LED TO SUICIDE.
Ex-State Secretary of West Virginia Gets
OIT the Earth.
A Wheeling W. Va., special says:
Ex-State Secretary Alexander Dorsey,
Wednesday morning at Moundsville,
shot himself through the head with a
revolver. He was one of the most
daring oil operators in the state, and
his act was due to despondency,
brought on by some recent financial
reverses.
COSTLY BLAZE AT MOBILE.
Warehouse and Four Hundred and Fifty
Bales of Cotton Damaged.
A fire early Wednesday morning in
Magnolia warehouse, on Lipscomb
street, Mobile, Ala., destroyed one
shed and damaged 450 bales of cotton.
The loss on the building was $1,000;
on the cotton $5,500.
COMER SAYS “NIT.”
Declare* He Knows Naught of His Ru¬
mored Deposition.
President II. M. Comer, of the Cen¬
tral Railway of Georgia, returned to
Savannah Friday morning from a 10,-
000 mile trip through the west.
He denies that he is to be deposed
from the presidency of the Central at
its annua! meeting on October 12th.
If such a thiug is contemplated he
says he knows nothing about it. He
got borne in time to draw his dividend,
declared in August and payable Friday.
STUDENTS MOBBED BRANN.
Article In His Publication Kciiected on
Their University.
At Waco, Texas, W. C. Brann, edi¬
tor of Brann’s Iconoclast, was the vic¬
tim of a mob of 200 students of Baylor
University, a Baptist university of that
city Saturday afternoon.
Brann was seated in the office of his
publishing house when four young
men, students of the university called
him to the door, where they seized
him and thrust him into a hack, which
which was lapidly driven to the col¬
lege campus, where Brann was rough¬
ly handled.
FEVER SUMMARY.
Saturday and Sunday E«cord of Now Case*
and Fatalities.
Numerous eases of fever appeared at
New Orleans Saturday, as was expect¬
ed. The weather was warm and tho
foci of infection had increased.
The malignity of the disease, however,
was not emphasized. There were four
deaths, but the majority of cases are
of the innocuous type aud there were
many discharges of patients who have
for some days been under tlie care of
the doctors.
Thir ty-one new cases and two deaths
were reported Sunday. Of these cases
eleven are in houses where fever has
heretofore been reported. The other
cases are pretty well scattered and
none were reported at the detention
camp, in any of the hospitals or in the
asylums.
Dr. Dunn, of the state board of
health, Saturday night reported nine¬
teen new cases at Edwards and one
death. Sunday’s record was fourteen
new cases and two deaths.
The fovorable record was maintained
at Mobile, Ala., by a report of but
four new cases and no deaths.
An appeal will be addressed to the
homefolks aud people abroad, the re¬
sulting money to be distributed by the
Can’t-Get-Away Club for the assist¬
ance of the needy.
Camp Detention, at Mount Vernon,
is ready for those who wish to spend
ten days there aud receive from the
hospital surgeons in charge a clean
bill of health that will bo recognized
by state quarantine officers.
TO DISINFECT THE MAILS.
Tho President and Postmaster General
Discuss the Matter.
A Washington dispatch says: Satur¬
day afternoon just after the cabinet
session, Postmaster General Gary and
Assistant Postmaster General Shallen-
berger had a long conference with the
president concerning mails of the in¬
fected districts.
The president is taking a keen in¬
terest in the developments in the in¬
fected districts and inquired carefully
about the plans already in operation
and means for relieving the distiess in
the commercial circles compatible with
public safety.
General Superintendent White, of
the railway mail service, had a oonfer-
ence with Surgeon General Wyman, of
the marine hospital service, during the
day. Dr. Wyman decided that if nec¬
essary he would establish camps on
the borders of the state of Louisiana
so that not only the mails from New
Orleans, but also all mails from the
state going into Texas, will be proper¬
ly disinfected.
This will give Texas a quarantine
against the whole state and so far as
New Orleans mails are concerned give
them a double disinfecting process.
Advices indicate that the situation
in Texas is greatly relieved through
prompt and efficient disinfecting serv¬
ice. Postal authorities believe that no
further apprehension should be felt as
to disease germs finding their way out
of Louisiana through the mails,
LUETGERT TRIAL DRAGS.
Six Weeks Consumed and the End Not
Yet in Sight,
A Chicago Special says: The close
c f the sixth week of the celebrated
trial of Adolpli Luetgert for the al-
leged murder of his wife showed the
case far from completed.
Luetgert’s story has not yet been
beard. The big samagemaker may be
on the stand a week. It is predicted
that the anxiety of the accused man to
talk will be fully satisfied before his
cross-examination is closed if he goes
on the witness stand, and ex-Judge
Vincent, chief counsel for the defense,
has promised that Luetgert will be
heard.
The concensus of opinion at the
close of the week, Saturday afternoon,
by close observers of the trial since the
opinion was that the prosecution had
the better of the argument. Experts of
the defense have contradicted each
other on cross-examination. They
have also made blunders in the identi¬
fication of bones, which amused the
jurors and apparently weakened their
testimony.
MORE WAGES DEMANDED.
Miners In Foreign Land Have Troubles of
Their Own.
The national congress of miners,
which has been in session at Liege,
Belgium, decided to make a demand
for an advance of 16 per cent in wages.
If this demand is not granted by the
middle of November the executive com¬
mittee will probably call a strike.
HIGHWAYMEN AT WORK.
Masked Men Hold Up a Bock Island
Passenger Train.
A Rock Island passenger train was
hold up Friday ten miles north of
Chickasaw, I. T., by five masked rob¬
bers.
The highwaymen made two attempts
to blow up the express safe, but were
unsuccessful. The robbers made the
passengers get off and line up and
secured $200 or $300, besides the reg¬
istered mail.
Ten deputy United States marshals
started immediately in pursuit.
A WOMAN LYNCHED.
Ghastly Find of a Party of Hunters In
Virginia Mountains.
A special from Cowan’s Depot,
Rockingham county, Ya., in the Shen¬
andoah valley, says that news of a
most ghastly discovery in the Mas-
sanutan mountains, six miles east of
there, has just been received.
Several hunters found the body of
Peb Falls, a notorious white woman,
dangling at the end of a rope fastened
to the limb of a tree. When discovered
the body was in the first stages of de¬
composition. It is supposed that tha
woman wa3 liaugod by negroes.
THROUGH GEORGIA.
Mrs. .Tames Longstrect, formerly
Miss Ellen Dortch, lias returned to At¬
lanta to assume her duties as assistant
state librarian. It is understood by
her friends that she is still in the race
for librarian for the next term.
The Montgomery, Ala., health au¬
thorities have recommended to the
state health committee that freight
from and through Atlanta, Ga., be
allowed to come into tlio state. This
municipality has no embargo on At¬
lanta freights, but they are kept out
by the state quarantine.
* * *
A Washington dispatch states that
suggestions have been made to the
postoffiee department that Postmaster
Loftiu, of Hogansville, Ga., be given
another position. His transfer to an¬
other government place in a small ca¬
pacity in Washington or elsewhere is
a suggestion coming from his friends.
* * *
Before tilts month is ended the At¬
lanta postoffiee fight will be decided.
Alert, watchful and full of energy,
both sides are awaiting the end. Any
day the president may announce tho
appointment, and friends of the two
candidates are exerting themselves to
hard efforts in this final heat.
The school book commission ap¬
pointed to devise some plan whereby
the school books of the state may be
purchased at less cost is to meethn a
few days to give filial consideration to
its report. It is given out that the
commission will not recommend the
adoption of the state uniformity sys¬
tem, which is the plan now most large¬
ly considered with reference to the
purchase of school books.
* * *
Charleston has quarantined against
the mails of Atlanta. Superintendent
Terrell, of the railway mail service,
received notice to the effect that the
Charleston hoard of health demanded
that all mails sent out from Atlanta be
fumigated. The board mail positively re¬
fuses to receive any from the
Gate City unless it has been thorough¬
ly soaked in the fumes of formaldehyde
gas. This notice was sudden and sur¬
prising to the postal authorities.
* * *
The sub-penitentiary committee ap¬
pointed to draft a hill for the disposi¬
tion of convicts at the end of the pres¬
ent lease has perfected a bill aud will
mail it to members of the general joint
committee as soon as the document can
he printed. The basis of the measure
is the Hall bill on tlie line of the sug¬
gestions made by Principal Keeper
Turner and approved by the governor.
* *
The report of the Blalock cominit-
mittee is another legislative document
that will furnish much entertainment
for the citizens of Georgia. From what
has already appeared in print with
reference to the investigations of this
committee, it is but natural to expect
that some parts of their report will
make “mighty interesting reading.”
The question has been raised, and
though its discussion was dropped, it
has not been settled—will the legis¬
lature appropriate money with which
to pay for the services and to pay the
expenses of the Blalock committee?
$ * *
Stone Mountain has just commenced
to push the fight for the county seat
and the new courthouse that is to be
where the site is located. The people
of Decatur are going on with their
part of movement, and what the result
will be cannot be guessed with any
degree of accuracy. The feeling on
the part of the active workers on
the two sides is increasing and
they are backed by the citizens in the
western and eastern parts of the
county. The representatives of the
county are divided on the question.
* * * ,
The most interesting thing that has
occurred in Atlanta in a long time,has
been the open-arms reception that was
accorded to the yellow fever refugees.
People who fled from the scourge-in¬
fected districts were kept in close,
stuffy cars enroute, and in many
places encountered shotgun quaran¬
tines. At Atlanta they were received
without hindrance, and so far the city
has suffered no ill effects from it. The
people of Atlanta have paid very little
attention to the one mild case that a
refugee from Mobile developed, aud
now, that this case is convalescent,
there is no apprehension of a spread
of the dread disease.
There can be no doubt uow that
President H. M. Comer, of the Central
of Georgia Railway Company, will
remain in that position for some time
to come, The proxy of the Southern
Railway Company, or at least whoever
owns the stock of tho Central, has
been sent to Mr. Comer and is now in
bis hands for the purpose of beiug
voted at the coming meeting of tho
directors of the system, to be held in
Savannah October 12th. When Mr,
Comer was last in New York he asked
that the proxy empowering him to
vote the 50,000 shares of stock be sent
him. To this the holders of the stock
readily assented and on his return
from his western trip he found that
proxy on hand. Every vote on every
proposition and for every director
will, therefore, be cast by President
Comer.
RESIGNATION WITHHELD.
Weyler May Still Be At the Hoad of
the Cuban Army.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press at Havana has investigated the
report printed in New York saying
that Captain General Weyler had sent
his resignation to Madrid, to take
effect so soon as practicable, and has
been informed from the best source
available that up to the time the inves¬
tigation was closed the captain general
of Cuba had not resigned.
