PROQRESS WITH THE
-
Working Out the Man-Flight Problem Along Scien- )M
t? line Lines near viutagu. yir
Th day I almost at band when man
will dispute with the bird for suprem
acy in the air. For hundreds of year
his ambition baa been at work with
mob. persistency of effort that he now
begins to aee the end. He baa gra
)led with the invisible foroea of the
atmosphere, aometimea blindly, but
lwaya oonrageonsly; generally to
meet with disappointment, but happily
with enough succoss to keep alive his
determination to master the moot dif
ficult of all problem in physics. Lives
have been loHt and fortunes have becu
expended in the pursuit of this baffling
question of man-flight. Ridicule has
been heaped npon the heads of those
who sought to cope with the feathered
messengers of the air, and their sanity
questioned by the world nt large.
The advancement made toward the
full solntion of the problem of man
flight dnriug the year 1H1IU was greater
than that of any previous year, and
attracted the widest attention among
scientists. Probably more interest
centered in the experiments conductod
thirty mile southeast of Chicago on
the shore of Lake Michigan by Ootove
Ohanute, of Chicago, than anywhere
else. The prominent position occu
pied by Mr. Chanute in the acientillo
world was accepted as a guarantee that
be 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
eonrage, so to speak, and has become
enthnsiastio over what has been ac
complished, lie is now confident that
the way is clear for the 'solution of the
problem, and modostly 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 as follows in the order
of their importance:
1. The development of the self-propelled
aerodrome.
2. The development of the motor
less air sailer.
8. The development of the motor.
During the past week the experi
ments of last year have beon renewed
near Dune Park, Ind., aud Mr.
Chanute has been almost a daily
visitor to the scone of action. His in
terest in the result will not let him
stay away longer than oue day for sev
eral reasons. One reason is that the
machine being used is one of his own
invention in its most important details,
nd 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 man-flight. It is said that
Vf onduoting the experiments, but this
;he denies in favor of A. M. Herring, a
young man of considerable scientific
Knowledge, wno was associated wiin
Mr. Chanute last year in his extensive
experiments at the same place.
The machine with whioh Mr. Her
ring ia now experimenting daily repre
sents the ideas of both himself and
Mr. Chanute, It belongs to the same
class as the machine whioh the late
Otto Lilienthal, of Berlin, brought out
in 1804 and in the use of which he met
bis death last year. It might well be
termed a flying machine, and yet this
description does not fit accurately. It
FB0FE880B CHANUTE'B
is technically known as an aero-ourve,
or a gliding maohine. 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 resemblanoe
is carried still further in the applica
tion of the principles of operation..
It ia one of three sailing machiues
f ivented by Mr. Chanute, inoluding a
r wing apparatus designed by Mr.
', rring. The first maohine was based
' n reverse of the principles evolved
(' Lilienthal apparatus. Instead
: ( r man moving about under the
FLYING MACHINE.
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
aud three feet wide, aud each pivoted
to a central frame. It bad a total
wing surface of 177 square feet, and
weighed thirty-soven pounds.
By a process of evolution this ap
paratus became the machine iu use nt
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 thoir stead
wore substituted three superimposed
A GOOD
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 mnchine.
The severul changes therefore re
duced the sustaining surface of the
mnchine from 177 square feet to 135
square feet. The 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 maohiue, while nt the
same time it improved its eilluiency to
a remarkable degree. Itcpeated trials
showed the machine capable of sus
taining au aggregate weight of 178
pounds, this figure reprexenting the
combined weight of the operator nud
the machine. The frame is con
structed of spruce wood, braced with
tine piuuo wire, and the concave snr
faoes 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 the 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 and safety thereby secured it
would be premature to seek to apply a
motor or a propelling instrument to
full-sized maohine.
The ordinary observer would an
swer that the maohine does fly, never-
LATEST FLYINO MACHINE.
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 soientiflo mind while watching
the "double-deoker" travel through
the air distanoe of 200 yards with
Mr. Herring hanging by ma arms be'
neath. If the speotator was daring
enough to taokle the machine himself
and suooeeded in getting the right
ina or a start he would be willing to
take oath that the maohine flew. He
would also be willing to testify that
j Ms sensations while the flight lasted
were indescribably thrilling and de
lightful. All the flights begin from an eml.
nence, the numerous sand hills near
Dune Park offering all the opportuni
ties desired for starting. Another re
quisite is that the operator mnst start
facing the wind, although with pro
ficiency 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 lie stands and finally
give a jump outward into space as
though be never expected to come
down. He will be doing nothing more,
in elTect, than he 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
sidos of the two surfaces of varnished
silk holds the operntor suspended,
while the angle nt which he holds the
surfaces either impels it forward or
retards its motion. Hometimes a
strong gust of wind comes along when
least expected and suddenly raises the
machine higher than the starting point,
lint for tlio automatic rudder this
HT.VItT.
might prove disastrous to the operator
He would, in all likelihood, turn a
back somersault with the mnchine 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 tcrriflo rate of speed. This
is what happened to Lilienthnl last
year, and wasthecause of the accident'
winch resulted in his death.
The line of flight of the machine in
the bands of such a skillful operator as
Mr. Herring may be controlled vorv
largely. lie has demonstrated time
aud again his ability to stoer the ma
chine in broad curves by simply shift
ing the weight of his body from one
side to another. L,ast Monday he sue
cceded in describing a compound
curve during a lligtit of about SOU feet,
nud landed with his back almost com
pletely turned to the wind. It has
also been demonstrated thnt the ma
chine can be made to travel almost at
right augles with the wiud at a high
rate ol 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 testod the steadl
ALBATROSS WHICH FAILED.
ness of the machine most thoroughlv.
The speed at whioh the maohine 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 tut the front or the machine upward.
when its speed will be immediately
ohecked, ana a landing can be made in
safety. The range of flight ia also
very largely within the control of the
operator, one who is skillful being
able to alight within ten feet of any
spot Indicated while the wind main
tains an even rate of speed. The
longest flight recorded is the one made
this year by Mr. Herring, whioh was
almost SOU feet. Another flight of 600
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 oonoerning the problem of
automatio stability more than anything
cioe, aim it w ciuiueu vj mr, linanute
that many new facta have been discov
ered bearing npon this question, In
anticipation of an early solution of the
question Mr. Herring is hard at work
on a motor whioh he hopes to be able
to apply to the gliding machine. An
evidence of the faith that is within him
is shown by the fact that he prediota
that an air ship will be constructed
within another year whioh will fly to
New York with but four stops on the
way to replenish the stock of fuel.
Chicago Times-Herald.
Rewarded For rinding a Feather.
The Gazette of Moscow says thai
while the King of Siam was passing
through the streets of that oity a white
reather reii rrom the plume of bis hel
met, and was picked up by the peasant
Toukianow, who is in the servioe of
M. Koch. Toukianow hastened to re
store the feather to the ohief of police,
He was greatly surprised several days
later upon receiving from thia 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 Biam in enamel.
Toukianow has not yet recovered from
this unexpected piece of good fortune.
WORN BY LITTLE ONES.
8EAS0NABLE AND STYLISH CAR.
MENTS FOR CHILDREN.
Coat" Made of Heavy-weight Material
Far Fall and Winter Wear A Bait For
Little airl That Is Simple and Tut
StylishBoy's Haitian Moose Contains
In suite of the fact that much bright
color has been and continues to be
worn, writes May Manton, white is al
ways given first choice for onr tots'
cniLD's BHonT COAT.
wear. The charming little ooat shown
In the illustration is made of heavy
weight diap-d'ete in a softy, creamy
tone aud is lined throughout with silk
GIRL'S DRESS THAT IS
of the same ahade. For early fall
wear it is sufficiently warm without in
terlining, but for genuine cold weather
a layer of wadding between the cloth
and the lining is essential. The short,
snug body is fitted by shoulder and
nnder-arm seams and opens at the
left aide where the dosing is effected
by handsome pearl buttons and button-holes.
The skirt, which includes
underlying plaits at the centre-back,
is joined to the body, the lining being
neatly hemmed over to conoeal the
seam. The sleeves are in Bishop
style but narrow, having only one
seam. The fulness is gathered at the
shoulders and again at the wrist,
where they are finished with pointed
cuffs edged with a frill of ribbon and
trimmed with a simple braid. The
deep circular cape that falls in ribbon
effect has a seam at centre-back and
' oth it and the turnover collar are fin
ished with braid and ribbon frills as
are the cuffs. With the ooat is worn a
cap of soft silk.
To make this coat for a child of four
years will require two yards of forty-four-inoh
material.
Dress For Uttle Girl.
Nothing suits extreme youth so well
as does simplicity, and the model
shown in the large illustration,aooord
ing to May Manton, has the merit of
being absolutely simple while it is
stylish at the same time. The bodioe
takes the popular blouse form, but is
made over a plain fitted lining which
ensures perfect neatness and the
necessary warmth. The lining shows
the usual number of pieces and seams,
closing at the centre-front, but the
blouse has shoulder and under-arm
eoams only and laps well over the left
side where it oloses invisibly and is
finished by a frill. The back is quite
plain, bnt the front shows gauged
shirring that run from the shoulders '
to a point at the front and forma aim
ulated yoke. The sleeves are in Bit
hop shape and one-seamed, but nar
row. At the shoulders the fulness is
simply gathered, bnt the wrists show
ganged shirring, whioh like that at the
neck, shows narrow black velvet rib
bon over each stitching. With it is
worn a deep collar ami cuffs of narrow
batiste which also makes the frill at
the left aide of the blouse. The
material for the frock ia a mixed plaid
in gay coloring showing a line of ecru
with which the soft tone of the batiste
harmonizes to perfection. I
loe aair is per icon j niraigui, mo
fulness being arranged in tnck shir
rings, which, like those of the bodioe,
show block velvet ribbon over each
stitching.
To make this frock for a girl of eight
years will reqnire three and three
fourths yards of forty-four-inch ma
terial. Boy's llnulin Mouse Contain.
This stylish little suit is designed
for small boys from two to four years.
As represented it is made of serge in a
deep shade of cardinal with White
serge for the collar and cuffs. Narrow
braid enters into the decoration, and a
jaunty little Tain o'Hhanter cap ac
companies the costume. A high
necked and sleeveless nnder-wnist that
is shaped with shoulder and nnder-arm
seams and closing in the back, sup
ports the kilt skirt thnt is deeply
hemmed and laid in plaits. Theblonse
is simply adjusted by shonlder and
nnder-arm seams. A casing is sewed
at the waist line through which an elas
tic or tope is inserted to arrange the
fulness which droops In the regulation
blouse fashion. To the edge of the
left-front a wide box-plait is applied
throngh which button-hole i are worked
to effect a closing, buttons being sewed
SIMPLE AND YET STYLISH.
to the edge of the left-front. The
neck is completed by a wide sailor col
lar the lower edge of which is shaped
in rounded outline.
The sleeves are one-seamed and are
gathered at the top and at the bottom
where they are laid in plaits that are
stitched to position. Flannel, serge,
and all manner of light-weight cloths
are commendable for making, while
son's BLOCS.
braid or maohine stitching ia the ao
oepted finish.
iete siiTE mi una
PRISONERS ESCAPE.
five Msg Istvs Orawferl Oeaaty Jail
frying Opes tie Windows.
Five prisoners escaped from the
Crawford county Jail a few nights ago
vjr prying open the grating from In
front of a window. The five who es
caped are: Jack McDermott, awaiting
removal to the Allegheny county work
house; Brock McCarthy, awaiting trial
on a charge of attempted housebreak
ing; C. Campbell, serving sentence for
Illegal liquor selling;; James Murphy,
serving sentence for theft and Henry
Drown, colored, serving sentence for
theft. None; of them have been cap
tured. The following Pennsylvania pensions
have been granted: Sebastian Crags.
Adah; Charles Mats, OH City; Henry
B. Harris, Pittsburg; Kdward Beehee,
Ashvllle; Joseph B. Cllne, Carnegie;
Charles P. Reynolds, Kersey; Crsner
Clendennen, Tarentum; John P. Flem
ing, Indiana; minor of John F. Tarf,
oil City; I,ornn A. Hodge, Wllawana:
Jacob Htnnernck, Curryvllle; Nathaniel
Graham, Pittsburg; Theodore Shannon,
Boston; William Y. Tamgsrt, West
Alexandria; liavld H. Tlmmlns, Hox
bury; Joseph Woomer, Olivia; Thomas
Troutner, Worthlngton: Thomas M.
Carroll, McKeesport; Benjamin P. HII
llard, (Marlon; Itobert H. Miller, Big
Hun; Joneph Kantner, Johnstown; Em
ily J. Jackson, Everett: Sadie Carroll,
McKeesport; Sophia B. Carnochran,
Towonda; Sarah R. Taggart, West
Alexandria; Isabella Hhannan, Boston;
George Harbaugh, Allegheny; Adam
Heist, Irvonn. Samuel McClaln. Elisa
beth; John Kelly, Snlthurg: William
H. Bishop. Rankin; Peter Harts, Car
negie: John Hurray, Petrolla: William
Painter, Irwin; Thomas Foulk, Turtle
Creek; Samuel Btaley, Ine Pine; Wil
liam Rice, ,Mt. Union; Bamuel W.
Prltts, Indian Head; John II. Gray,
Tyrone; Henry Bhaffer, Mt. Union;
Mary E. Gary, Time; Hannah Kepler,
Venango; Kliia A. Craig, Bonorn;
Christian Kerr. Allegheny; David I
Davis. Pittsburg; Ilernnrd Dougherty,
Hurllngame; Edward H. Snyder, Han
over; Nosh A. Walmer, Harrlshurg;
James I'rey, Clearfield: Joseph B.
Stelner, Pittsburg: William P. Meaner,
Marlon Center; Oeorge Zimmerman.
Weston; Jacob F. Hoop, Pittsburg;
Henry A. Hsrklns, Etna; Barter S
Redpath, Perrysvllle; Bamuel Craig
(dead), Redman's Mills; Jamea I,
iTIce, Altoona; Thomas Olanbongh,
Reynoldsvllle; Liewls E. Ixmg, Iemont:
James M. !orlmer. New Brighton;
Oeorge W. Dixon, Mt. Oliver; John
Flowers. Rcenery Hill; Franklin Gee
sey, Penn Run: Jacob O. Dreas, Al
toona: James Taylor, Tlpston; Jesse N.
Atwell, Sugar Hill; John Bteckman,
Hyndman; Susan Chester, Carrlck.
Engineer E. Bennett Mitchell was
killed and fireman John R. Cawley
seriously injured Monday morning, by
the explosion of a locomotive on th
Northern Central railway at George
town, a few miles north of Harrlshurg.
Mitchell was thrown tin the sine of a
mountain a distance of 60 feet and was
dead when found. Elremnn Cawley
was hurled In a opposite direction, al
most to the edge of the Susquehanna
river. He was so badly scalded that II
Is thought he will die. The boiler was
blown 1)0 feet and alighted on a
mountain side, which rises at an angle
or eu degrees rrom the tram. 1 n
trucks where thrown Into the rivet
and the tender along the bank. All
the cars except the rear Pullman sleep
er were derailed. None of the pas-
sangers were Injured, although several
were badly shaken up. The explosion
occurred oppcwlte a watch box, which
was reduced to kindling wood and thf -watchman
badly hurt. The wires and
tracks for a distance of l.iO yards wer
badly torn up.
The large four-story brick building
at Lancaster owned by Philip L"b-
selter, was burned last Friday. The
building was occupied by Thomas A,
Anderson's machine shop, Andrew Out-
flelHch s laundry and Hlchter Hon
sllverplatlng works. The American
house, a leading hotel, also owned by
Ibzelter, was on fire a doxen times,
but was saved, although badly dam
aged. The new city market house, just
across a narrow street from the fire,
was saved with difficulty. Loss, $40,000.
Miss Nancy Kelster, aged 23 years,
who resided with her uncle, Robert
Gregory near Franklin, has been miss
ing since last Baturady. Mr. Gregory
found a note In the family Bible to
day which read as follows: "The best
of friends must part. I leave the hill
forever, where I shall land I do not
know. Nancy." Miss Kelster waa
beautiful and had many admirers.
Bhe Inherited $2,000 when she became
of age.
The retail fruit store of Dughl Bros.,
at Altoona, was gutted by fire at an
early hour last Thursday morning'.
The loss will reach $1,500. The flames
eat their way into the stock room of
the "Gaxette," where several thou
sand dollars' worth of stock was de
stroyed. The business office and edit
orial rooms were damaged by water.
The loss to the "Gaxette" will reach
fully $5,000, covered by insurance.
Farmer Volney Bull, who was re
cently robbed and tortured and bound
by oath, who gave his tormentors $500
to save himself and son from being
burned with their bams, fled to Erie
the other day to be shut up In Jail.
The robbers sent him a. letter demand
ing that he pay the money or die. A
reward has been offered for the appre
hension of the men.
Calvin Kllngensmlth, of New Kens
ington drove over to Tarentum to make
some calls. He started home shortly
after midnight and was drowned while
trying to ford the river opposite Na
trona. The body was recovered. Hla
dead horse and the buggy were found
In the Allegheny river near Braeburn.
While Ed. McClelland was standing
In front of D. H. Shlplet's grocery store
at Claysvllle, the other day, he, for a
joke, took a peach from a basket and
put It In a companions pocket. Shlplet
has McClelland arrested for stealing
the peach, and at the hearing he waa
fined $5 and costs.
Two children of Adam Wilson of
Pardee, near Phllllpsburg, were so bad
ly burned by the breaking of a lamp a
few days ago that one has died and,
the other la not expected to recover.
Reports received at Reading state
that Rev. W. E. Hoy, a Reformed
church missionary at Sendal. Japan,
waa held up and robbed of $5,600, partly
building and partly mission funds.
Mrs. Joseph R. Miller, of Gap, waa
thrown out of a wagon the other day.
Her skull was fractured' and collar
bone broken. - Bhe was 25 years old and
leaves a husband and four children.
The $10,000 organ donated to Bt.
John's R, C. church, at Johnstown, by
Andrew Carnegie, has arlved, and
workmerw will at once begin Its erec
tion hi the new church.
T. C. Barr, of Pittsburg, 24 years old,
fell from a freight train at Williams
port, and had both legs crushed so
badly that they had to be amputated.
Jamea Barton, aged 70, waa burned to
death at Athena a few days ago. The
firs destroyed Charles riugerald's sta
ble and six horses.