Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1890 — The New Air Ship and Elmer Dwiggins. [ARTICLE]

The New Air Ship and Elmer Dwiggins.

The idea of a Hying raaD, thkt is of anyiarrangement* whereby aT'feuiar. ts being can sustain and guid£ him self IrfTEe air byUTsUwfi~streagta, Isas delusive as the dream of perpetual motion or the philosophers’ stone, but the hope tliat a machine could some day be constructed that would cessfully solve the problem of aerial navigation we have always believed would be realized, hence we are not at all without hope that the big air ship now nearly completed at Mt. Carmel, Illinois, will really do what its inventor claims for it. Judging from the descriptions of the machine it is constructed on scientifiiv pies and by a man who has made a thorough study of all the conditions of the problem to be solved. The machine is 170 feet long, nut inefatding the fans and rudders, and when the bouyancy chambers are charges with gas it has a lifting power of 4,200 pounds, the entire weight, of the ship, including a 100 horse power gas engine. The machine fulfills one very essential requisite of a successful air ship, by combining gfeat strength w'ith lightness. This is secured by being constructed of that wonderful inctal aluminum, which has greater tensile strength than tool steel at one third of the weight. The machine is expected to make its first trip in the coming month, “going first tbSt. Louis and then to Chicago. An experimental ship 25 feet long was first built and the success of this is claimed to have demonstrated the fact that a larger one on the same plan would also succeed. This smaller machine is to be exhibited in the Chicago Exposition building, during the next few weeks, and this fact, together with this whole project, will have an added interest for JaspeuTJomrty people from the fact that a former townsman, Mr. Elmer Dwiggins, will have charge of the exhibition of this smaller machine. Mr, Dwiggius is an intimate personal friend of Mr, Pennington, the inventor, and has full faith in the success of the invention.

The Inter-Ocean of last Sunday ! gave an extended description of the j new air ship, together with the following interview with Mr. Dwiggins: “Yes, after much urging on the part of myself and other friends of Mr. Pennington, he finally consented to ship us the machine at once, and it will be on exhibition at the exposition building by Christmas, if possible. Of course it will be in actual operation, making a trip of about 1,500 feet around the inside of the Exposition building. I have just made arrangements to-day with the owners of the building, and they are very glad to have the machine come. It will remain about thirty days, I think, at any rate until the large ship is completed, when, of course, this one will lose interest.” “What do you think of -.Mr. Pennington’s machine.” “I think it is constructed entirely on scientific principles, and I see no reason why it should not be a complete success. There -remains- "ter be demonstrated what speed can be developed. I have no doubt that it will outdo the vestibule trains in speed, comfort and safety, for that matter. It is easy to see how it will entirely revolutionize tire- mail, passenger and express business, should it accomplish a speed of anything like 200 miles per hour. Even should it prove a great success I suppose freight will continue to crawl for a long time, as the wings to carry twenty-ton loads woukEbe rather expensive.” “I hope Mr. Pennington will locate his factory for manufacturing the air-ship at Chicago. Mount Carmel seems to me an out of the way place, and wholly lacking in all the faculties for carrying on a large business. Chicago is the place for the air-ship.” ' ■—*

See Kannal’s Holiday Display of Fine Watches and Jewelry. Prices down to rock bottom. - The largest and finest assortment of Candies, Nuts, Oranges, Apples and all kinds of fruits in town at Laßue Bros. Just ton of fresh candies right from the factory.

LARUE BROS.