Viewing page 220 of 327

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

the air, and in their rapid revolutions to lift the entire affair from the ground, so that it will leave the earth's surface and soar in the air as a bird. It is a known fact that practically all birds take a running start before beginning a flight, and this is the idea at the bottom of Miss Todd's invention.

She is absolutely confident of ultimate success, and is only waiting for someone who will attempt an ascent to have her invention tested.

The invention of Miss Todd has attracted more attention than any other exhibit at the Palace show. Andrew Carnegie spends two or three hours every day in going over the details with the woman inventor.

"How will you regulate the landing of the machine?" asked Mr. Carnegie, as he was minutely examining the parts of the airship yesterday.

Alighting Made Easy.

"I think that is one of the easiest problems to solve," replied Miss Todd. "You see this valve here? Well, by putting that into play the electric force is so curtailed that the revolutions of the fans decrease. Without impetus, the machine will naturally discontinue its flight. By diminishing the power, instead of absolutely cutting it off, the fans will revolve slowly and the machine will gradually settle on the earth. The pneumatic wheels will then strike the surface, and will roll along until the machine comes to a standstill.

"It is exactly the same principle But employed by the larger birds," she explained to Mr. Carnegie, who was intensely interested.

"But do you think it will rise at the right time?" asked Mr. Carnegie.

"Of course, this model will not rise," explained Miss Todd, "but in a perfect machine I think that will be easily solved. To increase the effect of the [[?fans]], naturally, it is necessary to reduce the weight of the machine. This clumsy affair which I have as a model is far from accurate, but when I am able to have it tested you will see the difference.

Mr. Carnegie, it is said, would be willing to defray the expenses of having a practical test.

Miss Todd has not the least doubt that her invention will be a success.

as generally supposed

Not Worthy of Notice.

"Perhaps it is a mistake to take any serious notice of such criticism as has been offered during the last few weeks, just as it is a mistake to take any notice of the various people who declare from time to time that they have every confidence in the Brothers Wright; that they are not surprised that the designs have not been published and the machine shown to the world, and yet that they have letters in their possession from those who have been eye witnesses of the experiments.

"On this subject we are left in a whirl of clashing statements, of strong expressions of faith and with a paucity of tangible evidence. Personally I have no confidence whatever in theorists on the flying question. I believe only in practical experiments and in unceasing work.

"When I set out to solve the problem of mechanical flight I said to myself, 'I must be patient, must sacrifice a good deal and must be ready to work hard.' This appeared to me the only way in which success could easily be obtained. Consequently I have little sympathy with those who pretend to be in a movement to have governments behind them and the disposal of considerable funds, and yet who remain perpetually in the position of 'getting ready to begin.'

"This is not a problem that can be settled in a study. It is one of the workshop and open fields, and, if I may be permitted to offer a word of advice to those engaged in the task, it will be 'take off your coat and dash in.'"