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1907 February 20. Wednesday at Baddeck [[strikethrough]]28[[/strikethrough]]103
Globe Democrat St Louis - 9 Dec 1906

ROMANCE of the FLYING MACHINE [[torn paper]]
INVENTIONS LEADING UP TO SANTOS DUMONT'S ACHIEVEMENT

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SANTOS DUMONT'S BALLOON-AIRSHIP.

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HENSON'S "AERIAL STEAM CARRIAGE"

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THE "LEBAUDY" BEING REPRODUCED BY FRENCH ARMY 

Copyright, 1906, by John Elfreth Watkins.
 Santos Dumont is the first man to have performer aerial flight with a self-propelled machine heavier than the air which it displaced. He has solved a problem which had caused inventive geniuses to burn the midnight oil and toss restlessly upon their couches since centuries before the dawn of the Christian era. During three millenniums or more ambitious men have broken their hearts and their heads seeking the great goal which this fearless Brazilian has won within the past few weeks.
 Although the balloon is commonly regarded as the father of the aerodrome, history bears it out that man took up first the more difficult problems involved in the latter mechanism. Nature gave to the ancient inventor the birds of the air as models after which to build. But the ancients for many centuries regarded the ability of feathered creatures to fly as a supernatural gift.
    First Flying Machine, 400 B.C.
 The first mechanical flying machine of history was the artificial pigeon of Archytas, a Greek geometrician, who flourished about 400 years before Christ. The historian Aulus Gellius says that "Archytas constructed a wooden pigeon which could fly by means of mechanical powers and an aura spirit." This "aura," according to the Greeks, was a force emanating from all living things, which it surrounded like an atmosphere. Some of our recent inventors of new religions have applied the term to what others call "animal magnetism." According to fuller descriptions the buoyancy of Archytas' pigeon was effected by magnets, the propelling power only being an occult force. One writer stated that although the machine could fly, "it could not raise itself up again" if it fell.
 During the reign of Nero a man flew high in the air, but lost his life in the descent, according to Antonius Byerlink, who gave some description of the wings and apparatus, and attributed the violent death of this pioneer Darius Green to the fact that his evil genius suddenly became displeased while he was aloft and suffered him to fall. This warning appears to have been effective, for not until the fifteenth century does history record another actual flying machine.
   Charles V. and Artificial Eagle.
 An artificial eagle, which flew out to meet the emperor Charles V. and accompanied his back to town, is said by several historians to have been constructed at Nuremburg by Johann Muller, known also as Regiomontanus - a German bishop, astronomer and mathematician. About the same period "a certain [[obscured]]  

…is not, however, stated. Busbec, ambassador of Ferdinand I. at Constantinople, also speaks of a Turk in that city who attempted to fly.
Sixteenth Century Soaring Machines.
 John Wilkins, bishop of Chester, a celebrated English scientist of two centuries and a half ago, said: "I have heard from creditable testimony that one of our nation hath succeeded so far in this experiment that he was able, by the help of[[obscured]]  

…houses. He could thus cross a river of considerable breadth. His first pair of wings were purchased by a Mr. Baldwin of Guibre, who was said to have to have used them with remarkable success. 
 The world's first flying machine patent was issued in 1709 to Bartholomew Florence de Gusman, friar of Lisbon. He presented to the king of Portugal an address representing himself as having invented a swift flying machine, capable of carrying
[[obscured]]  

…to him after discovery [[obscured]]…which his majesty had [[obscured]]
 Students of mechani[[obscured]]…afterward paused to be[[obscured]]…hicle which could mo[[obscured]]…great height and carr[[obscured]]…long distances. Somew[[obscured]]…suggestions of an airship[[obscured]]…principle had been first[[obscured]]…Bacon, the celebrated[[obscured]]…pher of five centuries ag[[obscured]]…hollow globe[[obscured]]