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16
1907 February, 22 Friday at Baddeck
RIDES 'WIND WAGON' ALONG BROADWAY
Dr. Thomas's Queer New Machine Is Banished After Being Bumped by a Car.
Hundred of persons in automobiles, in carriages and on foot blocked Broadway at Seventy-second street yesterday afternoon to see Dr. Julian P. Thomas, the aeronaut, take a ride in his latest machine, the "wind wagon." A collision with a street car was the climax of the test.
The exhibition began at 3 o'clock and lasted thirty minutes. Then Policeman Frank Brady, of the Traffic Squad, galloped after the "wind wagon."
"I can't permit you to experiment with that machine in this neighborhood," said the officer.
Dr. Thomas smiled, dismounted and the exhibition came to an end.
The "wind wagon" has a strange appearance. To some pedestrians it looked like a huge tricycle, with a two-bladed canvas propeller ten feet long sticking out in front. There's an eight-horsepower gasoline motor in the rear. There's an eight-horsepower gasoline motor in the rear. The machine rests on three huge wheels, two of which are in the rear and the third in front. It is said that the "wind wagon" was designed to test the powers of an aerial propeller. Recently Dr. Thomas attained a speed of thirty-five miles with it.
Delay Before the Start.
There was a delay of about fifteen minutes before the machine got started. This was caused by a burned-out battery. When the start was finally made, with Dr. Thomas sitting in the middle of the apparatus on a bicycle seat, with his hands resting on the starting gear, the crowd cheered.
Dr. Thomas rode down Seventy-second street several times and then took a trip along Broadway. As he was crossing the trolley tracks at Broadway and Seventy-first street a northbound car came speeding along. The motorman rang his bell several times, but before Dr. Thomas could get the machine to a place of safety the two rear wheels of the "wind wagon" were hit by the fender. "I certainly thought it was going to be my end," remarked the balloonist later.
Dr. Thomas was preparing to take another ride down Seventy-second street, where Mounted Policeman Brady stopped him.
American New York
6 Jan 1907
BALLOON CONTESTS TO BE HELD IN ST. LOUIS.
The contest for the International Aeronautic and Lahm cups will be held in St. Louis about the middle of October. This has been decided upon by the Aero Club of America.
The ascents will be made from Forest Park, and the gas will be supplied through a twenty-four-inch main.
The entries for the contest close on February 1, and the conditions governing the
"THIS YEAR MAN FLIES" SAYS SANTOS-DUMONT
PARIS, Jan. 5. - "This year man flies," says Santos-Dumont; and the Paris automobile world is so convinced of it that we are witnessing a phenomenal aeroplane scramble.
The Marquis de Dion has put the De Dion-Bouton factory to work on two aeroplanes and siz experimental motors. Ernest Archdeacon is building a single-box machnie with a 70-horsepower motor of his own devising. The Italian Vina has his single-plane refitted with one of the remarkable twelve-cylinder motors, of which I shall speak presently. Serge de Bolontoff, son of the Princess Wiasensky, is removing his plant from Vevey to Paris.
The Count de la Vaulx, who has hitherto despised everything but spherical ballooning, has ordered an aeroplane with propeller force to drive it thirty-seven miles an hour. A. V. Rol, the Londoner who admittedly follows the Wrights, has come to Paris to profit by mechanical facilities and be ready for the coming mix-up. Henri
"The great plane surfaces?" I asked, astonished.
"It will shine like magic," he laughed. "It will look like one of Well's Martian aeroplanes - and dart through the air like one."
"But the enormous metallic surfaces," I objected.
"They will answer better than silk from every point of view; then, as I double my motive power, I can reduce my surface. The Bird of Prey required a speed of twenty-five miles an hour to quit the earth. The new flyer will take nearly fifty - and will have nearer eighty."
"The Antoinette motor?" I suggested. "Since you have gone in with Bleriot you will profit by skilled aid."
"I have gone in with no one," answered Santos quickly. "M. Bleriot is the backer of a big industrial enterprise that makes a wonderful motor for my purposes. It also makes automobiles, phares and searchlights. That is one thing. I amTranscription Notes:
some handwriting seems overlooked in the transcription.
