![Transcription Center logo](/themes/custom/tc_theme/assets/image/logo.png)
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
[[strikethrough]] -57- 55 [[/strikethrough]] 59 [[underlined]] A NEW PARTNER [[/underlined]] Shortly after severing partnership with Baldwin, I met Mr. Charles Strobel, who had sold his Toledo baseball franchise. He wanted to enter into a partnership with me in the business of building and exhibiting airships. His total investment was $2,600 and with this amount I constructed two complete airships, built outright a four cylinder air-cooled motor and purchased from Gless Curtiss another, similar to the one we used in the Baldwin airship. We set up operations at the fair grounds in Toledo, Ohio. The Baldwin ship was shaped like a cylinder with a blunt nose at each end. The head resistance was more than it should be for a ship of this size. I therefore laid out on my drawing-board, a streamlines balloon with the greatest diameter, one third of the total length from the nose, and from this point gradually deareased the diameter to the rear point or tail. When inflated with air the shape was perfect. During construction I had many difficulties, Tools and materials disappeared. Storms drenched the silk fabirc before the new varnish had completely dried. On one occasion, the force of the wind was so strong it blew in a grass window and badly damaged the silk. The two balloons when finished, were well shaped and we were pleased with them. I knew we would not be able to keep the airship out in the open and it was doubtful if suitable buildings could be secured to house the balloon. I looked for some kind of protable tent which could be used for the purpose. Other than a circus, thent, I found nothing large enough, and even a circus tent was not suitable on the account of its size. The only thing to do was