The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 23, 1896, Page 1

VOLUME LXXX.—NO. 176. A WINGED SHIP IN THE SKY, It Cleaves the Air With Pinions Like a Huge Condor. ALL SACRAMENTO SEES THE NEW WONDER. The Inventor's Lawyer Describes| the Machine and Says It Is Genuine. IT WAS SEEN SOARING NEAR SAN| JOSE AT MIDNIGHT. “The Call’s” Exclusive Invention of sthe Age Is Now Corrobo- rated by Thousands. For several days there have been per- " sistent reports thata huge airship has been seen in the vicinity of Oakland. Sac- ramento and San Francisco. Twe CALL bas contained daily and exclusive ac- counts of the appearance, and now there is an avalanche of testimony to the effect that many persons of iruthful reputations have seen something like a huge seraph in the air, spreading- its electric pinions .and sosring faster than a giant condor of the Andes. So numerous have been the reports that the possibility of aerial navi- .zation is now the absorbing theme of the day. There is now a vast amount of corrobo- rative testimony to the effect that there is a practical airship afloat in the azure spaces hereabouts, and the meaning of this testimony has been made clear by the positive statement of Attorney George D Collins of Alameda thst he has a wealthy client wbo ‘is the inventor of the great aerial ship, and that 1t will soon be known to the entire world. The ship was seen in Sacramento last night, and the evidence is increasing that the same great propeller recently passed through the heavens over Oakland and 8an Francisco. The positive testimony of Collins that the airship is a reality has now been signally corroborated by the testimony of thou- sands of citizens of Bacramento who saw the great ship in the air last night. The following accounts from Oaklind and Sac- ramento make the matter as clear as ordi- | nary buman testim ny could do. Oné of the most interesting of the corrob- orative stories comes®from Thomas Jor- dan of Ban Ratael, who states that he found a machine-shoo in a mountain fastness some months ago: that six men were Working on an airship and that it would soon be completed. In the first day's story of the airship, as printed in THE CALL, it was stated that an old hunter named Brown of Bolinas Ridge had seen an airship floating a few hundred feet above the pine trees one morning just as the fogs were lifting from the ridge. COLLINS’ EVIDENCE IN. H: Knows the Inventor of the Ship. OAKLAND, CaL, Nov. 22.—Attorney Collins was the busiest man in Alameaa County to-day. During the first part of the day all his efforts were directed to keeping away from the curious throng that wished to talk to him and interview him and try to induce bim to describe and draw pictures of the Oroville millionaire’s airship. Not until late in the evening could he be induced to go into the parlor of his home on Union street, Alameda, and tell what be knew of the invention that has startled not only this State, but the entire country. «A few weeks ago,” said Mr. Collins, “1 came {rom Washington, whither I had been on important business. On my ar- rival in this State I met a gentleman who introducea himself to me, and wnen I told him where 1 had been he immediately said he was very sorry that he had not met me prior to my departure, as he had some important business to trausact at the Patent Office in Washington which he would not trust in the mail or by any other means thar a trusted servant. “Iasked him what his business con- sisted of, but beyond telling me that !le was an inventor, I got no further details from him at that time. He told me enough inan indirect manner to convince me that | he was a man who had a secret that he evidently cherished dearly, but be en- lightened me no further, and beyond exchanging eards, our acquaintanceship developed nothing more tiil later. A few days afterward he called on me at my office in Ban Francisco, but as he did not talk about business,Iconcluded that he had merely paid me a social call. I became greatly interesited in that inventon, I Account of the Greatest! could not help noticing that there was a desire on his part to tell me more than 1| knew, and I could also see that he re- | strained himself irom aoingso. He called on me a second time, chatted about a few | immaterial matters and departed, leaving me in wonder as to when he would confide anything further to me. Altogether, he | made about haif a dozen of these visits, and I concluded that he really did. intend to-talk business every time he came, but that his courage failed him as soon as he Rot in the office. “‘Finally he got up eourage enough to tell me he’ was not only an inventor but that ‘e reaily -had an invention. He asked me if he could place confidence in me. I replied, ‘Do you mean as a friend oras an attorney? He said, ‘As both.’ I told him that I could not recall any oce casion in which I had violated a friend’s | or a client’s confidence and that I thought il was fully capable of attending to any business he might wish me to transact for bim. He said that if his secret were made public prematurely it would mean the loss to him of an immense fortune. He farther assured me that it was an inven- tion that anybody would willingiy steal if they had 1he opportunity. I talkea to him for a little while and succeeded in assuring him that if such were the case I, as an attorney, would be just asanxious to protect his interests as he would be himself. “I am telling you the details of my first meeting with this inventor because they carry with them a good idea of the nature of the man and also are evidence of his sincerity and belief in the practicability of his invertion. ‘“He 1s a resident of Oroville and a man of wealth, about 47 vears of age, and a fine looking feliow. He does not talk for five minutes without convincing his hearer that he is 2 man of more than ordinary intelligence. The first time he talked to me of his invention he got as far as the word airship; then Ilaughed, and laughed hearfily. “What kind of whisky have you been drinking?” I asked him. This made him indignant, and had I laughed any longer he certainly would have got very angry and I should have most probably have lost a client. “I have not been drinking, sir,’ said, ‘and when [ do it is not whisky.” “Even that answer did not assure me, and Iagain said, ‘Have any members of your family ever been in the lunatic asy- lom?’ ‘‘He did not appreciate this any more than my other remark, and drawing him- self to his full height and stamping one foot on the floor, he replied, *No, sir, I &m a man of business. I have come here on a business errand, and had I not met you previonsly and been convinced that Icould trust you I think our acquaintance would end right here, However, I canex- cuse your surprise, for everybody believes that an inventor must, naturally be crazy until he has proved that his invention is practicable. Then, T suppose, people call him a genius. I have BOt Gver the crazy stage, but I do not yet claim to be a genius; but I certainly am practical.’ “*He then proceeded to tell me of his in- vention. He has been working for sey®ral years, and in order to avoid suspicion on the part of local people he has had all the machinery and material shipped from -_— he The Great Airship That Is Start]ifig .. the People of Many Cities. Drawn From Descriptions of the Inventor’s Attorney, George D. Collins. | the East in such manner as not to excite curiosity. “Of course I am informed regarding nearly all the details, but I am not at lib- erty to talk about them. As near as I can recollect the propelling power is produced by compressed air, which works the arms and alto produces the light. There is in the airship a little motor of sufficient power to produce the britliant light that evervbody has seen. As soon as he told me this I hintéed that it would be a good thing to make the matter public, but he refused, saying that publicity at that time | wouid call attention to His work, would interfere with the progress of hiscaveat, and might prove the ruin of his enter- prise. Now he ie not so particular, He bas informed me that it is sufficiently ad- ,vanced for uim to patent, and that he can | take out successive patents for any other contrivance he may invent in order to make his machine perfect. “The next time we .met was quite re- {cently and after the machine had been | seen in various parts of the State. He tola | me that those fellows were right K who | talked to THE CaLL .reporter at Sacra- mento and were telling the truth. On the might that it was seen there he leit. Oro- forty-five minutes, but I understand that which can be atiained, provided the neces- sary machinery is made. I mean by this that the principle of the airship would almost admit of lighining sveed, bul that conditions that have to be met of course limit its power of resistance. “1believe, however tbat in a very short time it will be able to make three miles in there1s practically no limit to the speed | ‘ville in the afterncon, made a straight| tion of a little wavy motion, which pro- | trip_to Sacramento, which is about sixty | duced the sensation very closely allied fo miles, took a few turns over the Capitol, | seasickness. went off about fifty miles and descended. | venting, and apparently from what is re- On tbat occasion be made sixty miles in | This he was confident of pre- ported he has made the necessary adjust- ment to insure smooth flying. “From every quarter I have received re- vorts during the past few days of this machine, and aithough there are many who may still be skeptical rezarding what is claimed for it, I thoroughliy believe that it is now perfect.” R. B. Mitcheil of the firm’ of Pierson & Mitchell, San Francisco, called on Mr. Collins this evening to discuss the merits The Pacific Improvement Company’s Steamer San Benito on the Rocks Two Miles North of Point Arena, and the Steam Scl_xoonu Point Arena Standing On and Off Ready to Lend Assistance. Chief Engineer Wood and Five Men Reached the Steam Schooner, but Captain Smith and 27 Men Had to Take to the Rigging of the San Benito. This Sketch Was Drawn The Point Arena Lighthouse, Near Which ‘the Steamship San Benito Was Wrecked, - From a Telegraphic Description of the Scene. ' Since Then, However, the Vessel Has Broken in Two. two minutes, and the inventor tells me that more is possible. *The machine did pass over Oakland last Friday night. The inventor came from Oroville and descended near Hay: | wards. I do not know where the machine is now, but I think all dag yesterday it re- mained where it descended. The inventor is making trips every nizht and has been doing so for over two weeks, and any fiight the people fook in the sky they are likely to see him. A week ago he told me thit it was neariy perfect, with the excep- | The New Champagne Vintage. | * Byts remarkable quality and dryness, with- out being heavy, the svlendid new vintage of G H.Mumm’s Extra Dry now being imported is cru‘:m- & sensation. It should be tasted to | befuliy sppreciated. > of the new invention. Mr. Mitchell had the idea when he called that Mr. Uollins had the inventor hidden in his house for the purpose of keeping him from the pub- ic. Mr. Collins, how ver, denied this and said that he could not really give any in- formation of the inventor's whereabouts. “I have no doubt,” said Mr. Collins, ‘‘that if the night is at all pleasant the in- ventor is in ‘his machine about hali a mile over the earth startling some of the inhabitants of this State. To-morrow morning’s papers. may’ possibly inform you where he was at.this “time. 1 believe he has gone home, and if he has he cer- tainly flew there.” . Then Mr. Mitcheli became very definite. Continued on Second Page. LOSS OF THE - SAN BENITO The Steamship Wrecked on the Beach Near Point Arena. EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE CREW DROWNED, Eleven Are Rescued and Twenty- Four Still Cling to the Rigging. FUTILE ATTENPTS TO EFFECT THEIR RESCUE. Heavy Seas Break the Vessel in Twain and Swaep Over the Unfortuaates. POINT ARENA, Can, Nov. 22.—The Pacific Improvement Company’s steel screw steamship San Benito was driven ashore two miles north of the Point Arena light by a gale at 1 o’clock this morning. Eight of the crew were lost, eleven reached the shore and the rest, twent-four in num- ber, are clinging to' the rigging, swept each minute by the charging surf. The names of the known dead are: 0. W. SCOTT, first assistant engineer. C. CONDON, second at nt engineer. M. PENDERGAST, fireman. M. SHERIDAN, messboy. The steamer struck on the sand beach and after breaking in two the stern swung around and now lies about 500 feet from the beach, stern in shore. The forward part, on which the crew clings, lies broad- side to the sea about 100 feet north of the afterpart of the ship and a little farther out. Part of the men are in the rigging of the foremast and some are on .the wheelhouse. The poor fellows in the rigging can be seen moving up and down in their efforts to keep warm, for they are kept wet by continual clouds of spray dashing upon ther, and the eold north wind blowing on them would chill any onenot a seaman in a very short time. The latest reports from the wreck are that the men are still hanging on and eagerly watching for the expected tug which tey think will surely be sent by the owners of the vessel. The people on chore have built great fires from wood gathered on the beach, so a bright light is cast onto the wreck. The San Benito, Captain Smith, left Tacoma on Wednesday afternoon with a cargo of 4000 tons of coal for San Fran- cisco. It encountered head winds all the way down and the crew did not see land until Saturday. Then a heavy rzin fell. ‘They could not see any distance from the ship, but from the log believed they had passed Point Arena. At 1o’clock this morning the steamship struck suddenly north of PointArena light- house and immediately blew its whistle for assistance. The surf was very high, seas breaking over the ship, which almost instantly broke in the middle, just back of the smokestack. ‘The crew, in charge of First Assistant Engineer Scott, launched & boat containing nine men; but it was swampea immediately and only four reached the shore, nearly exhausted. Three of the survivors started inland NEW TO-DAY. Like an open book, our faces tell the tale of health or disease. Pain and suffering and wrong living write their history on our fea- tures in unmistak- able lines. 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