Watertown Republican

The New York Flying Machine
A correspondent of the Albany Argus writes from Auburn, N. Y.:

The love for the marvelous and wonderful, associated with the inquisitive element so predominant in the minds and characters of mankind, finds for itself an item of no common interest in the construction of a 'flying machine' now taking place in one of our pleasant parks.

I will not therefore, preface my communication with a history of aeronautic trials and triumphs, but endeavor to give you a brief, detailed description of our rare avis. The motive power of this mechanism (the invention of Mr. Hunt) is steam, utilized and made available by one of Silsby's small rotary engines. The power is by means of bevel gearing communicated directly to upright shafts, which revolve in opposite directions. To the outer shaft, which is of hollow construction, is attached a set of wings, four in number, and of the following dimensions:

Width at inner end, next to shaft, 9 feet; width at outer end, 6 feet; length 12 feet, thus giving an average of about 100 square feet to each propelling blade or wing, or from 400 to 500 square feet of propelling surface. I use the term "propelling surface" advisedly, for each wing is so deflected as to remind one forcibly of a tug's propeller. To the second shaft, which is placed inside the outer one, is another set of wings precisely like those already described. These two sets of wings, revolving in opposite directions, so as to overcome any rotary tendency of the whole mechanism, are supposed to screw or bore themselves into the surrounding atmosphere with a velocity of about 150 revolutions per minute, and consequently lift the apparatus with its water tank, boiler, engine and conductor, into the ethereal space.

For the purpose of guiding the fabric through the air, the conductor can at pleasure set in motion a set of wings placed at right angles to those already described, and working in the same manner, through gearing connected with the motive power. The course or direction of the whole being guided by a wide vane or rudder, at the control or will of the operator. I have thus imperfectly and briefly endeavored to convey an idea of what our flying machine is like, and should the ascension, which is to take place at no distant day, prove a success, or even partially so, you will hear from me again. The flying machine, when in the air, will be as great a novelty as Fulton's steamboat on the Hudson river. It presents now something of the appearance of a turret tower to a monitor carrying above it a mast of a vessel with spars attached and swinging around it, with a balloon basket suspended underneath. If Barnum could get a lease of it there would be assured success of the undertaking.