Woodland [California] Daily Democrat, 8 décembre 1896
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MR. EDITOR: Sir -- Now that I have had a chance to get a glance at the much-talked-about flying machine as it was passing over the Coast Range Mountains in a southwesterly direction, fifteen miles west of Arbuckle and about three miles north of Rumsey on Tuesday last, I will try and explain to the public the queer actions and also the mechanical construction of this wonder of the age.
Three years ago I submitted the plans I had drawn of an aircycle, with explanations, to Mr. E. W. Brown, of Davisville. He at once saw that there was no doubt as to the successful operation of a machine constructed on those plans and at once advanced the necessary funds for the construction of the same.
The machine consists of an aluminum tube twelve feet long and three feet in diameter pointed at the end like a cigar. Four feet under the tube and running parallel with it is a light steel frame similar to a tandem bicycle frame. Each end of this frame is connected with the tube. On the frame there are two seats, two handle-bars, two pedals, the same as on a tandem. The pedals operate the propeller and side wings. The propeller is used to force the aircycle ahead and the wings are used to ascend and descend as the operator chooses. There is also a rudder that fits behind the propeller the same as those on a steamship. This is operated by the handle-bars. This part is very simple. The difficult part is in obtaining the gas which is used in the tube and has great lifting power. This gas is obtained at an altitude of twenty-five miles above sea level. How this is obtained will not be stated here. Suffice to say that this is also simple when one has the instruments.
After the machine was finished Mr. Brown broke over the handle-bar an empty beer bottle and pronounced her the Nonesuch.
After several little skims over the ground Mr. Brown became more nervy and insisted on making longer and higher flights. The Nonesuch was a success beyond our expectations. We at last concluded to make a trip south. Doubling his life insurance, he told his friends that he was going to spend a few days in the country. No one knew of our aircycle; all our experiments were conducted on dark nights. Everything being ready, we started south on the 1st day of March, 1893, at 10:30 p.m.
We could make thirty miles per hour without any exertion, and, with the wind at our backs, seventy-five miles an hour was easy. We could always make better time at night, for, when we were surrounded by darkness, we did not experience that dizzy feeling that would come over us in the daytime.
On the morning of the 2d day of March, we landed near Los Angeles. Securing our cycle to a fence (which was necessary, for as soon as we dismounted there was an upward pull of 330 pounds) we started for a farmhouse that stood near by. We were just in time to enjoy a good breakfast, which we very much needed after our night's ride.
When we were returning and only 100 yards from where we left the Nonesuch, we heard a humming sound and on looking up saw two hobos in charge of our machine. Brown and I both ran and yelled, but it was of no use. The two men were much lighter than we. The result was that they rose very fast.
That was the last we ever saw of the Nonesuch until I saw her as she passed over these hills last Tuesday [December 1]. Mr. Brown has a standing reward of $500 for the return of that aircycle in good order, and also for those two men who flew away with it.
There is no doubt but he feels hard toward those men, for they left us a long way from home, and only $2.75 between us. He dare not telegraph home, so in order to get money to pay our fare Brown tried to pawn his watch, but the pawnbroker looked at him with suspicion and said he was not dealing in watches. There was only one thing left to do, and that was to walk home, and walk we did. I suggested the brake beam [hoboing], but he said he would rather walk if it took all summer, and I thought it would. At last we arrived in Sacramento, where, as luck would have it, Mr. Brown met his old friend, N. Miner, who at once loaned him $5. (This was before [William Jennings] Bryan was nominated [as ultimately unsuccessful Presidential candidate by the Democratic Party in the 1896 campaign].) Mr. Brown spruced up and we took the next train for Davisville, where he told his friends what a good time he had had in the country.
We never heard any more from the aircycle until a short time ago. I saw in the newspapers that an airship was reported at various places, but that no one had had the opportunity of examining it and that the actions were a mystery. I suspected that it was the Nonesuch which had returned. Those who are in charge know that if they land they will at once be arrested.
I expect the question will be asked why I don't build another aircycle. The answer is that the instruments for securing the gas were on the Nonesuch when she was taken charge of by those two knights of the road.
Anyone who doubts this statement I refer him to Mr. E. W. Brown, of Davisville.--H. LYTLE
ARBUCKLE, December 7th.
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