Volume 005-7 - October 1951 (2 pages)

The Flying Machine As Written in “The Daily National Gazette, Nevada City, California, January 17, 1871. That our city should have a flying machine is appropriate. It is the county seat, the place for legal and inventive talent to concentrate. If a machine cannot be made here that will have a buoyant, aerial tendency, it will be useless to make the experiment elsewhere. There are various high points near the city from whence a flying machine can be started. Today we paid a visit to the Nevada City Avitor, which is almost completed, and we trust will astonish the world and make its owner, Jerry Brown, a billionaire. We found the object of our visit in a very obscure place, near the north end of the Suspension bridge, in the rear of an old dilapidated dwelling, one of the pioneer structures of the town. Access to the flying ship, machine, bird, avitor, or whatever it should be called, was tortuous and difficult. If it had been the object of the inventor to keep his machine as much as possible from the eyes of the curious, he could not well have selected a more secluded spot. If the concern proves a success, the humble modest place of its construction will be entitled to immortality. The aerial ship is too unique to be described in detail, and further, it is incomplete. It was suspended between two buildings which were five or six feet apart. It is about 15 feet in diameter, perpendicularly, and four or five feet horizontally across the canvas wings or fans. There are two separate sets of fans, 18 inches each. These are connected with a sort of hub, spreading out from this as a long feather would from a goose, or any other bird. The fan in both sets curve inward slightly toward the common center. The motive power is applied by turning an iron crank, which turns a rod running through the main hub, to which the fans are attached. The machine is not yet attached to the car, or rather the car is not attached to the machine. The entire apparatus is strongly put together and evinces considerable architectural skill in the builder, but whether such skill is aeronautical or not, we cannot say. Its appearance as it now stands, firmly anchored between two buildings, is not suggestive of extreme danger to the beholder. As it rises and cleaves its way throughout the etherial realms of space, we shall no longer doubt the ability of man to triumph over the obstacles that Nature has strangely placed in his path. The owner of the machine was not present when we made our visit and consequently we received no clear explanation as to the precise manner in which it is to be navigated. We confess we are slightly incredulous as to its flying powers. When it does go up, we believe the whole town will follow suit. January 21, 1871 About 200 people were attracted to the spot from whence Jerry Brown was to have ascended with his newly constructed machine for flying. It was arranged to have it go up at 2:00 o’clock this afternoon, and a gallant attempt was made by Mr. Brown to elevate the machine at that hour, but there was too much ballast and it refused to rise from terra firma. As we have before stated to our readers, the machine is skillfully constructed and the elevating principle is a good one. All it lacks is propelling power. If a power could be devised that weighed nothing and cost nothing, the flying machine of Mr. Brown’s would be a triumphant success. We noticed the apparatus was securely fastened to the earth with strong ropes, a very timely precaution, for if this had not been done, and the machine accidently gone up, disastrous results would probably have followed. The principle of the machine is a screw, composed of a series of fans revolving in opposite directions. The owner is still confident of ultimate success, and we trust he will succeed. The machine is an ingenious one, and we may agree with many, saying the principle is alright, but though a man may raise a little more than his own weight, he cannot raise much more, and the machinery for the aviator is too heavy when added to the weight of a man (for that man to raise. A man may raise much more than his weight by stationary machinery, but to carry the machinery also is too much to ask. As a stationary flying machine, it is the best of the kind we have ever seen.) (Note: The flying machine was exhibited at Woodward’s Garden in San Francisco that same year, but some vandal cut the balloon with a knife, injuring the proprietor and disappointing the people who had assembled to watch it ascend.) Voi S. So7 Nevada County Historical Society December, 1951 Mother Romargi Vol. 5, No.2 By JULIUS C. RAMM I was born and reared in the Camptonville District, in the year 1876, on the farm of my parents, known then as the Nottaway Ranch. When I came into the world that ranch was a place of much activity, producing a great variety of fruits, vegetables, hay, wines and brandy for all of whcih there was a great demand in the towns and mines of eastern Yuba, and southern Sierra counties. And on their trek from near the farm to near the Mountain House, on the road to

The Flying Machine As Written in “The Daily National Gazette, Nevada City, California, January 17, 1871. That our city should have a flying machine is appropriate. It is the county seat, the place for legal and inventive talent to concentrate. If a machine cannot be made here that will have a buoyant, aerial tendency, it will be useless to make the experiment elsewhere. There are various high points near the city from whence a flying machine can be started. Today we paid a visit to the Nevada City Avitor, which is almost completed, and we trust will astonish the world and make its owner, Jerry Brown, a billionaire. We found the object of our visit in a very obscure place, near the north end of the Suspension bridge, in the rear of an old dilapidated dwelling, one of the pioneer structures of the town. Access to the flying ship, machine, bird, avitor, or whatever it should be called, was tortuous and difficult. If it had been the object of the inventor to keep his machine as much as possible from the eyes of the curious, he could not well have selected a more secluded spot. If the concern proves a success, the humble modest place of its construction will be entitled to immortality. The aerial ship is too unique to be described in detail, and further, it is incomplete. It was suspended between two buildings which were five or six feet apart. It is about 15 feet in diameter, perpendicularly, and four or five feet horizontally across the canvas wings or fans. There are two separate sets of fans, 18 inches each. These are connected with a sort of hub, spreading out from this as a long feather would from a goose, or any other bird. The fan in both sets curve inward slightly toward the common center. The motive power is applied by turning an iron crank, which turns a rod running through the main hub, to which the fans are attached. The machine is not yet attached to the car, or rather the car is not attached to the machine. The entire apparatus is strongly put together and evinces considerable architectural skill in the builder, but whether such skill is aeronautical or not, we cannot say. Its appearance as it now stands, firmly anchored between two buildings, is not suggestive of extreme danger to the beholder. As it rises and cleaves its way throughout the etherial realms of space, we shall no longer doubt the ability of man to triumph over the obstacles that Nature has strangely placed in his path. The owner of the machine was not present when we made our visit and consequently we received no clear explanation as to the precise manner in which it is to be navigated. We confess we are slightly incredulous as to its flying powers. When it does go up, we

believe the whole town will follow suit. January 21, 1871 About 200 people were attracted to the spot from whence Jerry Brown was to have ascended with his newly constructed machine for flying. It was arranged to have it go up at 2:00 o’clock this afternoon, and a gallant attempt was made by Mr. Brown to elevate the machine at that hour, but there was too much ballast and it refused to rise from terra firma. As we have before stated to our readers, the machine is skillfully constructed and the elevating principle is a good one. All it lacks is propelling power. If a power could be devised that weighed nothing and cost nothing, the flying machine of Mr. Brown’s would be a triumphant success. We noticed the apparatus was securely fastened to the earth with strong ropes, a very timely precaution, for if this had not been done, and the machine accidently gone up, disastrous results would probably have followed. The principle of the machine is a screw, composed of a series of fans revolving in opposite directions. The owner is still confident of ultimate success, and we trust he will succeed. The machine is an ingenious one, and we may agree with many, saying the principle is alright, but though a man may raise a little more than his own weight, he cannot raise much more, and the machinery for the aviator is too heavy when added to the weight of a man (for that man to raise. A man may raise much more than his weight by stationary machinery, but to carry the machinery also is too much to ask. As a stationary flying machine, it is the best of the kind we have ever seen.) (Note: The flying machine was exhibited at Woodward’s Garden in San Francisco that same year, but some vandal cut the balloon with a knife, injuring the proprietor and disappointing the people who had assembled to watch it ascend.) Voi S. So7 Nevada County Historical Society December, 1951 Mother Romargi Vol. 5, No.2 By JULIUS C. RAMM I was born and reared in the Camptonville District, in the year 1876, on the farm of my parents, known then as the Nottaway Ranch. When I came into the world that ranch was a place of much activity, producing a great variety of fruits, vegetables, hay, wines and brandy for all of whcih there was a great demand in the towns and mines of eastern Yuba, and southern Sierra counties. And on their trek from near the farm to near the Mountain House, on the road to