Illustration of the Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, showing the steam fire engine hooked up to a horse.

Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine

On the night of the 10th of January, when the flames were raging with their utmost fury through the fallen ruins of the Pemberton Mills, at Lawrence, Mass., and the Washington Mills, together with other buildings, being in great danger, Mayor Saunders, of that city, deeming the force of the firemen present insufficient, forwarded a dispatch to Manchester, N. H., for assistance. The call was nobly responded to. By orders of Chief Engineer Hunt, the “Amoskeng” was sent. The dispatch was received about half-past twelve. No engine was in readiness at Manchester, and a dispatch was sent to Lawrence for one. An engine was started from Lawrence, went to Manchester, took a train with the steamer, its horses and company, and a carload of firemen, and returned, accompanied by Mayor Harrington and a part of the engineers. In just two hours and eight minutes from the time the telegram was received, the Amoskeag was at Lawrence, playing fou, streams of water upon the fire. The distance in twenty-six mules, making fifty-two miles travelled by the locomotive, which, with the loading and unloading of the machine, is remarkable time. Even amid so much terror and confusion, its arrival at the ruins was greeted with enthusiasm. And the firemen, who were nearly worn out with exhaustion, welcomed it with hearty cheers. It remained at Lawrence during the greater part of the next day, doing good service at the ruins.

“Sea Flea” Begins Its Hop to Spain Preliminary to Trip Across Atlantic

Illustration of the Sea Flea from popular Mechanics magazine 1928, captioned "It Won't Sink If It Lands on Water: the "Sea Flea" for Transatlantic Flights"

By the Associated Press.

MARSEILLE, France, May 13.

M. de Gasenko, French aviator, accompanied by Mechanician Bion, left Marseille at 9 o’clock this morning in his water glider, the Sea Flea, for Barcelona, Spain, and Oran, Algeria. The weather was unfavorable but the apparatus worked satisfactorily.

If the voyage is successful, de Gasenko will continue to Dakar, West Africa, and then across the South Atlantic to Buenos Aires. The aviators hoped to arrive at Barcelona within two hours and to reach Oran this evening.

Airplane Able To Fly To Moon, Says Inventor

Italian Claims Craft Would Go on Indefinitely After Leaving Earth’s Atmosphere.

By Cable to The Star and Chicago Daily News.

ROME. April 27.—An airplane which its inventor claims can fly to the moon has been designed by an engineer named Gussalli at Brescia. The principle involved is entirely different from that of the air propeller.

Gussalli’s machine will make use of exhaust gas exploded violently against the fans of a turbine revolving 16,000 times per minute. The reaction against this explosion is calculated to make the plane move independently of a propeller.

Superpower System To Girdle Country

Minnesota Power Light Company Part of Huge Transmission System.

Announcement was made last week that the Minnesota Power Light company is one unit in a great superpower system, which will link up all power lines of importance in the eastern half of the United States. When these connections are complete, it will be possible for power generating stations in Minnesota to come to the aid of power generating stations on the Gulf of Mexico, and vice versa. Thus the surplus power generated in Minnesota when waters are high here can be used to come to the aid of sections of the country where there is a generating power shortage. Instead of a huge power trust, the plan is being worked out through arrangements between the large power companies, and physical connection between their systems.