The Biographical Dictionary of America/Altham, George J.

ALTHAM, George J., inventor, was born in Fall River, Mass., May 27, 1863; son of Jonas and Mary (Hargrave) Altham. His parents were of English birth, his father having come to America to establish a factory in Fall River. When the son was about six years old his father took him to England, where he was sent to school. He finished his common-school education at Swansea, Mass. He first turned his attention to aerial navigation, making at his father's farm in Swansea, Mass., experiments in aerostation with a view of testing what angle of aeroplane gave the greatest lifting power. To prove this he rigged a machine somewhat like a common derrick, with the arm nearly horizontal. This arm he caused to rotate, and on it was placed an aeroplane set at different angles, with a finely adjusted spring balance, that would register the sustaining or floating capacity of the same at the different angles. Mr. Altham by his experiments discovered the simple law in aerostatics that a forward velocity to a moving body in the air is the most important principle in aerial navigation. He then invented a double cylinder engine in which reciprocal motion was converted into rotary motion, and constructed on this principle a model of a new marine engine, which he patented. About 1892 he experimented in a steam turbine to overcome the heat in the bearings caused by increase in speed. He exhibited the result at the Massachusetts charitable mechanics association in 1895, and was awarded the silver medal. In 1896 he perfected his hydrocarbon motor, which was pronounced practicable for use in a motor carriage. Mr. Altham made experiments with Mexican asphalt, mixing it with peat and producing a fuel which would not "run," and which was superior to cannel coal in quick combustion and heat-giving properties. "The Altham fuel" was tried in February, 1896, in fire engines in Boston and other cities, and was highly successful.