Weird+Ways+to+the+West

__**Weird Ways to the West**__

In 1849 the idea was sprung to creat a California-bound airline. This idea was actually very close to happening, Rufus Porter, the founder of scientific America, planed to fly miners west using propeller driven balloons powered by steam engines. He got the the point where he was advertising to people about the trip, but the brave 200 miners never got the chance to fly ([]). Then there was the "wind waggon", this was a mix between a sailboat and a wagon. It was based of the same principal to be propelled by wind and steared by ropes attached to the sides of the sails. A prototype was built for a quick demenstration and as it spead up to its predicted 15mph it quickly crashed and broke completly ([]). The initial creator of this speedy idea to the west, Wind Wagon Thomas, kept trying for the rest of his life to build his dream but never succeeded. Some people took a little less creative approach and loaded everything they had into a wheelbarrow and they headed for the riches of the west. We dont know if any of them made it, but we know they had one Weird Way to the West.

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