Well boss, I thought about it for a whole 10 seconds and found it, first hit. No guess this time.
This is the
Botts Flying Machine powered by its patented improved steam engine, constructed by the
"World's Aerial Navigation and Construction Company of Point Richmond, California" - the brainchild of
Professor Robert H. Botts - formerly known as
Barnet N. Botts of Paso Robles, California.
According to local lore, Professor Botts, who had previously authored the thesis,
Botts' Air-Ship - The Problem Of Aerial Navigation, under the name of Barnet N. Botts on January 1, 1894 in Paso Robles, arrived in Point Richmond in 1900 with the intention to build two steam-powered flying machines which would make aerial expeditions to the North Pole. He built a model, and promoted his aeronautical venture using photos of the model flying above Richmond
[attached 1], whereupon he convinced many local businessmen to buy shares, erected a barn-like structure to suit his needs, and then began construction of his flying machine. In January 1903 (Paul says 1904 so we'll see what he says about that), Botts' completed machine
[attached 2] was taken to the top of Nicholl Nob in preparation for its maiden voyage the following morning. But that night a storm blew in and the machine was tossed down to Glenn Avenue, where it landed - wrecked beyond repair. As was the usual fate of "promising" aviators in those days - those with much to gain, and a lot of other peoples' money to lose - Botts quickly left town.
Apparently, Botts, who by the way was born in Indiana on August 22, 1857, and had moved to Paso Robles in childhood after the death of his parents, sold shares in his aerial navigation company for 1 to 5 cents per - so it is debatable how large of an amount of money was actually owed to his shareholders.
The machine was published, in Scientific American as a matter of fact, in its issue of September 10, 1904, under the title
The Botts Flying Machine.
The nature of the machine's mechanics, its construction and specifications, and its unproven capabilities of control in both the vertical and horizontal plane; I'll leave that up to Paul... since he knows everything
! 
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Cheers