The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11
WATCHING FOR THAT AIRSnIP.
WIDE WATER AND THE AERO
DROME THAT OWED.

hnsViy HuUiuer Ou y Sleepy ANus NWbhh~
Village-Secrecy Of the Scientists
and Efforts To Penetrate IA False
Alarm Wakes Up Judge Lynch.
WIDE WATER. Va, Oct. 1O.-Now that the
flying machine expedition has returned 10
Washington, and Prof. langley's mechani-
cal buzzard, somewhat the worse for wear
after its plunge into the Potomac the other
day. has gone TO roost for the winter. the
inhabitants Of this little village are Just
beginning to realize what lively time
they had this summer
Wide Water isn't like any other place on
the map. II 10 in class all by itself.
In winter probably hundred people live
in the old colonial houses scattered along
the Potomac north Of the single room sha
that does duty for railroad 81 alton. In
the summer the average population il about
ten.
The west bank OF the Pot omac hereahouts
is known as the South African coast. and
ii deserves ito reputation The principal
stock of the general store here is med, up
Of shake remedies, and quinine is staple
article of diet.
Three months ago. on July I, to he exact I,
the hOuseboat Buzzard. containing the
Langley aerodrome and half dozen flying
machine models and accompanied by
dozen scientists in tugs and launches, an
chored in the Potomac off Wide Water.
Their arrival didn't even cause stir in the
summer population of dozen somr client
ctizens. The scientists had been there
before, they had the reputation Of Being
cannish and mysterious, they looked with
suspicion on whiskey of a pale blue tiDge,
and they had never been known to PASS
any coin across the counter of the general
store
The next day, however, Wide Water
began to wake up. At $50 O'Clock an ener-
ge'ic and somewhat trowsy young mar
swung down the steps of the morning local
train and went down to the rivers edge.
He was the vanguard of the army Of news
paper correspondents, photographers and
scientists who sweed the summer popu-
lation of Wide Water 100 per cent. during
the summer months
For no first two mont : the expedi-
ton was anchored "a Wide Water intense
secrecy and mystery was maintained about
it. Armed guards patrolled the decks of
the houseboat by day and by night, scien-
fists with telescopes and scien' lists with
field glasses swept either shore from dawn
till dark TO see if anybody was looking at
them, and heavy screens & stats and wire
guarded the windows of the craft from
ohsPrvat ion.
1t took a long time for the natives to
become interested and enthusiastic con-
corning the flying machine experiments,
but when they did begin to take notice
they entered into the watch heart and
soul And finally, when it was known
that the aerodrome was in shape for
test and the visitors began regular beach
patrol from moonrise to sun-up to prevent
an unobeerved model test by moonlight
most OF the natives slept out of doors in
their clothes in order not to miss any
thing.
On one memorable occasion the beach
patrol observed something out on the
broad bosom of the Potomac which might
have been anything from searchlight to
lightning lug, but which he was poti-
tive was a model aerodrome in full flight.
One gunshot was the signal to arouse the
visitors and to announce that flight had
been attempted, but in the excess of his
zeal the patrol emptied his revolver In
the air and then filled and empted it again.
BY the time the fusillade was over the
entire population of Wide Water, floating
and permanent, had Joined in flight to the
beach, where the excited young man on
guard was filling his revolver for third
alarm Most of them we're in their pa
Jamas.
They carried shotguns and revolvers,
and for few minutes they sounded vel
come to the phantom airshp, according
to the oldest inhabitant Of the village.
like civil war times over again" When
the light was found to come from a pass
ing steamer there was brief but heated
discussion as to whether hanging or drown
inp would be the better punishment for
the beach patrol, and the population re-
turned to slumber.
Fully a half hour later a barge, rowed
bv ten perspiring negro hands and carry
ing half dozen excited young white men,
grounded on the beach,
Are we too late7" they asked eagerly
of the beach patrol.
~Too late for what?'
"For the lynching, of COURSE" they
look of scorn.
When informed that they were slightly
mistaken as to the cause Of the excitement
they were highly indignant and inclined to
| be obstreperous, but finally compromised
! by reducing the beach patrol to state
of coma by applications of moonshine.
The floating population hadn't been
| long at Wide Water before the inhabitants
| found that prosperity had stolen upon them
unawarps The general store got rid OF an
assorted lot Of bareback purchased at a
discount from the Confederate commissary
| in 1884. and sold more bandar ma handker-
| chiefs, cartridges and quinine than had
been disposed OF in the previous decade
The number of sail boats to hire Increased
from one to seven ard the rate by the day
from 60 cents to g. The landlord raised
the rent OF the house occupied by the visi-
| tors. the cook struck for higher wages and
| the boatmen debated the idea OF formin x
a union. Finally. II became almost as
| extensive to live at Wide Water as at the
| Waldorf Astoria.
The members Of the flying machine ex-
uedition never came to Wide Water. Con-
seouently, Wide Water went to the flying
machine expedition. II was observed early
! in the course OF the experiments that when
ever boat approached the honseboat
| Buzzard, every window on that particular
| aide of the craft was closed.
| Wide Water conceived the idea OF ap-