Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05
BUSY WITH. AIRSHIP
PROF. LANGLEY'S CREW PREPAR-
ING FOB 4 TEST.
Flight Of Big Buzsard May Be Made
This Afternoon-Prepara-
lions Under Way.

Active preparation nor another launching
of the Langley airshb began this morning
early on the houseD6at at the sth street
wharf and continued through the day.
Whether the ship viii be launched today
no one in authority can state The pub
lshed announcement that everything was
In readiness for another fight brought a
goodly crowd of spectators to the points
of vantage about the arsenal wall, where
the test was expected to take place. No
time was set for the event, and some of
the people who wanted to see the wonder
full buzzard start arrived early In the
morning and remained all day. There
were several people from out OF town In
the throng, who had been attracted to the
SPOT by the newspaper acknowledgements. and
who remained until the afternoon In the
hope that something would happen.
The people along the river front took
, quite as much interest in the prospective
trial as did those who came from the ex-
IRENE ends OF the city, and were perched
on every place of vantage about the
wharves.
During all this time the buzzard itself
was calmly repesing IN the tightly closed
houseboat, which was moored to, a DOCK at
the foot of Sth street southwest.
The persistent coughing OF a gasoline en-
CINE inside the househoat betokened the
presence of workmen within, and the sound
the ears of those in waiting. On the huge
platform built on the roof of thu house,
boat, ON which the launching car Is. operat-
ed, five or six workmen could De seen pull
ing a rope fastening down wooden sup
ports, &c. At one end of the houseboat
Photographer Thomas. W.. Smillie, the otft-
cal photographer of the Smithsonian Instt-
tuition. erected his rapid-ffre camera in read
mess for the flight early In the morning.
Strangers Barred
No one but those connected with the afr
ship was permitted to board the househoat.
At every, attempt to walk down the gang
plank the curious visitor would be halted
perempterily by q stalwart young man who
demanded the business of the person hailed.
Pref Charles M Manly was On the boat.
all day In fact, ru1nor was afoat TO the
effect that he spent the night there. AFTER
several futile attempts to pass the guard
Star reporter managed to get a word with
the professor On the dock
IT cannot say when the fight will take
place" he said IN answer to queSt1oa.
This was all he would say, although he adj
mitted that the flight would be attempted
today If proper conditions prevailed. lie
refused to say at what time the ship would
sail, and intfmated that much remains to be
done.
The fight will take place OFF the Arsenal
Point, In the Eastern branch, and the
houseboat will be tewed to the starting
point.
Declines to, Talk.
Prof. Langley was ~ssef at the Smith
sonian Institution, and the Interview with
him was even less satisfactory than that
with his assistant
1t is understood that Tie defects which
resulted In the disastfeus attempts to fly at
Whitewater, Va, last fall have all been
corrected The running gear of the launching
car, which was tested once twice today,
appears to be in good shape, with no pros
peet of hitch in this.resaect. Both Prof.
Langley and Prof Manly are confident
that there will be better success with the
machine now than there was before.
Great improvements have been made in
the Manly motor. This part Of the appara-
tus is claimed to be3almost perfect. The
aeropIane itself has been improved with
and some of the old parts have been re-
placed with brand-new p4gees ss:,a-
+ .,fsg. ssEbp Probable tiss-,gsr tye. :,
The workmen connected with the machine
and air of those who are believed to be tn
the confidence of Prof. Langley assert that
it is most proba BILE that the test Will be
made late this afternoon =
The only difficulty anticipated is with the
wind. If. the. velocity is greater than
twelve miles an hour flight will not be at
tempted Prof. Manly admitted this today.
1t is understood that when the fright Is
undertaken Representatives OF the ordnance
board of the army will be present to wit
ness It, No officers of the army were
aboard the boat at any time today. how
ever, and the engineer officers at the WASH
fngten barracks knew nothing of the pro-