The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-19
\. MACHINE
THAT FLIES.
Big Box Kite, Driven by Six
Propellers, Scars the Air at
Kitty Hawk.
THE JAMESTOWN MEETING E
Six Congressman Talk to the
People Of Portsmouth About
the Blk Virginia Exposition.

Especial to The Timcs.D ispatch)
NORFOLK, VA. Dec ls--A successful
trial OF flying machine was made ,yes-
terday near Kitty Hawk. NJ e., by Wilbur
and orvill Wright. OF Dayton, O. Tho
4 machine flew for three miles In the face
q OF a wind blowing ut the registered We
l;iocity of twenty-one miles IAN hour. md
then gracefully descended to cnrth al tho
spot selected by tho man In tho nnvign.
tors car as suitable landing place. Tho
machine has no, balloon attachment, hut
], gets Its force from propellers worked by
a small engine. ytt3gf.Y ri \! /! I. X II
Preparatory to. It's flight tho machine
was placed upon a platform near Kitty
3 Hawk, N. c. This platform was built on a
high sand hill and when all was In readi'
noes, the fastenlngs to the machine were
released, and II Star ted down an Incline
The navigator. Wilbur Wright then start
ed small gasoline engine which work q
the propellcrs. When the end OF the In
cline was reached the machine gradually
arose until It obtained an altitude OF
sixty feet. In the face Of the strong wind
(, blowing 1t maintained an even speed OF
eight miles an hour. The idea Of the box
kite has been adhered to In the basic
formation OF the flying machine. a hugo
frame work OF light timbcrs. thirty-three
feet wide. five feet deep and y five feet
across the top forms the machine progar.
This is covered with tough. but liEht
canvas In the center, and suspended Just
below tho bottom plan Is the small gaso-
& line engine which furnishes the motive
power for the propelling and clevating
!, wheels There are six blade propellers.
ono arranged just below the center OF the
frame, 50 gagged as to exert an upward
force when In motion, and the other ok
tends horizontally to the rear from the
center OF the car, furnishing the forward
4 impetus Es
Protruding from the center Of The car
Is hugo fan-shaped rudder 81, <canynS.
stretched upon frame OF WOOD. This r'ld !.
der Is controlled By the navigator and
may be- moved to each side, raised or low
cred.
CONGRESSMEN SPEAK.
A party OF seven congressman arrived
IN Portsmouth this morning under escort
OF Hon. Fl. T. MAYNARD OF the Second
District TO speak at to-nrghts big mass
meeting in the interest Of the James.
town Exposition. The members OF the
party were Messrs Griggs and Adam
son, OF Georgia.: Scott and Campbell. Of
Kansas; Clayton, OF Alabama, and Lind.
OF Minnesota. The meeting was held In
Tho Lyceum Theatre; Colon el .Nflliam t1:1
Stewart presiding. NO subscriptions were
asked, but interest In the project was
fostered by the speeches OF the congress-
men. They we're entertained at the navy
yard and by the business organizations
to-day.
TALK OF ASSASSINATION.
Tho political atmosphere Of Norfolk
county is by no means clear after the
riot in Berkeley ten days ago. On that
! occasion violence was offered County
Clerk Alyah II. Martin, despite the pres
ence Of policemen In the station Chousea
where he was talking at the time the
mob appeared. RC,IInu ~ 6
service men were hereabouts, and eu-a
riosity was excited as to the object Of
their visit. A rumor become prevalent
that big Republican politician, friend
Of the President. had been threa tened
with assassination, and that his friends
In high official station had taken meas
ures to insure his personal safety.
Republican politicians scoffed at the
idea OF any man In Virginia needing pro-
lection from assassination for political
reasons.
Notwithstanding the fact that these de-
malls were emphaticaly made, the runor
is very persistent, and It was today
stated that the object Of the threats
which rendered necessary any protection
TO a politician hereabouts was none
other than the county clerk himself s.
A man who is In position to know how
things stand IN the county said to-day
that there may be more in the story
than appears on its face. lie minated
that threats had been freely made IN
the heat. OF the campaign and after me
e,ection during the trouble about the
treasurer's attitude on the poll tax ques-
tion.