The Colorado statesman., 1906-06-16
FLYING MACHINE
CIRCLES WASHINGTON MoNU-
MENT AND WHITE HOUSE.
ALSO LANDS AT THE CAPITOL
Lincoln Beachy Creates Sensation
Among the Law Makers-Govern-
ment Business Supended to Watch
SkilIful Aeronaut


SkilIful Aeronaut.
Washington.-Lin Beachy, in a
| flying machine with which he circled
the Washington monument, the
White House and capitol, successfully
held up government business for prac-
| tically two hours Thursday and gave
the general staff of the army some new
ideas about the use of dirigible bal
looms in time of war.
AS he sailed across the Potomac his
device looked like the empty but in
fiated casing of a gigantic bologna
sausage, with the framework of dory
depending. He made first for the mon
ument, but alighted in the grounds be-
cause one of the bamboo poles in his
car had broken.
This was quickly repaired and he
then ascended, being tossed into the
air by his assistants, who followed him
through the course in an automobile.
In spiral course he circled the
monument twice and then having risen
above it, started for the White House
at a twelve-mile-per-hour gait.
There was almost dead calm and
after lowering for a few seconds over
the grounds to the south of the execu-
tive mansion, he dropped easily to the
lawn, avoiding the trees and landing
within 100 yards of the south entrance.
President Roosevelt was invisible at
the time, but Mrs. Roosevelt and the
children were at home and watched the
proceeding with wonder.
Again the automobile followers came
to the front and the whole machine
was borne on the shoulders of four
men to the back door of the White
House, whence Beachy sent his card
inside. The President, who had re-
turned from the commencement eXer-
cises at Georgetown College, did not
appear, but the children of the family
were in great eagerness. Several visi-
tors who were waiting to see the
President, rushed out upon the lawn to
inspect it, and for half an hour the
place was animated, while without the
iron fence of the lot people were
banked dozen deep.
Business in the State, War and Navy
building and in the Treasury building
was closed and the roofs were black
with government employees straining
their eyes to get a sight of the queer
monster. Finally, after vain wait to
see the President, who refused to ap-
pear, the machine was again launched,
rose like a bird through the trees,
poised for a second above the roof of
the White House, where it described a
circle almost within its own radius,
and then started for the capitol, follow
ing the line of Pennsylvania avenue.
In its course Beachy showed off its
PAGES, diving or shooting upward at
stiff angles, or cutting figure eights on
a horizontal plane.
When he arrived at the capitol bus
mess was suspended and senators, rep
resentatives and the people watched
him circle the dome twice and then
come to a safe landing in the capitol
grounds. Here there was another meet
of the curious and it was only after a
considerable lapse of time that thf
aeronaut escaped and retraced his way
across the Potomac to the Virginia
side.
Army and navy officers who exam
ined the craft during its alightments
expressed surprise at its simplicity
and even crudeness of construction,
and members of the staff who have
been disgusted with the failures of re-
suits of the government investment of
more than $4,000 in aeroplane expert
ments, Thursday are inclined to be-
lieve that government expenditure in
dirigible ballons would be well spent.
Lincoln Beachy is the assistant OF
Roy Knabenshue, the builder of the
flying machine which Beachy operated,
and which is now on exhibition in this
city.