The Washington times., 1906-06-14
Lincoln Beachy Makes a
Successful Flight From
Luna Park to the
White House.
MAKES FULL CIRCLE
AROUND MONUMENT
Thousands View the Won
derful Spectacle From
the Streets and
Roofs.


: Soaring like a bird, hundreds Of
I feet above the earth, lodging tall
smOkestacks ard other obstacles
I as easily as if he were in an auto
mobile, turning corners on a smooth
asphalt pavement, Lincoln Beachv.
the boy aeronaut, made a successful
fight over Washington today in the
airship Knabenshue, No 2, which he
constructed entirely himself.
Sails Around Monument.
Starting from Luna Park shortly
/ after 10 o'clock this morning, the
wonderful ship sailed gracefully up
the Virginia side of the Potomac un-
( til within about half a mile Of the
south end Of Long bridge, and then
crossed the river, landing within a
hundred feet of the Washington
Monument.
Hundreds of people who had been
watching the fight from the roofs
of tall buildings and other places
rushed TO the Monument Grounds,
and in less than fifteen minutes the
place was covered with a mass of
surging humanity, anxious TO get a
glimpse Of the machine and the
daring aeronaut who had made the
successful fight.
Beachy guided the machine gracefully
in circle from the base 10 the TOP OF
the Washington Monument, and then
glided over 70 the White House.
One Slight Accident.
/ While several hundred feet above the
] earth one OF the small forward braces
! that connects the two lower sides OF
/ the slender triangular frame snapped
/ in two This IN no way affected the
flight Of the ship. but Beachy thought
/ il better to land on the Monument
| grounds and repair the damage. as the
strain on the framework, If the big bag
was forced against the wind. might re-
/ suit seriously Twenty minutes after
/ he had landed there were between two
and three thousand people on the NIOnu-
ment grounds. and almost the entire
| business section of the city had its eyes
/ centered on the machine from windows,
/ roofs, and other places
/ -Afraid?'' queried Beachy, as he
stepped from the framework. Not in
the least Why should I be- Let's get
/ 10 work preparing 10 circle the MOnu-
meat2''
: Beachy's corps Of helpers had follow
/ ed the fight in an automobile. and soon
the damage was repaired Beachy SEEM
/ ed 10 enjoy the fight as much as the
/ thousands who watched him in Open-
| mouthed astonishment. and witnessed
/ the strange sight for the first time
/ Why should he be afraid because he
I rides on a slender triangular frame sus-
! pended from a big gas bag, and pilots
z big airship. with its yrhirling propeller
and throbbing engines thousands OF feet
/ above the earth?
.! have confidence in my machine"
| said Beachy.
( Round and Round the Monument.
''AH ready" he shouted, climbing on
/ the slender frame. and a thousand
voices cheered him. as the ship rose
! gracefully. He went to an altitude os
I about 500 feet, then circled the AIonU-
ment, gradually going skyward- Twice
I he circled the great pillar. and the sec
ond time fully 500 feet above the ground,
and in circle not more than 15O feet in
diameter.
Making directly for the White House
I he made a second successful landing
/ about 100 yards from the southern en-
I trance to the Executive Mansion. in
Z side the private gates.
/ The President was at Georgetown Uni
versity, but Mrs. Roosevelt was at the
window when he landed
Rush to Greet Aeronaut.
Representative Spencer Blackburn had
called to see the President. but finding
him out was waiting for his return on
the lower porch on the south side OF
the White House. All Of the attend
ants and many visitors rushed to the
/ grounds. and greeted the aeronaut as
he stepped from the frame work
The fences about the place were soon
packed ten and twelve deep and
despite the efforts of the police TO keep
I the crowd back several of the crowd
managed to jump the fence
President Wheeler, OF the University
I of California, was at the White House
hand, and asked him II he was the
| boy that used to be out on the coast
II am" replied Beachy. and perhaps
1 shall be able to return in an airshlp
some day
Propeller Chain Snapped.
Just as he was preparing TO leave the
grounds one OF the links In the chain
that connects the engine with the pro-
peller shaft snapped. The attendant
automobile was Immediately dispatched
to the park and in few minutes ths
damage was repaired and the ship SAIL
ed gracefully over the mansion
BY this time Pennsylvania avenue was
literally lined with people waiting for
the ship to go up again, and Beachv
had no intention Of disappointing them.