The National tribune., 1908-09-24

made at Fort Myer. Va, at about Sis
p. m, on Sept. II, 1908, was due to the
accidental breaking of propeller blade
and consequent unavoidable loss of
control, which resulted in the machine
falling to the ground from a hight of
about rs feet
1t was further learned that the board
found in substance as follows:
That if certain one-quarter inch
hole had not been drilled so close to
the edge of small sheet-metal ear the
accident might not have happened. and
in all likelihood would not have hap
pened
This ear was attached to the rear
top rod of the ships frame, and thru
hole close to its edge was looped the
guy-wire which ran to the top frame
of the after rudder. The examination
by the board of the wreckage showed
that this wire had not been broken, but
had been jerked or drawn out of the
metal ear. tearing away the minute
portion of the ear between its outer
edge and the one-quarter inch hole
In examining the broken propeller
blade the board found that the wire,
flung free from its fastening at the ear
end, had whipped around and cut a
cash one and one-half inches deep in
the edge of the spruce propeller blade,
which snapped off Is inches lower down
toward the shaft-head.
Tho board was unanimously of the
conclusion that the accident had be-
tTayed no faulty principle in the con-
struction of the aeroplane.
1t is somewhat remarkable also tha!
while the board OF Signal Corps men
was settling the cause of the accident
Mr.. Wright himself, propped up in bed.
was going over the construction of his
machine, and found that it must have
20 x.+,t h..
accident. Then one of his friend.
brought him the broken propeller, and
he pointed out the exact break that the
Army officers had indicated as the cause
of the accident.
The accident reminded many of the
recent interview given by Mr.. Edison,
in which he said:
''The weak point of the present aero
plane, around which the Wright inven-
tors win never be able to get, is that
| the operation of the machine lies who'll
iy in the wonderful brain of its opera
tor. Every movement made by the
WrightS in manuvering their machine
| must be done in perfect harmony with
| the working of the planes. One frac-
tionai mismOvement would mean de-
struction to the machine and operator,
too"
1t has proven exactly so. Up to now
wind, electricity and water are three
elements that no man has captured. He
can control each to an extent, but tnat
| extent is so limited that in the fury of
any one of them man is but a grain OF
| dust, and mans inventions are but
mirages of the brain. Even the Great
Wizard has grasped only the fringe OF
| the electrical current. Orville Wright
and his brother have found that a
broken winged bird cannot soar. but
the element of danger adds to the pi-
quancy of the effort to capture and
science may yet take them safely cap
| tive.
Mr.. Wright will live, but it will be
many months before he can leave his
| room, and no more experiments will
be tried this Winter, for the aeroplane
| is a mangled wreck of wood and can
vas and steel. The engine remains in
| tact, but not a whole piece of the re-
! mainder of the structure fei..ssiRs. and
| so it will have to be rebuilt with the
exception of the engine
From all over the world have come
kilograms and messages of sorrow and
regret for the death of a noble young
man and the setback to scientific navi-
cation of the air along the Wright ideas.
which seem to have captured the world.
Lieut. Selfridge, a descendant of the
leld Admiral, had long been interested
m aerial flights. and once nearly lost
his life in an accident in one of the Bell
kites. He was a splendid fellow, and
his loss to the Signal Corps is deeply
deplored- His home was in California.
The spot where he fell mangled and
lifeless has been marked, and a monu-
ment to his memory will probably be
erected there.