The Washington herald., 1908-08-06

Rising as gracefully as a swan so
feet into the air. circling, dipping, and
rising again. Capt. Thomas Baldwin's
dIrigIbIe balloon, on its second flight
yesterday demonstrated even more con
clasively than ii had done on the pre-
vlous day that II Is success from every
possible point Of view.
Roy Knabenshue, whose reputation as
Al accomplished and experienced aero
naut, gives his opinions the authority OF
an expert was al a loss 10 md ade-
quate words 10 praise the big gray flyer,
and his enthusiasm finally compressed It
self into the remark, made 20 Capt
Baldwin, after the snip had been safely
housed for the night
We'll Baldwin. 7 wouldn't want 70
enter q race against that machine
M Enabenshue watched every move
Of the airshlp from the time II left the
ground until il came again 10 earth
under the guiding hand Of lis inventor.
directly al the mouth OF the big tent
IN which il Is kept
speed Twenty-Five sIiIes.
twenty-five miles an hour. every BIZ
he said as the ship sailed up against
~r---t-r --- -eE- l4lhE TIE parade
ground at Fort 1Iyer.
Yet Glen CUrtiss. who constructed and
operates The gasoline engine which pro-
pels the vessel. said upon alighting after
the rrip that az no time while the balloon
was flying had he run the propeller faster
than 400 revolutions a minute. although It
is capable Of making so turns about the
crank SHAFT in that length Of time
We were not trying for speed added
Capt Baldwin as he joined the circle Of
newspaper men and sky skippers- We
were merely perfectiag our control Of the
ship. and I think may say that we have
II down 10 dns points Tomorrow We
sla- make test Of the speed Of which
she IS capable. and II to-day's perform
aa-e under easy draft as one niEht
say. is any indication. believe thai our
expectations viii be surpassed"
Flight Again This Evening.
Capt Baldwin added tha1 this morn
-ng would be spent in overhauIing the
machinery and perfecting its action for
the test, and that no fight would be
made before his evening. Those who de-
sire 70 see the airslIp try out her speed
can Be sure OF not missing the perform
ance # -hey reach the fort about >
O'Clock
There was a stiH wind blowing when
The airship was taken out Of the tent Al
go o'clock last evening. and after q con
sll-5tion between Capt. Baldwin. AIr
Curt-ss and their assistants. il was de-
cided 70 make a short fight 10 perfect
the balance OF the ship Accor6fneIv AZ
6--t O'Clock the big flyer was released bv
I-e signal Corps men who had restrained
neg desire G. be of into her element and
after making q circle Of the parade
ground she was brought down again al
most ar The spot whence she had started
one minute previously. 4 slight read
justment Of the half-Eozen sand bare
which are used as balancing weights
was made. and Al Engineer Curtiss' re-
quest little more air was pumped 57ra
the envelope 10 MI out the balloon At
5-=o O'Clock as Capt Baldwin waved \
smiling good-by 70 the go or SO spect7-
tors. the 2lrship again rose into The ar
and then began q series OF evoIuti0ns
Wnleh brought spontaneous 0E1burSrS uf
aamirarion from experts and novices
alike
ship Does Circus Stunts.
When the vessel had reached an. altitude
-hat was roughly estimated al S0l feet
The big canvas rudder could be seen slow
iy turning 10 the left under The guiding
hands Of the skipper. and instantly "a
spending. the gray ship swung readily in
J1at direction. and performing a semi
circle turn, came back before the wind q
spanking clip. az what seemed To the
spectators the speed Of an express train
Ever and anon her gray nose would din
slightly toward the earth as the planes on
the forward part Of the framework.
looking for ali the world like two big
box kites, were manipulated by 8Ir. Cur
L.s
Then the direction Of the planes would
be reversed, and up again the ship would
rise. these evOluri0ns being constantly re-
peated. and the ship responding On the
instant every time Fully a dozen times
the vessel described an irregular circle
ABOVE I1e parade ground now and then,
Dy way OF variety. performing a smaller
circle. or semi-circIe inside her reDe~-
al course And each movement OF the
big ship, as the watching people below
could readily see, was preceded BY the
action Of ruddeT. OF planes. which vyoul5
bring about that movement
Finally. when the ship had been in the
ar about nine minutes, and had been
brought 70 within hundred feet Of
The ground. Capt Baldwin shouted down
10 the waiting Signal Corps men thar he
raced across the ground fer the big can
vas house, the balloon, sailing as straight
for the opening as If 1t had been sliding
down taught rope. anchored at the
tents mouth. distanced the runners. and
Ecrerlng within a few feet Of the earth.
was caught by score Of hands and
1c--- While the steerman and the engin-
Ger ClaEbered cut
Capt. Baldwin Delighted.
As Capt. Baldwin was about 10 lean 10
earth he stopped, his face plainly show
ing his delight with the performance of
his pet and turning 20 the spectators.
called cut. with a chuckle-
This ends this part Of the performance
for this evening. ladies and gentlemen
And amid the laughter and applause OF
his hearers he clambered cut and directed
Continued on PAGE 3, CoIum 6.
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