The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-09-10
WRIGHT IS ALL RIGHT.
He Makes Two More Record Breaking
Flights in His Acceptance.

| Washington, Sept. 10.-Orville Wright.
in three phenomenal flights at Fort
| Myer has established new aeroplane
records that not only assure the sue
cess of the official trials before the
army board but indicate that aerial
| fight is now only a matter of develop
| ment. War on land and sea will find
! in the aeroplane, it is now conceded by
| military men, a valuable means of re-
connaissance and possibly carnage.
Two flights Of approximately one
hour each, another flight In which two
men were whirled through the air for
| upwards of six minutes, were the
| achievements of the Wright Brothers
aeroplane. That these flights. record
| breaking as they were, will even be
| surpassed by Orville Wright during his
trials at Fort Myer, is confidently pre-
dicted.
Not satisfied with breaking all dis
lance and time records for, a heavier
than-air flying machine. Mr.. Wright
| took Lieutenant Frank p. Lahm, the
aeronaut of the signal corps. for spin
| around the drill grounds, and making
| a new record for a two-man flight. All
this happened so quickly and I'M
| ostentatiously, that the spectators
among whom were members of the
cabinet and high officers of the navy
and army. could hardly realize that
| history had been made and that new
era in the progress of the civilized
world was begun.
The morning fight was witnessed by
only a handful of enthusiastic people
but the news spread so rapidly that
fully a thousand people gathered to see
the afternoon event.
At SIG the aeroplane rose grandly
into space and sailed over the green
sward of the drill grounds. Higher
and higher it rose, turned at a slight
angle as the aviator brought 1t around
- Co. IL - S.,rI
along at increasing speed. There was
hardly culver of the aeroplane in the
first few rounds of the field. Round
after round the machine Travelled on,
cutting short turns, shooting along the
stretches and presenting somewhat the
appearance Of an automobile racing
about an imaginary course in the air.
The aviator paid little heed to any
thing but his levers until the crowd
raised a cheer that told him of his new
achievement. Then Mr.. Wright waved
his Acknowledgements. Before the flight
was begun a watch was tied to the
seat next to Wright and when a little
later he saw that he had stayed aloft
over an hour, the time require in order
for him to fulfill his contract with the
government. he made for mother
earth" Swooping down in a sort of
bump the bumps" fashion, the ma
chine bore down in the direction of the
crowd. which quickly scattered, fear
ing that the aeroplane would run them
down. Raising a cloud of dust, as 1t
slid along on the skids, the aeroplane
which weighs nearly thousan nd
pounds. came to a stop within twenty
feet of the crowd. AS Mr.. Wright
stepped from the seat and removed his
goggles. he was greeted with lusty
cheers.
With the two men. Mr.. Wright and
Lieutenant Lahm, in their places, the
next start was made at 6:42, the ma
chine apparently rising from the
ground as easily with its increased
burden as it had with only the in
ventor aboard. AS the machine COM
pleted the first round the motor skip
ped" on one cylinder, but on the sue
ceeding five trips there was no evil
dence that the engine was overtaxed
by the great strain imposed upon it,
After the sixth lap, beautiful land
ing was made within a hundred feet
of the aerial garage" where the ma
chine is sheltered. Lieutenant Lahm
was most enthusiastic. TT beats
spherical ballooning." was his first
comment. II had a fine trip, but did
not attempt to manipulate any of the
levers. I am impatient until We have
a machine which we can operate our
selves"
In the first fight of the evening the
aeroplane circled the field ffty-hv4
times at an estimated speed of thirty
seven miles an hour The power was
not fully turned on in any of the
flights. 1t is estimated a distance of
1856 miles was covered in the longes.
flight.
The fight with a companion was not
the first made by Mr.. Wright. During
his experiments in North Carolina
son along with him.