The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-09-18

- II
Mounted soldiers formed q GORDON
around the wreckags, while others
%endeavored to lift the heavy mass Of
machinery and wood that pinioned
Wright and selfridge to the ground.
"A piece Of the wooden framework
was broken OF as q ahlf dozen men
endeavored to free the injured men.
AZ soon al they could be le~xtrieated,
they were taken to one side, and ply
sicians from the crowd Of spectators
went to their aid.
As soon as possible Mr.. Wright and
Lieutenant Selfridge were laid ON
stretchers and carried to the hospital.
AZ the gasoline tank had been
pierced when the machine crashed TO
1.-The ground, there was great danger
that some person might come too near
with . lighted cigar or cigarette and
ladd an explosions to the disaster. Sol
dters, however, kept the crowd ct :
safe distance.
Nj. Wrisht's leg and two ribs were
set by DR.. L. Z Waters, Of New York.
and Surgeon Bailey. Of the army. The
surgeons took Lieutenant selfridge to
the operating room and removed the
part Of the broken skull over the left
eye. which was causing ~convulsions.
At 10 minutes after 10 O'Clock Self
ridge died. He had not regained con
sciousness. He was expecting his
mother, who lives in San Francisco, to
ARRIVE in Washington this month. He
lis = nephew OF Admiral seltridse and
has q brother who Is an oflcer Ii the
navy.
/ Glenn H. Curtiss, Of the Aerial Elk
detrimental association, notified Lieu
tenant selfridge's family IN San Fran
cisco.
Nj. Wright yesterday replaced the
propeller which he has been using
with another pair, the blades Of which
are six inches longer. They were
used for the hrst time IN today's dis-
astrous flight and change Of pro0ellors
caused the accident. An examination
of the broken blade showed that Il
had snapped on ct = point one-fourth
LOT the distance from the hub. a deep
indentation Of the broken piece 1ndt
cated that It had struck some other
part Of the acceptance.
Octave Chanute, the father Of asro
nautics In America, who came 70
washington several days aso for the
purpose Of seeing orvills Wrisht's
Nights. said that II the WrigAts had
used but one propeller instead q -.
the result would have been Ct least q
serious.
Omcers OF the signal corps and 9th
or enthusiasts at Fort Myer were m
clined to express the belief that to-
days accident was not due 20 . faulty
principle, but to 4 defect IN the pro
peller, which was made Of spruce. One
Of the members OF the signal corps
board who had been conducting the
Fort Myer tests said:
THE resumption OF the aeroplane
trials will depend upon the lenstA OF
time which 1t win take Nj. Wright
to recover from his injuries. This -
cldent, will, Of course. seriously hamp-
er the possibility Of securing appro-
p~riations from congress for aerOnaua-
cal work Of the signal corps"
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 17.-Lieu-
tenant Thomas q. selfridge, q. 8. a.
who was with Orville Wright at the
time Of the accident and who was 90
severely injured that death resulted.
was a son OF q. +. Selfridge Of this
city. a retired merchant. Lieutenant
selfridge received his appointmentSto
West Point from this state and had
been stationed at the presidto hare
before being sent to Washington,
where he was assigned Tor special
duty with the signal corps.
Lieutenant Selfridge had FOR years
devoted himself to the study d aero-
nautics, So deeply did he 80 into
the subject that the department de-
cided to detach him from hin OWE
branch OF the service. the artillery
corps, and assign him 70 congsnlal
work along that lire, which the slgnaa
corps has undertaken. L~eutenane
j selfridge was held by p. Bah : g p
one OF the best informed me- = ~
country on that subject. Lteutenanf
i selfridge was ! native Of this city 40
was IS years old.