The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-17
Machine Of the Wrights
Smashed on TrialGrounds
Not Latest Product.
TO RETURN I'm. AUGUST
AND CONTINUE TESTS.
Flight interrupted by Accident
Was Designed to Be Most In
portant Ever Attempted.
The Error Of Wilbur
Wright Caused
Destruction.

n NANTEO. N. c.. May 1s.--The
IN "a Wright brothers are, not dis
INN leartened over the accident to
4 v i their aeroplane. They have
been using their old machine
here. and 1t is now learned that they
nave a new and stronger machine al
ready built In Dayton, and Will return
mere with that next August to go ON
with their experiments.
1T was also learned from official
sources hat the flight interrupted ny
the accident was designed to be the
most important performance ever at
tempted by an aeroplanc. 1t was to be
an endurance test In which the oper-
ator had expected to remain In the
hlr one hour and twenty minutes, and
would have meant q flight of about
slightly miles. In the government test
next August the Wright machine will
have to remain in the air one hour,
put VIII not be required to cover as
great distance as was contemplated
IN Thursdays performance.
BY actual measurement 1t was de-
termined that the machine made lit
tie more than eight miles before 1t
came down, but the most surprising
feature OF the flight is the fac. that.
according to three persons who ximed
the flight. the eight miles were cover
ed In little less than eight minutes.
The Wrights have Instruments on
their aeroplane which record speed al
titudc. etc. hut they would say moth
ing except to state that when the ac-
cdent occurred and at other times dur
ing the flight the machine was ex-
ceeding sixty miles an hour. Those
who watched 1t darling around the
sand hills uid not question that state
ment. The Wrights also stated that a
head wind did not diminish their
speed.
Motor Not Injured.
While the two planes and the frame
work of the machine were badly
wrecked in the fall. the motor wax
rot injured and continued 20 run after
the craft came to the ground. Wilbur
Wright, the operator. had bis face
slightly scratched, but both brothers
were as merry as larks to-day and
sang and whistled cheerily as they
were packing up the wreckage. One
or both OF them VIII go to Europe
within few weeks, but they VIII be
back here with theft new machine next
August They were as reticent as ever
to-day and seemed to care very little
what the outside world might think
or say about their performance OF the
last ten days.
Wilbur Wright said that the acci-
dent was caused by his mistake In pull
ing the wrong steering lever. The
machine yas only fifteen feet from the
ground, s,nI, turning to look at sand
hill which he was approaching, he felt
one of the planes touch the sand and
tn n hurried grasp at the levers caught
the wrong che and sent the machine
turning somersaults on the sand. The
levers are very close together. and as
they are rev feature OF the machine
the accident is easily explained. The
sNyrights appeared to regard 1t as q
very trivial matter and thing by
which they will profit in the end.
The Government Aroused.
Being so far behind European gov
ernments in dirigible balloons, and ap-
parently Just as far ahead in the de-
velopment of the aeroplape. the ON
Gals of the United States government
began to turn their attention TO me
Wrights and to the possibility OF u W
lzing tho aeropiane as venice lor
use in warfare Thus, far the .u ~,
mean government have held that the
aeroplane was not to be considered YET
M practical thing, but the surprls-
ing claims of the Wrights and the cor
roborating evidence OF other authori-
ties induced General Allen to take the
Important step of giving the virgins
and others chance to build war aero eI,
planes, with the nope VIA. ~ - .
States might have the distinction OF
giving It's army and the world the first
serviceablc gasless air craft
Thus 1t was that last December the
government asked for bids for a dynal'-
mo flying machine. to be made IN ac-
cordance with certain general speciti-
cations. 1t was to be able to make
speed of thirty-six miles an hour, TO
be measured over course OF h ~.
miles against wind. Several bids
were received but the only ones &C.
copied were those of the Wrights and and
"a. w. Herring. The Wrights are 70
receive $4,000 for their machine, II
81 proves a success, and Mr.. Herring
will get $4,000 for his machine, II It
does all he hopes 1t Will do. The ON
clal test lis to be made at Fort Myer
next August 1t Is this government
prize that the Wrtghts We're working
Tor down here among the sand dunes.