The Washington times., 1908-09-03
Test of Wright Aeroplane,
Scheduled for This Morn
ing, Deferred.
AVIATOR WAITING
FOR WIND TO DIE OUT
Did Not Care to Make Venture
With Nine-MiIe Breeze
Blowing.

Although all preparations for the first
fight of the Wright aeToplane were
completed last night, the high wind Of
this morning prevented q test. Mr..
Wright came out TO Fort MyeT shortly
after o'clock and waited about the tent
all morning, hoping that the wind would
die down. While the breeze fell from
about twenty miles an hour TO a little
less than nine miles, he did act care to
make the venture. About 11:30 Mr.
Wright decided that no fight a.OUid be
made until late in the afternoon.
The army of newspaper correspondents
ana photographers were disappointed,
some OF them having arrived on the
grounds at sunrise. Signal corps men
We're much asTonisheG this morning TO
learn that they were supposed 10 be
Instrumental IN causing the accident TO
Lieutenant Creecy yesterday afternoon
Ihcy say that they had nothing 10 do
with the accident and were not touch
ing The ropes, the breaking Of which
caused the mlshap.
Have Close Call.
First Lieutenant Richard Creesy, of
the Marine Corps, c. W. Crane, of Day
ton. Ohio and OrviHe Wright, narrow
ly escaped death yesterday evening
when a 400 pound weight dropped dur
ing test Of the Wright airship at Fort
Myer.
The weight was attached TO a rope
running through a pulley and was
swinging in the air, The line became
twisted and the wOrkmeu, who were
operating it, were unable to draw the
rope through the pulley. Lieutenant
Creesy offered 10 assist in Strengthening
out the tangle.
Weight Crashes Down.
Mr.. Crane mounted on che young Of
hcers shoulders and was unwinding
the ropes when the workmen suddenly
let so. The tremendous weight came
crashing down, grazing Lieutenant
Creesy's cheek and chin. The young
officer and Mr.. Crane We're thrown TO
the ground by the shock, but Mr.. Wright.
who stood almost directly IN the path
OF the weight, was unuarm5d. When he
arose. blood was streaming from Lieu
tenant Creesy's face and lie was taken
Immediately 10 the post hospital. He was
not seriously hurt1 although his face is
badly bruised and cut and 1t viii prob
ably be necessary for hIm 10 wear a
bandage several days. Mr.. Crane was
unhurL.
To Keep Crowd Back.
notwithstanding the bruises ne re-
ceived last night. Lieutenant CreeCy
came up 10 the Fauoon tent this morn
ing apparently not much the worse for
his encounter with the heavy weight
used in starting the aeroplane.
The accident, however viii probably
induce the Signal Corps officers 20 take
some action to restrain the crowds
which last night thronged about the
Wright machine when Il left the tent
for the little practice work with the
track and the weight.
Thinks It Dangerous.
Alr. Wright said today that unless
the spectators show "a more retiring dis
position he vsilI he forced to ask to have
them kept DIT some sdistance from his
machine. He thinks there rs some dan
ser not only TO the crowd but II the
operator and the machine
AlT. Wright knew q. .. Jones. the
aeTOnaUt who fell TO his death yester-
day from a dirigibIe at Portland. Ne
Jones. he said, used tC live at DAYTON
on the same street as did the Wright
brothers.