The Washington herald., 1908-08-22

Work OF assembling Wright brothers
aeroplaue was begun by Mechanics Tay-
I0r and Furness in the balloon shed at
Fort 1Iyer yesterday afternoon
OrvIIle Wright who arrived az Fort
Myer in the afternoon. superi-tended the
construction work He said last night
that aIrnost q week would be required 10
complete The aeropla1e. Il IS not likely
any trials WI be made until the middle
OF next week
Taylor and FUruess spent most Of their
time u1packilg the cases in which the
aeropIane was shipped 10 Fort 3Iyer and
sewing the muslin on the frame work Of
tho planes
NOt So Spectacular.
We hope 70 make some s1ccessfuI
fights here" said 1Ir- Wright The
Baldwin machine IS more spectacular
than ours. and I believe the public would
prefer 70 see his dir1gihle IN the air.
We have a good level stretch of ground
here from which 70 set q good start
After that Il IS easy for Us
Concerning the mystery enshrouding
our machine, want 70 say that the news
papers have created the mystery. OF
course we can work better with no crowd
around our machine, 5uc on a number
OF occasions more persons than there are
out here this evening have Witnessed our
tests. We have no particular secret 70
keep from any one We have patents on
our Ulachine. and any one who wishes
may come and see the flights or course.
We exercised the proper caution 20 guard
our patents while our claims were pend
ing. but now there IS no reason for Sc
tographe-s taking pictures OF our inven-
ton
I'VE can make more than forty miles
az hour in our aer0pIa0e. but 7 probably
won't run IL AT any higher speed than
that around here. Twen---s5x miles an
hour IS the lowest possible speed al which
We can operate the aer1pIals and keep
Il a1iElt II would drop % the ground
Z the speed was reduced 10 twenty miles
an hour
1.-THE aer0pIa-e has TO be seen ia order
10 give an IDEA Of IT, 4 description means
little The machine weighs approximate
y SD pounds. without any passengers or
fuel Il has an area OF 500 square feet
II measures 40 feet IN width and 50 feet
-ore and aft The motor IS our own in
veu-ior- II has . or 50 horsepower and
IS capable Of 1El9 revolutions minute
L operates Two pC0pzlle-s in the back Of
The machine. These ur0peuers rav0Ive IN
opposite directions a. "a rate q about 800
v-l=s q minute when we are travelling 81
high speed-
OF spruce and Ash
The framework IS made OF West VIZ
gilIa spruce and ash. This IS strong.
Hight material. and we md It more suit
able than any other wood The planes
9orm @ helloco-d, or, IN other words. they
are twisted down on the ends The wood
work IS covered with muslin almost as
heavy as balloon cloth This muslin Is
laced On the framework. In fT0nt we
have box kite plane. by which We con
rr0I the rise and descent OF the aer0plaae.
In the rear We have a uvvo-slded r1d6er
There are three levers Sor the operator
10 look after Two OF these control the
lateral movement OF The aer0pIzne, while
the other controls the fore and aft move
DeEL The engine IS within Two feet %
the operator. but L is never necessary 10
touch & except 10 start OF stop the motor
One Of the essential differences be
tween ar aeTODIaEs and q Ci-igi5Ie IS
that one Clan operates our invention The
other man In the aeroplaae is merely a
passenger, with nothing % do but hold
On and enjoy the sights
We VIII be able % comply with AL the
specifications Of the War Department.
and expect TO make some OF our best
flights We VIII carry Two men. show a
speed OF forty miles, and remain I'd as
long as the government requires. The
length Of ri-1a Of the flights Is regulated
entirely by the fuel supply"
Men VIII Work Fast.
The mechanics anu -. Wright VIII re-
surus WORK On the aeropIane this morning
They VIII work fast 10 assemble the ma
chine al the earliest moment. in order 70
make Gs many preliminary flights as pos
sIble- 3Ir. Wright delivered the ae-0plane
week sooner than The Signal Corps Off
GERS expected. as Il was not due until next
Friday.
AIr- Wright has five weeks n which 70
meet the government Specifications. sub
5ect ais aeroplans TO the required tests.
and deliver the invention 70 the War De-
paFtnenC-