The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-05-22
A|RSHIP PLUNGES
TO DESTRUCTION
Wright Bros Machine Had Broken
Worlds Record.


machine OF Wilbur and Orville
Wright was smashed into an unrecog-
nizable mass. The navigator of the
machine. Wilbur Wright, escaped
from the accident practically unhurt,
having received nothing more than
mere scratch on his face.
The machine had already flown
eight miles in z minutes and 40
seconds under beautiful control. The
Wrecking of it was due to an error
on the part of the navigator proceed
ing slightly in downward course.
IT was designed by the navigator to
elevate its course, but instead OF
working the lever to accomplish that
result he worked it so as to direct
the course of the machine still fur
ther downward. Responding instantly
to the influence of the lever, the ma
chine dove downward and to the
ground with great rapidity. As
strongly as it was put together. it.
was crushed like an eggshell. Will
bur Wright's luck, which has stood
by him ever since he has commenced
his ascents in the air, was still with
him. The machine was wrecked be-
hind a sand hill two miles from tho
point from which it was started.
Speed OF A Bird.
Rising from point near the
house in which it was stored, the ma
chine flew away with twice the speed
or a\bird. Its course was directe1
north along the beach for mile and
half, when it was turned to tho
westward, flying high over small
sand hill and passing in between two
large ones. 1t was then made to
circle still another sand hill, the fur
therest point in their circling move
ment being two miles from where
the machine started on its magnifi-
cent but disastrous flight The
course of the machine was then di-
rected back toward the starting point,
arriving under speed which caused
the few witnesses of the flight to
marvel, but under perfect control
Wilbur Wright kept the machine up
and continued the fight, following
the identical course that he did when
the machine first got under way.
All continued to go well until the
fatal mistake behind the last sand
hill. The total distance flown is COM,
puted by adding together the two
miles between farthest points travel
ed three times and an allowance oc
two miles, conservative estimate.
for the many long curves and angles
made.
While, doubtless, happy in the
knowledge that they have accom-
plished marvellous things in the sci
ence of aerial navigation, the wreck
ing of their machine, which they
priced above all wealth, was great
to the Wright broth
ers. The Wrights state that they
will Immediately pack up the wreck
age of their machine and ship it back
to their home, in Dayton. 0.
Circled In NIidair.
The machine circled in midair with
the buoyancy of a kite, responding
perfectly to each turn of the levers
that guide the 950-pound aeropTane
over the heads of the small, scattered
party of unwelcone spectators, some
of whom leveled cameras and field
glasses at it, the airship sailed for
miles above the we'll nigh desolate
country in the vicinity of Kill Devil
Hill Life Saving Station, where
narrow sand spit separates the wa
tiers of the Atlantic and Albemarle
Sound.
Their experiments proved but re-
petition of the achievements of the
day before when the dauntless aero
nauts accomplished four successful
flights, two of them, made after sun
set, covering three and a half to four
miles each, scoring four mile clip
down the coast in two minutes and
fifty seconds at an altitude of 40
feet, the two aeronauts alighting each
time at the place of starting.
The flights were satisfactory to the
inventors, and both morning and af-
ternoon were utilized in the work.
The inventors were astir early, and
had their airship ready and in 0per-
alton at an hour when it was impos-
sible for the visitors to reach the
neighborhood of Kill Devil
Hill from Manteo, the nearest Mace
where the strangers can be domi.
ciled, a good dozen miles across the
sound. Everything favored the tests.
The weather conditions were good,
the atmosphere conditions seemed to
be in accord with the best hopes of
the aerial navigators and the wind
was but a 12-mile-an-hour blow from
the southwest. The heavier than
air" machine glided gracefully up
ward. responded easily to the touch
Of the levers and traversed four
miles, finally landing within a mile
Of the starting point.
Guarding Their Secrets.
The inventors have been afraid
someone might fathom their secre.
and are taking no chances i'll tho
of the machine They
have located it in a sheltered house
behind a sand dune near the life
saving station, and the brothers sleep
close to the machine and keep
loaded rife within reach.
Seven Years For Harvey.
Pittsburg, Pa. (Special) Thomas
w. Harvey, former teller of the En-