The Washington herald., 1908-08-05

lire Of sailing through the empyreal that
the two daring men S1uld not Go with the
giant gas-hIled pouch
A 9s-fo0t draE-Tope was attached 20
the balloon as a precaU-i1l against the
possible escape OF the S5."4a machine. As
the diriEible SCARED above the crowd men
and women were kept busy lodging this
rope and avoiding being thrown 20 the
ground Frequently the drag rope cleared
the ground. showing the height attained
by The aerial sailing vessel
SIEnaTed TO Descend.
Satisfied his machine had rnerited the
approval Of the government representa-
tives present. 10 say nothing q the Ieath-
er-iunged 900 other men and women.
Capt Baldwin signaled AIr. Curtiss 20 de-
scend. The steering planes were set di-
r=ctly downward again. and quick as "a
flash The dirigibIa began 10 approach
mother earth once more. When about
thirty feet above the hoarze but stiu
shrieking crowd. Capt Baldwin shouted.
Hold that Curtiss." and the planes were
set level again Capt Baldwin circled
above the crowd several times and then
gave a final order 70 descend The dirigi-
bic returned TO terra hrma less than ten
feet from the two wooden horses from
which il had leaped seven minutes before.
With the thousands Of admirers troop
Ing behind Il. the balloon vas towed back
70 the wall tent a complete success
triumph n the scientific world. and an In
vention exciting the admiration Of pro
fessi0naI men and Iaymen alike. Slowly
and carefully the balloon was pulled into
the wall tent and the Eandshakine and
applause began anew
The day was ideal for aerial navigation.
and Capt Baldwin took advantage Of the
most favorable time Of the evening At
o'clock. when asked by- Lieut.. Lahm how
long II would be before the fight. Can't
Baldwin said Tell Secretary Wright We
viii be in the air in f0rty-fve minutes
The Secretary and other officials arrived
five minutes ahead Of time TO inspect the
machine before the highr~
Conspicuous among those IN the tent
prior 10 the ascension and aItitudinous
excursion was Roy Enabenshue- one Of
America s most successful aerOnauts. who
studied the art Of navigating the air m
der Capt. Baldwin, and was the first TO
use the steering planes employed in yes
terday-s flight. After the fight. Mr..
KnabenshUe. who came from Toledo 70
see the test. spoke in high praise Of the
dirigible and his former instructor.
1t IS a beauty, and they had it under
perfect control said TIE young inventor
aeronaut-
Secretary Augustus Post. OF the Aero
Club Of America. was also present. and
declared the machine 10 be ''an unquali-
fed success. with many advantages and
new points,
Comedian on the Scene.
As early as . o'clock several hundred
persons focked around the tent TO await
the ascension. An interesting figure in
the crowd was Marshal Wilder. the di-
ninutive comedian. who expressed great
surprise at being recognized
I changed my walk said Wilder, and
didn't believe any one would know me.
would Ike TO 90 Ep n that machine
and show Baldwin how TO run it. but I
guess am too late for to-day's ascen-
sion"
The crowd was a merry one. II not
careful Capt Baldwin fed the tent early
In the afternoon because two men were
smoking in IT, As he hurried from his
machine he shouted There are 1900
feet Of hydrogen gas in that bag. and If
a spark sets near it you'll be blown TO
Halifax If not farther" All smoking was
stopped
The fight this evening viii be made be-
tween 5 and : o'clock at Fort Myer. and
9 large crowd doubtless viii Journey ont
10 witness the speed trials OF this TWEEN
tieth century wonder