Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-04
BALDWIN ALL READY HORROR IN BUSH FIRES
Aeronaut Is to Fly His Balloon Many Perish in Fames Others
This Evening. Drown in Icy Streams.
SHIP MOVED LAST NIGHT HEROIC ACTS OF RESCUE
Taken Families Separated
Cavalry Dnllground. Left to Save Themselves
TEST DELAYED BY MOTOR FIFTY SQUARE MILES ABLAzE
Silk Flags Brought Down Be Watchers Impont Help
ried by Drigible Mothers But ain
| fort
SHIP MOVED LAST NIGHT
Taken From Hanger to Tent on
Cavalry Drillground.
TEST IS DELAYED BY MOTOR
Silk Flags Brought Down to Be Car
ried by Dirigible on Her
Maiden Trip.

As many machinists as could get a
finger on the little engine the size of a
wash boiler have been at work all day
on the motor of the Baldwin dirigible
balloon at Fort Myer
1t was laborious day yesterday. The
big bag was not brought up from the bal
loon house and put to bed in the tent on
the cavalry drillground till almost 4
o'clock
1t had been intended to make flight
last evening. Capt. Baldwin was anxious
to do so up 10 the last moment
Gen. Bell the chief Of staff. Secretary
of War Wright. Gen. Allen. the chief sig
nal officer. and a number of other promi-
nent visitors were all on hand. together
with a crowd Of between 500 and 1000
spectators to see the ship fly.
Baldwin Is Dissuaded.
Late as it was Capt Baldwin would
have gone up But the finishing touches
had really not been put to the motor.
Army officers dissuaded him from at
tempting anything.
The army has as much at stake in a
way as has Capt. Baldwin. On the out
come Of the Fort Myer trials will depend
to a large extent the attitude Of Congress
toward further aeronautical appropriations
next winter. The army people are anx-
ious to have the bidders make the best
possible showing.
The big gas bag today is housed in the
tent on the cavalry drill ground. Glenn
H. Curtis. builder of the motor. Is work
ing with force of mechanics putting the
finishing touches on the motor.
There were some parts that had not
come yesterday from the factory. I'M
provisions were made. But the missing
pieces will be on hand today. The motor.
which worked satisfactorily in the trial
yesterday. will work better today.
| 1t will develop between 500 and 600 rev.
| olutions. There Is reason to nope wher
she Is tuned up for the official trial that
the naviaators will get a speed OF ?
miles out of the ship. This Will mean &
bonus of A, 800 over the contract price, {
thing worth trying for.
Augustus Post. secretary of Lie --Aert
E~lub and one of Capt. Baldwin's persona
! friends. was on hand early, having come
down from New York. where he was q
witness of the Farman trial flights He
brought with him little silk nag thai
| will fly from the taffrail Of the airship ii
ANYBODY can decide what the taffrail OF
an airship is.
| The flag was flown on the old California
| Arrow Capt Baldwins first dirigible put
up August 8. lSOf.
Aeronaut Wilson on Hand.
Alexander Wilson. another Of Capt
Baldwin's old friends. showed up with an
other flag, the pennant Of the Aero Club
| This was hoisted on the pole of the bal
| loon tent. where it is flying now.
| Mr.. Wilson is an old aeronaut and para
chute jumper. who is a contemporary o!
Capt Baldwin and lives near Bar Harbor
Me. Like the captain. he has been all over
the world and is pointed out as the only
man on record who has gathered up his
own body and buried it.
| This remarkab BILE occurrence happened
a good many years ago. when an under
study was doing a parachute drop fol
him. There was no change Of names or
the program. When. through accident
the jumper was killed it was announced
by the papers that he was Wilson. The
real Wilson had the unique distinction o.
| supervising his own funeral.
| Mr.. Wilson Is here on business witt
| the patent Office in. connection with ar
aeroplane of his own. There has not muci
been printed about this machine. though
| the inventor has been working on it fol
number Of years and has made a goot
many flights.
He has been in the air probably more
hours in the aggregate than any othel
aeroplane man.
His machine is a tapping device. This
perhaps. does not sound good to tht
average aeronaut for a starter. but III
has been working II on an ice-coveret
lake near Bar Harbor and has covered
about three miles on the lake. and ha
been up into the surrounding hills. HI
| has never installed a motor i'm II. bu
| depends on combination Of soaring ant
gliding. Mr.. Wilson says he has been VI
| sixty-five feet in the air in free flight ant
has scared from a wire for two hours.
Hard Work Yesterday.
| Capt. Baldwin worked necessarily yes
terday from early morning until aftel
sundown, getting neither breakfast MOI
luncheon 1t was o'clock before Cur
tiss was satisfied his motor was in per
feet condition.
The big airship was then taken ou
from the balloon house. and. withou
pilot. was permitted to risc to a height
Of 100 feet There it was held by mean.
of two guide ropes attached to the frame
works.
The balloon squad of the Signal Corp,
| acquitted themselves well in towing thu
balloon from the hanger. or balloon house
| to the drill ground one mile away. from
where the flights will be made. All tn.
way uphill Capt. Baldwin directed tn.
| work of towing.
Trees, buildings and telegraph. tele
phone and trolley wires made the tasl
throughout Capt. Baldwin displayed grea
ability as an aerial pilot by having tn,
machine in perfect control at all times
although the immense gas bag lurchet
and plunged with each varying gust O
wind