The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
INVENTORS ESCAPE FROM INSTANT DEATH
 IS MOST MIRACULOUS
Wooden Wing of the Propeller Snaps When Wright and selfridge Are High In Air and the Machine
 Drops Like a Wound
 ed Bird.

Washington, September 17.-After hav- ing drawn the attention of tie world to his areoplane flights at Fort Myer. and having established new worlds records for heavier-than-air flying machines, Or vile Wright today met with tragical mishap while making a two-man flight. The aeroplanist was accompanied by Lient Thomas E. Selfridge of the sig nal corps of the army. Lieutenant Self ridge was fatally injured and died at S:1O o'clock tonight.
 MT. Wright was seriously injured. but 1 is expected to recover.
 | While the machine was encircing the drill grounds, a propeller blade snapped off, and hitting some other part of the ! intricate mechanism, caused it to over turn in the air and fall to the ground, enveloping the two occupants in the i debris.
 Soldiers and spectators ran across the 1 field to where the aeroplane had fallen and assisted in lifting MT Wright and l Lieutenant Selfridge from under the tangled mass of machinery, rods, wires and shreds of muslin. MT. Wright was conscious and said, "Oh, hurry and lift | the motor.''
 | Lieutenant Eelfridge was unconscious and had apparently strtck the ground with great force. His head was covered with blood and he was choking when the soldiers extricated him from under the machine.
 Taken to Hospital. | Dr. Waters New York physician. was one of the first to reach the spot and rendered first aid to the injured men. When their wounds had been bandaged, MT. Wright and Lieutenant Selfridge i were taken to the Fort Myer hospital : at the end of the field. It was feared that MT. Wright was suffering from internal injuries He had lapsed into state of semi-consciousness by the time he reached the hospital, while Lieutenant Selfridge did not regain consciousness at all He was suffering from a fracture at the base of the skull and was in a critical condition.
 After hurried surgical examination, it was announced that MT. Wright was not dangerously injured. He is suffering from fracture of his left thigh and several ribs on the right side are fractured. Both men received deep cuts about the head. MT. Wright regained consciousness at the hospital and dictated a cablegram to his brother at Lemans, France, and requested that the same message be sent to his sister and father at Dayton, O., assuring them that he was all right. AL though there have been but handful of people at the aeronautcal testing grounds 1 at Fort Myer during the past few days, fully 2O0o had gathered by 4:3O o'clock this 1 afternoon. The aeroplane was still in it's shed, but Mr. Wright arrived a few minutes later and ordered 1t taken to the northern end of the field to be placed on the starting track in readiness for a flight. Everybody was ordered back from the machine and MT. Wright turned to Lieutenant Selfridge, and said: Start of the Flight. You might as we'll get in. We'll start in couple of minutes
 Mir. Wright announced several days ago that he would take Lieutenant Self ridge, who is secretary of the Aerial Ex-
 
 himself. in his next flight. The young of- ficer was delighted to have an opportunity to fly in the aeroplane. He was to leave Saturday for St. Joseph, Mo-, where he was to assist Lieutenant FouIers in oper- ating the Baldwin airship at the coming army maneuvers.
 After MT. Wright told him to get in the machine Lieut.. Selfridge took off his coat and hat and took his place in a tp ha by MT. Wright, the latter started the motor by means of a storage battery his assistants, Taylor and Furness. turning the propellers to get them go- ing. At 5:14 the aeroplane was re- leased, and it was noticed that it did not rise as quickly from the ground as on previous two-man flights. Lieut. Selfridge weighed about 175 pounds making the weight greater than the ma chine had ever carried before. After gliding over the ground on it's runners for 30 feet, the machine rose gradually and had gained a height of 40 feet when it passed over the starting apparatus for the first time. There was a siX-mile wind and it was noticed that the machine did not run as smoothly as on it's former flights, most of which were made In calm weather The aeroplanists, however, apparently had control of the aerial flyer which rose to height of 75 feet as it com pleted the second round of the field This height was maintained on the third round.
 The Fatal Plunge. While the machine was turning at the southern end of the field. several thousand feet from the spectators, some one shouted.
 What is that? Something fell" Immediately all eyes were on the aeroplane and 1t was seen to turn over on It's left side and pausing a moment, made complete turn and then came