The Washington herald., 1908-09-03

outnt Of the latJer's machine at Fort
0Jyer yesterday.
Lieut.. Creesy's left cheek was grazed
by a z50-pound weight. and he was thrown
heavily 10 the ground No bones were
broken IN his jaw. But when taken 10 the
post hospital at Fort AIyer 1t was found
that he was suffering from severe bruises
and contusions. and probably would have
70 wear a bandage over his face for sew
eraI days
When the half a dozen circular sections
Of the weight were attached 10 a rope
running through a pulley al the top OF
the thirty-foot tower. the weights began
10 swing and circle about This twisted
the rope. and the workmen were unable
TO move the rope through the pulley
Lieut. C-eesy. who has taken q deep in
terest in the aeroplane, and watched its
construction. volunteered TO assist IN
Strengthening the rope and NIr- Crane, Of
Dayton. Ohio. climbed upon his shoulders
and began uutwistiug the rope SUDDEN
ly and without word. the signal Corps
men released their grip on the rope and
the weight plunged 20 the ground
Lieut. Creecy was struck on the cheek
and hurled 10 the ground Gr- Crane
fell on top of him. Both sat up on the
were unhurt- Blood was streaming from
Lieut.. Creesy-s face. however The acci-
dent occurred In almost total darkness,
and great excitement prevailed AZ
Wright was stau55rE near the path Of the
weight. but ESCAPED injury
VIII surely Fly To-day
Ae-orIanizt Wright did not make his ex-
pecre1 ascension yesterday afternoon,
Several hundred spectators, a large squad
Of newspaper men and photoEraphsrs- and
"a number OF persons Of scientific bent
were disappointed
After trying the truck. track, and
weight rope at the northern end Of the
parade grounds NJ Wright said Every
thing seems TO De IN readiness for a
flight We VIII probably give The ma
chine lis d-sr trial between and o'clock
tomorrow morning The fight viii be
snort We may make another ascension
later in The day
As darkness began 70 creep over Fort
lIver yesterday Nr. Wright and his as
sistauts placed the aerOplale on truck
and wheeled the queer looking gray KITE
from the balloon tent 10 the weight tower
and truck. located about "a quarter Of a
mile away. The ae-0pla1e was pulled
along bv 0Ir- Wright. Mechanics Taylor
and FuTness- and several enlisted men
from the Signal Corps
Machine Taken to Track
When the end OF the ffty-foot track.
which stood about six inches high and
measured an inch IN width. was reached.
III Wright removed the tive wheels Of
the truck and the bottom OF the ae-oplane
rested on the iron tiring with which the
track IS covered
IL - d.
the heavy aero0la-e. This truck looks
very much Ike a bed STAT On the bottom
Of the single strip Of timber are Two small
wheels screwed on 20 the wood BY
means Of this truck the aer0Piaue was
showed Fifty feet 10 the base Of the
weight tower
while lI-- Wright was attempting 70
1urn the aerCpIaue and face the front of
& i1 the starting direction the little truck
slipped Of and the machine dropped
across the track Other than a slight jar
ri1E- Il was not damaged
Yesterday morning Mr. Wright and his
assistants replaced the forward steering
planes on the ae-oplale and thoroughly
tested The motor on the machine The
engine was found 70 De In perfect running
o-der. and NJ Wright had every expec-
IarCl Of making a perfect flight later il
The day
Wind Broke Wri=ht's Plans.
Between 2 and 8 O'Clock. the time that
he planned to make the ascension. a high
wind began 10 blow over Fort AIyer- IN
struments showed that the velocity Of the
northwest wind was between twenty and
thirty miles. Mr. Wright said he would
not remove the aeroplane from the tent
until the wind subs.ded entirely.
The crowd Of men and women began
early as O'Clock Nr. Wright took a
number OF his friends into the tent and
explained the working OF the machine
For the first time in America phOtOEra-
pliers. with all kinds Of cameras il all
sizes. shapes and previous condition OF
servitude, were allowed 20 make as many
pictures Of the aeropIane as they wished
All was c0mn0tiou and excitement
when the Signal Corps men uuIaced ths
front Of the bis tent and mechanics be.
gan 10 wheel the aerpplsne out on Ia,
uarade grounds. II was expected BY tbs
uns0phistcated that a fight would bt
made. but prior 10 leaving the tent Mr.
Wright said he merely wished 10 tes
the track, rope, starting hook, and ring
After the accident. the aeropIane wa
again placed on The two large iror
wheels and taken back 10 the tent
Spherical Made Long Journey.
trfLl -1--e--I Llr|4 p lt-S-t--tL1F Afternoon
that Lleuts Lahm. FouI0ls. and Sci
fridge. who left Fort AIyer in the Bald
win free spherical balloon at Sd o'cIocI
in the morning. landed at Pocomoke. Nd.
Al 1-0Z o'clock in the afternoon. wIthou
mishap. The balloon was debated in
fela near the Eastern Shore town an,
shipped back 10 Fort Myer- The balloon
was caught by an east wind after soarinl
20 g height Of half a mile and swept owe
The Potomac and Washington
Lieut.. Lahm says the balloon traveIe
Al a rate Of twenty-five miles an hou
throughout the i've miles ne and hi
brother officers were afiight He sal
they crossed Chesapeake Bay at its wid
est part about noon and landed al POGO
moke because the hydrogen IN the bal
loon vas being condensed rapidly Tn
officers viii make a report 10 Gen. Ale
on the successful flight
Yesterday afternoon slim and Jay.
Capt Baldwin's canvas man and me
chanic. respectively. partially dismantle
The framework Of the diriEible- The fran
was detached in the center and the rud
der taken OF. The sections were loade
on an army wagon and removed 10 tn
steel balloon shed. where the Wright ma
chine was assembled The Curtiss moto
on the framework viii be readiusted an
tested before 81 is detached from IN
wooden supports and packed for shipulen
70 St Joe. No. where a military exposi
non VIII begin next week