The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-09-25

ter having drawn the attention of the
world to his aeroplane flights at Fort
Myer and having established new
world records for heavier-than-air fly
ing machines, Orville Wright met
with tragical mishap. while making
a two-man flight. The aeroplanist
was accompanied by Lietenant Thorn
as E. Selfridge, of the Signal Corps
of the Army. Lieutenant Selfridge
was fatally injured and died at $40
P. M. Mr.. Wright was seriously in
jured, but is expected to recover.
While the. machine was encircling.
the drill grounds a propeller-blade
snapped off and hitting some other
part of the intricate mechanism caus-
ed it to overturn in the air and
fall to the gound, enveloping the two
occupants in the debris.
Soldiers and spectators ran across
the field to where the aeroplane had
fallen and assisted in lifting Mr..
Wright and Lieutenant Selfridge
from under the tangled mass of
machinery, rods, wires and shreds of
muslin. Mr.. Wright was conscious
and said: ooh, hurry and lift the
motor" Selfridge was unconscious
and had apparently struck the ground
with great force. His head was COW
cred with blood and he was choking
when the soldiers extricated him from
under the machine.
DR.. Waters, a New York physi-
clan, was one of the first to reach
the spot and rendered first aid to the
injured men. When their wounds
had been bandaged Mr.. Wright and
Lieutenant Selfridge were. taken to
the Fort Myer Hospital at the other
end of the field. 1t was feared that
Mr.. Wright was suffering from in
ternalS injuries. He had lapsed into
state of semi-consciouspess by the
time he reached the hospital, while
Lieutenant Selfridge did not regain
consciousness at all. He was suffer
ing from fracture at the base of
the skull and was in a critical con-
dition.
After a hurried surgical examina-
ton it was announced that Mr..
Wright was not dangerously injur-
ed. He is suffering from a fracture
on his left thigh and several ribs
on the right side are fractured. Both
men received deep cuts about the
head. Mr.. Wright regained con-
seriousness at the hospital and die
tated cablegram to his brother at
LIE Mans, France, and requested that
the same message be sent to his
sister and father at Dayton, O., as
surfing them that he was all right.
Although there have been but a
handful of people at the aeronauti-
cal testing grounds at Fort Myer
during the past few days, fully g.
900 had gathered by 4.30 o'clock.
The aeroplane was still in it's shed,
but Mr.. Wright arrived few min
| utes later and ordered 1t taken to
the northern end of the field to be
placed on the starting track in readi-
ness for fight.
Everybody was ordered back from
the machine and Mr.. Wright turned
to Lieutenant Selfridge and said:
you might as well get In. Well
start in couple of minutes
Mr.. Wright announced several days
| ago that he would take Lieutenant
| Selfridge. who is secretary of the
Aerial Experiment Association and
an aeroplanist himself. in his next
| fight. The young officer was delight
ed to have an opportunity to fly in
| the aeroplane. He was to leave Sat-
urday for St. Joseph. Mo-. where he
was to assist Lieutenant Foulois in
operating the Baldwin airship at the
coming army maneuvers.
After Mr.: Wright told him to get
in the machine Lieutenant Selfridge
! took off his coat and hat and took
his place in the extra seat next to
that occupied by Mr.. Wright, the
latter started the motor by means Of
a stcr battery, his assistants. Tay-
lor and Furnass, turning the propel-
lers to get them going. At STA
o'clock the aeroplane was released
and it was noticed that is did not
rice as quickly from the ground as
on previous two-man flights. Lieu
tenant Selfridge weighed about It's
pounds, making the weight greater
than the machine had ever carried
before.
| After gliding over the ground on