The Washington times., 1908-09-18

anything the time and the place told
their brains they must get or do.
As Mr.. Wright started on the last.
turn the machine Will ever make, the
broken propeller. its work accomplished.
fell 20 The grs und, the engine stopped
completely. and In an instant this white
monster waveTed. seemed TO look about
as II IL knew not where to go.
Smash Stops Hearts.
Then with a swoop that stopped 200
hearts. il tumbled downward. the soul
gone out OF 1t. the men in il still trying
TO win out against the fate they saw
rising uD before them
a second more. and It was a thing of
fragments on the grass The crash that
sounded It's fan must have reached the
ears Of the thousands at the upper end
Of the field, and the dust from the
brown earth, the flying parts of canvas,
OF wood, and OF iron must have told
them all that they had witnessed one OF
the worst tragedies Of many years
With a universal purpose, with an al
most universal shout and grOan, the
crowd started for the wreck. Gallop-
ing CaValrymen. officers running who
had not tried such exercise for years,
the crowd running, jumping, walking,
automobiles chugging through the grass
over the bumps OF the rough neld- ana
In q minute more, hundreds stood
around the wreck some OF the women
with eyes wet, the men cursing or NIT
teripg inaudibly according 10 their
Creeds, while the soldiers confused. but
soon under the sway OF discipline. made
a circle Of blue and khaki and horses
about the fallen machine.
And there in the center, the white
mass lay out Of Il came never "a
sound but within, in the very center,
between the two main planes, or wings,
lay Orville Wright and Lieutenant Sell
fridge. the first conscious and groa ming
just little, the latter not quite done
out, but wavering, wavering forward
the vitality from him, took the grit
that had held him together for a min
ute or two.
Last Word For Machine.
Save the machine" said the officer,
as the first men reached him. Then his
clean cut bOyish head sank slowly dOwl
in front Of him, his hands went out 10
either side and the blood trlckled from
a cash in his forehead, over the khaki
he was so proud Of wearing and he
had forgotten the aerOpIane, the blue
sky and all the things that ten minutes
before had made life a thing Of JOY.
BCtn men were tangled badly IN the
wreckage. Although Mr.. Wright. the
operator, sat Just before the engine. he
apparently suffered no injury from thai
heavy structure. The little cushioned
seat on whl = the two meu sat during
the trips, according TO those who have
tried to solve the mystery. in some
Mariner loosened when the men were
thrown out at the moment they struck
the -ground, was thrown forward with
terrific force. and striking Lieutenant
Selfridge in the head inflicted the frac-
ture which caused his death.
With newspaper men and soldiers
helping, with a Cavalrymen beating his
morse in race for an ambulance, life
for minute went back 10 the raw. and
men cursed and yelled directions and
showed generally that they. must do
something TO take the aeroplane-turned
monster at laSt-from the backs of the
men who had tried this last time to
subdue it.
Gasolene Tank Leaks.
Through the tangled mass Of wire and
wood and canvas, back right close to the
engine leaking gasCIene with a steady
drip, the rescuers forced their way, cut
ting tins immensely strong wire with
ordinary knives, endowed apparently hy-
a great strength In a few minutes, pos
Sibly five, probably less, although TO
one could tell, Mr. Wright still groan-
ing feebly. growing whittier each minute,
his eyes becoming less bright. and losing
strength all the while, was brought out
IN the arms of a reScueT. laid gently
upon the grass, the tapping wing Of
his own creation there above him.
A few more thruSts with the knife a
few wrenches from some strong and
willing arms, and Lieutenant Selfridge,
the boy, lay on the grass beside Mr..
Wright. In his eyes, however. there was
no light of life. From his wounded
head came his life blood He uttered no
sound, and the officers who were near et
hand saw at once that he was injured
much more seriously than was the
aviator.
Stretchers Soon There.
a little time more and two stretchers
came Eager hands lifted both men OF,
the white canvas. anxious friends laid
hold OF the handles. and the slow
mournful procession started with as
much speed as possible for the post hos
pital, a third Of a mile away. The
| ground was too rough to risk a trip IN
, an ambulance.
Although DR.. Stuart c. Johnson was
/ on the scene Immediately after the fall
] and although he ct once administered a
| heart stimulant to Lieutenant Self
/ ridge. the officer never regained con-
| seriousness. When he was placed in the
! operating room Of the post hospital
the doctors found -hst Gus OF the WtTe