Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-08-09
SLEEPS nEAR MS INVENTION
While Henry Farman. the French
AVIATOR Is Maxim Tests in America.
Wright Is Showing the French Peo-
pie What Progress Americans Are
Making With Flying Machines.
(By Associated Press.l

| LEMANS. FRANCE, Aug. S.-Wi,
bur Wright. Of Dayton. Ohio. made q
| flight varionsly computed at from ~
to BIZ kilomcters with his areoplano
| here this afternoon in three minutes
anu five seconds. Throughout the
flight Mr. Wright had perfect control
or the machine. No attempt was made
Tor record. the object of the flight
being 10 try out t1hc areoplane.
Will" flying through the air Wrigh,
demonstrated, or so It appeared TO the
spectators. that he was absolute mas
ter of the airship. first sOring, then
shooting gracefully downward. and
then mounting again at will, until hin.
! ally. after completing two circles, h.
came down easily to earth. The per.
formance was greeted with bursts oil
Cheers from a small number Of PEG.
pie invited to view the experiment
Wright was warmly congratulated by
all The spectators. including few
! French aeronants. two Russian army
oficers and number Of other ex.
perts. who styled the fight a wonder
full exhibition of aviation.
Calves "Mysteriou, Wriahss.", ;
THs snccesstff filshr~ nfadk byWfr
bur Wright with his aeropIane today
| the Official time of which was one
minute IS seconds. puts an end to the
long anxious waiting to see what the
Wright brothers were capable Of &C.
complishing.
In Europe the mysterious Wrights''
have been an absorbing problem for
aviation enthusiasts and they have
interested the representatives of var.
| iOus governments
The long postponement Of a pnb,
lie exhibition Of what the Americans
had to show the world aroused the
livcliest comment and from some Quar-,
tiers touch of skcpfiCism. a Paris
newspaper only last night referring to
the 'hluff Wright brothers" OF whom
everybody has been talking for manly
years but who as yet have not made
good"
Nevertheless the silent Wright pre-.
pared long, patiently and carefully for
the great occasion when he was to
dispc! these doubts and uphold the
name of America Though disabled
as the result of an explosion of a
tube. Wright labored steadily. He
put his machine together in a shed
on field just outside Lemans. sleep
ing by night beside the invention.
Good Weather Conditions
Weather conditions for the test were
splendid. The sky was blue and with.
f,,r f.ln
blowing. II was shortly before :;
o'clock this afternoon when the aero
plane, which Is the same as that used
in the United States was brought ont
Of its shed and mounted on small.
single-w hceled chariot. which in turn
was resting on a single rail on the
ground
After a preliminary test Of the ap-
raratus. Mr.. Wright took a position
beside the motor by means OF a
falling weight rugged on n beam erect.
Cd in the gro2nd and connecting with
cords running to II the chariot was
started running over the rail ami the
|-arrop!ane. thus having been given a
forward motion. suddenly left the
chariot and assembled Ike D bird 10 a
height of about forty feet Then &;
swrrved and turned in its course and
sailed M the field. II dipped grace
fully mp and down. attaining a height
of sixty feet and then descended IN
between thirty and forty feet.
Pleased With Tests.
Nr. Wright thus twice circied t..e
field and. then stopping the motor.
brought the acropIane directly in front
~ the Impoverished grand stand which
vas fiIl"i with Wildly cheering .specia-
tors. Tho descent was sure and easy
and was carried out Nth great nice
~. causing no shock tn the machine
Anerward Mr.. Wright said TO the A.
Sociai"d Press:
y an perfectly satisfied with my
FIRST fight. I made one or two little
mistakes. hut I am confident that 7
will h" ablc to- do all hope for IN
later trials. probably next week
Estimates vary a. 10 the distance
covered Nv the aeroplanc but the aver
IFr vas three tiIomctres. about s-io
niies Hart o Berg. European rep
resenfstive Of the Wright brothers.
gavr the oficiai time ~ ono minute