The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-09-19
Financial Backer Declares
Inventor Will Fulfill
Contract Yet.
INJURED AVIATOR
VISITED BY SISTER
Aeroplane Victim Shows Signs OF
Recovery, Says Fort MyeF
Physicians.

Charles r Flint, banker and promoter,
and the man who is believed 10 10
backing the Wright brothers in their
attempts 20 solve the problem OF aerial
navigation, said today that he does
not believe the aviators would accept
any money from the Government for
/ the machine wrecked at Fort Myer.
i do not think said Mr.. Flint, that
either OF the two brothers would con
slider for moment taking the Govern
ment money until they have fulfilled
every detail Of their contract. I know
both Of them we'll, and feel condde Z
that they viii desire 10 comply with al
| requirements, In spite Of this accident,
| before they take any money at all"
I Mr.. Flint spent most Of the morning
at the War Department trying 10. and
I out as nearly as possible the exact
| cause OF the fearful fan which cost
one mans lie and so seriously injured
I his friend, OrvIue Wright Mr.. Flint
VIII cable his idea Of the cause OF the
wreck 70 Wilbur Wright Wilbur, IL is
| understood, is anxiously awaiting the
details OF the accident, and NIr. Flint
came TO Washington partly that ne
might see how OrviIIe Wright was far
4 ing. and partly that he might be able
I TO tell the other brother whether Il was
I q technical error or something unavoid-
/ able which brought such a sudden end
TO the recOrd-breaklng machine
Wilbur Busy, Too
| NIr. Flint would not say whether or
1 not Wilbur Wright viii come 70
/ America 20 complete the Fort 8Iyer
/ tests. but referred each tine he was
Y questioned along this line 20 the fact
/ that Wilbur is now endeavOring TO full
/ nh French contract just as OrviIle
I has endeayored 10 live up 70 the one
I with the United States Government
I Mr.. Flint apparently was not a bit
( cast down by the wrecking OF the ma
I chine, IN which he is so much inter
Z ested- He smiled and chatted with the
| newspapermen and the photographer
who had waited several hours 70 catch
him
He saw no reason, he said. for alsy
! dispirited feeling on the part OF the
/ Wright brothers: the army officers OF
the public IN general. He does not
/ think that the accident win have any
l great deterrinE influence upon the prog
ress Of aerOna1tics, and is firm IN his
/ belief that Lhe Wright brothers will
. not wish their c. -tract lIghteued in any
/ detail
! Wright Becomes Restless.
I While Orvllle Wright passed a CON-
| Portable night IN the Fort Myer post
/ hospital. when day broke this morning
I he became restless and the strain both
mental and physical. under which he
has labored during the last few days,
began 10 affect rs condition.
! Mr.. Wright's condition. however, Is
not at all alarming and the army sur
/ geons were rather glad 10 find that he
was irritable and suite easily sngered.
This. they say, IS one OF the best in
| dicatiOns that the aviator is on the
road 10 recovery The knitting OF the
! bones IN his broken thigh is held re-
/ sp0nsIbIe for the mental attitude OF the
patient He is evidently suffering much
pain. but continues 10 show the same
/ forutUde that has won the hearts OF all
the officers who have seen him since
the accident Mr. Wright's tempera-
ture this morning, IN spite OF his in
creased nervousness and the noticeable
pain which he suffered. was much lower
than yesterday. The surgeons are con-
fdent that he will recover as rapidly as
any man can from such a serious frac-
ture.
Mr.. Wright undoubtedly has been
l buOyed up by the visits OF his friends,
by the messages from his brother VII
bur, and by the coming Of his sister,
Miss katherine Wright.
Sister Visits Inventor.
Miss Wright arrived in Washington
I yesterday afternoon and spent a por-
| ton Of the afternoon with her brother
at the hospital, and later returned to
the Arlington Hotel This morning, un-
der the care Of Lieut. Frank p Lahm,
Of the Signal Corps. she went over to
Fort Myer in an automobile She left
the hotel about $50. and Immediately
after her arrival at the fort she went
again TO the bedside Of her brother.
Board Issues Statement.
After several hours Of questioning and
after examining both the witnesses and
the ground about the scene Of the acci-
dent, the board appointed 10 ascertain
the reason fer the fan Of the Wright
| aercplane. last night gave out the fol-
/ lowing statement:
''The baSrd hnds that the accident,
which occurred in an unofficial flight
/ made at Fort Myer, Va, at SIS 2. m
/ on September II. 1S0S. was due TO the ac-
l c:dental breaking Of a propeller blade
and a consequently unavoidabIe loss
/ Of control, which resulted "a the ma
/ chine falling 20 ths ground from a
/ height OF about see "y--tiSe feet.
/ - Inc pOs+EQ ~ lS LLlaLL flTSL Lieut..
! Thomas E SelfridSe, First Field Artil-
/ lery, attached 20 the signal Corps oy
/ War Departrf cent orders, and ASSIGNED
/ TO derOnauJicSAl duty. accompanied AIr.
/ Wright. by authority, on the aerOplane.
/ for the purpose OF officially receiving
| instruction, and received injuries by
/ the falling Of the machine. which result
I ed In his death
The board was composed Of Mat
! Charles Nick. Saizman. Can't. Charles
/ ;. Wallace. Lieut. Frank p Lahm. an
of the Signal Corps, and Lieut.. George
( G Sweat T. 5 n. and Lieut.. Richard
] b. Creecy L. S. NJ c.
! While the board did not enter into A
/ scientific search Tor the exact causes OF
| the fan, il was the opinion OF an its
members thaL tnere could be no fault