The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-09-18
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
September l2. 1908.

nevertheless are hxed on the capi-
tai. Wherever man exists the
desire to conquer the air by flying
is felt and no one can say how
many years men have been en-
gagged in the experiment. For
many years in this country it was
considered SO quixotic that the in
ventions would not be considered
in the patent Office and were re-
garded as the perpetual motion
devices are now. Nevertheless
Orville Wright has been demon
strating here for a few days the
most remarkable heavier than air
flying machine that has yet been
pr' duced. His brother, Wilbur
Wright, is also exhibiting the
same type of machine in LIE Mans,
France, but it has remained for
the brother here to break all fly.
ing records so far. On Wednes-
day he remained in the air for
two minutes more than an hour
and during that time had perfect
control of the machine and alight.
ed when he was ready as easily
and lightly as bird. Before an
audience made up of the Secre
tary of War, also named Wright,
but not related to the inventor.
Secretary Metcalf, Secretary
Straus, General Nelson Miles,
other prominent army officers,
newspaper correspondents and
hundreds of curious onlookers the
fight of over an hour was made
and q second one when the ma
chine carried an additional man
was successfully executed. There
is little doubt but that the gov
ernment will purchase the Wright
machine, for it has already showed
it's ability to fulfill all the require
ments of the government test. 1t
is not many years since committees
composed of prominent men as
sembled in different places for the
purpose of testing the actual
working of the automobile, and at
that period the motor was quite az
crude as the flying machines that
are being exhibited now. The
whole marvel of the latter is, as
has been said of wOman's preach.
ing and a dogs standing on his
hind legs, not that they can do il
we'll, but that they can do it at
all.
Not for several years has the
capital experienced such an early
awakening from its summer stupor
as is promised this year. Contrary
to all expectations based on late
experience that each year would
see fashionable and official folk
lingering longer over their vaca
tious, next week. the second in
September, will see the President
and his family established in the
White House and large contin-
gent of the diplomatic and official
sets back in the city. The White
House has been put in readiness
for the President and tue annual
cleaning which requires nearly all
of the summer and thirty thou
sand dollars has been completed.
The mansion has had a coat of
paint outside and been thoroughly
renovated iD the interior in a way
to make New England house
keepers soul thrill with Joy,
though in manner so extrava.
CANT as to fill her with dismay.
Certain rooms are carpeted anew
each year. and though the amount
of entertaining that is done dur.
ing the winter and spring does
give the carpets severe wear it is
doubtful if the President or any
Other man would buy new carpets
without making some effort to see
what cleaning aud remaking aud
other expedients might be tried TO
make the old ones look better han
when they we're new. In the case
of the White House though the
President has nothing to say
about it. Mrs. Roosevelt may ex-
press a desire for a few more hooks
in her wardrobe, or suggest a re-
arrangement of the furniture, but