The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1908-09-26
AERoPLANE IS WRECKED.


Washington, Sept. 1s.--After hay-
ing drawn the attention Of the world
to his aeroplane flights at Fort Meyer
and having established new world's
records for heavier-than-air flying ma.
chimes, Orville Wright yesterday met
with tragical mishap while making
a two-man flight The aeroplanist
was accompanied by Lieutenant Thos.
(. Selfridge. OF the Signal Corps OF
the army. Lieutenant Selfridge was
fatally injured and died at $40 o'clock
last night. Mr. Wright was seriously
injured, 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,
caused it to overturn in the air and
fall to the ground, 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 Sclfridge from under the
tangled mass of machinery, rods, wires
and shreds of muslin. Mr. Wright
was conscious and said:
"Oh, hurry and lift the motor"
Lieutenant Selfridge was uncon-
scious. His head was covered with
blood and he was choking when the
soldiers extricated him from under the
machine.
DR.. Waters, New York physician,
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
Selfrldge were taken to the Fort Myer
hospital at the other end Of the field.
Mr.. Wright lapsed into state of
sem-consciousness by the time he
reached the hospital, but Lieutenant
Selfridge did not regain consciousness
at all. He was suffering from a frac-
ture at the base of the skull and was
in critical condition.
After hurried surgical examination
il was announced that Mr.. Wright
was not dangerously injured He is
suffering from a fracture of his left
thigh and several ribs on the right
side are fractured. Both men received
deep cuts about the head. Mr.. Wright
regained consciousness at the hospital
and dictated a cablegram to his
brother at lie Mans, France, and re-
quested that the same message be sent
to his sister and father at Dayton. o.
assuring them that he was all right
Charles White, of White & Middle
ton, Baltimore, a mechanical expert
gave this description of the accident
to Messrs. Wright and Selfridge:
The aeroplane was performing
beautifully for six or seven minutes
when suddenly one of the propellers
broke near the end This caused the
machine to become so thoroughly out
of balance through centrifugal force
as to make it unmanageable, and il
made a dart to the ground while still
under operation of the right propeller
causing it to strike the ground with
great deal more force than it would
have done by gravity
Il do not feel that this is any seri-
Gus defect in the machinery, bu;
merely want of better construction in
the propellers. Therefore. | do not
feel that the machine should be con.
demned beyond this point | should
| imagine that, when the machine made
the dart for the ground, it fell al
the rate OF 20 miles an hour Wright
and Selfridge were not thrown out
The accident was due entirely to the
defective propeller"