Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-18
WILBUR WRIGHT IS
DEEPLY AFFECTED
I"I Should Be With 0rvilIe," He
Says.
HARD TO HIDE EMOTION
Prefers Own Death to That of
Selfridge.
STOPS ON EVE OF FLIGHT
Great Crowd Had Gathered at lie
Mans, and, Hearing News,
Offers Sympathy.

LIE MANS. France. September IS
Wilbur Wright, brother of Orville
Wright, who has been conducting a
series of experiments here for several
weeks past with a Wright aeroplane.
was very much perturbed when he
heard this morning the news from
Washington that his brother had suf-
fered an accident In which Lieut..
Thomas e. Selfridge lost his life.
He at once countermanded orders
given for the preparation for his fight
OF today. in which he purposed to try
for the Michelin and Aero Club prizes.
Everything was In readiness, barring
few final details. at the field Of Au-
YOURS. where Mr.. Wright has been fly
ing. A huge crowd had assembled, and
the soldiers on duty found difficulty in
keeping the people back. In the pri
vate Enclosure had gathered all the
notable aeroplanists of Europe, as Well
as a number of foreign military at
taches. Among the latter were Col.
Eagles. former British military at
tache at Washington, who came away
Touraine to witness Mr. Wright
flights.
News a Great Shock.
T.
laughing and chatting with friends nea.
the starting rail, when he was called to
the shed by Hart o. Berg. his European
business manager, and the news Of the
accident at Washington in the brief form
in which 1t was received by the Associated
Press was broken to him. The seriousn IS
of his brother Orville's injuries was min
inlized.
Wilbur Wright listened to the recital
with tense. drawn features. 1t was APP
parent that he expected the announce
ment OF his brothers death. When he
was told that Orvilles injuries probably
were not serious a faint smile of relief
fitted % the corners of his mouth, and he
said:
"He was lucky to get off so lightly"
Turning to Mr. Berg he said:
Wanted to Be With Brother.
NOW you understand why always felt
that / should he in America with Orville.
Two heads are better than one to exam
inc ma chine
Mr.. Wright then sat down on beam OF
the framework used to hold his machine
and bowed his head to hide his emotion.
swimming with tears and his mouth was
tWitching convulsfvely.
Il had rather be killed myself" he said,
than that we should be responsible for
the death Of Lieut.. Selfridge. / feel that
we guarantee all passengers against &C.
cident. When we have passenger We
always think first of his safety
When he had grown calmer Mr.. Wright
said he could not understand the acct
dent at Washington from the meager de-
tails given In the dispatch, which said
simply that a blade of the propeller had
become detached. He thought it impOs-
sible for the propeller to detach and
break a blade, and said that in all their
10 no R@ut m
a propeller.
Doesn't Understand Accident.
Then. stepping up to his machine. he
pointed out that the propeller was In
one piece with the axle sheath. He
thought the only conceivable way in
which the accident might have happened
was that there had been some defect In
the material. causing the axle to snap. or
difficulty with the transmission gear at
the junction, such as improper .ubrica-
ton, which would render one of the pro-
pellers immovable.
"Orville wrote me that there was a
tendency to bind at the junction he
said. IF this occurred the chain of on
Of the propellers would be torn of leav-
ing the othar still In action thus swing
ing the aeroplane rapidly around on .,s
This must have been the critical in
slant 1t then became necessary TO oper-
ate the lever with the correct turning
movement. At the same time. If the
power Of the motor was cut of 1t would
be easy to keep the machine on an even
keel and allow 1t to descend on Its own
planes. The difficulty doubtless was that
to shut off the power 1t is necessary to
let the lever go momentarily. and in the
mental confusion OF an unprecedented
misilap this may not have been done.
Suggests Probable Defect.
This necessity OF relinquishing the
lever to shut off the power is a defect
which I have been studying. It could
easily be remedied BY a connection which