Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-18
WRIGHT IN HOSPITAL
Hls Brother ID FrsDce Greatly Shocked When News Was
 Conveyed 10 Blm.

the Fort Myer hospital with a frac- tured thigh and ribs, Orville Wright,
 the aeronaut, who fell with Lieuten-
 ant Selfridge in yesterdays aeroplane
 accident, is making manly fight for
 recovery. Through the night there
 was much anxiety over the injured
 aviator's condition, but as dawn. broke and no indications of internal injuries developed and as the attend | ing surgeon after call shortly after 8 o'clock announced that Wright was doing very well, there was great re- lief expressed among those who were
 watching the progress of the paint.
 This telegram was sent this morning
 to Wilbur Wright at Le Mans by
 Charles R. Flint of New York, who represents the foreign interests of the Wright brothers:
 "Wilbur Wright, Le Mans, France.
 Orville in good shape this morning. Le Mans, France, Sept 1S.-Wn- bur Wright, brother Of Orville
 Wright, who has been conducting series of experiments here for sew eral weeks past with Wright aero
 plane, was greatly shocked when he
 heard this morning the news from
 Washington that his brother had
 suffered an accident In which Lieu tenant Thomas E. Selfridge lost ms
 life. He at once countermanded the orders given for the preparations Tor
 his flight of to-day, in which he pur-
 posed to try for the Michelin ana Aero club prizes.
 Everything was in readiness, bar ring few final details, at the field of Auyours where MT Wright has
 been flying. A huge crowd had as sembled and the soldiers on duty found difficulty in keeping the peo,
 pie back. In the private inclosure had gathered all the notable aero- planists of Europe as we'll as num-
 Der of foreign military attaches. MT Wright was chatting with friends near the starting rail when he was called to the shed by Hart O.
 Berg, his European business man ager and the news of the accident at Washington in the brief form Tn which 1t was received by the Asso- ciated Press was broken to hlm Wilbur Wright listened to the recital
 with tense features. It was appar- ent 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 filtered to the cor ners of his mouth and he said;
 He was lucky to get of so, llGht-l |ly." s ss
 Then turning to MT Berg he said: Nov you understand why l all
 ways felt that should be in America with Orville. Two heads are better
 than one to examine machine" Mir Wright after pause, his eyes swimming with tears, said:
 T had rather be killed myself than that we should be responsible for the death of Lieutenant Selfridge. I feel
 that we guarantee all passengers against accident. When we have a passenger we always think first of his safety"
 When he had grown calmer MT Wright said he could not understand
 the accident at Washington from the
 meagre details given in the dispatch. Mir Wright thought the only con-
 ceivable way 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 fabrication, which
 would render one of the propellers
 immovable.
 After this explanation of what he believed had occurred at Washing ton. Mir Wright was left alone to pull
 himself together. A few minutes
 later friend entered the shed and found him sitting with his head in
 his hands. He looked up sadly and said::
 If anything could make me aban- don further work in solving the problem of heavier than air flight. which has been my dream since l was II years old, 1t would be an accident like this" then springing
 up suddenly. MT Wright declared: "No, we have solved this problem. With us flying is not an experiment, it is demonstration. 1 will wait until I heard from Orville." The announcement of the post ponement of the trials scheduled to-
 day, and the reasons therefor, ere ated profound impression among the aeroplanists present.
 No consideration has been given to the possibility of Wilbur Wright re- turning to America to continue the
 official test for the American gov ernment. Wilbur Wright's foreign engagements are numerous and