Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-18

| in an instant. and in a short time the
| two broken men were conveyed without
more than a temporary examination and
| blood staunchng with proffered handker-
chiefs to the Fort Myer hospital, half
a mile away.
Wright's Condition Favorable.
Wright is stuff ering severely. but is In
as good condition as could be expected
His leg was reset this morning and he
stood the operation we'll.
The accident yesterday afternoon was
the first that has happened to Wright III
his ten years of experiments. Lieut.
Sc fridge also was one Of the few men In
this country who had flown In an heavier
than-air machine from several flights at
Both he and Wright were in excellent
spirits when the big machine was ready
to start for what proved to be its final
flight.
New Propellers Adjusted.
New propellers had been adjusted with
| blades eight inches longer than the old
ones Wright thought this would mate
rally increase the speed. and 1t did. The
motor also had been notoned up to a
| higher speed and was running almost at
| full capacity.
| When the weights fell and the big ma
chine started down the launching track it
| hung for longer than usual close 10 the
! ground. For thirty or fifty feet it scarce
| ly cleared the grass tops, as though the
| weight of lis two passengers was almost
| too much for 1t.
| Then Wright turned up the forward
planes The machine began to creep into
tie air. The first round OF the field was
made scarcely higher than the roofs OF
the artillery sheds: The turn was made
at the lower end Of the field, considerably
inside the aeroplanes shed.
On the succeeding round the machine
climbed higher and a little longer swe p
was made over the lower end of the field.
The third round was made at still
higher elevation and covered little more
territory.
1t was noticeable on all the turns that
! the aerop.ane tilted more than on any OF
| it's previous flights, but the operator
seemed to have 1t under complete con-
troll.
Lieut.. Selfridge was sitting next to the
| engine. Wright was directing the flight
from the outside seat. The spectato 8
could see Lieut.. Salfridg, turn his head
and apparently speak above the roar of
| the engine.
On the last run down the fl I'D. when the
machine had b 'en in the air about four
minut S. the aviator described an keep
| tionally wida circle. 1t seemed almost az
though he had made up his mind to go off
the grounds for a straight ~av fight.
But inst ad he brought the h ne arou I'D
IN great sW ep and was just on the
| point of straight ching out for the return
| trip up the field when the accident oc-
CURED.
Par. of one propeller blade few off into
! the air pre- badly cutting s me CT the guy
| wires and support of the main plane. The
great machine staggered and half turned
| eff to the south. Fer an appreciable in
| slant 1t hung undecided, and then tilted
| down on one end
| =;
derfully. He dropped the wing and par
| TALLY brought the machine back on an
| even keel. He also reached over Lieut..
Selfridge and cut off the motor so that
the engine was stopped before the rea!
| Had the machine remained intact 1t pos
sib,y could have glided to the ground.
| But 1t crumpled up like bird shot on the
wing and dived backward to the ground.
Wright Needed More Room.
Wright said to his mechanic this morn
| ing that had the accident occurred higher
| in the air. SO that he had more space
| under him. he could have brought the
machine back to an even keel and made
| safe landing. But this seems hardly pos
sible
From the vantage point Of the press
| tent near the end of the field where the
accident occurred. 1t looked as though the
| last fifty feet of the fall was a sheer
| drop The machine. after its first back
ward dive. plunged forward again and
aligh.e ed on the front CT the main planes.
| But 1t was no longer an aeroplane 1t
came down through the air The force Of
| the wind which kept the canvas taut on
| the big planes had ceased to act. Tile
| joints of the upright supp orts had begun
| to crumple. The machine was a wreck
| even before it landed.
There was no chance for the men inside
to jump. even had they wanted to. The
| mass of croSs-wires In front of the seat
had them imprisoned like rats In a trap.
When the plane struck the ground the
men struck with 1t in their seats.
| Fortunately for Them the l6O- pound en-
| line came down on "A level with them.
| They were not crushed by it's weight. The
| thirty-pound radiator however fell across
them
| There was hole punched in the gaso-
| inc tank. The liquid ran over the ground
| 'ut the sparkin- apparatus had been cut
| 'h. so there was no fire.
Among the earlier spectators who ran
~ were several men who were smokine
| >'ne man. with lighted cigar in his
| mouth, actually poked his head under the
| plane.
Sentries and correspondents, who were
| trying to clear the wreck. drove these
| men back. but fire was narrowly
| averted.
| Aid for Injured.
Among the first to reach the wreck Of
the aeroplane was DR.. Waters, q New
York physician, who is much interested
n aeronautics. He promptly rendered
| first aid to the terribly injured men.
| When their wounds had been banda ed
Wright and Lieut.. Selfridge were taken