New-York tribune., 1908-10-04
HOW THE WR[GHTS
Z LEARNED TO FLY
BEGAN IN PLAY WITH Il
GLIDER.
Decided That Scientists We're
Hrong, and EUoIUed Their
Methods by Experiment.
BY James B. Morrow.

BY James B. Morrow.
Washington October s.
- Science erudite mathematical, ewfuly grave and
profoundly thoughtful. with long white hair and a
-ck In its consecrated back pursuing the truth OF
7sthe ages and utilizing it, has actually been laughed
st and Knocked by the two venturesome virgins
erTho were scarcely more than high school boys
and amateur mechanics when they first challenged
she unconquered powers OF the air and sought 10
give numbering man the incomprehensble function
'suf flight
Actually. the inception OF the astonishing achieve
,aeut Of the WrIghts nothing but frolc- Al
least Il had no other purpose dignity than play
out ot doors IN the sunlight with a mechanism IN
which were the elements OF a new ana hazardous
snort Now that Orville Wright is lying in the
hospital at Fort Ayer, recovering from injuries re
sfseive5 In the fall OF his machine the other day
when Lieutenant selfridge killed by his SIDE
stte 'spcrt' assumes a serious aspect
The story OF their start told me by orville'
rhe Younger brother, gives runaway romance the
E,harscfer of marvellous fact. And the machlhe
i-zh,ch flies is as simple as the men who conceived
Sc Therein IS the dumfounding genius or the aIla1
.tns wrights- ....
k1ri5e snd perhaps . feet high Cover the top ana
s,ottorn with heavy muslin, curved slightly to"aio
E1be edges Call the top and bottom so covered the
h1anes or wings because in them are cohlalHeu ''e
r,rinciraI secrets Of flight by human beings
Imagine little gasolene motor TO be IN the cehl
-f the frame ard two long propelers' mace O
ispFuee and painted the color OF steel s.AIIs 80
sopebind ADD a seat for the operator next liie en-
tr4nA and a lever with which he can warp or I"is'
fthe four ends Of the planes. that he may Ise' U
k.oen6 turn q corner maintain MS equilloIlui m ~
i.be contrary currents and eddies OF the ar
ssIre also a rudder OF muslin projecting rum nv
-t,-,,. of ths flyer. What you see may only pe
.ksur but the physical outlines OF the ihaeii'e CIV
ssp your mind just the same. IL,
And now watch Orvile Wright as ne "a'hS
~rross the parade grounds at Fort NEeI' e
xeld go feet wide and 100 feet long "Ie.e 20,
s4ovs are hammered into fighting men IN 'he Eei
- dust a. The soil and the heat OF the sun lie
~xo-,es from a tent which is both ms business VI
Gee and reception room. Signal oflcerS loS.s
--oz,nC fellows in clay coioTed uniforms al7 "i
sf,-, long rim Of people. on foot and IN au1olno
,tls are ct the north boundary Of the field Troop
.rs on horseback prevent their near approach 10
the raachine.
IAN INCoNSPICUoUS LOOKING MAN.
- and now right before you is one OF the orol'-
~-s whose names filing the world Sciehus'S'
ss-nonarchs and the great soldiers OF Chrlstenooi
s.-e watching them, although mountains ahu
scesns and Infinite distances intervene Nan
o,,nd 20 the earth, limited 10 his legs ana Only
s~o of them at that looked into the air ana was
. belpIess as the caterpillar at his feet untn tle
xxrt-fts cheated the eagle out Of the exclusive
s,nystery Of flight
-Th,v,te II ,-ou are emotional and imaginative
o-. rir,rnc into your mind ike tha broken waters
of q windy sea. until you are suddenly consensus
-sfhat Orville Wright. neither IN helsLl'T
E..t1nsphere nor countenauce. coInporls Will u4o
4.,.,e.+, Of his accomplishment He is as incon-
ss.,lr,,ous and common the universal needle IN
q forest of pines. You would meet MIN on 'lie
street and say. you 20 think II worth your
while to say anyt thing at all, that he was an oflcer
fn the government or d grocer 4i0Hi S'o
In the West
Were you TO stop. with an object toward ehaly
aess YOU would see spare man OF average height
IN gray clothing, strlklnsly neat persohaii'S
fsnd personality is the proper word when You kr""
tSin,-in individual essentials. being shaved and
fS,rushed and all that. The face, dark and dell
-s-e ,-o, would observe. IS TeutOnic-the maiden
name Of Mrs Wright, the mother. having been
t5<oerner. Also. you would notice that the eyes
tight blue. and small. are unusually express
sive. showing concernment, amusement ana ali the
.noods Of en alert sympathetic and practical intel
i,isenoe.
ABSOLUTELY OrviIle Wright is without vanity or
prfectation The note of egotism seemingly Of self
.ppreciation. IS entirely lacking in his converse
tion.
i don't care TO talk Of myself" he said 10 me
sn voice that manlike in its earnestness
!l,ut as low and gentle a woman's- watch me
tsv Al the publicity ! want is centred in the in
sention
BEGAN WITH GLIDING MACHINES.
How" I asked the noted aviator. was your
=tnterest first drawn 10 the subject Of mechanical
flying
? oh. suppose Wilbur and I really laid the foun-
fcstion Of cur ureseut machine while making kites
7tn DAYTON. YOU puE kite against the wind and
a goes up-that the primary lesson IN aerial
tasLon We were experts with kites and played
WITH them until were long past the ages OF in
ltulgence and excuse in 1856, as now remember
sEYiIbur twenry-rine and I four years
younger we read about otto LiienthaI and his
sxpeTinents in Germany with a gliding machine,
which was pushed from elevation and gradually
foated the ground below ia little while