The Washington times., 1908-09-09
No AR Stirring.


The flight was made under ideal con5i.
tions- Not a breath Of air stirred On
the parade ground, the breeze at tie
elevation at which Wright was twins
was so light that the thermometer on
the water tower at the post failed to in
dicate its velocity.
MI Wright came out to the reserva.
tlon early, confident after the perform
ance OF last night, when Re stayed W
more than eleven minutes, that he eoulG
do almost anything he pleased with this
machine that seems almost TO be q rhfza,
OF life itself.
He took his seat about S15 o'cioek.
and ten minutes later the aeroplane
SKINNED down over the yellow track.
obedient TO the viii OF the quiet Iitrfe
man at the helm. II rose into the air
wnen he turned the forward planes. and
shot out over the parade ground in one
OF those abrupt circles that cannot but
remind the spectator Of the flight Of =
monster bird.
Wright was confident. evidently, or
his full control of the machine. for AZ
times he sailed over the utmost limits
OF the parade ground, out over bushes
ana trees, and close 10 buildings which
| q week ago he seemed TO fear. At no
/ tine was the dipping motion, the SKIM
III LHllns over unseen waves of the air, 70
De noticed. such as marred the airshipss
progress in the previous attempts.
Under Perfect Control.
AT times Wright would rise to a height
estimated 10 be $50 feet above the
ground. and then half a lap further he
would come down to within Derhaps
twenty feet Of the grass. He sailed so
close 10 the trees OF Arlington Cemetery
at times that one could hardly tel
whether or not he was over the close
standing sentries.
Toward the end of the flight the engine
missed fire a few times, but for more
than nalf Of the fifty-seyen minutes the
regular clacizing OF its exhaust came
to the ears Of the few spectators.
The ship shOne out in the calm Sen
tember air, clear cut, like a white
cameo, against the intense blue of the
morning sky. Down below in the valleys,
the mist that the sun had not reached.
hung ike a pail, and Wright, high I'd
IN his machine, could sec, he said, the
Monument, towering in the distance,
ike a giant pencil OF stone. but the city,
Whleh didn't know what was transpiring
over IA the Virginia hills, was hid 10
fall
But few persons saw this flight, the
record Of which doubtless viii stand fOr
some time; at least, IL is believed, until
Wright himself complies with the Gov
eFnments endurance test, and stays up
continuously for one hour.
The usual Signal Corps men. a few
newspaper writer's. q photographer Jr
two. and Augustus Post, the eVer-failh-
ful, who has been attending all the
tests, were about the only ones present
Few negroes sitting in the sun
watched the hight with mouths wide
open and teeth glistening.
Wright forgot all about the iucOn-
f1f la ~ mis- "a
ne went up this morning he took with
him no goggles to protect his ewes.
Nevertheless, 10 the spectators below,
he appeared entirely at ease
He did not 90 up for a record. but he
had determined long aso that he would
20 up this week and stay lust a LONG
as he thought sufficient before under
taking TO comply Yatn the Government
requirements.
Made Graceful Descent.
He came down after circling the "a
rade ground for the ffty-eighth time.
and made one of the best descents he
has even made at Fort AIyer He stalt.
ed in long glide toward the earth lust
after he had made the last turn Al the
southeast corner of the field, and after
breaking his descent now ana then. as IL
he We're jumping over little breakers in
the air he landed a few score faef
from the starting point without a
H
seat, Augustus Post ran 20 him. shook
his hand before he had entirely freed
himself, and gave him the first eongrat-
ulation on his record-smashing trip.
Receives Congratulations.
His mechanic, Taylor, was the neat
man, and to him he expressed the be-
lief that he could easily have STAYED in
the air for some time longer. In a
minute Wright was the center of a
little throng.
II knew l was running a good while"
said Mr.. Wright, but 1 had no way
Of telling how long I had been up.
supposed 1t had been about forty min
utes. We ought TO have some way Of
signaling.
Apparently Wright was not a bit ex.
cited. His nervousness had disappeared.
and even his tired-out eyes, SHOWING in
the last few days the strain 10 which
he has been subjected. were full or nfa
this morning While he didn't saw
much about his feelings, no one who
has seen him or talked with him be.
fore could help knowing that he was a
very happy inventor.
lEontiuued on Fourth page