The Washington times., 1908-09-05
POSTPONED
UNTIL AFTERNOON
Aviator Wright, Tired From
Long Strain, Called Morn
ing Test Off.

he VIII make his third ascent
It is quite probable that at this as
cension. Mr.. Wright viii remain in the
air ten minutes or more. as IL is his
plan to lengthen his stay in the air each
time as much as possible. He was up
yesterday for four and one-half minutes.
an increase over the first flight Of three
minutes, so that tonights trip viii
likely be close 10 ten minutes duration.
Tearing Tent Dowr.
Signal Corps men started this morning
to tear down the blg wAite balloon ten-
in which the Baldwin dirigible and
later the Wright aeroplane have been
stored. The tent will probably be down
before night and the Wright machine
viii be put under .ovel in the shed now
being constructed nearby.
II is absolutely necessary that some
cover be put over the aeroplane, as the
heavy dews OF the September nights
would inJure the cloth surface Of the
planes. The shed win not be finished
entirely by tonight, but a canvas top
VIII PROBABLY be stretched over the roof
beams 10 keep out the moisture.
A Bit Superstitious.
All day yesterday ar. Wright wore a
four-leaf clover, picsS5 up in the parade
grounds on the reservation, and when
no went Up liz the evening. the little en-
blem OF good luck was pinned 10 his
coat, little bit OF green against the
gray Of hts clothes.
mr.. Wright is a navigator aDove all
else and, like men who navigate the
sea ne Is superstitlous. He remember
Cd that this second flight was 10 be
made on Friday. and he took this pre-
caution 10 avoid misfortune. He smiled
this morning, when ne was asked about
The clover, but admitted that he wore
II during the flight. for the good luck
il might bring.
Tires of Limelight.
While Mr.. Wright is the most courIe-
Gus OF men, never failing 90 respond 10
the inquiries Of newspE Epermen or o. the
curious, the strain Of all this attention.
Which he obviously does not relish, is
wearing upon him, and he is becoming
Ii ed, not OF answering questions, tut
OF continually appearing in the spot
light
The strain, too, is telling on this man
who seems so quiet but who is pos
sessed Of a very nervous Temperament.
According 20 Mr.. WTlghts right hand
man, Mr.. Taylor, the former has had
but little sleep in all the many days he
about worn out.
When ne came out TO the reservation
this mcrning he was very tired and
looked much as If he har not only not
slept much but as if he "a, been worry
ing greatly during tha- ='ir- bless night.
Not only has the aViai -r o face the
tests which the Cover. rEa ar has inn
posed on hiln-and they are INQUEST ion
about his machine. about his brother.
and the other machine. ana about
hundred other matters that are not pub
lie knowledge.
Aviator Confident.
He feels confident that he viii win
out, and as he has never yet said any
thing TO any Of the correspondents. as
to his ability 10 90 any thing, which
he has not made an actual fact the
opinion, not only among the writer's
but among the signal corps officers. who
are perhaps more ieuient. IF more Scien-
tjfic critics than the writer's. most
everyone, who Is thrown into contact
with him. believes that he VIII fuldu
the conditions OF the test
Some OF the stories Of the first flight
of the big machina, when fl came 10
the ground bit too abruptly. did not
please Mr.. Wright, although he has
never said SO. He did not regard the
too sudden descent as an accident and
he did not wish 20 have the public so
regard IT,
Asks No Favors.
He apparently does not care to be re
ported with any shadings toward him
self. but he does seem to desire 20 be
reported with fairness. He abhors ex-
aggerBuon evidently much more even
than he does publicity.
Altogether the people who 80 out 10
see Mr.. Wright fly and who are dis
appointed because OF high winds are
probably not half so much put out as
Is the aviator himself He would like
the practice and knows that the more
he gets the better viii be his chance
when he starts to make mis- test trips.
Yesterdays Flight
Army officers who witnessed the flight
which Wright made yesterday after
noon, declared it TO be the most wonder
fuI exhibition OF its kind they had ever
seen He demonstrated his complete
mastery Of the air, remaining UP four
minutes and fifteen seconds. and circI-
Ing the parade grounds five and a half
times. An lverase speed Of 50 miles an
hours was maintained by the machine
in its flight
Mr.. Wright descended with remarkable
ease. The aerOplane was under perfect
control when the descent was made, and
could have remained IA the air for a
much longer time. In alightlng wlen
he did, Wr ght vas merely following out
his plan o.: mixing each flight a little
longer than tie preceding one.
The Start.
The spectacle, as the aeroplane glided
GRACEFUL into the air, was q beautiful
one. The aviator turned the planes
upward and the aeroplane SCARED to a
height Of about fifteen feet. Sailing half
way down the parade grounds, he made
a quick turn to the left and Travelled
toward Arlington Cemetery. The five
trips about the parade grounds We're
almost Identical, except that on one or
two of the first excursions the aeroplane
rose and fell rathe- precipltstely Mr.
Wright said at the conclusion of the
flight that this was due to his mex
perience with the machine
Learns Better Conrol.
Il am learning better control of the
machine already" he said The reason
for the dipping at the curves was that
1 was having attention to the steering