Evening journal., 1908-09-18
ACCIDENT TO
WRIGHT AIRSHIP
Lieutenant SeIfridee Fatally
Injured and the Inventor
Severely Hurt
AEROPLANE BADLYwRECKED


BY United Press Leased Special Wire
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1S.--A shape
less mass of splintercd wood, twisted
wires, bent tubing and torn canvas.
the Wright Brothers aeroplane, which.
only lew days ago. was astonishing
the world with It's air conquering eX-
ploits, lies inert on the floor of the
aerial garage az Fort Meyer
Cold in death rests Lieutenant
Thomas Il. Selfrldge-the army's first
sacrifice TO the science of aeronautics.
With fractured ribs and thigh bruised
and helpless, Orville Wright is being
tenderly cared for at the Fort Hospi-
OF yesterdays voyage
The triple catastrophe came on the
very eve of what promised to be the
daring avlator's greatest triumph. To-
day he was 20 have made his official
test for speed. For the first time he
would have forsaken the circular course
above the parade ground of the fort
and sailed his craft over the Virginia
hills for five miles straight away, and
return in the hope OF meeting the
signal corps requirement Of forty miles
an hour
Accident to Airship.
While in fun flight over Fort Myer
Va, parade grounds yesterday after
noon an accident occurred to the aero
plane. and the machine fell helpless
to the ground, a distance OF about 60
feet. Orville Wright, inventor. and
Lieutenant Selfridge. Of the Field Ar
tillery, u. S. A.. who accompanied him
on the flight. were buried under the
Wrecyaga Of the apronlono
! AT $40 o'clock last night Lieutenant
Selfridge died without regaining con-
sciousness. He suffered internal in
juries and conclusion OF the brain.
The accident resulted from a new pro
peller which Wright was using on his
aeroplane today for the first time The
blades are six inches longer than those
of the first propellers. and they proved
unequal to the strain One OF them
broke after the aeroplane had been I'm
the air four minutes and spectators
who were watching the flight from the
parade grounds saw the airship sud
denly describe a sort of spiral course
Almost Immediately Il started down
ward, and Wright found himself power
less 20 control the machine. II fell with
a crash on the south end Of the parade
ground
Martyr to Duty
Lieutenant Selfridgc is a martyr I,
press" said Major Squier, acting chic
signal officer and chief Of the aero,
nautical board which was TO pass upor
the qualifications OF the aeroplane.
Even IL there should be no NOR,
flights. the question of aerial naviga.
tion has TO my mind. bcen solved fol
all time. The last four performances
of the Wright aeroplane have scienti-
hcally proved its place in history"
on the first Of the four flights re-
ferred to Major Squier was himself q
passenger and might have suffered the
fate Of Lieutenant Selfridgo.
Major Fournier the French military
attache here, who witnessed nearly
every flight made by Mr.. Wright, and
who is an expert in aeronautical science
was deeply shocked at the accident
'As in all branches OF science" he
said today, there must be a martyr. sc
has Lieutenant Selfridge given his life
to history. At such time as this / am
too deeply grieved to speculate as e
the future Of aeronautics, but do moi
think his heroic death will delay inter-
national experiments"
That Lieutenant Selfridge died al
his post OF duty was formally recog-
nized in the official report Of his su-
perior officer received at the adiutant
generals Office today. II states:
"The cause of Lieutenant Sefridge',
death was a fracture of tlfe skull du,
10 the falling from an aeroplane with
Mr.. Orville Wright while on duty II
aeronautical work at Fort Myer
No arrangements have vet been mad,
for the funeral. In accordance with tn,
military practice dispatches recountinf
tho officers death were immediatel,
sent TO members OF his family by tn,
war department. The decision as I,
whether he will be buried with ful
military honors rests entirely will
= them.
Today the suggestion was made a
{ the war department that the Wrigh
model may be accepted by the govern
ment--and $4,000 paid for it--withou
, further trials on the basis of III
achievement in the unofficial tests OF tn
past few weeks. Officers Of the aero
nautical board. who were present>a
every flight admit that the machine
r would have measured up TO the con
tract specifications.