Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-18

cause the Fort Myer flights to be aban
doned. They will be resumed, he said
as soon as Mr.. Wright has recovered
and the machine repaired
several Gays ago, an admirer Of the
wright brothers made application tC
a Washington insurance agent for a
| life policy in favor of Orville Wright
| The agency applied in the regular
way to the home office. Today tn,
agent received letter from the OH
Gals OF the company saying that 1--WE
cannot issue policy in favor of MIR
Wright. or any one else in his line OF
work. We consider the hazard too
great at this time, but it is possible
that in the future aerial navigation
will reach development which may
change this view
Officers of the Signal Corps and other
enthusiasts at Fort Myer think that
today's accident was not due to a faul-
ty principle, but to defect in the pro-
peller, which was made of spruce One
OF the members of the Signal Corps
board who had been conducting the
tests. said:
of course, this is no time to dis
cuss such matters, but the resumption
of the aeroplane trials will depend up
on the length of time which it will
take Mr.. Wright to recover from his
injuries. This accident will, of course,
seriously hamper the possibility of Sc
curing appropriations from Congress
for the aeronautical work of the Signal
Corps. The Wright brothers, however.
have even more advanced ideas in re-
gard to aerial flight, and if they con-
tinue their work, it is very probable
that the effect of this one accident viii
be overcome
The belief was expressed by ser
geant Of the Signal Corps that the aero
plane had been tempered with previ-
Gus to it's fight. but this is improbable
because the machine had been closely
guarded while at the fort. 1t was
housed in specially constructed shed
and guard kept strangers away both
day and night. The suggestion of foul
play is discredited by all those ac-
quainted with methods of safeguarding
the machine.
Orville Wright had confidently hop
ed aid expected to met all the require
ments without a serious flaw develop
ing in the machine his genius had de-
ger to which the work subjected him
1T was but few days ago that he
said the greatest danger which he had
to face was his Gown inexperience and
the possibility that he may do some
thing wrong in his flights
He commented on the change in the
methods of operating the levers as
compared with his previous machines,
and pointed out that where the move
ments in the OLD machine were in
stinctive, the same was not the case
in the last machine and that, with the
latter. the operator had ITO think,
which is dangerous, on account of the
possibility of not thinking fast
enough"
Mr.. Wright exercised extreme eau
ton in starting his flights. Time and
again he planned to make fight. but
as the hour he had tentatively fixed ar
rived he refused to take out his ma
chine because of the unfavorable con-
ditions. In the first fight at Fort
Myer. Wright made one of the mis-
takes he had feared and pulled lever
in the wrong direction. but fortunately
the machine descended without dam
age.
81 have flown in a 2O-mile breeze -
he said. "and I expect to do so again.
but not until get acquainted with the
arrangements of seats and levers"
Nearly all the members of the Signal
Corps aeroplane board witnessed to-
days accident.
Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge was
one OF the most enthusiastic believers