Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-01
AERIAL NAVIGATION

the world has ever known In the progress
OF aerial navigation. Washington had Its
full share Of excitement In this line owing
to the War Department tests-aeroplane
and difisible--at Fort Myer. 1t was an
nounced almost year ago that the gov
eminent would invite bids for the con-
struction of aeroplanes and dirigible
balloons for the use OF the War Depart
ment. and that these would be tested at
Fort Myer, beginning July Is. On the date
mentioned Capt Thomas Baldwin, the frs
of the contractors. was on hand with his
dirigibie balloon. the first that had ever
been constructed for the American govern
ment. There was great deal of interest
in this novel aerial scout. and hundreds
Of persons went TO Fort Myer every day
while the balloon was being assembled
and in the course OF imitation. After ITS
removal to the parade ground. where the
official tests were to be made, public in
terest increased, and when he made two
successful flights August Is the War Dc
partment officials expressed themselves as
highly pleased with the efficiency of the
machines. The dirigfble was smaller than
many Of those in use in French and Ger
man armies, but proved exceedingly easy
to handle and made on its official test a
speed Of about nineteen miles an hour,
The balloon was accepted by the govern
ment after an endurance trial OF one
hour.
Orville Wrisht's Success.
Following the acceptance of the Bald
win balloon OrviIle Wright, one of the
two noted Wright brothers, appeared at
Fort Myer with a heavier-than-air fly
ing machine. which it was hoped, but
hardly generally believed, would succeed
in getting into the air. There had been
considerable discussion over the achieve
ments of the Wright brothers, who were
credited with having flown twenty-five
miles in an aeropiane year and halt
before.
The officers of the army and navy, high
department officials and many society
people gathered at Fort Myer for the in
it'al trial Of the heavier-than-air machine
ST ptember 1.
The start was made, and to the aston
isliment Of almost every one the machine
no. only went instantly into the air, but
made several circles of the parade ground
at height Of from thirty to fifty feet
under the perfect control of the operator.
This performance was greeted with great
enthusiasm by the army officers. but paled
into insignificance before his performanre
September .. when Mr.. Wright stayed m
the air fifty-seven minutes, thereby Great
ing worlds record which only he and
his brother have since equale1.
1t was only few days after this that
Orville Wright flew for one hour aud
fourteen minutes and made several other
record-breaking flights. Carrying a pas
senser with him during an eleven-min-
ute flight, this being the first time such
thing had ever been accomplished.
The officers of the signal service were
enthusiastic over the performance and
declared that the problem of aerial flight
had been solved beyond question.
Death Of Lieut. Selfridge.
A continuation Of the flights was at
tempted September II. Orvile taking with
him Lieut.. Thomas Selfridge. an officer of
the Signal Corps. as a passenger. New
propellers had been fitted to the ma
chino just before the fight, and owing
to the vibrations they set UP the pro-
peller blades caught IN the steering gear
and wrecked the machine while It was
seventy-five feet in the air. Lieut.. Sell
fridge was killed by the fall, his skull
being fractured In two places. while Or
vile Wright had his thigh broken and a
number of ribs fractured. This put an
end to the airship trials for the season
Mr.. Wright remaining at Fort Myer un-
til the end OF October. after which he
mad recovered sufficiently to be sent to
his home In Dayton, Ohio.
A third contractor in the aeroplane
A. NJ. Herring of New York. constructed
machine of phenomenal lightness for
which he claimed great things. After
to Fort Myer October Ii and made a
technical delivery to the War Depart
ment board in compliance with his con-
tract. He left Immediately afterward fo-
New York, and nothing more was heard
Of him for about a month. when it was
announced that he had injured his ma
chine In an unofficial trial. and on s
request to the War Department he was
granted an extension until next June for
final delivery.
Tests for the Year Given Up.
Arrangements had been made by the
officers Of the Signal Corps to carry on
experiments with the Baldwin dirig;b BILE
during the winter. especially to make
trials Of a wireless telegraph installation
that had been fitted to the carrying ca
pac:ty Of the balloon. During November,
however. a few days before the first
fight was to be made. a heavy snow
storm broke in the big tent where the
dirigible was In readiness and injured
that ship so that II was put away for
the winter and 1t was decided by the
War. Department that nothing more
should be done until spring.
The Navy Department became enthused
over the success OF the Signal service
with its aeroplanes. and drew up speci-
fcations for four machines which should
be capable of beng launched from a
warship or Of alighting on the water.