Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-05
NOISY. GREETING FROM STEAMERS
Whistles Scream and Crowds Shout
as Man-bird Circles Over British
Cru ser Argyl'-Twenty Miles in Lit
tie Over Thirty-three Minutes-Na-
val Officers Comment.
IRv Associated Press.)

NEW lORh, Oct. i-An deiOPiohS
flashed past the white dome OF Grant
tomb today. then turning gracefully
in midair over the waters of the Hud-
sen, shot like falcon back to Cover
nor's Island, ten miles away.
Wilbur Wright, of Dayton, ONO
thus placed his name in the rank with
Hudson and Fulton today in one OF
the most spectacular feats in the MS
tory of aeronautic5.
Over the masts OF warships from
whose decks hoarse cheers of the sail
ors were borne ptO him in his ele-
waited seat. he flew for twenty miles
ten miles up and ten miles back
remaining, in the air for thirty-three
minutes and thirty-three seconds and
alighting at the aerodrome without
mishap.
Business at StandstiIl.
During the flight business was prac-
t'cally at a standstill in all that part
of Manhattan from which a view OF
his remarkable performance was avail
BILE. Harbor craft shrieked their ap-
plause, cheer after cheer swept up
from the banks OF the Hudson ana
the lower baylor the Dayton aviator
had made good" GROWING the avia-
tion program OF the Hudson-Fulton
celebration with record fight.
Wright started ON his fight up the
Hudson at 9:56 a. m, and finished at
1O:29:33. He had intended to improve
upon his achievement of the morning
by making a longer and more hazard
Gus flight at sunset, but the GRIPPING
of his meter just as he was about 10
start on the evening attempt dashed
his hopes and those Of the thousands
who had assembled on Governors Is
land and along the waterfront TO
cheer him On.
Weather Uncertain.
The flight was made under condl-
tions only moderately favorable. The
wind was blowing about ten miles an
hour. while an overcast sky added 10
the uncertainty of the weather. AMID
the cIatter Of the machines exhaust
which sounded like muSketTy nre
Wright clambered to mis- seat in the
aercplane. In a moment the machine
was off. With the planes tilted slight
" to one side the man-hird Slowly
assembled into the air, rising TO
height of barely twenty feet, while II
swooped in a semi circle towards the
waters edge. Here the presence cI
many craft, all Historically footing
their whistles caused him to ascend
further into the air before making
for the mouth of the river. Almost
indistinguiskable against the gray
banked clouds the machine scared
past Old Castle William and soon
entered the canon made by the giant
sky -scrapers Ct Manhattan Island and
the Jersey Hills.
over the warships of four great
powers he passed. his progress mark
cd by cheers from the sailors OF MS
own county and those OF Great b.
tain. Germany. France and Italy
when the air vessel reached the
British cruiser Argya, anchored an
eighth q mile above Grants tomb.
Wright described an easy and grace
full curve and started on MS return
tourney down the river.
Wind Bothered Hun.
The wind conditions wslch had
brthcred him on the journey up were
now more favorable and it was here
that the spced possibilities O. he ma
chine we're demonstrated. While the
ten miles I'd stream occsFifd nearly
20 minutes the Tetarn high' was made
in TtfI- more than 70 minutes. OF a.
a rate approximately o; ~ miles an
hour.
Nearing the harbOr entrance again.
he was confronted with the same
architectural conditions which caused
him TO vary his altitude on the way
IN. Again he lowered himself and
when he reached the open water Of
the hay he was flying barely sixty
feet above the surface Thence or
ward he gradually lssscned his height.
Pet Governors Island the machine
speed an eighth q a mic over the
nv. thc vc,fing sharply around
Wright headed swiftly for The landing