The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-15
THE HAMMERED" ALOFT
From Answers.

From Answers.
 K1N AN-BIRDs! This is what the II(pl French call the men who have mastered the secret of flying.
 For man can fy-there is no question about that.
 One brilliantly sunshiny day in early February, in the country around Pau. the little half English, half French town which nestles at the foot of the snow clad Pyrenees, the editor of Answers had the pleasure, of witnessing the perform anee of the wonderful young American Wilbur Wright
 He is young, tall and lean, with eyes that sparkle with humor, yet possess an expression which tells you nothing when ne wishes to tell you nothing He has a long, thin nose, like the beak of a bird long, shrewd head, that has spent much or its time in abtruse calculations ana In serious thougt1t-thought which has produced the mastery of that most evasive. that most elusive thinp-tba a+- mosphere
 And Wilbur Wright has mastered ftl
 The day was the day selected by this man-bird for his first experience on b,s new field of operations. The French call it ''Le Champ d'Aviation,-that is to sav "The Field of Flight" and this. in trutb it proved to be. A wide, fiat extensive plain, with very few trees, and low hedges; with soft grass, thiclxly inter- woven with heavy gorse, that made an ideal landing carpet, soft and elastic. The spot was 10 miles from the town of Pau. and the roads leading thereto on the day of his first experiment were packed with motors, carriages and bicycles. all bear ing intensely interested would-be spec tators of this mans daring attempt.
 Half mile from the road which led to the ground where Wright made his exper- iments was a shed, insignificant in the distance, but growing in importance as one neared it. It was hemmed around by rough fence of wooden stakes, which served to keep off the inquisitive from the shed containing Wrights wonderful machine. and served also as a sort of paddock, from which they would view the operations of the man about to fly.
 The operations for the flight are seem ingly amending and tremendous, and, for the onlookers, very tedious, seeing they are conducted behind closed doors. Taking no great part in them, yet moving quietly around watching and testing everything is Wilbur Wright.
 At last the doors of the shed in which the aeroplane is kept are suddenly opened and, for the first time. we see the ma chine Two great, gray parallel planes, supported by couple of small, single wheel trucks, are all that first are ap- parent.
 Then the machine is wheeled out in front of the shed. and we sec it complete, with it's motor, it's propellors, It's front and rear steering rudders. Several of the mechanics, including the man whose brain has created the thing, are busy with the many screw-tightenings and adjustments. Then, after many attempts. the engine is set in motion. and the big pair of pro- pellors blades, rotating toward each other, go whirring round. Everything seems in proper form; the crowd are on the tip- toe of excitement and expectation The aeroplane now rests on little wooden truck, constructed very simply and rough ly of a couple of crosspieces and two small rollers, which enable it to travel along the top of the rail
 The excitement has become intense There is a subdued buzz of ejaculations in various languages, French predominant ing.
 The aeroplane is attached to spring pulley which, in its turn, Is attached to several huge weights. which are hoisted