Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-31
WRIGHT AEROPLANE
wins LARGE BONUS
Five Thousand Dollars Over
Purchase Price of $4,000
for Excess Speed.
42.583 MILES AN HOUR
AVERAGE OVER COURSE
Reached Clip of 47431 Miles on
Way Back to Goal.
ACCEPTANCE BY GOVERNMENT
Brothers Going to Dayton-Wilbur
to Take Brothers Place in
Educating officers to
Operate Machine.

OrSille Wright made n speed of 47.431
miles per hour In his flight yesterday
in returning from the Alexandria end
of the course TO Fort Myer. according TO
an official announcement made by the
trial hoard mt the War Department to-
day.
His speed 10 Alexandria from the Fort
Myer end of the course was 37.731 miles
per hour. making his average i2.5s3.
The Wright brothers will receive $4,000
for their aeroplane, 5000 of which is
bonus for excess in speed over contract
requirements.
Everything is all satisfactory, said Gen.
Allen, the chief signal officer. today.
TIL, aeroplane will be accepted formally
in day or two and the payments made
to the Wright brothers.
Wrights Off to Dayton.
Orville Wright and Miss Wright con-
template going 10 Dayton today. Wilbur
Wright. who talked with Gen. Allen for
while this morning about business mat
tcrs, expects to join them in a day or
Two.
There will now be a week of ''repose'
IN acronautical affairs, Gen. Allen said
today. following the excitement and
flights of the past month.
Gen. Allen has In mind two or three
places near Washington which offer the
open space and eyenness of ground de-
sirable in a training field for the flying
machine. The three officers of the army
Signal Corps who have been identified
with the official tests of the Wright ma
chine Will be in charge Of the training
of other officers and the detachment of
signal Corps men serving with the aero
plane.
As soon as the place is selected finally
the Wright machine will be taken there. a
shed erected for Its housing and expert
ments will be made.
Value in Warfare Shown.
OrvilIe Wrights great flight last even
ing has made a deep impression on the
army and navy officials. They contend
that the accomplishment of the cross
country flight demonstrated the availa-
bility of the aeroplane for use in war
fare.
Although they were there for the pur-
pose of timing the aeroplane as it crossed
and recrossed the mark the officers sta
TONED at Shutter Hill, the southern end
OF the course. were taken by surprise
when the aeroplane was discovered flying
in their direction.
The manner in which the flying ma
chime lost to view from Fort Myer
and then the rapidity with which it re-
turned there after il was sighted above
the crest Of a iill was merely another
hint of the possibilities of the practical
use OF the aeroplane by the army and
navy
Wilbur Wright's Theory
The great advantage of an aeroplane
over balloon for use in warfare is that
II can fly low over rough country =
said Wilbur Wright today, thus having
objects on the ground in plain view Or
vile demonstrated that YESTERDAY,
The speed at which he was travelling.
with rhe small exposed surface OF the
acropiane would have made him prac,i-
caliy safe from the fire OF the enemy"
orvllie Wright this morning seemed
"aieHN concerned with what he might
have done had he not miscaIculated the
elevation al which he had 10 round the
stalk balloon at the Alexandria end OF
tue course.
iH: the flight. thai had ] continued al
the sam" height at which | crossed the
halfway hill. or continued climbing in
stead of gradually descending, I would
rave gained AT least two more miles per
t"ur III my speed average.
Lost Time Going Higher.
l turned Shutter Hill too close 10 the
ground and this compelled me TO climb
Ip again ~ order 10 clear the higher
ridge between Alexandria and Fort Myer
rms used np power which might better
have been employed for propulsion
Both brothers will 20 to Dayton for a
snort stay. after which Oryilip will iolIr-
ncy To Europe 10 take up the work begun
there by his brother. Wilbur Wright will
change places with him and remain in
ttls country 10 teach the army officers
wHo are To be detailed as members of the
scrppianc corps the handling of the
Wright machine