Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-27
Weather Permitting, Wright
BipIane Will Go Up Today.
PROBABLY AT 6 O'CLOCK
Wind Too High for Trial Seized
uled for Yesterday.
PRESIDENT TAFT WAS THERE
But Only Short Flight, Two and a
: Half Minutes Long, Was Made.
!, Great Crowd on Hand.

There will be an officia test of the
Wright aeroplane this evening if weather
conditions prove favorable was the
statement made this afternoon at the
Signal Corps Office in the War Depart
ment. AL or at least a majority, of the
board will be present to witness the
flights, which will begin with an endur-
ance test with one passenger, either
Lieut. Foulois or Lieut. Lahm.
The exact time of the ascent will de-
pend upon the wind, but the machine will
probably go up around o'clock.
Orville Wright. speaking of the chances
Of a test this afternoon, said: IF the
weather conditions are good We Will
make the endurance test and under ex-
ceptionally good conditions there is no
reason why We should not make the speed
test in the same evening. The War De-
partment will decide which officers are
to 60 UP on the different trials. If Lieut..
Foulos goes on one Lieut.. Lahm will go
on the other.
Passengers" Pointed Out.
For estimating the speed of the aero
plane it is expected that a small Signal
Corps balloon will be used. Lieuts. Fouois
and Lahm are ready to go up with Or
willie Wright at any moment. After the
members of the Wright family, the men
who are going up are always pointed
out to the new spectators each day.
The specifications to which the Wright
aeroplane must conform II it is to be pur-
chased by the board of ordnance and for
tifications call for flying machine that
is heavier than air and will carry two
persons-whose combined weight is at
least $50 pounds-and fuel sufficient for a
flight of 125 miles.
The speed test will be made over
measured course of more than five miles.
against and with the wind. Orville Wright
has already decided to fly toward Alex
andria and back. The endurance test
specifies that the machine must remain
continuously in the air for at least one
hour without landing, must be steered in
all directions without difficulty and must
equilibrium.
Three Trials for Each.
Three trials will be allowed for speed
and three for endurance. but all the trials
must be made within period of thirty
days The Wrights have only until to-
morrow to make their tests. unless they
ask for an extension of time.
The speed called for is forty miles an
hour For every mile under that 10 per
cent will be deducted. down to So, at
which the machine will be rejected. For
every mile more than forty, and up to
forty-four. 10 per cent will be added to
the amount called for in the contract.
Orville Wright has made about forty
seven miles an hour alone, and II is
thought that he will be able to earn the
maximum bonus by going forty-four miles
with passenger.
Speed Test to Be Brief.
just a little more than an hour. and the
cross-country flight for speed. which will
cover distance Of ten miles, will not
require much more than fifteen minutes.
After both tests are completed the
Wright brothers must instruct two Signal
Corps officers in the use of the machine.
Just how long 1t will take their pupils
to graduate. barring accidents cannot
be told beforehand.
orville in Exhibition Flight.
Orville Wright gave what was consid-
cred an exhibition flight before the Presi-
dent of the United States and an immense
crowd for two and half minutes last
evening. The wind was too strong for an
endurance test and the Wright brothers
did not care to risk taking up passen-
ger. When about Z O'Clock the wind did
settle for few minutes 1t was too late
TO make the endurance flight, which has
to last one hour.
There were more than 5000 persons on
the field who had come to Fort Myer
chiefly because an official announcement
was made that the government trial
would take place in the evening if con-
dirions were good. President Taft, Vice
President Sherman, Speaker Cannon, Sec
rotary OF War Dickinson. Postmaster Gen.
eral Hitchcock, Senators Scott. Elkins,
Depew. Aldrich. Crane. Culberson. Carter
and Dick, Lieut.. Gen. Young. Lieut.. Gen.
Miles, Brig. Gen. Allen Brig. Gen. Clar-
ence r. Edwards, Surgeon General Ale
shire. Adjt Gen. .Ainsworth and many
members of Congress and diplomats were
present. In and around the balloon shed
stood the members of the board of judges
in olive drab. khaki or white uniforms.
The Wright brothers. contrary to their
general policy, decided under the circum-
stances to take the wishes of the specta-
tors into consideration. They announced
10 the President that there would be
short flight. and just before o'clock
the center doors of the balloon shed
were lowered and the aeroplane was TAX
en- out. amid a cheer from the crowd,
many of whom had waited patiently for
several hours to get their first look at
the craft.
While a detail OF mounted men from
me Sd Field Artillery escorted the crowd
TO the edges of the field the aeroplane
was wheeled up the center and placed
on the monorail just In front of the
Presidents tent. where Mr.. Taft sat.
with Speaker Cannon and Senator AL
drich on either side Of him.
Lieut.. Foulois and Lieut.. Lahm. who
have been selected as passengers. one
for the endurance and the other for the
speed test. were on the field near the
machine. but as soon as Orville stepped
into the machine alone the spectators
realized that he would not fly double"
hat afternoon.
Starting Weight Not Used.
The knowing ones. who had seen many
flights before. remarked that the 1000
pound starting weight had yet to be
drawn up and attached before the ma
chine would move. and paid little at
tention to what they supposed was mere
" a trying out of the engine.
Look, he's going up without the
weight" cried some one. as, at signal
from his brother. Wilbur was seen to
give the machine a shove. From that
moment all was excitement. The ma
chine glided down the monorail in the
face of a fifteen-miie breeze. and as it
eft the track it rose only few feet
in the air.
Hes going to funk. and right i'm
front of the President" cried one of the
newspaper correspondents. as the ma
chine seemed to glide aleng for about
forty yards almost on the ground. But
Drville Wright soon demonstrated that
ne was master Of the situation Driv-
ing the machine right at a gust of wind