New-York tribune., 1909-06-23
TAFT MAY SEE FLIGHTS
wRTGHTS INSTALL MOTOR.
RrFkers Likely to Scout OOer
Ground Before Selecting Course.
TFron The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington. June 22--The facts that President
Tai. may witness some OF the flights OF the Wright
sarppIane st Fort Myer and that the brothers
,bsrnsetves may scout the ground before pick
,,e out g course for the speed trial were about
ne only matters OF interest that deveoped TODAY
N The preparation for the ofHcial trials at Fort
Myer
Both Of The brothers at work early this
morning and have put together the main planes
Of the machine and installed the motor Orville
Wright said that results had been reached at
.be conference with General Allen the dav before
concewlag the-coUrse over which the speed trials
would be held This is rather important matter
.roua The point Of view Of the aeroplane builders
IS there is bonus OF $50 for every mile in ex-
cess Of forty the machine may make, and a pen
slty az q Ike amount for every mile down TO
fhirry-stx that & falls below the forty-rnle mark
In flying rough country the natural inclina-
don Of the aviator is 10 parallel to the course
Of the ground This retards the speed OF the ma
chine greatly in going up hill. and does add
II proporuonately IN going down. Aside from this.
every hll. clump OF trees and building sends UP an
cir current tending 10 disturb the machine in its
fight All these things together will make the
tine the measured course greater than if the
machine were--unntng on absolutely true line.
There VII be a captive balloon marking the end
Of the course, and the War Department officials
wish z possible TO q telephone line over the
proposed Ave-Tnile stretch so as to fash the time
fron END OF the-course TO the other It Is pos
sble thspSdditioneI balloons may be put I'D along
the course. both to act compass points and TO
preserve even height This IS new species Of
rest for the government, and while Il resembles
fhs speed trisl OF q warship there ara points that
vii hsvesto e-worked-outAto-Arsth altered con-
6ttcns.
This VII be Lhe4arst Sfight<hat a heavler~than-
air lschine has nadeacrossrbroken country.
Both Ble1-ot and Fa-nan made fights OF twelve
or fceEn miles from town, TO town in France. and
there were some sensational looking pictures
printed tn this country showing their machines
going ever church steeples and deep valleys. AS a
rnstte- fact, according 70 members Of the Aero
Cub -Rhoshapesseen the country both the stretches
where these flights made absolutely
level and open The photographs that were print
&C. & IS said. were simply clever fakes, and this
IS borae out by the fact that the suns Light on
the aercpiane an6 that IN the foreground Of the
spiccareS-do not agree
o-ZtIle Wright said IN connection with the pro-
posed 'c-oss-couotry flight that he had been told
oy Captain T. s Baldwin that the ground 20 the
vest Of Fort Myer was considerably more level
fhsn that 20. the south. along the river. Captain
Baldwin sold the first and only dirigibIe balloon
20 the War Department and travelled over the
country ta question IN It so that he knows how
the Land lies from practical aeronauuc point
Of view. a contour map covering that part Of
she-countrS was shown the brothers, but they said
they GOULD gather much Information from that
as tt rnattened considerably TO them whether the
teaed end clea-!ngs From this It seams that
the dtzeoxton Of the 'cross-couDtry flight will be
one OF the last things TO be settled
President Taft. in talking with General Allen.
chief signaA officer OF the army, said that he was
anz1oas to witness soma OF the flights at Fort
Eyer, and arrangements will be made for his
presence ar1at least Of the trials
officials OF the signal corps have practically con-
ciuded that A n Herring. the aeronaut who was
expected to demonstrate the value OF his heavier
than-air machine this month, Will not make his
tests within the required time They consider it
doubtful Il Herring VIII bring his machine 10
Washington Hs TO have begun his tests
and delivered his machine by June !, but asked
that this tine be extended 70 July :, in order that
he might complete his preparations AS nothing
Las been heard from him and he has only eight
Gays 10 complete his tests. the War Department
las almost given UP hope OF seeing him