Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-31
WRIGHT BREAKS
ALL RECORDS OF
AIRSHIP'S SPEED
EXCELS RAPIDlTY REQUIRED
BY GOVERNMENT
AVIATOR AccoMPLisHEs MOST
DARING FLIGHT
Machine Works Perfectly, and When
Aviator Landed with His Graft He
Was Accorded Great Ovation.
Taft Witness
(By Associated Press.)

Nv Wright this evening attained
w the zenith of hard-earned sue
cess. In a ten-mile Cross-couhlIS
flight in the famous aeroplane Uullt oy
himself and his elder brother, NlIpur'
and accompanied by Lieut.. Benjamin
d Foulers OF the army signal corps, ne
not only surpassed the speed require
ments of his contract with the govern
ment, but accomplished the most DIM
cult and daring fight ever planned Ior
a heavier-than-air nying machlne.
Incidentally he broke all speed rec
ords over q, measured course. his
speed was more than 42 miles an hour,
He made the ten miles flight IN II
minutes and AZ seconds. -.
He went up nearly 500 feet in his
crossing of the valley of -Four Mile
Run and his average altitude was
about 200 feet.
President Taft arrived on the parade
ground at Fort Myer just In time 10
see the aeroplane land and to partlci-
pate in the wild demonstration WhlcH
welcomed the triumphant aviator. -,
A great crowd watched while Orville
Wright had the machine placed on the
starting rail and gave the motor
final test.
The engine worked perfectly, and the
people seemed to realize that an epoch-
making moment was at hand. They
held them back, GREATNESS, intense.
eagerly watching every movement OIL
the aviator and his machine.
Start on Trip
Lieutenant Foulers climbed into the
passenger. seat beside the motor VIII
bur took his place at the right tip OF
the planes and Orville clambered into
his seat beside Foulers. He gripped
the levers and slipped the cable Whlch
released the starting weight.
The aeroplane shot down the track.
rose before it reached the end and
skinned over the ground for 100 feet
or more. =.
rose higher and higher, reached the end
of the field, turned at slight angle
and came about, facing the madIy
cheering multitude.
Hats and handkerchiefs were wav-
ing. automobile horns were footing
some overwrought spectators even
went as the great white creature
turned again southwark at the start
ing tower.
Then with a short turn Orville swept
about almost over the heads OF the
closely banked spectators, and started
straight southwark over the center OF
the drill field.
"They are off, shouted a thousand
voices.
Like a giant bird the aeroplane swept
unswervingly down its course. 1t kept
straight to the south, and seemed 10
be rising even higher as 1t passed over
the river and heavily wooded country
in the distances.
Those VINO had glasses saw the
aeroplane turn first to the left, then
10 the right above Shutter Hill. Then
It was lost to view, and as the sec
onds passed a silence grew upon the
crowd.
As the delay in the aeroplane again
rising above the sky line became
seemingly alarming, great beads or
perspiration stood upon Wilbur
Wriehts brow and his agitation was
evident.
Suddenly the speck came in slght,
over the distant hill.
There it is" everybody said, and
the sigh of relief was plainly audible
Soon the aerial navigators were home
again over the drill grounds, hylnS
very low. Orville steered straight
across the field, and at height Of
about twenty feet. swung around
again nOrthWard and landed easily Tar
down the field.
The task was done, and he was
greeted with deafening cheers.
Despite the notice nobody would be
allowed on the field. there was rush
of the crowd which almost eluded the
Gordon of mounted men on guard. Gal
loping horses brushed the people back
however, and the lines were reformed
Wilbur at once began calculating the
speed of the trip, which, after he had
consulted with Lieutenant Foulers, ne
figured at 421a miles an hour.
1--WE We're making eighty miles ar
hour coming back" said Lieutenant
Foulers.
Orvine Wright said, IT'S easier 4
fly across country than around a field
He seemed more impressed by the
lesson the unusual flight had taught
him than by any sense of his achieve
ment.
I'VE were forced off our course by
several counter-currents, he added
land in turning a t the lower end a
down trend of air took me lower
than | meant to go. I was forced tc
climb higher in starting back"
Had to Climb Rapidly
"As we crossed the valley Of -Four
Mile Run. on the way back, a down
trend made it necessary to climb rap
idly to get up in the air above the
hills"
Even more dramatic than its de-
parture from Fort Myer was the ad-
vent Of the aeroplane and its passengers