The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-02

was all but intolerable.
The course over which will be made
the official flight for which the Wrights
are preparing. begins at Fort Myer,
across the river from Washington, on
q relatively high plateau and extends
somewhat east OF south, five miles to
the turning point on hill. west OF
Alexandria, which will be made visible
from Fort Myer by a small, bright yell
low balloon marking its location. The
country between is broken and rather
heavily wooded; but at intervals there
are opens fields offering landing places
IS case of emergency. This broken
country involves consideration of many
scientific problems and the experiment
is expected to be Of unique value in
the development of qeronautics.
This will be the first flight across
broken country in a heavier-than-air
machine. Last evenings flight over
the open level parade ground at Fort
Nyer exhibited curious effects of build
ings and foliage upon the atmospheric
currents. and the conditions over an
extensive and exceedingly diversified
area will be studied with great inter
est by the Wrights and by the army
signal corps officers. The highest alti-
tude yet negotiated by the Wrights in
Wright making that height for a prize
in F'rance-at one point in the Virginia
course. If he maintains a level flight,
he will be fully 500 feet above the
ground.
WrightS Seem Confident.
The specifications under which the
sNVrights secured the contract with the
government under which they will, if
successful, receive $4,000 for their ma
chine, were generally regarded when
they were made as well nigh prohibit
tive. Yet while the task is one in
volving untried conditions, Orville
Wright seems not in the least concern
ed about it. He has gone by autOmO-
bile over the course twice with the
signal corps officers and while the
country is not what he would prefer,
he seems to entertain no thought of
failure. His brother, Wilbur, appears
y equally confident
This test is expected to demonstrate
the value Of an aerOpIane in military
service. 1t is not yet known whether
the tendency of an operator flying
across rough country will be to follow
the inequalities of the topography If
Orville Wright can fly a level course he
would be practically safe from the at
tack of ina inary troops in the valley
of Four Mile Run, which flows across
the middle of the course. If. on the
other hand, through absence of marks
by which to judge and hold his level he
follows the varying heights of hill and
dale he will lose much Roadway and
may fail of the Sc miles speed required
by the government.
He has three chances to make good
IN official trials There are compare
lively rev dwellings, along the course
and most of those are negro cabins;
but the farmers who do live between
Fort Myer and shutter hill,' the south
ern turning point. are filed with expec-
fancy and view the event with varying
emotions. when is the airship going
to fly - is the question flung at the
signal officers at every opportunity
''Wiu it hurt my house if it lands on
the roof" is another the anxious ques-
lions. And one gray bearded farmer
who grumbled about new tangled con-
traptions that couldn't let poor folks
who mind their own business have any
rest" declared that he would make
trouble if his new field of corn was
damaged by the blamed thing drop
ping into it,