The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-13
WRIGHT FLIES
SWEEPS UP THE HUDSON FROM
GOVERNORS ISLAND.
Circles In Air and Then Speeds Back
to Acrdrome, While Whistles
Shrek and Crowds Applaud.

At New York on Monday an aero
plane flashed past the white dome Of
Grants tomb, then turning grace
fully in .midair over the waters of
the Hudson, shot like a falcon back
to Governors Island, 10 miles away.
Wilbur Wright of Dayton, Ohio, thus
placed his name in the rank with
Hudson and Fulton in one of the
most spectacular feats in the his
tory of aeronautics.
Over the masts of warships, from
whose decks hoarse cheers of the
sailors were borne up to him in his
elerated seat, he flew for 80 miles
10 miles up and 10 miles back-re-
naming in the air for 33 minutes
and SO seconds and alighting at the
aerodrome without mishap.
During the flight business was
practically at a %standstill in all that
part of Manhattan from which a
view of his remarkable performance
was available. Harbor craft shrieked
their applause, cheer after cheer
swept up from the banks of the Hud-
son and the lower bay, for the Day.
ION aviator had made good crown
ing the aviation program of the Hud-
son-Fulton celebration with a record.
Wright started on his flight up
the Hudson at 9:56 a.. m, and finish
ed at 1O:29:33. He had intended to
improve upon his achievement of the
morning by making a ronger and
more hazardous flight at sunset, but
the Gripping Of his motor just as
he was about to start on the evening
attempt dashed his hopes as well
as those of the thousands who had
assembled on Governors Island to
cheer him on.
The flight was made under condi-
lions only moderately favorable. The
wind was blowing about 10 miles
IN hour, while an overcast sky added
to the uncertainty of the weather.
Amid the clatter of the machines
exhaust which sounded like musketry
Are Wright climbed to his seat in
his a%eroplane.
In a moment the machine was off.
With the planes tilted slightly to
one side. the man-bird slowly ascend
ed into the air. rising to a height
of barely 20 feet, while it swooped
in a semi-circle toward the waters
edge. Here the presence of many
craft, all historically footing their
whistles, caused him to ascend fur
Their into the air before making for
he mouth of the river.
Almost indistinguishable against
the gray banked clouds, the machine
scared past old Castle William and
soon entered the cayon made by the
giant skyscrapers Of Manhattan Is
land and the Jersey hills.
Over the warships of five great
powers he passed, his progress mark.
ed by hceers from the sailors OF
| his own country and those of Great
Britain, Germany, France and Italy,
When the air vessel reached the
British cruiser Argyle. anchored al
| Eighth Of a mile above Grants
tomb, Wright described an easy and
graceful curve and started on his
return journey down the river. The
Wind conditions which had bothered
him on the journey up were now
more favorable and it was here that
the speed possibilities OF the machine
we're demonstrated.
While the 10 miles up stearnl occu-
pied 20 minutes, the return hight
was made in little more than IS
minutes, or at a rate approximately
IF AZ miles an hour.
Nearing the harbor entrance again
he was confronted with the same
architectural condition which caused
him to vary his altitude on the way
up. Again he lowered himself and
when he reached the open water of
the bay he was flying barely so
feet above the surface. Thence
onward he gradually lessened his
height. Past Governors Island the
machine sped, an eighth of a mile
over the bay, then veering sharply
around. Wright headed swiftly for
the landing place, on which he set
tied with the ease of a bird, amid
the enthusiastic ~plaudits of soldiers
and civilians.