Evening star., 1909-06-30
MAKES SHORT FLIGHT
Wright Machine Rises After
Several Trials.
DISCOVER SOME DEFECTS
Engine Did Not Work Quite Right
at First.
REAL FLYING PROBABLE TODAY
With Favorable Weather Conditions
Another Start Will Be Made
This Afternoon.


ground, the Wright aeroplane at Fort
Myer got off on the fourth trial yester-
day evening. 1t was getting dark, and
the crowd that had been waiting all the
afternoon and had seen the aviators fail
three times, for some reason that was
a mystery to the spectators. at last saw
Orville Wright, in the aviator's seat,
leave the end of the rail, and, flying
low, make short circuit of the field.
He came down as soon as he had DEM
onstrated that the machine would fly, and
both the brothers expressed themselves
as well satisfied with the afternoons
work, for they found out just what was
the matter and Wilbur Wright said that
it was simply loose point in the spark
ing device. 1t could be remedied by the
tap of a hammer on a plug inside, and
this afternoon was likely to see some
real flying, with the eternal proviso,
weather conditions being favorable"
1t was an exciting day, more so for the
spectators than for the aviators. They
knew about what was the matter.
though they could not at first exactly
locate the trouble. But they were used
to gasoline engines. and they knew that
even their pet engine could have more
things the matter with it in the same
length of time than a woman with hys-
terra. They knew also that there was no
danger in the short falls the machine was
taking. and they knew that they would
be able to bring the engine to time in
the end.
But to the spectators it was something
different. Many Of them had seen Or
vile fly before, and he had always done
SO with such apparent ease that it seemed
as though there must be something radi-
cally wrong to keep him on the ground.
YaookoI %h&
The trouble was also a justification to
the Wrights in their refusal to attempt
flight before Congress in a sixteen-mle
wind the day before. Wilbur had said at
the time that if the new machine misbe-
haved they wanted to be sure whether it
was the machine or the weather. The
weather was all right yesterday, and
there was no question that the trouble
was in the machine. 1t looked serious,
while in truth 1t was only perpleXing.
There was almost as big a crowd on
the ground as there was at the flight
which did not come off on Monday. 1t
was perhaps not such a distinguished
crowd. for there were only few men,
berS of Congress there. One of these
was Capt. Richmond P. Hobson, who
watched the flights from the field and
talked over the need and the future pros
poets of aeroplanes with Maj. Squier OF
the Signal Corps.
When the cavalry came on the field
and turned back the spectators the big
machine was wheeled from its shed and
brought to the starting rail 1t was
then after . o'clock. There was only a
little wind. but what there was came
from the wrong direction That is to
say. it blew down the track. OrYilie
Wright had not flown in an aeroplane
since the accident at Fort Myer last
year. and there was slight ripple Of
applause as he came up to take his
place in the ayiators seat.
Seemed to Lack Vitality.
The weights were raised and Wilbur
stood at the end of the big plane, bal
ancing it with the touch of one. hand
and waiting the signal from his brother
to let go. There was an instant of sus-
pense. and then the machine started
down the track. its propellers whirling.
but seeming to lack the vitality that
had marked the flights Of the old ma
chine.
The driver said that he felt some
thing wrong from the start At the end
of the rail he threw up his front planes
sharply. The machine responded only
for an instant and then it was seen
that it was leaning to one side and
slowing down. 1t described short
curve to the right, and. settling in a
| cloud of dust with the propellers still
revolving. swung around almost fac
| ing the Starting point 1t was the frst
| time an American crowd had ever seen
| the Wrights fail on start, and it
| looked though something must be
seriously wrong.
| There was a half start forward OF the
crowd in the fear that the operator had
been hurt. But he cut off the engine and
crawled out of the seat. smiling.
| The machine was rot injured. either. be-
yond Il small rip il the canvas OF one
! wing point. This was speedily repaired.
and the machine was set on the trucks
and started back. This was unexpected
| by the crowd. and there was burst OF
| hand ciapping and footing OF automo-
| bile horns 10 signify the appreciation Of
4 the aviator's pluck in trying il again
/ Probably the Wrights did not rap
| about the applause and were not trying
| again for the satisfaction of the crowd
4 but for their own satisfaction TO find out
| what was the matter
Second Attempt Made.
They put the machine on the rail again
and Orville went personally over all the
pulleys of the starting device and oiled
them up. He said that he did not know
| just what was he matter. but that the
engine was developing only about halt
power and the wind AT his back helped
to deaden even this.
There was another start made with nc
| better results. The machine was not in
jured. but the flight was just about the
| same. 100 yards. Then Wilbur triec
Il cIa 70 iob Tn 10 IN