Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-02
CHOSEN FOR A|RSH|PS
Training Ground at College
Park Will Be Selected.
Is BETTER THAN TT. MYER
Tract of 1874 Acres May Be Secured
by the Government.
ON LINE OF B. & o. RAILROAD
Wright Brothers in Dayton, Await
ing Decision of the War Depart
ment Regarding Site.
IS BETTER THAN TT. MYER
ON LINE OF B. & o. RAILROAD

College Park. Maryland. has practically
been selected by the War Department as
| the training ground for the officers who
will manage the heavier than-air ma
chine purchased from the Wrights, and
Wilbur Wright will be the instructor.
The two officers to he trained will be
Lieuts Frank P Lahm and Benjamin D.
Foulois
The training ground has not yet been
rented but it is better thought of than
any of the other places that have
been inspected. Orville Wright has been
over it and says that it is good deal
better than Fort Myer as a flying ground.
In fact, it is better than any of the
ground the government owns at Omaha.
AS the department does not want to send
the aeroplane away from Washington, the
ground will be chosen near the city.
There is a tract of about 1874 acres
near College Park from which a few
trees will be removed. but aside from
this there is no clearing to be done be-
yond cutting off some of the under
brush. There is chance for circular
flight of something over 5000 feet, and
the ground is about half mile long on
the straight. AS soon as the officers get
so proficient in aerial navigation that
they can go over few trees there are
two other open spaces close by where
they can circle in trial fights with
~ hoI win fo
try.
The machine proved on its fight to
Alexandria that it is capable of going
over considerably worse country than
any of the foreign airships have yet at
tempted, and the College Park ground will
give the officers chance to do some toll
! erably wide flying. more nearly under
service conditions than anything that has
been done abroad.
Distant Ten Miles.
The ground at College Park is about ten
miles from the War Department, is out
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and
can be reached by some of the Washing
ton street cars. No announcement will
be made as to the time of flight during
the training of the officers. Wilbur Wright
will return to Washington some time next
week. Orville Wright expects to go to
Germany almost Immediately to wind UP
the contract with the German syndicate
there, and If Wilbur is i'll Washington at
the time Of Orville's departure the latter
will stop here for a day OF two.
Arrangements have been made by the
War Department for getting such extra
pieces of the aerOplane as may need to be
renewed from the Wright shop in Day
ton. Later on it is possible the War De-
partment may be in position to do It's
own work In this line, but the chances
| are that for some time to come 1t will
purchase the needed parts Of the machine
! 1t is hoped by the officials that there Will
not be many such purchases to be made
| the ground where the flights are to be
made being tolerably level and soft.
The cost of the new machine will figure
| out to the government just about fouI
times what the Wrights propose charging
| for individual aeroplanes, but it is ex-
planned by the War Department that at
the time the contract with the Wrights
was made ii was impossible to buy for
any amount of money heavier-than-all
machine which would do all the things the
| Wright machine has proved capable of
! doing.
| Await Selection of Training Site.
! Pending the selection of site by the
| officers of the Signal Corps, in which he
! is to train the embryo admirals Of the
heavier-than-air division OF the United
| States aerial fleet Wilbur Wright left
| Washington yesterday afternoon for Day
ton, Ohio, where he will assist his
brother in getting ready for the German
trip. The Wrights are business men as
| we'll as aeronauts, and are anxious to
get their patents and their machines on
the market both foreign and domestic
as soon as possible. Wilbur could not
afford to wait around Washington several
days while the Signal Corps officers
picked out an aerial training ground.
Before leaving for Dayton Wilbur went
out to Fort Myer and thanked the mem
bers of the Signal Corps and others who
had aided him in his tests. and cautioned
the detail of men who sleep In a tent
next to the aeroplane shed, to see that
! nothing happens to the machine. The
aeroplane which flew over the hills to
Alexandria and back as II 1t were an ami
mated object is now locked up in a
shed to protect it from curious persons
and curio seekers who might think that
small section of the great machine
would be an interesting and valuable
souvenir.
During the tests few skids or runners
were broken, and the pieces of wood were
seized with avidity by the spectators,
who had them made into penholders. pic
ture frames, rulers and other small ar
ticles.
Contingent Upon the Weather.
Wilbur Wright will return to Washing
| ton in time to begin the instruction of
| Lieuts Foulois and Lahm next Monday,
weather permitting This weather
| permitting will he an ever present pro-
| viso during the lessons as it was dur
| Ing the tests. No chances will be taken
Of breaking the machine. Wilbur does
| not care to run the risk of complcati cns
| in his contract, by smashing the machine
which now practically belongs to the
| government. Lieuts. Lahm and Foulois
| have also a good reason to be very care
! full of the aeroplane.
| According to the ethics of the military
| profession, an aeroplanist must look after
| his areoplane just as trooper looks after
| his horse or in the navy a captain looks
| after his ship. Even with themselves as
| one factor of the equation. the Signal
| Corps leutenants will reason that the
| aeroplane is, from a military standpoint
more valuable than a man. because the
army has plenty of men. but only one
| aeroplane. As one officer remarked, If
anything happens they will go down with
! the ship.
/ SIX MONTHS FOR ET,GTE