The San Francisco call., 1909-07-28
0rviIIe Wright, With Passenger
Remains in Air Hour IL
Minutes 40 Seconds
Travels Twice the Distance
Across the English Channel
in Perfect Flight
Could Have Remained AIOff for
Another Hour If He Had
So Desired
Given Great Ovation and Most
Warmly Congratulated by
President Taft
ISp.ciql Dispatch to TIL. Cali

.VVTASHINGTON, July r.
w Bully for you, brother; it was
" beautiful This was the
greeting of Miss Catherine Wright as
she embraced her brother, Orville,
when he and a fellow passenger
alighted from his airship at Fort
Myer this afternoon, after breaking
the worlds record for time and dis
tance President Taft, who witnessed
the flight. fastened to extend his
felicitations.
Il congratulate you heartily, sir
said the president warmly. 1T was
a great exhibition"
The remarkable achievement was
heralded by a deafening chorus of
automobile horns, enthusiastic cheers
and shouts of JOY. Wright was deep
ly touched by the ovation that greeted
his descent
For l hour Y minutes and 40 sec
onds, covering so miles, more than
twice the distance across the English
channel, Wright navigated the higher
atmosphere Seated beside him was
Lieutenant Frank p Lahm of the
army signal corps. Thus was COM
pleted the first OF two tests imposed
by the government. With today's per-
formance Wright fulfilled the endur-
ance requirements. A fight for speed
will be made tomorrow. in which the
aviator. accompanied by Lieutenant
Benjamin Foulers of the signal corps.
will sail 10 Alexandria, Va.
The former record was made last
year in France by Wilbur Wright. who.
with Professor Paintove of the French
institute as companion. remained
in the air 1 hour 8 minutes and so
seconds Wilbur Wright was an eager
spectator of todays triumph.
Forty Miles an Hour
Seventy-four times Wright circled
the drill grounds today. cutting through
the air at rate of 40 miles an hour.
The test required an hours flight AS
the watches clicked OF the time. a
great cheer went up from the crowd
that had assembled. President Taft
led in the demonstration as he watched
the graceful craft sweep with easy and
perfect poise about the corners of the
field. After Is minutes Wright de-
scended with beautiful dip. He.eould
have remained in air the full three
hours and a half the limit allowed
by the capacity of his gasoline supply
tank. 1t was almost dark when he
reached the earth and it was thought
advisable to postpone the second test
until today
Tragedy of Former Flight
Poignaney was added to OrviIls
wrighfs achievement by the realiza-
ton that upon his previous attempt
to navigate the air with passenger.
Lieutenant Selfridge was-killed and he
himself was terribly injured. His sis
ter. Miss Catherine Wright. anxiously
watched him and when he returned
unhurt from his fight. she embraced
him eagerly and said:
"Buliy for you. brother; it was beau
tifuL"
Congratulated by Taft
A few minutes later President Taft
took him warmly by the hand, saying:
'T-congratuIate you heartily. sir It
was a great exhibition You came
down as easily and gracefully as you
went up. You beat the worlds rec
ord"
~Yes. sir" replied orvilIe. evidently
embarrassed. Il beat my brothers
record.
How did your passenger conduct
himself? Did he talk to the motormang'
asked the president
~He behaved very WE'LL" replied the
aviator.
"wen, 1 congratulate both Of you
and I thank you for the privilege of
witnessing such a flight" added the
president.
Until o'clock the prospect of a
fight appeared very slight. A high
wind had prevailed all the afternoon.
and the apparently adverse conditions
undoubtedly kept away many hundreds
of people.
Round and round the aerOpIane went