The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-08-03
GREAT TRIUMPH
Aviator Makes Ten mile Flight
Carrying Passenger.
ALL RECORDS BROKEN

| GN6ko bheS1SpH W
The Younger of the Two Famous
Brothers Accomplishes the Most
Difficult Flight Ever Planned for
an Aeroplane, and Meets Success
fully the Final Test.
A special dispatch from WASH
ington says last Friday evening
orville Wright attained the zenith
of hard earned success. In ten
mile cross-country flight in the IA
nous aeroplane, built by himself
and his elder brother, Wilbur ana
ACCOMPANIED by Lieut.. Benjamin
n Foulois, an intrepid officer of the
army signal corps, he not only sur
nassed the speed requirements OF MS
contract with the United States gov
ernment, but accomplished the most
difficult and daring flight ever plan
ned for a heavier-than-air flying ma
chine. Incidentally he broke all
speed records over "a measured
course. And he established beyond
dispute the practicability OF an
aeroulane in time of peace and IN
time of war.
His speed was over AZ miles an
hour; he made the ten-mile hlght
from Fort Myer and back in IA
minutes and forty-two seconds, in
cluding the more than twenty Sec
onds required for the turn beyond
the line at Shutter Hill, the south
ern end of the course. He attained
| q height in crossing the valley OF
Four Mile Run of nearly 500 feet,
and the average altitude OF his
practically level course was about
200 feet above the ground.
President Taft, who had become
an enthusiastic spectator Of the
aeroplane trials, although two years
ago when Secretary Of War, he Is
said to have expressed to officers
| profound scepticism as to the ac-
complishment of such feat as that
of which he saw the completion, ar
irving upon the parade grounds at
Fort Myer just in time to see the
aeroplane land and to participate In
the wild demonstration which wei
coined the triumphant ayiators., He
sent an officer to pear his congrat-
ulations to the victors.
A terrific wind and rain storm
early in the afternoon seemed proVi-
dentally provided |, clear and quiet
the atmospheric .ynditions in pre-
paration for the fight, which was
delayed only by the failure, Of the
army field telegraph line from Fort
Myer to Shutter Hill. 1t was still
out of commission when Orville
Wright, seizing the moment of the
best weather conditions he had yet
had for the speed test, had the ma
chine placed on the starting rail and
gave the motor a final test.
The engine worked perfectly, and
| the crowd seemed to realize that an
epoch-making moment was at hand.
They pressed forward against the
| lines, which held them back breath
less, intense, eagerly watching every
movement of the aviator and his ma
chine. The signal corps detail
hoisted the great weight in the start
ing derrick which gives the machine
its initial impulse.
Lieut.. Foulois, 1.-THE, wiry, brown
as berry, in his khaki uniform and
leggings, at sign from Orville,
climbed into the passengers seat
beside the motor. Wilbur ana
Charley Taylor, the Wrights' me
chanician," took their places at the
propellers. Orville turned on the
sparker of the motor, and they
whirled the blades around. The mo-
tor picked up the impetus, Orville
turned on the speed, and for the first
time the propellers Of the Wright
aeroplane We're whi1r1ng at their
maximum. capacity.
The smooth and even song of
the engine aroused the crowd to ex-
cited cheering. Orville clambered
into his seat and gripped the levers.
Wilbur, at nod from his brother,
slipped the cable which released
the weight, the aeroplane shot down
the track rose before it reached the
end, and skinned over the surface
of the ground for a hundred feet or
more
AS if drawn up by invisible pow
erS, the whitc-winged man-bird rose
higher and higher, reached the end
of the field, turned at slight angle,
and faced about.
Climbing up as it were on the air,
higher and yet higher, Orville
brought the macine at great speed
once again fully round the field.
Then with a short turn he swept
about and started southwark over
the center of the drill field.