The Washington herald., 1909-07-14

In two unsuccessful attempts at fight
yesterday afternoon at Fort Myer, Orville
Wright travelled a total OF 600 yards and
remained IN the elr only fifty seconds.
From the point OF view OF the small
crowd Of spectators the flights were a
distinct failure. From the point Of view
Of Wilbur and Orville Wright IN their
role OF preliminary experimenters, the
trials were merely nluminatfve The
crowd said: a bas.' The Wright
brothers said: That's Just exactly what
we wanted 10 find out"
Apparently. the weather conditions were
ideal. After a storm OF unusual intensity
OF rain and wind the sky suddenly cleared
and the sun looked out on a breathlcss,
windless. cloudless. muddy world
Shortly before o'clock the Wright
brothers decided the weather's contrition
was genuine. and gave orders for the re-
noval OF the aeroplane from the shed 10
khe mOnoran.
Engine Warmed Up.
At not quite 6:15 o'clock the engine was
started to warm it I'D. and was allowed
10 run for several minutes. In which time
it showed perfect steadiness and every
evidence Of power. Orviue climbed into
the operators seat, settled himself, and
at $40 O'Clock pulled the releasing lever
and shot down the track under the I'm
pulse OF the falling weight.
AS the machine left the monoraH It
evidently lacked confidence. and seemed
to have barely enough sustaining force
70 raise it IN the air. Orville humored
Il. teasing It gradually of the ground.
About fifty feet from the end Of the track
the right wing tip swung suddenly down
ward and scraped the grass AS the
flyer rose to an altitude OF fifteen feet
and struggled on its way down the field.
Il was seen 10 be suffering and III at ease
As II approached the south end OF the
parade ground It slanted suddenly to-
ward the earth. The engine stopped.
There was q nOiseless contact with the
muddy field, and the machine came to a
stop without a Jar. The flight lasted
twenty seconds.
Wilbur dedicated himself TO a leisurely
Journey down 20 the landing place to see
what the trouble was. while Orville was
seen 10 get out and examine the engine
Finally the machine was lifted and the
boilers were placed under Il, and the slow
progress back to the starting derrick was
commenced.
Tho second flight was commenced al
S;44;4O o'clock. and lasted forty seconds.
This time the first symptoms were the
same, with the machine IN evident dis
tress. unwilling 10 leave the ground many
feet and finally dartng down at the
south end Of the field under the guidance
OF the operator. Orville. however, had
his hands so full governing the manner
Of the landing that he neglected TO stop
the engine, and for a distance OF sixty
ffrrr~ a.
chine scrGped forward under the force Of
its propellers.
The unexpected strain on the skids was
too much, and the runner on the left side
was broken. The repairs VIII require a
day, according to Wilbur. and may make
a flight this afternoon impossible. The
flyer was considerably splattered with
mud from the soggy field. but. aside from
lhe broken skid, was uninjured.
Slight Wind Blamed.
Wilbur Wright attributed the failure OF
the machine 10 make a successful hisht
TO the fact that there was a slight wind.
and that II was blowing In the direction
the flyer was forced 10 take IN leaving
the mOnoralL It was evident in the early
trial flights, ten days before, tbat on &C
count Of the smaller canvas area of
this machine, the drop OF The weight
gave the flyer barely enough start 70
take the air and rise under the sustain |
Ing power due 10 its speed.
Yesterday afternoon. according TO VIII
bur, whatever wind there was was blow
ing in the direction OF the aeroplane's |
Hight, and subtraoted a certain amount /
from the sustaining influence OF the |
planes. Like the prOverbial inch on the |
end Of mans nose, little bit went a /
long way. and the machine was deprived |
OF Just enough strength 10 take the air |
successfully.
Several lessons were indicated By the
attempts at fight. II the field had been !
larger and the machine had had a /
chance TO get up speed before attempt |
ing to turn, the flights would have been |
successful II the drop OF the falling /
weight had been greater the getaway |
would have been all right. II the engine |
had been adjusted 20 give more nearly It's 4
full power, the negative effect Of the |
wind would not have been prohibitive. II 1
the machine had been able 70 fly straight 1
away, It could have gotten I'D speed 4
and taken the air successfully. The trou- I
bic was that Orville knew the turn would /
have a distinctly retarding effect. ana 4
decided IL was inadvisabIe 70 attempt II /
with the machine as nl-sustained as # 4
was.
The aeroplane situation IS coming 10 a /
head While tho Wright brothers. COM
monty called the champions OF the air,
are experimenting with their latest ma
chine at Fort Myer, two men IN France
are pressing them hard for their honors.
On the car coming back from the scene
Of yesterdays attempts at flight Wilbur
was shown a newspaper article telling OF
a flight Of twenty-eight miles made by NJ.
Bleriot. the noted French aeronaut, IN
his monopiane. According to the article
the fight lasted ffty-six minutes. and
was made at Etamps, France At the
same time an article was shown to WI
bur giving an account Of the latest trials II
OF NJ Henri Latham at Calais, France II
preparatory TO attempting a flight across II
the English Channel
Wilbur was not very enthusiastic over
the feats Of the Frenchmen. although he
admitted NJ Bleriot had made a good
flight In regard to the statement that
BleriOt's trip across the country estab-
lshed q worlds record, inaSTnueh as the II
fights OF the Wright brothers. although
some OF them were longer, were made In
circuits. Wilbur said:
''In gaIging the Importance Of Blerfors
flight, YOU must not forget that the cOun-
try over which Il was made IS as level as
Pennsylvania avenue. II IS perfectly
horizontal, TILED ground, devoid OF ridges,
gullieS, trees. OF other distractions
Orville spoke IN the same vein
Flights Are Difficult.
The flights our aeroplane is making
above the parade ground at Fort NIyer,"
be said are really more difficult than
those Of Bleriot over twenty-eight miles
of straight-away country in France.
When our machine passes over the aero