The Washington herald., 1909-07-29

President Taft and 1900 other persons
who haven't done quite so we'll in Wash
ington. went out 70 Fort 8Iyer yesterday
expecting TO see Orville Wright
with Lieut., BENJAMIN D. Foulois beside
him In lis biplane. make the spectacular
speed flight 70 Alexandria and return
the second and last Of the two Official
tests required under the terms Of the
government contract.
Instead. the President and the other
1900 wended their way back 10 Wash
ington in the cleaning. considerably the
worse for dust. perspiraton. and general
discomfort. and with nothing 10 talk
about but the fcltleness OF the winds and
the uncharitable disposition OF whatever
Il Is that causes them.
Balloons in Position.
Everything was ready for the test. The
brothers wanted 10 make it II conditions
were favorable. The small cylindrical
balloons-two OF them. 70 be used as
narkers-had been carried 70 the three
mile point and 10 the end Of the outward
run on Shooters Hul. AS the afternoon
wore on and the wind showed symptoms
% hamilton they were even sent up in
the air at the end Of anchor lines. In
that position they were dimly visible
from Fort llyer, the three-miIe one show
ing against the sky ike a short. fat.
yellow pencil, and the other, five miles
away. looking very indistinct-a mere
optical rumOr.
The President arrived at o'clock.
Keeping a weather eye cut for signs or
life down al the aeroplane shed. he en-
gagged in a deep and thoughtful con-
versatiOn with Senator Aldrich and Rep
resentative P8yne in his tent at the head
OF the field The Presidents face was
a serious study FOR minutes az a time.
Later. when Capt A. W Butt his mil
itary aid passed MIN some soda crack
ers. the President took them with evil
dent satisfaction, passed them on 10 his
two legislative companions. and ate heart
iIy.
Also on the MOnOrau.
Nearly an hour and a half after the
Chief Executive had appeared upon the
field. the biplane was brought up from
the aeroplane shed and adjusted over
the monOrsH. Presently up walked Or
Vile and Wilbur Wright. with Lieut..
FoulOis. There was conference be-
tween Wilbur and Maj. George o.
SQuier. Of the Signal Corps. II soon be-
came evident. on account Of the increas-
ing darkness, that the. flight 10 Alex
andria could not be made but prepara-
tions went on for an exhibition, run
with the two men in the machine.
AT this junCUre the engine took q
hand in the proceedings. and by hold
ing a stray piece of foreign matter IN
its gasoline nOw, caused one OF the four
| cylinders 10 show evidences of collie.
The engine was started several times,
tinkered with. stopped. and started.
About this time the President lost cour-
age The White House automobile was
/ brought around in front Of his tent. and
with Gen. Clarence r. Edwards and
Capt. Butt. he got in, ready 70 go home.
Then II looked again as II the blplane
were going 10 make a brief flight, and
the President waited But the engine was
still coughing. There was a hustle OF
preparation TO take the biplane back 10
the shed. and President Taft had his
homeward-boUnd pennant hoisJed al the
mast head
wind Il at an Angle.
Wilbur and Orville both explained after
ward what the trouble was The wind
was blowing az the rate Of about ten
miles an hour down below. and about
twelve miles up aIoft Not only that,
but IL was blowing almost directly across
the line OF flight. II il had been blowing
either north or south the speed flight
probably would have been attempted
But coming from the east il would have
cut down the speed OF the biplare con-
siderably-from one and one-half TO two
miles an hour. as Wilbur figured It.
"That would have made a difference Of
several Thousand dollars IN the money
we expect to receive from the govern
ment." said Wilbur. and naturally We
didn't want 20 make the flight on such
a palpSbly lCslng basis. When we had
the machine brought up from the shed
we thought the wind was going 10 die
down and had an idea we should have
time 20 pull or the test. Later we knew
we could DO nothing more than make a
short flight That was prevented by the
faulty action OF the engine. which, how
ever. can be remedied in fifteen minutes
by cleaning out the gasoline pipes"
VIII Try TO Fly To-day.
The speed flight viii be made this aft
ernoon II weather and wind are right
The largest crowd that has ever gone
out to Fort Myer for anything any time
Inod the parade ground yesterday after
noon. Row after row of humanity ranged
I back from the ropes. so that on the north
end and half way down both Sides not a
cre,ice appeared in the masse6 phalanxes.
Back Of TIE crowd and down the Ar
IHngton Cemetery side hundreds Of auto
mobiles GTed with people were standing.
/ In the drill ground on ths aorth end they
were packed eight 2nG ten deep. the
rauying points for parties including such
persons as Vice President sherman. Sec
retcry OF state Knox. Secretary CT War
I Dickinson. Secretary Of Commerce and
( Labor Ncgel. Attorney General Wicker