The sun., 1909-06-30
THE WRIGHTS FLY LAMELY
FOUR room ATTEMPTS DUE
TO BAD IGNITION.

Orville Only Discovered the Treab,c =,
the End os the Last Flight and Laid
I Tito HIS Own Foollshness- Dwlndling
4 Crowd Watches \ Balky Aeropiane.
I WASHINGTON. June 2s.--Four times this
afternoon 0rville Wright in his aeroplane
nashed down the monorail on the drill
ground at Fort Myer. but not once did
he ny more than 600 or 700 yards, and at
the finish Of the last fight. which was
also the longest, he discovered what the
trouble was.
It was a simple defect and could easily
have been remedied had it been dis
covered before. The ignition was i'm
perfect and consequently there wss nc:
enough power to carry the craft through
tho air. The spark, said Orville, smiling
riefully. as he climbed out of his seat
at the end Of the last flight. slipped back
to zero. The lock on the igniter was
insecure. Orville said further that not
having discovered the cause OF the ma
chimes misbehavior was foolishness on
his part. s'
The nrst attempt at flight was made
before several thousand spectators at
about o'clock. The last was made
before few hundred persons at 7:4s
o'clock. The Wrights showed their game
ness to-day, and those who remained to
$50 them make trial after trial applauded
heartily their efforts to make the balky
craft do their bidding as other machines OF
exactly the same proportions and struc-
ture' had done at Fort Mycr last year and
in Europe this year.
A stiff breeze was blowing across the
Fort Myer drill ground all the forenoon
and early afternoon. The Wright
brothers spent the morning and early
afternoon riding in an army wagon over
the roads TO the south and west Of Fort
Myer where later they are to fly in the
Government tests. They came back to
the aeroplane about 3 O'Clock and with
their coming the wind died down.
Two hours later. after anxious glances
At the anemometer which registers the
speed Of the wind. Wilbur Wright said
he guessed they had better take the ma
chino to the other end Of the drill ground
and make ready for q start. The wind
ives still q bit stiff, and unfortunately was
at the back OF the machine as 1t rested on
it, monorail. The Wright want slight
brcese blowing into the machine. as that
gives the planes lifting power and enables
them 10 get we'll into the air as they shoot
od the monorail. propelled to thirty miles
an hour by the dropping Of 400 pound
weight and the power Of the two propel-
yu Ehich ~hiri rapidly in the after part
u tAa machine itself yss.,lA ,,ss "a -
Dyths tiHe tho nnschine Was set In place
% the monoraii and the rope attached 10
~ Naight the breeze had almost disap.
: pSAfed. The engine was started by Will
bur and Taylor. his mechanic. Each
srasped one OF the out turning propel-
lers and pulled it sharply downward. thus
cranking the engine. Orvllle watched
the working Of the engine carefully and
sent It to it's highest speed. and then
stopped Il. The mechanism seemed to
work perfectly and all was ready for the
fight.
A few more touches to the engine and
other parts Of the machine and the engine
was started again. Orville climbed into
his seat. The Signal Corps men and
officers who were assisting dropped back
and the two brothers from Dayton re-
manned alone with the aeroplane. Orville
ID the car and Wilbur standing on the right
erasping and steadying the lower plane,
which with all the rest ef- the machine
vibrated violently.
ID Orville moved one or two levers. Will
bur. anxious and intent. still holding on To
! the shaking canvass plane. looked under
the machine at the running gear. Or
vile turned his head in Wilbur's direction.
Wilbur nodded and Orville moved lever.
The engine was accelerated In speed and
there was steady roar in the four cylin-
dsrs. Orville glanced again at Wilbur.
Wilbur nodded once more and Orville
i reached down with his right hand and,
-unOved small lever. The machine was
yeloased from the binding clutch OF the
rope which was attached to the 1.4oo
pound weigh. IN the derrick, There was
an instant movement on the part OF the
3mschine and 1t rushed forward down the
! taonoraii on we'll oiled rollers and shot
W kutO opdSc' oiNHc nav stcduy III 'f
xspat and the aeroplane shot upward.
II She's on, all right said some one
i Aehind the car. but as he spoke the ma
Wine dipped and swerved TO the left. in
\ b direction OF the stables OF the artil-
NY and the cavalry. There was bit
~ . gasp among the crowd. but as the
Machine sank downward Orville quickly
! foht9ted his planes and rudders and there
! Ssas . slight turn upward. But the car
came down again badly tilted. The
,isht end Of the lower plane touched the
1round and again the machine went up
enisr the direction OF it's driver. for all
~ world like a wounded duck ating
: q the water with lame wing while it
tfies 70 rice In flight.
Again the plane hit the ground. This
Time II formed pivot. part Of 1t digging
downward while the machine cut sharp
Olfrls TO the right. turning three-quarters
I q tie way around. Orville shut on
the power and the machine came TO a
utandetill not moro than a hundred yards
{ frcm tts starting point.
Z AZ The machine tore It's way along the
around Wilbur Wright seemed very
abxious, but broke into broad grin when
- saM the machine settle safely and Or
vine climb from his seat 1t looked like
Il. G6od joke on sOrve,' as will calls
~ brother. The end OF the canvas plane
NJ