The sun., 1909-06-29
The NRIGHTS DIDN'T FLY
TEST CALLED OFF on ACCOUNT
OF A FITFUL BREEZE.

!, Many Senators, Representative, DIP
lomats and Government Ofiicers, Dis
appointed After waiting for Hours.
WASHINGTON. June 2s.--After several
thousand people. including many Soma
tors, Representatives, diplomats and
prominent officials Of the Government.
had waited at Fort Myer for hours the
first real breese Warrington and vicinity
has known for many days sprang up and
the preliminary test Of the Wright aero-
plane was called OF at $50 o'clock this
evening. It was much disappointed
and vexed crowd that started homeward
with . rush to belated dinners, but the
Wright brothers were unperturbed and
declared that under the weather oondi-
tions they could never have run the risk
OF accident In the fitful bfeeze that blew
across the drill ground. Preparations
had all been made for the flight.
Throughout the earlier part OF the day
conditions were perfect. There was
hardly a breath OF air. and before noon
the Wrights announced that they would
mako a flight. Word was sent to town
by those In charge OF the performance.
The Senate adjourned early. The House
was in session only a few minutes. and
both Senators and Representatives
hocked to Fort Myer. They wanted to
SEQ the famous aeroplane. and the officers
Of the army in charge were anxious that
they should be impressed for with some
definite idea Of the wonders Of the Wright
machine In their minds the legislators
would be moro likely to grant appropria-
tions for aeronautics. The failure Of the
Wrights to fly to-day turned out to be a
bit OF q joke on these who asked tho Sena-
tors and Representatives to visit Fort
Myer.
Tho flight was expected to begin at 4
o'clock. but the machine was not taken
out OF its shed at the far end Of the drill
ground until nearly o'clooki In the
meantime q great crowd had gathered
about the field, which was roped or. The
machine was taken on trucks to the start
ing derrick, which had becn erected at
the end nearest the buildings OF Fort
Myer and within two hundred feet OF row
OF tents erected tor the protection OF the
Senators. Representatives. and diplomats.
The weird looking craft was finally put
In place, and then followed the exasperat-
ing delay. The two brothers and G. Il.
Taylor, their mechanic, worked over the
machine, but seemed unable TO get II in
Just the right position on tho framework
from which IL was to fly into the air, pro-
pelled by the engine and by the falling
Of the great weight attached to the start
ing derrick.
First OF all Orville Wright found that
he needed some tool in the aeroplano shed.
three-e ghths OF a mile away. He calmly
walked after it and returned In the same
required and private Of the Signal Corps
started for tho shed on the run. The heat
was too great, however. and he soon
slowed down and walked the rest OF tho
way to the shed and all the way back.
This took lot OF time and was vexatious
TO the Congressman. but there wore groans
OF mock agony e few minutes later when
Wilbur Wright left the machine and star fed
for the shed. Ho walked leisurely and as
though he had not a care on earth. He
returned with q rope two or three feet
long. which he swung idly in his hand.
Wilbur's return was very slow and he
stopped now and then to look around at
westward and "a glance at the anemoneter
which revolved over the aeroplane shed.
When he finally got back to the machine
he sat down and talked with Orville and
Taylor. They looked at the sky now
and again, but worked no moreNwith the
machine There had been q few drops
Of rain. but not eaough to interfere, and
the storm was plainly going clear around
Fort Myer. But a breeze sprang up
and the two brothers apparently were
concerned about It. So they. sat down
again and waited to see what would
happen Wilbur explained that the
breeze was too puffy to undertake q
nj Al
soItherly or should die out entirely
with the setting OF the sun the flight
would be made. But the breeze did not
die down, nor did it become any more
steady, and so the machine was rolled
back to the aeroplane shed.
Many Senators and Representatives
were unceremoniously turned back by
refined their horses in front OF persons.
no matter how important, who tried to
eet neafer the machine. Senator Aldrich
was there early in tAe day and tried TO
make his way to the aeroplane shed
before the machine was taken out. A
cent word by an orderly to the officers
in charge asking that he be permitted to
see the machine. Word came back that
those in charge were very sorry, but the
Senator could not see the machine at
that time.
Brig Gen. James Allen chief signal
officer the big boss Of the whole show.
| tried to get to the aeroplane shed in an
automobile. The General was not in
uniform and was stopped, He had a
hard time getting through the lines, but
finally did 30.
Later in the afternoon when it was
clear that there would be no flight imne-
diately. as the Wrights were waiting for
the breezes to behave. Major Squier OF
the signal Corps invited a number OF
Senators TO 60 down to the starting der
rick and view tho machine. This led
to q general attempt on the part Of the
crowd to break through the linee. Many
OF those who wanted to get through were
Senators and Representatives. Many OF
them succeeded and others failed, The
prevalence OF Senators was such that
one trooper on patrol was heard to say to
another:
Senators in my life before.
Wilbur Wright was plainly vexed by
gathered about the machine even when
he was not working on II. He said that
the crowd was fretful and that over In
Europe II the crowd got fretful he rolled
the machine back to its shed.
After a. decision not to ny had been
reached a crowd surrounded Wilbur
Wright and got him to talk. Some one
told him erroneously that the Senate
had adjourned for the purpose OF giving
the Senator'S an opportunity to sec the
machine in flight. Wilbur said:
THAT was ridiculous thing for the
Senate to do. We intended to make the
flight. but could not be sure that we
would do 90. We would take no risks.
hi kHs l., l.