Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1909-10-09
From Governors Island to
Grants Tomb and Back
20 MILES IN SO min. SO SEC.
Aviator Was Greeted by Wild Cheers
From WarshIps and Banks of the
River When He Established a New
Record For Aeropianes.

New York, Oct. 5.--An aeroplane
dashed past the white dome of Grants
tomb then, turning gracefully In mid
air over the waters of the Hudson
shot like a falcon back to Governors
Island, ten miles away. Wilbur Wright
of Dayton, o., thus placed his name in
the rank with Hudson and Fulton in
one of the most spectacular feats in
the history of aeronautics.
Over the mass of warships, from
whose decks the hoarse cheers of the
sailors were borne up to him in his
elevated seat, he few for twenty
miles-ten miles up and ten miles
back-remaining in the air for thirty
three minutes and thirty-three seconds
and alighting at the aerodrome with
out mishap.
Business Suspended During Flight.
During the fight business was prac.
tically at standstill in all that part
of Manhattan from which view OF
his remarkable performance was avail
able. Harbor craft shrieked their ap
plause, cheer after cheer swept VI
from the banks of the Hudson and the
lower baylor the Dayton aviator had
made good" GROWING the aviation
program of the Hudson-Fulton cele
bration with a record.
Almost indistinguishable against the
gray banked clouds, the machine soar
ed past old Castle Williams and soon
entered the canon made by the giant
sskyscrapers of Manhattan Island and
the Jersey hills. At this point the
aeroplane was flying at height OF
nearly 200 feet, but unexpected air cur
rents caused by the great buildings
moved the aviator to bring his craft
closer to the water. fitting the elevat
ing rudder, he slowly brought the ma
chine down. sloping gradually until he
was but bare hundred feet above the
footing ferryboats and the busy river
traffic. His motor was churning as
regularly as a clock and, settling him
self in his seat, he sped onward UP
the river.
Over the warships of four great pow
-ers he passed, his progress marked by
cheers from the sailors of his own
country and those of Great Britain
Germany, France and Italy. The blue
jackets lined the rails of their ships
and gazed in wonderment at the little
craft above them, perhaps thinking
vaguely that some day it might rem
der their own monster fighting ma
chimes obsolete.
Returned at High Speed.
When the air vessel reached the
British cruiser Argyll. anchored an
eighth Of a mile above Grants tomb.
Wright brought his direction rudders
into play, and descending an easy and
graceful curve, started on his return
journey down the river. The wind con
ditions which had bothered him on the
Journey up were now more favorable
and 1t was here that the speed posi-
bllities of the machine were demon
strated. While the ten miles up the
stream occupied nearly twenty min
utes, the return flight was made in
little more than thirteen minutes, OF
at rate approximately of fortytwo
miles an hour.
Among the first to extend his con
CALCULATIONS was Major General Leon
ard Wood, U. S. A., commanding the
department of the east. who had been
an interested spectator. Other army
officers also warmly shook the aviator
by the hand, exclaiming: ut was a
splendid performance; | congratulate
you"
American and foreign naval officers
gathered here who witnessed Wilbur
Wright's flight up the Hudson, while
impressed with the manner in which
the aviator controlled his craft, are
nevertheless of the opinion that the
machine would be an easy target for
sshrapnel fired from the big guns. This
was the view taken by Commander
Sims, of the Minnesota, who pointed
out that an aviator out of gun range
would be equally out of position to
drop a projectile on a battleship.
Glad Leper Got Away.