Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-07-31
Zenith of Hard Earned Sue
cess In Epoch Making
Twenty Mile Flight With
Passenger.
GREAT HEIGHT
rs REACHED.
Excited Crowd Witnessed
Pcrformance-Taft An
Interested Spectator. /.

-
Washington, ID. c., July 31.-Or-
vile Wright last evening attained
the zenith OF hard-eamed success.
In II ten-milo cross country flight I'm
the famous aeroplane built by HIM
self and his elder brother, Wilbur,
and accompanied by Lieutenant Ben
Jamin ID. Foulois an intrepid olncer
of tho Army Signal Corps, ho not
only surpassed the speed require
m2nts OF his contract with,,ac U1is.
ed states government but accom-
plished the most daring and 1idcplt
ever planned for heavier than air
dying machine. Incidentally. he
broke all speed records over meas
ured course. And he established
beyond dispute the practlcability Of
an aeroplane in time OF pea2e and IN
time OF war.
His speed was over forty-two m.ied
an hour; ho made the ten-miie flight
from Fort Niger and back I'm fourteen
minutes and AZ seconds, including
the more .han tewnty seconds requir
ed for uhe turn beyond tho line at
Shuterhill, the southern end OF the
course. He attained a height In
crossing the valley OF -Four Mile Rum
of nearly 500 feet and tho average
altitude of his practically level
course was about 200 feet above the
ground.
President Taft, who has become an
enthusiastic spectator OF the aero
plane trials, although two years ago
when secretary of war he IL said TO
have expressed profound skepticism
as TO the accomplishment Of such q
feat as that Of which he say the COM
plction, arrived upon ;lho parade
ground at Fort Myer just In time to
see the acroplanc laad and TO partl-
cipatc in tho Wild demonstration
which welcomed the triumphant ayla-
tors. He sent an officer 10 bear HIS
congratulations 10 the victors.
terrific wind ald rain storm
early In the afternoon seemed provl-
dentially provided TO clear and quiet
the atmospheric conditions i'm pre-
paration for thc Gght, which was de-
layed only by tho failure Of the army
field telegraph line from Fort Myer
80 Shutcrhill. IL was still out of
commission when Ovillo Wright,
selling the moment OF the best
weather conditions he had yet had
for tho speed test, had tho machine
placed on the starting rail ald gave
the motor Onal test.
The engine worked perfectly. and
thc crowd seemed to realiz6 that an
eEoch-maklng moment was af hand.
They pressed forward against tho
lines which held them back, breath
less. intense, eagerly watching every
movement OF tho aviator and his ma
chine. Tho signal corps detail
hoistcd the great weight i'm the START
ing derrick which gives the machllO
IT'S initial impetus.
Orvillo wright inspected PERSONAL
~ every detail of preparation. Will
bu, walked about ncryously. inspsot-
Ing each minute particular or tho
mechanism upon whose ndeIity de-
pended bids brothers life. Miss Kath-
cr.na wright tho devoted sister,
mado litJo conccalmcnt OF her ex-
element Indeed sho was ono Of
tho group which crowded so close TO
tho machine as tha crucial moment
drcw near, that wilbur was CONF
Doilcd TO ask thcm TO step back.
Lieut.. Fouloi5. 1.-the. wiry. brown
as q berry, in his khaki uniforms
and lcggings, at q sign from Orvillc,
climbed into Tho passengers seat b..
side 'ho motor wilbur and Charley
Taylor. uho Wrights mercnaniciap.
took their places nj tho propcIlcrs.
OruIc turned tho sparksr of tho mo-
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