The Democratic advocate., 1909-08-27
Big FIELD FOR AIRSHIPS
GOVERNMENT PREPARING splendid
AERODROME AT COLLEGE, PARK
Maryland Town VIII Soon Be Center
Of Attraction

College Park, the seat OF the Mary
land Agricultural College. will soon
be occupying space on the iirst pages
of all the daily papers throughout the
country, aud In the next six months
Will get lot OF free advertising. The
United States Government has Just
leased i60 acres at that place TO be
used as a training ground for officers
OF the army and navy ia the use Of
the Wright aeroplane, recently pur-
chased by the government The land
is we'll adapted to this work. being
perfectly level and free from trees.
The shed for housing the flying
machines Is nearly completed, and
Wilbur Wright will be there next
week 10 begin hiB Instructions.
The land is being cleared by the
owners, but the Government Il TO pay
for building the aeroplane shed and
for the erection oi starting tower
which Will be placed IN the very cen
ter OF the tract Al Fort Myer, on
account OF restricted area. the mono
rail was az the north end Of the field
At College Park the tower will have
starting uonorails running from Il
toward various points of the cOnpasa
50 rs to enable the practicing aero
planists 20 start against the wind
from any direction and this Will avoid
moving the munoraIl to suit Il 10 wind
direction. While the lease sets forth
taAt the tract contains 100 acres more
or less. the actual acreage OF the Geld.
according 70 plated metes and
bounds le between $50 and 300 acres.
The army IL now seeking bids for
the erection Of the Aeropiane shed,
the construction of which will be
started within a few days The Sig.
nal Corps officers 10 be sent there
Lsutenhnte Lahm and Foulois, and
Lieutenant Humphries. Of the Engin-
eer Corps. who will Join in the prae.
tice stunte--wiii live on the grounds
along With large force OF Signal
Corps men and cayRlrymen. who will
b. sent from Fort Myer 20 College
Park and viii camp there IN tents
during the period In which Wilbur
Wright viii instruct the army ofilcera
The cayairyman will be used In polic.
ing the field iuat ~ AZ Fort Myer, and
u would be lmpracticable 10 have
these mounted soldiers return all the
way 70 Fort Nyer after each days ny.
lng. Officers are nov negotiating for
boarding places At College Park.
beaidea the Wright ReFoplane. Il IL
probable that several other machines
Will be- Riven a trial. j. ~ sntidiey
a Washington aviator. has put tbs
finishing touches on a monoplans
which he has constructed along Origi,
nal lines. and Will try his machine
over the new government field.
Smidley'H tnonoplane Ia a counter.
part of glidera With which he has
made gliding fiightg II II aies II will
be the ilrat successful mouoplans
built In the United States The ma.
chine weighs go pounds. has an tE.
horsepower two-eyilndor motor whici
drives an ssfoot tw0.bladed propeller
and tho frame IL built % bamboo
There are tao huge horizontally ex,
tended wings for the support Of the
craft. and n small plane Ia front and
a aemIclrcuior tail Tor stability
u. A. 0rme, another Washington
aviator, who has hiplane. dltferlna
Ia design from that Of the wrights
also Intends 10 make trial flights IN
the near future Tho army field al
College Park II 20 be put at the dis
pOaal Of those aylatora who desirs
to teAt their machines under the muai
favorable conditions.
Every opportunity win be given IN,
vsntors TO try their machines oyei
the government course. and there will
probably be n number of applicants
These tests Will draw great many
visitors 10 College Park II IN easily
accessible from Baltimore or Wash.
lngton, being about s miles from III,
latter.