New-York tribune., 1909-10-04
CURTISS MAKES FLIGHT
AEROPLANE ACTS WELL.
DESPITE BAD U'FNDS.
Roth A1idforS Erpect TO Accomplish
Official Flights TO-day-Wait
Only on Weather.


Glenn II Curtiss was the main attraction at
Governors Island yesterday. when he piloted his
.-onlsne over the fled-in section of the
.rvation. describing a semicircle and landing
-+,bout mishap. II not official Hudson
E,,lton fight but the aviator showed that he
.ras ready To stay in the contest and after he
t.5 left his seat in the machine he promised to
Give an official exhibition to-day if the weather
r.rritted Wilbur Wright is also ready. for
sebt. and there is a chance that both may be in
the air to-day
7v,e setting sun was the mmeIight for Curtiss
&C he arranged his air craft on the southeast
,nors Of the island. He had carefully examined
she land for starting place. ard shortly before
s o'clock announced that he would start but
,o,,ld not attempt any official flight. AS the
.-,,sou,n cannon wa fired from Bedlow's Island
,,,-tss was ready 10 start. and minute later
~ set the lever which launched his ship into
spsoe
As the air craft, resting on its three wheels.
sbot ahead the small audience. a hundred yards
away. gave a hearty cheer. a gust of wind
,bsn gave the sky sailor his opportunity and
setting his horizontal plane, he guided the air.
shin upward, until he appeared 10 have reached
sp altitude Of from sixty TO one hundred feet.
In a few seconds he had reached the edge of
for The Statue Of Liberty.
The SPECTATORS expected 10 see the aeroplane
cross the water 10 Bellows Island, when the big
Golden Butterfly suddenly careened and swerved
,,r-u II seemed as if IL would dash into the bay.
A moment later the manpuvres showed that
crrtiss had made UP his mind 10 stay over the
land The vertical plane or rudder, moved 10
one side, and the aeroplane glided around in a
graceful sericircle. Then the engine began TO
snort as the operator shut off power. and he slid
hack 10 earth without even disturbing the sand
WOULDN'T TAKE SECOND CHANCE.
A brief inspection and Curtiss was ready for
another trial The winged craft was taken TO
The starting point, hut a sudden change in the
wind and the darkness made the aviator decide
that il would be hazardous to attempt another
trip T5e had covered more than quarter of
mile in about forty-fve seconds and despite the
unsteady winds had made a successful trip.
When he had assured himself that no parts of
the aeroplane were out of gear he said there was
little doubt that he would go up to-day, and he
arranged To stay AT the island, so as to be up at
dsvhreak. and. if possible get away soon after
sunrise
" ] Hammer. who has been at Governors
Island As the representative of the Hudson-Ful-
Ton Celebration Commission, was not at the
island Yesterday and as he had not sent rep
resentative no flight could have been considered
oficisL
Mr. Hammer announced last night that he
would ne 81 the island to-day. and that Wright
would attempt an Official fight around the bat
tleships at 10 o'clock in the morning. In the
afternoon Mr.. Hammer said, Wright expected
to make another flight, which would be an
nounced by The flying Of the signal flags, but no
flags, he said. would be flown in the morning.
These proposed flights, Of course, depend on
weather conditions being favorable.
BOTH AvIATORs CONFIDENT.
Mr.. Curtiss said he did not care to take
chances over the water when asked if the motor
had caused the craft TO careen when the winds
struck il.
4 am looking out for myself" said the avi-
stor. 1T did not look good 10 me up there. and
I am not taking any chances with the machine
when ] may get steady winds tomorrow and
make the official flight
He added that the rocking of the plane was
not 50 noticeable 10 him as it must have been
to the spectators, but he became convinced OF
trsacherous air currents as as he was vel
IN the open
While Mr.. Curtiss had his airship equipped
with '-foaters'' or water RATS, duckng in the
Upper Bay would have seriously injured the
frame and wings Of the .eroplane. while the
which is scho led for this morning.
While both men now confident that they
viii make record flights the officers At Gov
ernors Island are doubtful if the winds will al
low any remarkable air maneuvres for a Ions
period in the vicinity OF the island. The weather
conditions that have prevailed for the weel
have been discouraging, and the reports of th'
7 lther Bureau show that at this time of year
there is little likelihood OF a prolonged calm
such as would make aviation easy.
Wilbur Wright compelled 10 fly against
adv,ize winds when he encircled the Statue oi
Liberty and Mr.. Curtiss met with similar at
mospheric conditions when he made his initia
hight The fits and starts Of wind yesterday
proved the assertion Of the army officers thai
tie ayators would have TO take immediate ad
vantage II any conditions which would make q
long fight possible.