Evening journal., 1910-10-24
AIR-MAN IN
Is FEET FALL
Smith Glider Turns Turtle on
Trial Flight, But Young
Inventor Escapes
WILL TRY AGAIN
WITH NEW GLIDER

Robert DAYTON Smith, aged ~ years,
son of Robert II. Smith, No. llO5
Franklin street, vice-president Of the
Hilles and Jones Company, yesterday
essayed to fly in his gliding machine,
and came to grief.
The young man has been working
on the glider for several months, and
from general appearance the machine
was perfection itself, and the inventor
had great hopes Of achieving success.
The trial flight probably would have
been. had not the wind been so high,
and had not the rope which held down
the elevating plane of the machine
broken.
AS il was, Smith succeeded in ris-
ing fifteen feet, but this feat came
near costing him serious injury, and
to-day he considers 1t miracle that
he escaped.
The glider is now a wreck, but the
young inventor. undaunted by his fail
ure. intends to build another machine,
using his fathers automobile house
for a workshop. His first attempt
cost him $3.50, and he says he Will
build machine No. on practically
the same plan as the first one. He
explained to-day that It was due to a
mishap and not TO any fault in the
plans on which the air craft was con-
structed that he didn't succeed in fly
ing any higher than fifteen feet yes
terday
The experimental test was made on
the Peoples Farm, on the Lancaster
pike, just outside the city. On this
farm are three hills sloping IN diff
nd Ancf1aran a N
ideal place on which TO make the trial
flights. With the inventor were VIII
liam Armstrong and Logan Bocious,
friends, who had volunteered to assist
the young aviator.
The machine was taken to the top
of a hill. and Smith took his seat in
the glider. Armstrong and Bocious
then started the craft, which ran on
three wheels down the hill, cutting
across the wind at an angle, expect
ing to quickly turn the machine into
the wind when sufficient speed had
been attained. When about twenty
feet from where it was decided 10 turn
the glider to the wind, rope which
held down the elevating plane broke
setting the plane at an elevation, and
In an instant the machine was lifted
IN Lub dlI. was AANNe
about a foot of the ground before
h let go his hold on the frame OF
the machine, but Bocious let go the
instant it began to rise.
The unexpected breaking of ths
rope holding down the elevating plane
had prevented the attendants from
getting the machine turned to the
wind in time. and as result when Il
had reached height Of fifteen fee
gust of wind struck it broadside
turning it completely over, Smiti
falling on the ground on his back. The
glider came down on top OF him, ane
for a short time his companion
thought he had been killed. Smith
however, managed to crawl from
under the debris. and after learnini
that ne was still whole, became en-
thusiastic over the lifting power thu
machine had displayed. 1t not onl,
carried him into the air, but als'
lifted Armstrong on his feet.
Smiths pipe case in his packet wa
broken and his clothes badly torn b,
the fall he had sustained, and to-da,
he was a little sore, but showed m
other i'll effects of his experience.
The glider was of the monO-plan
type. The frame work was con
structed of cyprus wood. The machin
contained about 200 square feet o
canvass.