The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-03

months ago he was practically I'M
known. Now he Is listed with Brook
ms. Parmalee. Grahame- White and 9TH
ers of that class which has achieved
worldwide reputation and fame. John
stone is one OF the daredevil kind, like
Hamilton, who is known as the rough
rider OF the air. He wants but the
chance to prove hfSSself.
Mr.. Jackson. Johnstone's manager,
said yesterday that 1t would be wise
for all those who come out in carriages
and park close to the field to take
their horses out of harness, as It has
been the experience of all aviators that
horses become frightened at the whir
OF motors above them and this sight
of an aeroplane in full flight.
The piplane in which Johnstone is
to mako his flights here was manufac-
tured by the Wright brothers and Is
their most up-to-date model It
represents years of almost uninter-
rupted toll On the part OF the two
Ohioans
The first real interest Of the wrights
in mechanics dates back to their resi-.
dence in Richmond, Ind. where they
built small wood-tnrning lathe.
Later they became interested in
biography and constructed line for
their own use. following this up by
inventing a machine for folding the
papers they sold as newsboys.
Safety bicycles Just then were COM
ing into use and the brothers became
interested IN them. They made
machines with their own hands and
did good business selling them.
Toy the Forerunncr.
The field of aviation opened up 70
them when their father brought home
toy known as a heiocopeter This
machine, when properly wound up
started from the hand toward the cell.
ing and few around the room several
times until Its power was exhausted.
In 1860 they became Interested in the
achievements Of Otto Lilienthal, Ger
man scientist, who lost his life exper-
lmenting with a heavier.than-air GID
ing machine. Within year or two
they had gathered together and read
most or the books on aerial navigation.
After asslmi1ating all OF the data
available they began to build "gliders"
in a bicycle shopGin Dayton. They tried
them in the hills surrounding their
home city and their experiments
aroused so much curiosity and attract
ed so many persons that finally they
confined their tests In flying to the
evening.
~ WAS lhSoe peTlmentS
that the Wrlghts begun slowly to dis
card the accepted theories Of air pres
sures and 20 establish laws Of their
own To obtain seclusion they left
Dayton and got down to real tests on
the sand hills of Eastern North Caro-
lima. This was in 1900
First Like n Kite.
Their first machine there was in the
form OF q kite operated from the
ground by means of cord. During
the next three years they succeeded
In building u machine which would
carry the weight of a human being In
the air one minute In that minute
1t travelled nearly 900 feet. This was
the first flying machine that ever had
raised itself by its own power with a
nam In 1t. The flights OF the next
two years were made inSDayton.
FOLLOWING out the popular habit OF
laughing at what they did not under-
stand, the people OF that city found
/ the Wrights a prime source Of amuse-
ment, The latter, however, paid no
attention TO the scoffers, exceptAto get
away from them They went later to
Kill Devil Hill, N, O.. carrying with
them type Of machine which they
knew was practicable, During the
month Of May, 1905, they made nearly
la SCORE OF tests, and finally, May a a,
flew Ave niles in seven minutes and
s. tMentY second ~ III