The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-03-10
LINCOLN BEAcHEYs sENsATioN-
Al FLIGHT
twenty-five Hundred People on the
Grounds-The Daring Aviator IS
Given Generous Applause

/ twenty-five Hundred People on the
/ Grounds-The Daring Aviator IS
Given Generous Applause
History again repeats itself. The
! impossible of yesterday becomes the
Ipossible of today and the common
place of tomorrow The conquest of
the air is now almost complete. Man
now sails through space with the
speed and the grace of the birds of
the air.
| We had an ocular demonstration of
this yesterday. Mr.. Lincoln Beachey
made two flights from the fair
grounds. The conditions were all in
his favor The day was an ideal one.
There were no disturbing winds and
the atmosphere was as perfect as it
was possible for it to be.
| There were perhaps twenty-five hun
dred people on the grounds, and when
the intrepid aviator made his appear
ance he was given very generous ap-
Iplause
| His machine was in front of the
grand stand. 1t is lightly constructed,
reed canes and piano wires being used
principally for the supports. The en-
gine is as light as can be constructed,
with strength enough to propel it. It
| is 6O-h. p, and weighs 200 pounds,
runs 1900 revolutions to the minute,
and the machine entire weighs only
500 pounds. The wings from tip to
tip measure about thirty feet. 1t is
Inavigated by single propeller which
resembles somewhat an inverted over
| head electric fan. The steering appar.
atus is something on the order of that
Iof an automobile, and the automobile
led to the construction of the flying
machine.
At the hour of four o'clock the ma
chine was moved to the center of the
grounds, anl after oiling and testing
the mechanism the aviator mounted
his seat, the throttle was opened, the
machine skipped along on the ground
for some distance and then hoated
into the air as gracefully as bird of
passage, much to the qualification OF
the spectators.
Mr.. Beachey in his first flight. went
several times around the track at a
heights of a hundred feet or more. He
made many beautiful circles and
graceful curves.
In his second flight he mounted
higher and yet higher, circling the
grounds many times, and then made g
flight over the city.
The eagle is no longer king of the
air. He must surrender the pre-emi-
nence he has so long occupied. The
ingenuity and daring of man has de-
|throned him.
Man has long since harnessed the
lightning and made it subservient to
his will. He made the ocean his hand
maiden. He sends his messages on
the wings of the winds, and at last
has made conquest of the air.
There is rarely a more beautiful
sight than to see bird, with its pin
ions spread, flying with perfect ease
through space, and for thousands of
years man has envied him in his flight,
but all along through the ages mans
puny efforts at imitation have been
unavailing till now.
Man can climb now to as high
height, and can initiate the feathered
hosts in then circles, curves and
sweeps through space.
Those who witnessed Lincoln
Beachey's flights yesterday were more
than delighted their expectations were
more than realized and those from
long distances said that it was worth
going many more miles to see.
1t will be a memorable day in our
annals.