The Washington herald., 1911-07-15


Grahame- White. the pride OF the Eng
lish, had turned a big trick when he
! piloted his Farman into Executive ave
nue. and out again without grazing a
leaf of the trees. Atwood had prom
ised to do more than that, nothing less
than to sail and glide into that small
patch Of meadow in the center of the
rear grounds OF the White House.
The wind added complexities to the
situation, and it was easy to see the
Bostonian's nerve was being put to the
severest test 1t had yet encountered.
Hesitant, he few back and forth, sur
veyed the clbmps of trees among which
he was to land, and took as sure and
steady an aim as a gunner with a
Drea6nought fourteen-incher.
Presently, he swooped lower over tbs
Ellipse, cutting the air in a beautiful
concave curve, the engine was choked
| off, and the biplane glided forward easily
and gracefully. 1t SKINNED over the
trees, descended cleanly in the sloping
lane Of meadow directly to the south Of
the portico. and landed as lightly as a
| thistledown.
With some impetus, the machine sour
ried up the slope to within thirty feet
of the piazza. Atwood nervously waved
the small group back as he tried to stop
it. His mother was the first to reach his
side as he jumped out Of the cradle. "
and Gen. Oliver escorted him to Presi-
dent Taft.
With the President were members of
the Washington Aero Club, including
Charles ]: Bell and DR.. A. F. Zahn,
| Brig Gen. James Allen, chief Of the
Signal Corps; Capt. Chandler, and Lieuts.
Milling, Arnold, and Kirkland, Of the
| College Park aerodrome; Maj. Butt, Sec
retsry HIIles, and others. Gen. Oliver,
Acting Secretary of War, introduced
| Atwood to the President In these words:
"Mr. President, Mr.. Atwood is gradu-
ate of the Massachusetts, Institute Of
Technology, and the recent performances
which he has conducted has put him
close to the front with older aeronauts.
He has made a trip of 600 miles, flying
from Boston to New York, from New
York to Atlantic City, and from Atlantic
City to washington. 1t is a very re-
markable exhibition for young man of
twenty-six years.
Taft Presents me0nI.
In presenting the gold medal Of the
Washington Aero Club. President TAFT
made the following brief remarks:
Tho Aero Club of Washington has i'm
posed upon me the pleasant duty Of CIV
ing you an evidence of their appreciation
of the voyage which you have taken
from Boston to Washington. They well
come every new light in the development
Of aeronautics, and they are glad, as ]
am informed, to emphasize their APP
probation of such trip as that you have
taken. Owing TO your youth, and the
short time that you have given to this
method of locomotion, they have every
hope that you viii lead further in the
wonderful feats that are to be performed
in aeronautics.
TT gives me great pleasure to present
to you this medal. hope It VIII be only
one Of a great many that will come to
you in the future, and that they VIII
come with as little injury and as little ap-
parent danger as you exhibited in hying
down here TO the White House grounds. .
Atwood responded with few brief
words Of thanks, told how he had en-
joyed his stay In Washington. and said
he hoped to do even bigger things be-
fore he quit the flying game.
His machine had been turned about
In the meantime. and Atwood resolved
to fy out Of the grounds. although many
members Of the Aero Club advised him
the trick would be foolhardy. It was
At FIRST thought the bipIane would have
! 20 be carted out Of the grounds to the