Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01
AVIATION.

washington. AFTER DetnS the center OF
American aerial interest for two years,
practically dropped off the aerouautic
map last year. There was no applica-
ton to Congress for funds by either the
War or Navy departments. and govern
ment experiments with aeroplanes came
to a standstill. The one government
aeroplane was taken to Fort sam Hous-
ton. Tex. and local activity ceased.
There was ar attempt to renew local
interest by bidding for the international
aviation meet that was TO be held in this
country following the winning of the
Gordon Bennett speed trophy at Rheims
by Glenn Curtis. This effort comm Alced
the previous fall, and Washing. onIanS
subscribed $4,000 to bring the interna-
tional meet here, the understanding being
that Baltimore would raise much
more But the Aero Club of America de
cided it wanted the meet in New York.
and late in the spring, after long CORE
Spondence, this was definitely decided
against Washington.
Throughout the summer there were ID
few attempts at flying by local men.
The most notable was that of John II.
Smidey, who built monoplane that
made several flights under half ii mile
at Benning. but nearly all of them ended
in an accident to the engine There
was a second local IlOHOpldHe IN
Robert Moore and John Simmons and
tried at Bennn2. but though this sew
eral times left the ground there was no
sustained flight.
Throughout the summer there was con-
siderable speculation regarding ~ ma
chine that was being built by DR.. Will
liam Christmas at College Park, Md.
Christmas claimed to have made long
flight in secret somewhere in Virginia,
and proposed to build machine at Col
lege Park that would be a revelation in
aeroplane construction. This machine
was tried several times, but never sue
ceeded in flying at all, and was finally
broken UP.
Grahame-White Flies Over City.
The first flight of a monoplane in Wash
ington was made at Benning race track
early in October by Claude Grahame-
White. the English aviator, who came to
Washington with Clifford 3. Harmon of
New York and gave several good exhibit
lions in a Bleriot monoplane and a Far
man bipane.
Grahame- Whites most remarkable per-
Torrance was a flight from Benning race
track to the War Department. In this
flight he passed over a part of Washing
ton. landed in the narrow roadway he
tween the War Department and the
White Houss and called on several of the
officials there. He left cards at the White
House. President Taft being out of Wash
ington, and then took luncheon at the
Metropolitan Club. Coming back to the
War Department. he stepped into his
aeroplane as though it were a cab that
had been waiting for him and flew back
to the race track. 1t was considered the
most remarkable flight that had ever
been made by an aerOplane, for ne had
come into a crowded city, landed in the
street and gone off without accident.
Grahame-W White was to make a flight
over Washington the next day to try for
the American distance and endurance
records. but an accident to his two ma
chimes prevented his making the attempt.
Rex Smiths Machine Makes Good.
The first sustained flights by Wash
ington machine were made at College
Park. Md. September II by biplane
constructed by ReXford Smith, an Old
Washingtonian. This machine was not
radical in any respect and partook of
features Of the Wright and Curtiss hi
planes. The first flights were merely
hops of 100 to 2,D yards at height of
twenty feet. These distances We're in
creased. however. and in the hands of
Antony Janus. d Washington boy, the
ma chine soon made flights of from mile
to two miles at height OF loo feet The
machine was operated also by its builder
Rex Smith, and his mechanic. Carl Fox.
The most remarkable flight of the ma
chine was made by Janus December 10,
when he flew little over a mile in the
dark and in a severe SnoWStorm. This
would have been considered world
beating performance year before, but
SO rapid had the progress Of aviation
been that it was accepted at the time
as merely part of the days work.