Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-07
FLIGHT OVER CITY
Lieut.. Milling, in Airship, Calls
at Washington Barracks.
TRIP FROM COLLEGE PARK
Lieut.. Kirkland Also Adds to Fame
by Rising to Height Of
$500 Feet.

Lieut.. Thomas De Witte Milling of
his Wright biplane at College Park.
Md, this morning and after rising to
height of about one hundred. feet
and circling the field several times de-
cided to call on his brother officers
at the Washington barracks. He left
the aviation field at 11:15 o'clock and
arrived at the parade grounds of the
barracks in this city about fifteen
minutes later. Lieut.. Milling carried
a passenger. Lieut. Kirkland.
Upon his return to the aviation park
Lieut.. Milling said he made a fine
trip and fine landings"
Fort Myer Trip Postponed.
The young aviator remained at the
barracks in this city about twenty min
utes and then started back to the hangers
at College Park. When he left the avia-
he intended flying across the city and
Potomac river to Fort Myer. He en-
countered counter-currents of air. how
National Capital. and he decided to post
pone the Fort Myer trip until some other
day But he surprised the officers at
the barracks. and when he alighted was
surrounded by the soldiers and congratu-
lated. Had the lieutenant gone to Fort
Myer the chances are that he would
have run into the storm.
Adds to His Record.
Lieut.. Kirkland, who accompanied
Lieut. Milling, also added to his fame as
an aeronaut this morning preceding the
trip to Washington. when he took the
same machine up to a height Of 1920
feet, the highest ever attained on the
College Park field.
Not only did he make the highest flight,
but he started from Berwyn, and. with
Riverdale as his objective point. flew in
circles. remaining in the air thirty-two
minutes This is said to be the longest
time that an aviator has remained in air
on the same field.
Lieut.. Kirkland is to have charge of
the new Wright-Burgess machine, which
has already arrived in Washington, and
for which Harry S. Atwood is to act as
instructor.
The first notification of the flight to
messages from Hyattsville shortly before
noon. 1t was said that the aviator was
bound for Washington and that he in
tended to land on the Monument grounds
The airman was first sighted by Wash
ingtonians as he was crossing the East
ern branch, and the word that an aero
plane was to fly over the city spread
rapidly Scores OF persons began to ap-
pear on roofs of buildings everywhere
and scores of clerks in the District build
ing emerged through the roof DOORS
Headed for the Arsenal.
It was seen that the aviator was steer
ing for the arsenal at the foot of 7th
street He was lost to sight then for q
few minutes. Inquiry at the barracks by
telephone revealed that the aeronaut had
landed on the base ball field and would
endeavor to fly over the city on a line
with 7th street.
When the airship again appeared it
was soaring at a height Of approximately
400 feet and was heading straight for
College Park. A number Of persons who
had learned OF the flight ran to the Mon
ument grounds and waited In vain for a
sight Of the birdman.
It was thought by many that Lieut..
Milling would try to repeat the feat Of
Grahame White and land near the White
House for q call on the President.