New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-16
RUSHING WORK ON
30 WAR AER0PLANES
Army and Navy Experts
See Tests-Burgess Plant
Busy Day and Night.
ONE MACHINE ON
WAY TO BORDER
Despite Activity at Factory Fed
eral Officials Deny Govern
ment Is Interested.
BY GORDON BRUCE.

BY GORDON BRUCE.
Marblehead, Mass. May 13.-The
Burgess company here is working its
entire force day and night and Sun
days on a big rush order for aero
planes and hydro-aeroplanes that has
been recently placed with the company,
generally reported to be for the United
States government.
Two navy officers, Lieutenant Rich
ardson and Lieutenant Herbster, are
to-day making official tests OF the
Burgess water machine and will report
to the Navy Department Immediately
as TO its efficiency. II the report is
favorable, and the indications are that
it will be, the government will probably
accept 1t at once, and IL is likely that
deliveries Of this type will follow rap
idly.
Machines and parts are now being
shipped from the Burgess plant to
Texas border points, ard il is strongly
rumored that the government has
placed the biggest single order for
aeroplanes and "hydros" ever known
in this country, and enc that in itself
will provide for use in Mexico more
machines than have been bought by
the United States since the first pur-
chase, in 1909.
Army Expert at Test.
Captain A. s Cowan, who has been
lu charge of the aeronautical activities
of the army in San Diego, arrived here
yesterday, and witnessed a demonstra-
ton Of the Burgess machine by Cliff
ford l.. Webster. chief pilot and in
structor Of the Burgess company.
While Captain Cowan did not COM
nit himself, it was evident that he was
much impressed with the performance
of the machine. The writer OF this
article was taken TO an altitude of
several thousand feet by Webster, and
the fight made il clearly apparent
why the government should have taken
per cent Of the time the machine was
in the air Webster had his hands off
the controls.
He tried its flying qualities in every
conceivable manner. He would start
a corkscrew glide, lock his levers and
fold his ihands behind his head for
minutes at a time. When the motor
was cut off the machine would glide
through the air without power and on
an even keel for more than a minute.
For some time past there has been
persistent rumor that the government
had placed an order for thirty ma
chimes with the Burgess company. AL
though it is admitted at the plant that
they are working at top speed both
nights and Sundays. W. Startling Bur
CESS and r. H. Russell. his business
manager deny the truth OF the report.
When the authorities at Washington
were approached in the matter vigor-
GUS denials were made by those in both
the Navy and War departments.
Representatives Sharp and Padgett
freely admit that they have heard ru-
mors Of a large order for flying ma
chimes having been placed. and Repre-
sentative Padgett asserted that the
Navy Department will have ample
funds after July to make a large pur-
chase Of machines. In case the emer-
gency appropriation asked for war pur-
poses is voted. such part as the author
tiles see fit could be applied to the pur-
chase OF aeroplanes, and II is known
that high officials in the War and Navy
departments feel that the excellent
showing made with the meagre equip
nent al Vera Cruz warrants immedi-
ate action in the line OF increasing the
strength of the fourth arm Of the ser
vice"
Want Thirty Military PLANES.
Another feature that would tend 10
support the likelihood of such an order
being placed is that for several weeks
inquiries have been made among the
motor manufacturers abroad as 10 the
possibility Of making immediate deliv-
cries to the United States government
of from twenty to thirty motors for
use in the operations against Mexico.
II is known. too, that other aero
plane manufacturers have been asked
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