Viewing page 309 of 404

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[image]]
Orville Wright.
Wilbur Wright.
"Tragic Story Awoke the Bird Spirit."

ve flown for more than twenty miles- far as England is from France across the Straits of Dover."
These men, Mr. Casson impresses upon his readers, "can really fly." Not
e Peter Pan or stage fairies-with
ires at their bakcs, but like birds, alone in the air, unattached to any anchor. Neither are they "merely bounced up and down, as the freight-
ge of a balloon-ballooning is not flying and never can be," says Mr. Casson.
Never before, he continues, as so great a thing been done so quietly. Their first flight was made as long ago as Dec. 17, 1903. Since then they have glided from 10 to 24 miles on their aerial yacht on at least six occasions.
"Columbus of the Air" Two Songs of an Ohio Bishop.
"I have found 24 people who witnessed one or more of these flights. All yet,  such have been the amazing science and modesty of the Wrights that the story of their success is practically unknown except in several inner reies of scientists and engineers"
Orville and Wilbur Wright are not mere adventures in the world experimentation-"cranks" working without a solid basis of scientific knowledge. They are college men and have gone deeply into the subject of aeronautics and kindred sciences. From the time they made toy "flying machines" as boys they have carried on experiments, at first vaguely, later more seriously. Their father is a Bishop in Ohio and the boys, neither of whom is married, live with him. Mr. Casson tells the story of their early experiments as follows:
"The boys inherited mechanical ability from their mother, who had been the best mathematician in her college; as they grew older they passed naturally from the making of flying-machines to the manufacture of bicycles.
Not being hustlers, in a money-making sense, their success in business was very moderate. Their wheels were well made, and carried a safety brake of their own invention; but the reputation of the Wright bicycle was never more than a local one.
"One evening in 1896 they read in the paper an account of Lilienthal's tragic death. Dr. Otto Lilienthal was a Berlin engineer who, for 25 years studied the art of flying in the scientific German way. His plan was to combine theory with practice.
"The story of Lilienthal awoke the bird-spirit which has been slumbering in the Wright brothers. They sent to Berlin for a copy of his book. They were unable to read German, but the pictures and statistics gave them ideas. For two years they studied the German language and the Lilienthal book. Then they began to make theories and flying machines of their own.
"Their vacation, in 1900, was spent in the hills of North Caroline. Here they found a wide, sandy slope-an ideal spot for bird-beginners-and having made wings of wood and canvas, they began to leap and soar, grasshopper fashion, from spot to spot.
"All this was fun, not science. Their only object was to amuse themselves, as they had done in boyhood with artificial birds. But in the summer of 1901 a visitor appeared at their playground-an elderly man of impressive dignity. He watched their flights, asked them questions, studied their gliding machine, and then, to their great astonishment, said: "Do you young men know that you have come nearer to the art of flying than any other men who have ever lived?'"
"The speaker was Octave Chanute-the dean of Chicago engineers and the most learned of Americans on the subject of aeronautics. He had, in fact, recently published a history of flying machine experiments. Therefore, of all men his praise was the most valuable and the Wright brothers at once transformed their play into serious work. Literally, they had sported and frolicked into fame."
Until 1903 their machine was a mere glider, continues Mr. Casson. It had neither motor nor propeller. One of its novelties was that its tail was in front instead of behind. This was an original improvement of the Wrights-as the idea of the sewing machine inventor, who put the eye of the needle in its point instead of in its head. For three years they used this type of machine, until they had become used to the new feeling of flight. They learned something, also, of the art of equilibrium and the freakish whims of the wind.
Their first real success with a motor machine was on Dec. 17, 1903. On this notable day one of the brothers flew for 59 seconds in the face of a strong win. The weight of the machine, man included, was 745 pounds. A 12-horsepower engine propelled it. Even if the Wrights had stopped at this point they would still remain the champion flyers of the world.
"In 1905, with a sturdy, 800-pound machine, they made a series of air-line voyages that are absolutely without a parallel. In six flights they covered a distance of 94 miles, flying and landing with almost the poise and self-control of an albatross," writes Mr. Casson.
"In appearance, there is nothing of the daredevil about either of these two remarkable men. Wilbur is a large man, of the big-boned Scotch-Highlander type, with gray eyes and a long, aquiline nose. Orville is slight and dapper, with blue eyes and small features. But both men seem too gentle and unassuming-too self-effacing, almost-to be the first conquerors of a hostile element.
"They are fairly well known in Dayton, having lived there since childhood Their venerable father, Bishop Wright is still living and keenly interested in the exploits of his flying sons. Their sister teaches Latin in one of the Dayton high schools.
"To anyone who has a personal acquaintance with this simple, transparent family, there can be no suspicion that the claims of the brothers are unfounded. Even if they were, there is an abundance of corroboration. I have for instance, interviewed four spectators of their flights, and secured the names and addresses of 20 others."
Octave Chanute said of the performance of the Wrights: "Yes, I saw the Wright brothers fly. They improved upon my models by the ingenious device of putting the tail in front, are in several other ways. At their own expense-and they are not rich-they have pursued a remarkable series of experiments. They are born mechanics and very quick and deft with the hands. Their skill in controlling the machine is most surprising. On one occasion, for example, I saw one of the brothers land safely while at a speed of 50 miles an hour."
Wilbur Wright says the vital question in flying is, "How shall the flying machine be balanced and controlled while it is in the air?" That he and his brother have mastered that problem testified to by Charles Webbert of Dayton, O., who saw the 21-mile flight made by the brothers.
"I wish I could control my automobile as well as Orvile Wright manages his flying machine," said Mr. Webbert.
"Orville was in the air for nearly 
minutes, fully 60 feet from the ground and he held as level as though he were running on a track. His machine was steady as a street car. It was beyond my comprehension. I took off my hat and sat down."


Statement of Wright Brothers to Herbert n. Casson.
"There is nothing flimsy about our machine," said Orville Wright. "And we have perfected a system of control which makes it almost as safe and serviceable as a bicycle. We have never aimed at merely flying-for what use would a flying machine be which no one could manage? Equilibrium and control were the first things we began to study."
"And the last things we learned," said Wilbur.
"Yes," repeated Orville, all our earlier machines persisted in bobbing up and down, as though they were on waves of air. But we discovered the reason, and now we can fly for a thousand yards with the ground not more than a foot beneath us. As to the distance we can travel, we don not regard 24 miles as the limit. The new machines will carry sufficient fuel for a 500-mile trip."
"As to our being abnormal in any acrobatic sense," added Wilbur, "that is the exact opposite of the truth. We are both too nervous to be good flyers. Any mile-a-minute bicycle rider could take our machine and beat us completely. Our success, we believe, was due to our scientific calculations and to the fact that we have made a superior type of machine. In the one matter of propellers, we have worked out theories which, in our opinion, will revolutionize the designing of marine screws as well as make possible the navigation of the air. We are not inclined to place money above science. On the contrary, it was the fact that father trained us to think of other things than money that led us to make these experiments."
"That's true," said Wilbur, "and we always flew the best when father was watching us."

Like A Locomotive.
By A. I. Root, Medina, O., Who Witnessed Several of Wright Brothers' Flights.
It was one of the of the grandest sights of my life. I stood in front of the machine as it came around a curve. Imagine if you can, an aluminum locomotive, without wheels, but with 20-foot wings and big, flapping propellers, climbing up into the air fight towards you. Such a tremendous flapping and snapping. Everyone was excited expect the two Wrights. Event he attendant who helped to launch the machine was shaking from head to foot as thought he had a fit of ague.