The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-09-27
PERUVIAN AVIATOR
FLIESOVER THE ALPS
FEAT OF AGES ACCOMPLISHED IN
SWITZERLAND.
On Wings Of the Wind George Chavez
Rides Over the Alpine Heights,
Making the Napoleonic Route
In Less Than An
Hour.

air machine was accomplished to-
by George Chavez, the young Peruvian
aviator.
The plucky hero of the exploit, how
ever, lies tonight in a local hospital
badly injured as the result OF an ac-
cident that occurred just as he had
completed the most ardous and nerve
racking portion of a task he had Set
out to accomplish-a flight from Brig,
Switzerland, across the alps to Milan
in Italy, in all distance of about Is
miles.
Net With Serious Accident.
Both his legs are broken, his left
thigh is fractured and his body is bad
II confused: but the physicians in at
tendance are of the opinion that these
hurts will not prove fatal and that un-
less unlocked for complications ensue
Chavez will be about in two months.
The accident occurred as Chavez was
endeavcring to make landing here.
The Alps had been crossed SUCCESSFULLY
and the aviator was descending with
the power of his machine cut off. When
about thirty feet above the ground a
sudden gust of wind seemed to catch
the monoplane, which turned over and
fell. When the crowds that had been
watching the descent ran up they
found Chavez lying bleeding and I'M
conscious beneath the twisted wreck
age.
Fifty miles away lay Milan, the goal
Chavez was seeking in an endeavor to
win a prize of $4,000, offered by the
Italian Aviation society. Chavez had
lost the race.
Circumstances Favorable.
The weather at Brig was clear and
bright when Chavez made his start.
Leaving the ground with his motor
running at full speed he rose in sweep
ing circles until he reached an altitude
sufficient for him to clear the shoulder
to the southeastward of Brig. This OBJ
stacle having been overcome, the avia-
tor headed his monoplane straight for
the snow-capped crags of the Fletch-
ern. Constantly ascending Chavez
reached the Simplon Kuhn, where at
an altitude estimated at 1900 feet he
Iurned his machine south over the
terrifying Simplon Pass, with the Kalt-
wasser Glacier at his left and the froz-
en- peak of the Hubschhorn at his
right.
After crossing the divide, Chavez
turned to the towering white mountain
head of Mt Leone, which rises to q
height of 1854 feet, and passed down
above the Condo Gorge, until he reach
ed the open valley of Vedro, and theIt
descended easily toward Domodossola,
which is $50 feet above sea level. It
was here that the accident occurred.
Beat Worlds Record.
Some of the spectators of the flight t
say that Chavez, after crossing the !
Simplon Pass, followed the short cut !
route over the Monzer Pass, which is
5000 feet above sea level. If this be
so it is possible that the Peruvian beat !
his own worlds record for height of :
@3,271 feet The twenty-five miles be-
tween Brig and Domodossola, which it
took the armies OF Napoleon fort
night to negotiate, Chavez accomplish
ed by the route of the eagle in exactly |
40 minutes. From the high point at
Monzera he descended 1000 feet in 13
minutes, his machine gaining in NOM
entun as it flew over the tumble of
SUWer peaks, gullies and hills beyond !
until the speed was terrific as it ap-
preached the aerodrome here. This
doubtless caused the accident which :
turned the cheers of admiration of the !
waiting crowd into cries of horror /
when the machine came hurting to the
ground just as it seemed that Chavez
was about to alight in safety.
~ How Accident Happened.
, After treatment in the hospital ChaV-
~ RECLAIMED consciousness but was un-
able no explain how the accident had
occurred. The generally accepted opln~
ion IS that the accident was due to a
slight shift in the rudder While the
monoplane was being sent at hlgn
rate of speed.
Thousands of the aviators' 1rlenos
and admirers, arrived from Milan and
other points to tender their services 10
Chavez.
Henry Weymann, the American AVA
-. WIN poo6p two unsuccessful at