The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-04
TOMBSTONE. PERFORMS
HAIR RAISING STUNTS
Daring Thrills Crowd State Fair With Wonderful Flight
and Spectacular Landing in Front of Grandsand-stops
Engine in Mid-F1ght.

Like an uncaged eagle Ralph john
stones Wright bi-piane launched it.
SELF upon the air at the State Fair
Grounds before 5000 wildly enthus-
iastic spectators Monday afternoon At
4:46 o'clock, and thrilled the vast as
semblage seventeen minutes before
the daring aviator alighted.
tombstone scared to an altitude OF
1000 feet willis the crowd cheered
and shouted as II Its lungs were made
of leather. He circled the field ten
figure Fights and fancy turns which
made the total distance travelled in
the airslnip fully twelve miles.
Many Tllrills.
The fight was a wonderfully thrill
ing and spectacular one, but the land
ing OF the airship in a small space
between the trapexe and the artih-
cial scenery used In the Midway per-
formances were even more remark
able and hair-raising.
The hi-plane is forty feet wide.
from tip to tip. tombstone. who
holds the record for accuracy Of land
and speed. deliberately picked out
the forty-five foot wide space be-
tween the trapeze and artificial
scenery to make his landing.
The crowds heart leaped to Its
mouth and every man. woman. ant
child. expected to see the aeroplAne
dashed to bits and the aviator killed
as the man-bird. darted toward the
narrow space. With the ease and
grace Of bird, however. the aero
plane slowly glided to earth and
through the narrow divide in safety.
The airship fight was piece de re-
sistance Of the initial day Of the fair.
Monday was Good Roads Day. John
stone said he found the roads aIoft in
excellent condition. despite the Is
mile wind. He expressed himself as
much pleased with the course over
which he will ny every day this week.
Johnstone had his air car wheeled
from its shed to the southwest end
OF the fair grounds at 4:30 o'clock
1t was then placed on q small mono
rail and the aviator made prepare
tons TO fly. The Is mile wind was
from the northeast tombstone said
this would not interfere with a sat
isfactory flight. He promised to re-
main up more than the 10 minutes
which his contract required.
Johnstons introduced.
tombstone made his appearance with
Mr. Thomas p. jackson. Wright
made their way to the judges stand,
where Mr.. jackson introduced John
stone and announced TO the crowd that
the daring aviator would make his first
flight.
tombstone then went to the north end
OF the field. where the machine had
been placed on the rail He inspected
the rail and saw that the joints were
properly made. The aviator was not
particularly dressed for his work. He
made the flight in an ordinary blue
black suit. though he removed his
derby hat and put on his heavily pad
ded headgear and goggles
tombstone applied the spark to thu
engine. while two attendants whirled
the big propellers. The engine started
with a rush and the large propellers
began to whiri around at great speed,
Climbing to his sea- Johnstone grasped
the levers and posed for The virxtn-
ian's photographer TO get his picture
This picture Is probably the best taken
during the day. showing the daring
young man-hrd sitting In his ma chine,
with the propellers whirling. and only
waiting for the word to launch him
self In flight.
The photographer snapped the pic
ture and at once the aviator gave the
word and released hts machine. The
aeroplane darted down the monopail
and leaped fifteen or twenty feet In the
air. tombstone Immediately began ele-
waiting the forward planes OF the ma
chine and II began climbing skyward.
The crowd yelled itself almost