The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-11-18
AVA 7 ORS
SHOCKED
Ora h a m e-W hite and
DreXel Comment on
Death of Johnstone

Philadelphia, Nov. 1S-Ralph John
stones tragic doath at Denver yes
terday greatly shocked Claude era
ham-White and j Armstrong Drexel'
VINO are In this city giving exhibition
flights at Point Brceze park.
II know Johnstone intimately and
belIcye he was the finest aviator
have met in America sni1 the Eng
lish air.mnn. The accidents are Just
the things that affect aviators and
make them more careful. but even
then accidents are soon forgotten, Too
many men are trying T. outdo the
others. and it IS this that often re-
suits disastrously."
Mr. Johnstone was as brave and
caring an aviator as have ever met
and | admired MIN greatly said Mr.
Drexel
Both White and Drexel talked OF
Johnstone'S disposition and the fact
that in every camp he had immediate
iy become tho favorite Both de-
clared the world had lost the man
who would most likely have set
wonderful altitude record. They sent
messages TO Johnstones manager In
Denver,
Ralph Johnstone WAS an altitude
flyer, pure and simple. He had only
been Ave months in the game and
never tried for cross-country events,
speed dashes OF distance. but his full
biooded, stoutly-knit frame stood him
In good stead at resisting the cold
OF the upper air, and the instructive
poise OF the trick bicycle rider help
ed him Ia his high winds.
He was full OF zeal and pride. and
his daily rivalrles with his team-mate,
Arch Hoxsey, in their duels for alti-
tude we're one OF the delights OF the
recent international aviation meet at
Belmont park.
How high do you think YOU VENT"
the crowd asked him one night when
he settled on the field after sunset,
numbed and shivering
Il don't know" he answered, but
IL / did not go higher than HoXsey
III never trust barograph again
II happened that Johnstone was de-
feated on that occasion, but by daily
striving he got little higher each
time until on the last day OF the meet
he brought back the worlds record
9.7l4 feet, which he carried with him
in death. He had already taken the
American record from Walter Brook
ins and when j, Armstrong Drexel
went him little better ne came back
again with still another American rec
ord. Nothing remained for him then
but the worlds record. and In the end
he got that, too
The feat brought him 5000 in cash
and more fame than anything else he
A..N A l,l
most remarkable piece Of airmanshlp
In one flight at Belmont park-the
day he defeated Drexel-he and Hox-
SOY went up In a gale so stlif that
for a timo they hung above the field
immoble In latitude. though they
were steadily gaining In altitude and
then began to drift backward.
They were blown off the course.
out of sight. and Johnstone landed
fifty miles down Long Island, but IT
was characteristic of his pluck that
he kept on climbing until his last drop
OF gasoline was exhausted
II guess" said Wilbur Wright at
the time, that's the first cross-coun-
try flight ever made tail-end fore
most"
Major Samuel Rebcr. of the United
States Signal Corps, added that moth
Ing In aviation had gone so far TO
provo the worth OF the aeroplane in
stiif weather. He estimated the
strength of the wind Johnstone then
fought at As miles an hour and up
wards.
Johnstone liked applause. but he
seldom tried tricks to gain II. When
II came to beam-cnd turns and pirou-
ettcs. Hoxsey and BrookIns could al
ways have their own way. Johnstone
had only one thriller Beginning with
a gradual doflcctiOn. he would dip
more and more steeply until his de
scent became the swoop Of hawk
Hes falling" the crowd would cry
just before he Strengthened. And yes.
terday ho did.