Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-09-29
40 ARE KILLED! FLIES THE ALPS
GEORGE CHAVEZ AcCoMPLlsHES
MOST DARING FEAT AVA
TOR EVER ESSAYED.
AMERICAN FAILS TWICE
Mistake Would Have Meant Certain
Death.-Safe Until He Tries to
AIight, When Ship Is
Wrecked.

Domodossola Italy. - To young
George Chavez, the Peruvian aviator,
belongs the honor of being the first
to fly across the Alps in an aeroplane.
The daring feat was accomplished
in an attempt, to win the prize of
10000 offered by the Italian Aviation
Society of Milan for q fight from
Brig, Switzerland, to Milan. Chavez,
however, was unable to complete the
trip, having sustained painful injuries
when he alighted here. His machine
was overturned and he was buried in
the wreckage.
AS the air man was seen slowly des-
cending a great crowd gathered.
Gracefully the airship neared the sur.
face and was only about 80 feet above
ground when gust of wind caught
and overturned the machine 1t fell
heavily, carrying the aviator beneath
it.
American Aviator Fails.
Chavez was pinned under the motor
He had tainted on striking the ground
and was bleeding profusely when re-
leased from the wreckage. The ma
chine was ruined
ChaveZ's injuries proved to be more
serious than was at first thought.
Physicians found that both his legs
were broken and that the left thigh
was fractured. His condition is grave
The American aviator, Waymann,
also attempted the flight, leaving the
table land at Brig at 1:10 p. N. Later
word was received here that he had
descended after being in the air four
minutes. He started on another at
tempt at 3.43 o'clock
Chavez crossed the Simplon at las
and thus accomplished what has been
regarded as one of the most daring
feats attempted by air navigators. He
had waited patiently for favorable,
weather for the route where strong
winds are the rule.
Most Reckless Flight.
The weather for the competition was
excellent. The haze that had gath
cred on the mountain tops, was early
blown away and the wind died out.
Chavez believed the favorable op-,
portunity he had awaited since Mon
day morning had come and he decided
to make the start. He got away at
1929 o'clock. He reached here at 2:11
o'clock.
There is general regret that fate
which permitted him to make what
has been described as the most reck-
less flight attempted, should have
dealt less kindly with him when he
had reached the zone of easy flying
and the prize was in sight.
With the exception of Chavez and
Weymann, the aviators abandoned the,
competition.
Follows Road Napoleon Built.
This morning both sides of the Alps
reported clear weather, but the top of
Simplon Pass was obscured III a haze
Chavez rose to height estimated at
nearly 1000 feet. 1t was known that
it would be necessary for him to clear
the pass where the summit rises $500
feet.
He apparently maintained this alti-
tude for at least half hour and fol-
lowed the road built by Napoleon in
1900 over the Simplon Pass. He COW
cred the eight miles that took him
over the top of Simplon and then
sailed gracefully over the IS miles
down to Domodossola.
Easy Finish Lay Before Him.
Arriving at Domodossola he had left
the hardest part Of his journey behind
him, having escaped the high peaks
and the tumble Of rocky gorges Oh
this side Of the summit
The remaining distance to Milan Of
fers less difficulty but leads over Lake
Maggiore and q succession Of plains.
The distance from Brig, Switzerland,
to Milan Is rs miles and the prize was
for the aviator who should accomplish
the first fight, starting from a table
OF land 900 feet above sea level at the
head of the Rhone valley.
In addition to reaching height that
would take him over the Simplon sum-
NIT and in doing which he must suffer
severely from the cold, the aviator
was required to guide his fral craft
over wide chasms, notably the Gorge
Of Ysette, where safe resent would
be quite impossible and an accident
must mean almost certain death.
Success or Death Faced Him.
Aviation experts had predicted free
| ly that the only alternative to sue
cessful flight across the Alps was
death Of the aviator.
Recent of Persia Is Dead.