The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-09-01

are heating tbo ar -
with an even roar N,-Ssr ss5S1s,S
that half deafens NHHa@l
you. The wind Of :
the open spaces sings In your ears.
The wide wings are lifting you stead.
ny higher and higher In great sweep
ing circles as you climb the air lad
Ter toward the zenith. The world lies
5pread out beneath you like a colored
nap. You feel as free as the birds
II the air; you long TO measure your
speed with the eagles.
Suddenly there Is q crashing eEplo-
iiOn behind and beneath you. and the
eide and steady planes seem 20
-rumpie up like a sick crows wings
The earth seems to leap up 10 meet
you. and the rushing gale Of air seems
% tear the breath from your lungb
Your senses reel as the tremendous
pull % gravity hurls you and your bro
ken machine and coughing engine 10
the earth. Earth and sky seem TO run
together 10 an awful burst OF flame.
and blackness aud pleased oblivion
blot out the clouds and the good grsen
earth for you forever,
Il must be in some such manner
that the aviator dies. There is but
little evidence Of the feelings that riot
through the human brain when
dropped from the clouds TO the earth
beneath. Few men survive a fall OF
any height. in spite OF the number
who are meeting with accidents In
their efforts TO master the air. Ia
spite Of the danger. which Is admit
teddy great. the craze for the aero
plane and the sport OF aviation Is
steadily growing. Yet ten years ago
the heavier than-air flyers were mere
climyrnH az a scientific brain.
ON the seventeenth day Of Decem-
Der. 1903. . thln-faced man hurled him
self ont into the air from q sandy bin.
aide down IN North Carolina Tho
first 81 the wind riders IN the worlds
history made a long. gliding night ia.
a biplanc on the hill slope near Kitty
Hawk Wilbur Wright was the hrst
Of the bird mcn 20 rise superior 20 the
air Five years later the brother OF
tho FIRST man 20 Hy Was trying out a
new and powerful aeropianc under the
direction Of the officers OF the United
States army. On a September after
noon the TRANCE = machine rose In
fun flight carrying Lieutenant Self
ridge ne a passenger. Orviile Wright
was az the steering wheel A guy
wire vas snapped by a Whirliug pro
ptllOr. The great wings crumpled up.
the mass Of debris shot 10 the earth.
and S~elfridge. the first 81 a long line
Of martyrs 60 aviation. was dead at
Fort Meyer
Since that September afternoon, less
than TWO years ago. % men have Civ.
ON up their ives 70 conquer the elias.
tic and yet stable o~lemcut-tho air
Within one week this summer eight
aviators and dirlgihlc balloouists have
been killed. Some notable things have
boon accomplished by the earnest stu
dents and tho more foolhardy OF the
new school OF exhibition nyer8. but tho
price Of success and mastery has bcon
over a rot of lives. Some OF the
men st1l In the game OF Night hayo
been dangerously injured dime after
time Several OF the nations OF the
world are beginning 10 wake up 90 tho
danger ~ inexperienced and irrcsp1n
siblo persons making flights. Austria
has passed laws regulating attempts
OF her citizens 10 conquer the air
Russia has put che ban ON the owning
OF machines by irresponsible persons.
but IL Is generally understood that
this ~ because Of her fcar OF the uey
ANHHaWa. mhWNhHHwH.wm In 49,. FmnVn -
nihilists and the radical rods.
In the United States a fow folk are
beginning 90 wonder how long Il viii
be until something has TO be done 20
stop the growing death roll among
pioneers OF the air. AYlAtnra aud ayi
alton were openly condemned a few
days 3 by an influential journal OF
Cleveland. Ohio.
ITO Those Who Exalt ThomEoIves."
the article was headed. and the foI.
lowing rcactionary ideas were ex.
pressed! THE craze for dlrlgible bal
looms and alrshlps should be legally
restricted 10 b. unthlnkAble that the
Creator intended that man should In.
habit the AIR or ny like the birds. lie
would have furnished him with wings.
The numerous deaths that have oc.
Cured from attempts 90 ny should
warn man that bis h~abitation and
home Is the earth"
mt In splte ot warnings. published
and spoken. tho craze Tor aviation 70.
mains unchecked A thousand invon.
tors are working IN their shops. lrm
IN the belief that they are "a sight OF
the hnal secret that viii wrest the
mastery OF the upper air spaces from
the birds and place Il In the hands OF