Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-29
MARS DROPS INTO THE BAY
Claims to Have Fallen from Height
Of Five Hundred Feet. \ Nj
IN AIR BRLANE GOES WRONG
Aviator Tells the stOry OF His hide
from the sky and HIS Plunge
Into waters OF New York -
HarbOr. NV

NEW YORK. Aug S-(special TeitA
sram.j-J. c. Mars. the aviator. plunsel
500 feet through space yesterday landfnE
ni Ambrose channel at che foot OF Ner
York bay and Fort Hamilton. The rift9l
hose power motor on the flying machins
went wrong
Mars was nshed out OF the water un-
hurt. by a tugboat and his Curtiss eight
cylinder flyer was picked up q wreck. Mr..
Mars said: sFesI III
LAS the heavy bipiane struck the water
WAS hurled from my seat, through the
forward plane and into the watNrs. The
machine turned turtle, pinning dts:alndvr
the surface planes. MY first thpnxhr was
60 get clear Of the wreckage ahd ( tors
through the Hubberized cloth and wire
stays until got to the surface. Then a
boat came to my assistance 49,
Before the accident which snd ed my
flight, had covered fifteen niles CO. a
wind, which buffeted the aeroplane from
side to side. | was three miles Off shore
when passed Manhattan beach and was
completing a wide circle when I neared
Quarantine Island In the lower bay. My
intention was to land at Fort Wordsworth
Up Five Hundred Feet.
'As near as | could figure l was up 5Ot
feet when one OF the cylinders missed
fire. The trouble became worse and
leaned over In my seat to inspect the en-
giDe. AS leaned forward kept the front
fitting planes pointed upward 50 that the
biplane arose steadily in the air. In this
way | plowed ahead at the rate OF about
sixty miles an hour.
AT an altitude OF 800 feet decided to
press the emergency OIL clutch, which Is
operated from the foot rest in front Of tbs
planes. My right foot bore down on the
rod. which l didn't Know had been bent
As the rod gave way before the pressure
noticed a spark, and then the machine
stopped. l knew that I had short circuitec
the engine.
The downward plunge began with terri
fic rush at an angle of forty-five degrees
This gave me speed enough to get the for
ward planes tilted for what / believed
would be a smooth landing on the surface
OF tho water. My aeroplane was equipped
with hydro-plane and Two water tight
pontoons Within 100 feet Of the water
prepared for landing, but instead of being
able to glide with the hydro-plane. wai
! carried to the water with lightning speed.
Under the wreckaEe.
THE skidding wheels under the aero
plane struck the water with a splash, which
tilted the planes so far over that wal
catapulated through the heavy cloth planes
and In moment felt the weight Of the
engine on top OF me. With the heavy
leather coat which I wore in my flight
vas hardly able to break through the
wreckage above me. In the half minute
was under water / used all my strength
''In the struggle punctured my life belt
but finally managed to got to the surfac,
Of the water. Then l discarded my Goa
and the puttees which helped to weigh m,
| down. BY this time q boat from the Mer
rit-Chapman wrecking tug Hustler, cam,
alongside and Captain Tanner threw ou
lifeline. / thanked him for his services
asked him to bring the tug alongside L
raise the aeroplane. Then 1 dived q secont
time, carrying with me a rope, which
tied to the engine. The tug CNlme alongsid,
and we made an attempt to raise the BIZ
plane. AS the hawser became taut 4
snapped again, hurting the aeroplane Int
the water.
1T was after I had dlved at least foul
times that 1 managed to get heavy rop,
placed SO that We were finally able to saw,
what was left OF the aeroplane. We place.
the wreck on the tug ana sent It back 4
Sheepshead bay"