The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-24
In Sight of Goal, Avia-
tor Is Desperately
Injured.
TIME OF FLIGHT
! is 40 MINUTES
vt Took Napoleon Fortnight to
Accomplish What Plucky Hero
Does in Less Than Hour.
Machine Falls to Ground
as He Finishes First
Leg Of Journey.
Leg Of Journey.

Domodossola, Italy. September "a
FThe great feat OF crossing the snow
capped Alpine barrier between Switzer-
land and Italy in a than-air
lmachlne was accomplished to-day by
George Chavez. the young Peruvian
aviator.
The plucky hero OF the exploit, how
ever. lies tonight In the Domodossola
Hospital badly injured as the result
lof an accident that occurred just as
Ihe had completed the most arduous and
snerve-racking portion OF a task he
had set out to accomplish-a flight
from Brig. in Switzerland, across the
ALPS TO Milan. in Italy, in all dis
fance OF about seventy-fve miles
Both his legs were broken. his left
thigh Is fractured and his body is
badly confused: but his physicians are
not prove fatal.
The accident occurred as Chavez was
endeavorfng TO make a landing here
ne Alps had been crossed successfully
ana the aviator was descending with
Ehe power OF his machine cut off
When about thirty feet above the
ground sudden gust Of wind seem
cd to catch the monoplane. which turn
ed over and fell When the crowds
that had been watching the descent
ran UP they found Chavez lying bleed
ling and unconscious beneath the
twisted wreckage willing hands
lifted the aviator from the ground
and bore him to the hospital
Hal Lost the Race.
Fifty miles away. and over country
that has none of the hazards of the
ALPS. lay Milan. the goal Chavez was
seeking in an endeavor to win a prize
ton Society for the flight.
Chavez had lost the race.
The weather at Brig was clear ana
bright when Chavez made his start.
Y Leaving the ground with his moi or
running at full speed. he rose IN
sweeping circles until he had reached
.an altitude sufficient for him to clear
ward of Brig. This obstacle having
fteen overcome. the Peruvian aviator
headed his monoplane straight for the
snow capped cragg OF the F1etchory
,Constantly ascending. Chavez reached
,the Simplon Kuhn. where, at an alti-
tude estimated at 1900 feet, he turned
ihis machine south over the terrifying
s.mplon Pass with the Kaltwasser
Glacier at his left and the frozen peak
.
After crossing the divide, instead OF
taking a short cut over the Monchers
Pass, huge glacier, Chevez turned
,the towering white mountain head OF
Monte Leone. which rises to a height
OF 1886 feet, and passed down above
the Condo Gorge, a deep gulf between
sheer walls. until he reached the open
valley of vedro. and then descended
seasily toward Domodossola, which is
$50 feet aho1e sea level. 1t was here
that the accident occurred:
Flight In Forty Minutes.
The TWENTY-FIVE miles between Brig
and Domossola, which 1t took the
armies Of Napoleon 70, fortnight to ne, ,s :
route of the eagle in exactly forty
minutes. From the high point at
Monsera he, descended 40" feet in
in momentum as 1t flew over the
tumble OF lower peaks. gullies and
hills beyond until the speed was Ser-
tritic as II app cached the ,Aecrodrome
here. This doubtless caused the acci-
dent which turned the cheers OF ad-
miration of the waiting crowd into
cries of horror. as the machine came
Ihur,l:ns 20 the ground Just as 1t seem-
ed that Chavez was about to alight
in safety.
After treatment in the hospital,
Chavez regaIned consciousness He
suffered terribly from his hurts. He
said he was unable to explain how
the accident had occurred--that he did
not remember falling. The generally
accepted opinion Is that the accident
twas due to slight shift in the rudder
while the monoplane was going a.
high rate Of speed.
Thousands OF the aviator's friends
,nnd admirers arrived here from Milan
land other points to tender their sar-
vices to Chavez.
Henryweymann. the American avia-
w made Two unsuccessful =
ttemprs IN the Brig-Milan race to-day,
lsent a telegram of sympathy to Chavez,
Mucn sympathy is expressed here
for Weymann, who made last and
desperate EFFORT TO win the race after
ihearlng that Chavez had met with an
accident He managed to climb over
the Resti Shoulder, but finding that the
higher. he returned to Brig and
alighted Three rrenchmen, VINO We're
,racing IN an automobile from Brig
to the scene OF the accident, We're
were fatally Injured.
May Get Purse.
!. Although Chavez did not succeed IN
winn,ng me prize EFF Of $4,000, having
rnembers OF the aviation committee
nre In favor or turning over the purse
TO him and erecting a monnmen5 ~ an
Eommemoratton OF mans tirst flight
across. the Alps.
born in Paris In 1857.
Chavez was able to receive visitors
ht the hospital FOR few minutes to-
night Although weak, he was In. a
while steering toward slmplon vil-
lage. Intending to take the Monsera
route, he was met BY "a hurricane Of
currents .whlrling from every dlrec-
tipn. Through the Gonda Gorge
Chavez says he drove the monoplane
ut breakneck speed.
When he reached the plain OF Do
modossola, Chavez said that he clearly
tlescried Aviator Duray signaling to
him and pointing out, the landing
place. He made the usual preparations
ylcontinued 7on ThlTd Paxe.1.