The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-19
Young American Breaks
Down Is Miles From
London.
HIS MACHINE IN
BAD POSITION.
!. Armstrong Drexel Offers Use
of Propeller, and Moissant May
Soon Be Ready to Resume
His Perilous Flight From
Paris to Lon
don.

z =
don.
Chatham, England, August 1S--John
B. Moissant, the Chicago aeronaut
who is attempting to fly from Paris to
London, descended for the second time
near here to-day. breaking the pros
peller and part OF the frame OF the
machine in making the second landing.
MoIssant spent the afternoon repair
ing his damaged machine. His great
est difficulty, obtaining another pro-
OF ]. Armstrong Drexel to lend him n
propeller from Drexers own Bleriot.
which is duplicate OF Moissant's
propeller. This was dispatched from
Biackpool tonight, and will be taken
( by motor car from London to Rainha
n Moissant wired his gratitude to Mr..
Drexel. and will resume his journey
at the earliest possible moment.
Neither Moissant nor his mechanic
was Injured In the accident
Machine In Bad Way.
The machine OF Moissant at present
lies in most awkward position. every
foot OF the garden, where the landing
was made, presenting such obstacles
that Moissant and the experts, who
mad gathered to inspect the monoplanc,
can scarcely conceive how he managed
TO descend without serious injury to
himself and his mechantctan, Ftloux.
The allotment garden in which the
machine lies Is no more than 100 feet
square at the bottom OF an abandoned
brick field. In frontof the machine is
bank of earth. All about 1t are high
piles of broken brick and earth. any
one OF which would have smashed the
machine to fragments II encountered
during the landing.
To ascend from 1t seems an impos-
sibllity. Even to get the monoplane
OUT by hand will be extremely difficult
The little american aviator. however,
makes light Of all suggestions OF trou-
bic. He says that he and F'ileux viii
tAnd a way out of tho d iftculty
He protests against the reports OF
Spanish descent and insisted proudly
to-day to the visitors who conversedi
with him: al
Il am an American. Ny parents
were French-Canadians from America
There is no Spanish blood in me"
Good Luck Deserts Him.
The good fortune which accompanied
a1oissant In the earlier stages OF his
flight from Paris and in his record
breaking journey across the channel
with a passenger seems to have deserted
him with his arrival upon English
shores.
Motor defects in the aeroplane. which
had yesterday worked without a slip,
forced him to make two successive
landings when about halfway on the,
course between London and Tilman-
stone, where he assembled at Ass this
morning.
His tirst descent, mile from Sitting
bourne. about thirty-fve miles from
London, was due to the displacement
of small pin IN the mechanism. en-
failing an Immediate descent. He mar.
rowly escaped disaster In the landing.
just missing the mouth OF deep chalk
pit, a fall into which would have
meant death for the aviator and his
mechanician.
Repairs to the machine detained him
nearly three hours. He then made a
second start.
Scarcely had he covered ten miles
toward his goal when a second acci-
dent brought him down at Rainham.
Kent. A rod connecting up the driv-
ing gear Of the aeroplane was trac-
ltured. stopping the engine and forcing
the Chicagoan to plane down immed1-l
HI II
Nearly Hits Tree.
He landed in field. Only skilfuli
handling of the aeroplane prevented Its.
jplunging into clump OF trees which
barred the way.
Moissant made an abrupt turn to-
escape these. The machine came down
heavily. breaking the chassis and
smashing q blade OF the propeller.
Moissant and his mechanic climbed
out OF the smashed machine uninjured.7
Upon looking over the damage they
decided that the repairs could not he
accomplished on the spot. and that
they must walt for parts to replace
the damaged portions of the machine,
FOR which they Immediately tele-8
igraphed to Paris.
Ss Fine Conditions mt Start.
II Deal Angus i 1S.--Aoiss and Fl-4
sleux started for London at 48o'clock
this morning.
In ideal weather, with only a light
western breeze, AIoissant. with Fileux5
beside him, made a fine start. He was
watched by crowd Of more than 500
people, who arrived at Tilmanstone nyY
motorcycle or on foot.
Moissant was so eager not TO lose
I'M,