New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-11-18


was their unprecedented backward fight
when they turned their machines into
/ gale and as they mounted upward were
| driven backward by the wind till they
vanished down the island. tombstone went
nm nine thousand feet and landed sixty
miles away having drifted backward all
that distance.
"T ruess-' said Wilbur Wright al the
time. that's the first 'cross-country fight
eyer made tail and foremost Major
samuel Rober. of the United States Signal
Corps. added that nothing in aviation had
gone so far to prove The worth OF the
aeropiane i'm stiff weather. He estimated
the strength of the wind tombstone then
fought at forty-five miles an hour and up
ward
Little Son Staunch Adn1irer.
While the crowd was anxiouse Watching
this startling feat some one noticed John
stones little four-year-old son standing
with some friends watching his father dis
appear from sight.
Nos what do you think of your father?
the boy was asked.
"Papas always all right replied the
youngster.
II was on November 1 that Johnstone
made the altitude record, the only inter
national record broken at Belmont Park.
Taking the baby Wright altitude machine,
Johnstone started under orders to stay up
about an hour and then if he hadn't brok-
en- the record. to come back and give
FioXsey a chance az it. tombstone did no
such thing He was determined TO make
ter thousand feet. He Gid the first eight
thousand in less than half an hour. then
fought for over an hour to make the re-
| manning two thousand. forgetting all about
orders in his zeal When he reached the
earth and found he had fallen d little short
o. the goal he was infinitely disguised
! and the fact that he had broken world
record seemed TO afford little comfort
Work at Asbury Park.
! Johnstone did some spectacular work in
! heavy winds at Asbury Park in August,
which served as good practice for his later
/ achievements At Boston. in September. he
made new duration, distance and accuracy
marks. He remained in the air hours
minutes 80 seconds. breaking Clifford b
/ Ifarmon's American record. His distance
was g. miles 1866 feet. also an American
record Descending he planted his car al
! most over the flag in a test for accuracy
/ Johnstone liked applause. but he seldom
/ tried tricks 10 gain IT. When it came 70
/ beam end turns and pirouettes, HoXsey and
/ Brookins could always have their own way
! tombstone had only one thriller. beginning
! with a gradual detection. ne would or
more and more steeply until his descent be
! came the swoop of a stopping hawk lie
/ falling the crowd would cry, just before
/ he Strengthened. Finally he did.
/ The dead aviator was horn in Kansas
/ City thirty years ago. His wife and two
/ children. boy and girl, are in New York
/ tombstone was a trick Cyciist before he
| became an aviator and was famed for
his daring feats on the wheel. He travelled
| extensively abroad, giving exhibitions IN
the bicycle. lie met in Berlin the sirl
who later became his wife lie was the
/ first man tn attempt jumping with a wheel
/ Six months ago. tombstone. through Roy
! Nua benshue. secured an engagement with
/ The Wright brothers. They liked his work
/ and few weeks ago. he signed 4 con
! tract extending until January l. 1872.
tombstone had the greatest confidence in
/ his ability to keep the worlds record for
height He said while here that If any
Que broke the worlds record which nc
held. he would go even higher
When Johnstone started to leave the home
of Ny II. IHedermann. his uncle, III Kansas
City. last Sunday. on his way 10 Denver
to take part in the aviation meet, FEEDER
mann said:
Z suppose I'll receive a telegraphic dis
patch one Of these days TO come after Your
remains
Not mire." said Jnhnstouc. shaking his
relatives hand, and smiling, when ] make
fight / have my plans we'll laid. Before
leave the ground | know exactly what /
am goina, to 10. Don't worry about me be-
ins injured.
Johnstone's widow got the news Of her
/ husbands death from Wilbur Wright. who
j. in this city. She was so Frustrated that
! she denied herself Ia callers, Wilbur
+ Wright said that she had no statement fer
publication
Il can't say anything 4 bout the accident,
except 10 express the grief | feel" said
! Nj Wright. The spectacle OF the thing
4 a il appears to the onlooker or even i
! newSpar ermau who las seen many flights
/ and some accidents Is of no value to me.
/ What ! want is description Of how the
thing happened from an aviator VINO
saw il.
! The altItpde-J MEAN the altitude Of
/ Denyer-appeaFs, 10 have had nothing to co
with it. tombstone had said he considered
the air tricky. Perhaps 1t was, but Joha-
stone didn't lose control. ! understand that
bis left plane collapsed.
When Brookins and f1oxsey report per
, haps / can make some analysis of what
happened. ] suppose it viii never be pos
sible to tell much from the wrecked ma
chine. That left plane was damaged yes
terday wasn't il? our men are all careful,
but perhaps it was inadequeteiy repaired"
/ DEBATE ON MEXICO STOPPED