The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-21
Young Aerop|aniSt Flies from
MlneO|a, Long Island,
to Greenwich
HARMON HAS A FALLL&g.y,,~
ESCAPES W|TBv' 'AURT
Ralph Johnston Makes Daring Dive in
Machine at Asbury Park While
Walter Brookins and Others
Make Short Trips

New York, August 20.-(Special )-Clif-
ford H. Harmon, the young millionaire
aeronaut. drove his Farman biplane from
Mineola, L. l., to Greenwich, Conn, at
dusk this evening, shooting across the
sound above bedlam of saluting whis-
ties and accomplishing in the brief space
of 80 minutes the longest over-the-water
flight ever made In America.
Trying to make good his promise to
land on the lawn of the home of his
father-in-law, e. C. Benedict the daring
steersman fouled line of telephone
wires. smashed the propeller of his ma
chine, the skids and the front control
amid the partial wreckage
The spectacle which had thrilled thou
sands In the towns and pursuing automo-
biles from the aviation field In Mineola to
Sea Cliff became inspiring as viewed from
the Larchmont Yacht club when the avi-
ator swung his frail but mighty bird for
the six-mile dash across the water.
The cheers of the thrilled throng at Sea
Cliff rang behind him. The boats along
shore shrilled their vibrant applause
which was taken up by the craft In mid
stream and merged into the WELCOMING
shouts from the assembled yachtsmen of
Larchmont.
The growing dusk lent weirdness and a
sense of peril to the scene.
And the peril was real There had been
little breeze on the island, but as Har-
mon sped out over the sound the BIZ
Dlana hn txnricf IT,
rents and writhed up and down like a
wind-beaten gull.
From the 600-foot level he shot up 1000
feet. then down again. seeking clear head
way in the battling eddies of air.
But In Just 10 minutes from the time he
left Sea Cliff the beautiful yachts OF
Iarchmont were dipping their colors un-
der his whirring plane. And he was
away over land again on his course to
Greenwich.
Commodore Benedict, the father-ln-Iaw
who had so strongly opposed the early
aerial adventures Of the young man and
who is said to have offered him 100000 to
give up flying, was out on the sound In his
yacht tender when Harmon flew over his
head.
Mrs Harmon was at her fathers home
and watched her husband sail nearly to
the yard before the accident which forced
him to land in field a short distance
away. She sprang into a waiting auto
mobile and was whisked to his side, the
first to greet him.
The start from Mineola was made at 6 ga
and the landing was at 7:05 O'Clock. The
total distance covered was approximately
25 miles At the point of Harmon's CROSS
ing the sound is about six miles wide.
Across the English channel from Calais
to Dover is q miles. The total length
of the American amateurs flight shows
that he could easily have made the chan
mel crossing had he been attempting the
feat which has brought world fame to
others.
BY his flight Mr. Harmon wins a $1,000
Tiffany cup offered by Doubleday. Page
& Co., for the first fight from Mineola
across the sound to any point beyond the
Mammaroneck river. Mr.. Harmon al
ready held the American balloon record
for duration and altitude
JOhnstOne Makes Record
Asbury Park, N j., August 2O.-After
soaring into the brilliant orange evening
sky to an altitude of 244S feet, Ralph
tombstone. the Wright aviator, made a
spectacular dive at an angle of As degrees
from height of 23o0 feet above the avia-
ton field at Interlaken this afternoon.
From this height, practically a half mile
In the air, he came speeding down the
steep aerial incline head on toward the
earth with the power of his motor shut
or. For descent in straight, steep
line, this constitutes a worlds record for
gides. Hitherto all similar descents have
been by circling to the earth In hugh,
birdlike spirals. Previous to Johnstone' $
thrilling return to earth Walter Brookins
and Frank Cofryn. in the new Wright ma
chine, few from field to the Deal Coun-
try and Golf club. two miles distant.
After light luncheon they got into their
machine and flew back to the aviation
field.
While Johnstone was preparing for, his
high flight Hoxsey made a short flight
around the field with Frank Ward OMal-
ley, New York newspaper man, as a
passenger
Fred Owens also made flight in his
drigible balloon.
MOissant Again Delayed
Chatham. England. August 2o.-John B.
Moissant, the American aviator, the lat
ter part of whose aerial flight from Paris
to London has been delayed by accident
and contrary winds. will make an attempt
to reach Crystal Palace tomorrow morn
ing. 81
Moissant ascended at 6.20 O'Clock this
morning from Rainham. after repairs to
his damaged monoplane had been com
pleted, but after flying some four miles
was obliged to land again on account of
the strong wind. Conditions were little
improved in the evening. and Moissant
postponed his departure until morning,
--------------.s---
Former City Treasurer Arrested
Telluride, Col, August 2o.-v. u.
Rodgers, former city treasurer. who is
said to have confessed to a shortage of
more than $4,000 In his accounts with
the city, was arrested today.
CENSUS RETURNS :
y Washington, August 20.-The pop .
= ulation of St. Louis Is 6s7.029, an =
. increase of 1871 or 1914 per cent. .
= as compared with 575.2ss in 1900. :
= Census returns for Atlanta, Ca: .
= 154,SS9, an increase of 64.967 or 72.8 .
= per cent, as compared with Ss,S72 =
y in 1900 .