Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-14

The accident to the propeller in the
Jersey swamp was the second mishap
of the kind during the day, but call
to Governors Island brought new
propeller with a ne wset of spark
plugs and the aviator was able to fin
ish within twelve hours, although
twenty-four hours were allowed in the
terms of his contract.
Carrying as he did letters between
the two cities, Hamilton created the
first fast mail by the air route to
Philadelphia and return and demon
strated that an aeroplane can denver
mail from one city to another with
the punctuality of government service.
During the whole of the first lap he
never varied more than two minutes
from his time card and came down on
the handkerchief laid to mark his
landing spot with the precision of
homing pigeon.
1t is an interesting coincidence that
Hamilton won his honor stoday with
the same biplane that won the inter-
national speed trophy for Curtiss at
Rheims last year and that it was dr1v-
en- by the same propeller with which
Curtiss made his fight from Albany
to New York.
OyERCOMEs OBSTACLES
Curtiss flew over a more picturesque
course, but Hamilton today overcame
obstacles of geography and setbacks
of luck that no other aviator has ever
conquered Curtiss carried pontoons.
Hamilton won his honors today with
salt water with no protection except
three inner tubes Of bicycle tires wrap
ped around his waist. He took chances
on roof tops, bridges and moving
oh n
before. With a missing engine and
twice compelled to substitute propel-
lers, he kept going and tonight his
resolution brought its reward.
The weather was ideal for a flight.
The dawn broke translucent and pearly
gray with just enough moisture in the
air to give the propeller good thrust
AS Hamilton wheeled his aeroplane
from it's tent on Governors island a
special train chartered by the New
York Times and the Philadelphia Pub
lie Ledger, and carrying his mother,
his wife, his chief mechanic, Albert G.
Doty, and Mrs. Doty, stood on sid-
ing of the Pennsylvania terminal in
Jersey City waiting for the word
At 1912 the special started gently
and came to a sudden stop. 1t was
false start.
CHANGE PROPELLORS
Hamilton had tried to rise and after
n brief time over the sand of Gov
ernor's island, had abruptly stopped
much to the wonder of his gallery. The
sand was soft, and the biplane, run
ming on narrow tires, sank in the sand
In the sinking one wheel kicked up
the end of a hidden stick which came
into violent collision with the Whirring
propeller. A long splinter four inches
wide was torn out of a bladde and the
engineer had to shut off his engine.
Then followed a necessary delay while
the propeller used by Curtiss in his
flight from Albany to New York was
fitted. Fortunately the Curtiss ma
chine was still on the island.
At 1885 Hamilton was off again, this
time without mishap. One minute and
a half later word of his start was
flashed over the telephone wires to the
terminal in Jersey City
and the special train was after him.
route to Elizabeth, where
it was hoped the train would meet him,
lay for 16 miles over the water Of the
lower harbor, and the Kill Won Kull,
behind Staten island, two miles far
ther beyond this distance to Elizabeth
from Jersey City by rail. No sight Of
an aeroplane at Elizabeth. No sight
of one at South Elizabeth.
HUGE DRAGON FLY
But 1914 miles out by rail the en-
gineer glimpsed something like a huge
dragon fly far ahead of him, and far
above him. He put on more speed, and
the sense of pursuit seemed to COM
municate itself telephatically to Ham
ilton's wife and his mother, Mrs. N.