The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-05
AGAIN
THRILLS CROWD
BY HIS DARING
Johnstone Climbs 1900
Feet in Very Teeth
of Gale.
.GLIDEs DOWN
LIKE SEA GULL
Lungs and Steam Whistles Unite
in Wild Scream Of Delight as
Wright Biplane Dazzles and
Cuts Circles Through Air.
Mayor Likely to Fly
To-Day.
GLIDES DOWN
LIKE SEA GULL

Climbing the stairless way to heaven
and ascending between 1900 and 1900
feet above the earth, Ralph Johnstone
again performed aerial feats .at the
State Fair Grounds yesterday after
noon. and by his reckless daring be-
came the idol of the hour He was In
the air exactly fourteen minutes, leav-
Ing the monorail at 4:32 1-2. Circlins
around the field so that thousands who
had not the price of admission could |
the trees half a mile away the sky |
pilot rose to such dizzy height that
the crowd gasped in awe.
a strong breeze blew from the |
southeast across the field at twenty
five mile clip, and when Johnstone had
reached his highest level. the aeroplane
seemed almost to stand still in. its
against the wind.
Cut Circles High In Air.
But to show that he had 1t under
perfect control, the aviator cut circles
at the tremendous height. and then
swept back down the field. He scared
from one elevation to another. crossed
the aerial field from one direction to
the other, swept over tie north side
of the track. above the heads of the
people strung along the rail. and then
flew across in front OF the grandstand.
where he dipped in acknowledgment
of the hurrahs which greeted him.
Once he came down as If to NOV the
grass on the field. and then, with his
forward planes tilted sharply upward.
he leaped into the air like giant gull,
the white wings of his machine CLINT
ing in the rays of the sun.
Weather conditions were not quite so
good as on the initial day, though to
the novice there seemed not to be
enough strength In the wind to make
the feat more dangerous than it had
been on the day before. But the
flags on the Executive Building were
flung taut ny the breeze which cut
me ant current Of air flowing at from
twenty to twenty-five miles an hour.
Tests Every Wire.
Though ne seems reckless when once
seated in the acceptance. Johnstone
takes no chances before he rises
from the rail. He was more par
ticular in examining the running ma
chinery of The aeroplane and the in
Vulnerable wires which keep the planes
taut and strong than on the day be-
fore. and wncn the mechanics released.
the bird-like machine tombstone knew
that success then depended only on his
own skill But he explained after
alighting that even If the motor stalled
In mid-air lie could slide down with
out danger.
The flight was delayed half an hour
at the request of the fair author
tiles. who had received word that
large crowd was then on Its way to
witness the aeroplane in action. and
Johnstone and his manager. Thomas
P. Jackson. consented to wait halt
an hour. Shortly after o'clock the
aeroplane vas on the monorail, and
Johnstone quietly and without osten-
tatton, went down to the . judges
stand to make his bow before the
public and to be introduced as one OF
the worlds greatest aviators to those
who had not seen him before. He was
dressed in blue suit and soft black
hat, and the admiring thousands would
never recognize in him man who
daily takes his life In his hands for
aerial arts sake and their amuse-
ment.
Watched Hurdle Race.
AT the west end of the field, where
the man-built bird lay waiting his
guiding hand he stood and watched
the last hurdle race. taking as much
interest in that as the people did in
him and his machine. When the last
horse had circled the hurdles and gone
down the stretch, Johnstone went to-
the thing of canvas, wood and wires,
and looked 1t over. He applied the
lubricating OIL and then watched the
propelers at work before he took his
seat He walked around 1t, examin-
ing every strand of wire. and then,
apparently satisfied with his inspec-
3tton-for he never talks except to-
or, ba oJi y 10 1aot thay
helmet and climbed TO his seat be-
tween the planes. AT a signal the pro-
pellers were started. and then, at a
second signal, the machine became a
thing of life and glided down the
rail. But a section of the rail had
slued out of place, and the machine
had to be brought back In two and
a half minutes the section had been
readjusted, and again the motor
whirred and the machine glided down
into empty space AT the end OF tho
rail the forward planes tilted upward,
and the aeroplane took to It's element
with a bound that carried 1t up two
hundred feot
Higher and Higher.
All, men waited with bated breath.
Other sounls had ceased, and eyes
and ears were for nothing else, John
stone glued his eyes to the east. not
needing the shouts that ascendtHsN to
him. He swept down the field for halt
Its length, and then turned back, with
the machine'st nose turned to the
clouds, Slowly, struggling against the
small gale, he climbed the aerial
sleeps. and then, at heigAt estimated
at between 1900 and l.50O8 feet. he
poised like an eagle searching for his
prey
No sound came from the motor,
Johnstone seemed to be resting In the
bosom Of the air, He was up at an
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