Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-24


great feat of crossing the snow-capped
Alpine barrier between Switzerland
Italy in a heavier-than-air machine
was accomplished today by George
Chavez, the young Peruvian aviator.
But the plucky hero of the exploit lies
tonight in the Domodossola hospital
badly injured as the result of an ac-
cident which occurred just as he had
completed the most arduous ana nerve
racking portion of task he had set
out to accomplish flight from Brig,
Switzerland, across the Alps to Mi
Ian, in Italy, in all distance Of about
IS miles.
Both his legs are broken. his LEFT
thigh is fractured and his body is bad
ly confused; but the physicians in at
tenC ance are of the opinion that the
hurts will not prove fatal and that un-
less unlooked-for complications ensue,
Chavez will be about in two months.
Tie accident occurred rs Chavez
was endeavorng to make a landing
here The Alps had been crossed most
successfully and the aviator was de-
scending gracefully with the power of
his machine cut off. When it was about
80 feet above the ground sudden
gust of wind seemed to catch the mo-
noplane, which turned over and fell.
carrying down Chavez with it. Whe..
the crowds that had been watching The
descent ran up, they found Chavez iy-
ing. bleeding and unconscious. be-
meath the twisted wreckage. Willing
hands tenderly lifted the aviator from
the ground and bore him to the hos
pital.
Fifty miles away. and over country
that has none of the hazards OF the
Alps. lay Milan, the goal Chavez was
seeking in An endeavor to win a priz.
OF $4,000 offered by the Italian Ayia-
ton Association for the fight. Chavez
had lost the race.
The weather at Brig was clear anc
bright when Chavez made his start
Leaving the ground with his moto'
running at full speed he rose in sweep
ing circles until he had reached an al
titude sufficient for him to clear tho
Resti shoulder, to the southWestward
of Brig. This obstacle having been
overcome. the Peruvian aviator head
ed his monCpiane straight for th'
snow capped crags of the Flatcnhorn
Constantly ascending, Chavez reach
ed the Simplon Kuhn where, at an al
titude estimated at 1900 feet, he turned
his machine south over the terrifying
Simplon pass, with the Kaltwasser
glacier at his left and the frozen peak
of the, Hubscnorn at his right.
After crossing the divide. instead OF
taking a short cut over the Monchers
pass, a huge edged glacier, Chavez
turned the towering white mountain
head of Mote Leon, which rises to q
height of 1886 feet. and passed down
above the Condo gorge. deep gulf be
tween sheer walls until he reached the
oren valley of Vedre and then de-
sceEded easily toward DOmodossola
which is $50 feet above sea level. 1t was
here that the accident occurred.
Some of the spectators of the flight
say that after crossing the Simplon
pass, Chavez followed the short cut
route over the Monsera pass which
is 5000 feet above the sea, If this
be so, it is possible that the Peruvian
beat his own worlds record for height
of S271 feet
The % miles between Brig and Do
mobossola, which it took the armies
of Napoleon "a fortnight to negotiate,
Chavez accomplished by the way of
the eagle in exactly 40 minutes. From
the high point at Monsera. he de-
scended 1000 feet in Is minutes, his
machine gaining momentum as it flew
over the tumble of lower peaks. gull
lies and until the spped was terrific
as the machine approached the ground
mere This doubtless caused the ac-
cident which turned the cheers of adj
miration by the waiting crowd into
cries of horror. for the machine came
hurting to the ground just as it seemed
that Chavez was about to alight in
safety.
After treatment in the hospital Cha
veZ regained consciousness He suf-
fered terribly from his hurts. He
said he was unable to explain how
the accident occurred, that he could
not remember having fallen The
generally accepted opinion is that 1t
was due to a slight shift in the rudder
while the monopane was going at a
high rate of speed.
Thousands of the aviator's friends
and admirers arrived here from Milan
and other points to tender their ser
vices to him. Among them was NJ.
Paillett who it was reported earlier
in the day. had started from Brig in
his aeroplane and had landed safely
at Stresa. PALLET did not even make
an attempt at flight, having abandoned
the race and packed his machine for
shipment.
Henry Weymann, the American avn
ator, who made two unsuccessful at
tempts in the Brig Milan race today.
sent a telegram of sympathy to Chavez
saying: MY sincere and enthusiasm
CONGRATULATIONS on your exploit. 1 am
heart-broken over your accident and
you have my prayerful wishes for an
early recovery"
Much sympathy is expressed here for
Weymann. Although his motor had re-