The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-07-12
HARMON'S FLYER DROPS 1900 FEET
 BUT HE ESCAPES
Aviator Scars But Six Miles on His Intended Trip Across Long Island Sound When Motor Kicks
His Big Biplane Shoots Down. ward, Striking a Tree and Telegraph Wires-He Will Try Again

MineoIa, L. l., July 12.-Clifford B
 Iarmcn's attempt to fly From the aviation grounds here across the Sound to the country home Of h1s father-in-law, Commodore E. C. Benedict, in Greenwich, Conn.,, re- suited in only seven-mile flight ano a disastrous fluke last evening. which came near killing tho dist1ngu!sneo and daring young amateur aVlator When near Roslyn the engines of the big Farman biplane which Harmon was operating at an altitude of l,8Ce feet gave out. The machine gl1deC until 150 feet from the ground. Ther it dropped into the top of tall tree On the country place Of Henry M Earle, smashed through the branches tore its way through telegraph wires and finally landed against stone wall, a wreck. Harmon escaped with C. bad shaking up and heart-to' heart talk with his wife and his fath- er-in-law, who hurried to the scene of the wreck from the Benedict yacht Sea Cliff. It and other fast craft were on the Sound to patrol his course to Connecticut, and to rescue him if the aeroplane should fall into the water.
 Mrs. Harmon rushed up to the dS u6 StOOu surveying hAS torn and splintered machine. She threw her arms about him, and there were tears in her eyes as she con- graduated him on his narrow escape Commodore Benedict also congratu- lated him, but there was grim and disapproving look on his face as he did it.
 Air boats do not appear to be perfect as yet" the Commodore said sarcastically and pointedly, with @ wave of the hand toward the wreck. They pleaded with Harmon to aban- don the thought of crossing the Sound, but he asserted he will make
 The rudder, propeller and the guy wires of the machine were smashed. The engine, failure of which at a critical time caused the downward plunge, was not damaged much. liar mon waited until his mechanics
 Take that machine back to the sheds for repairs" he said. Then he went away with his wife and the commodore. They proceeded to the Sound shore and went across to Greenwich by yacht.
 My trouble was with the engine, |" Harmon said before he went away from Roslyn. T only had gone a cou- pie of miles when it began to skip. It cleared again. but after a little more work it went almost. dead Just Nbe- fore I dropped only three of the cylin- ders were working. I realized at once must drop and make the best of it. age of every pound of air under the planes. With the forward drive gone, however, there was not much surface to serve as a parachute and I came down pretty rapidly.
 After I had started from Hemp stead Plains discovered that the pontoons on my machine spoiled it's equilibrium. That led me to descend and take them off. On the second start everything went well until reached this place. Then it was that my engine began missing and that a nasty descent was imperatively neces- sary. At that time I was at an alti- tude of 1900 feet and going about thirty-f1ve miles an hour. came down on a farm, but in the descent, which naturally was a hurried one. had no choice of a soft spot and tele- graph wires tore my propellers. I came up against some trees and . but it will take a week to repair the damage done to the machine. Then shall try the across-the-Sound trip again. I shall not announce it ahead of time, however. because this attempt has been 50 disappointing to so many OI Hly
 Naturally Mrs. Harmon and the commodore do not want me to attempt the flight again and the commodore promises to give me anything I ask if I give it up, but I feel that in the in- terest of science I must try again. Many friends followed me by auto to Roslyn and came to my assistance there. Those on the Oneida who were waiting for my appearance were when failed to appear. No; I was not even scratched bv the fall, but I think I should prefer to alight in the water. even without pontoons. shall have to give up the pontoon idea, however. I know there is dan ger to the machine in a water flight, but I am a good swimmer and shall take all precautions possible on my next flight"
 Harmon had announced to his friends on the Connecticut side that he would alight on a ten-acre lot owned by Henry L. Cammann of New York. It is at Mead's point, half mile from the Benedict place at Indian HarbOr. The grass had been moved there and hundreds of society folk in automo- piles lined the Connecticut shore and the further edge of the field.