Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-14
Charles K. Hamilton Makes Trip by Aerop|ane,
Going in ISL Minutes and Returning in 96
Minutes, After Breaking Two Prope||ers
And Being Bothered by His Engine.

mead on, and blowing much harder.
100. Throughout my, trip it was the
same way"
He accomplished the river passage in
safety and soon was beginning to fit
over the suburbs of Philadelphia. Ham
iton led the train to the aviation field.
Instead OF alighting. he circled the field
four times slowly, to give the people
fun chance to see him and then settled
V it'll dive that made the crowd catch
its breath.
Men, women and children rushed for
him as sooll us he settled and 1t took
al the power of big squad of mount
ed police to protect him and his ma
chine.
Hamilton stepped to the earth. boy
ish and dihdent Mayor Reyburn and
Governor Stuart were there to eX-
change messages for those carried by
Hamilton from Governor Hughes and
Mayor Gaynor.
Hamilton hurried away in an automo-
bile for a cup of coffee soon as he
coula dispense with formalities. Pretty
women rushed up to the car, sputterins
enthusiasm to shake his hand. Huh
said Hamilton as the automobile jolted
off the field; 'rougher going down here
than up above"
For luncheon Hamilton ate only slice
of cake and swallowed a cup of coffee.
Then he was back to the field and of
again before the special train could be
disentangled from the yard where 1t was
side tracked.
1t looked like rain and Hamilton wished
to take no chances. But in his hurry he
overlooked a precaution that later cost
him an unwilling descent. He forgot to
clean his spark plugs. There was no
sign of anything wrong, however, as he
scared straight into the distance and in
five minutes he had vanished in the haze.
The special train was 10 minutes late
in getting away. There followed the most
exciting incident of the day at least for
the spectators. For 80 minutes the spe-
cial tore after the aeroplane at a speed
sometimes touching IS miles an hour. be-
fore Hamilton was sighted. At Menlo
Park. two miles beyond Metuchen, no
was lost to sight behind the trees and
seemed to be flying lower, If stopping
for landing. Therefore 1t was no great
surprise to find when the train reached
Jersey City that Hamilton had not been
reported
Hamilton had mistaken the country and
when forced to alight because of engine
trouble he found himself in swamp.
The remainder of his flight was patch
work but it brought him home safe. The
whistles of every vessel in the bay sound
ed their applause. He landed thoroughly
tired out. grimmy but smiling. The crowd
swarmed about him but his first concern
was to greet his wife. who ran up to kiss
him and then to light a cigarette.
1T was great trip" said Hamilton.
after it was all over. "Of course | am
sorry that | was not able to come to
New York without stop and go on up
the Hudson to Yonkers and back to
make a new worlds record for a flight
without landing But I feel satisfied.
1t was good days work.
Everything went i'm great shape
on the way to Philadelphia. The ell
CINE worked perfectly, and kept along
with the special train without trouble
and reached Philadelphia just as l had
planned.
"Or the way back l noticed that the
motor was sluggish some time before
| decided to descended. One of the cyl
inders missed fire, and finally stopped
working altogether. Then a second
cylinder went out of business. The
engine did not respond well to the
Continued on Page Two.)