The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-09
MADE A FLIGHT.
Continued from Page One,

Mr.. Mars stood in front of the ma
chine, pulled his cap down securely.
buttoned his leather jacket close at
the neck and again gave Mr.. Banter
the signal. This time the engine
started with the first whirl of the pro-
pellors by the machinist. All hands
braced themselves to hold on and af-
ter the engine was well started and
working nicely Mr.. Mars climbed into
the seat and grasped the wheel. He
then raised one hand as a signal to
let go and the holders" jumped out
of the way. but the machine refused
TO move. The wheels had sunk in
the soft earth and held it in place
while ordinarily it would have requir-
ed the strength of all four men to
have held it until the signal was given.
Ground Was Soft.
Mr.. Banter looked surprised and
grasping the frame gave the bird
push. Instantly it darted off over the
soft ground gathering speed as it
went "Oh, he can't get up" said one
of the spectators after it had run per-
haps 100 feet. but just then the front
wheel left the earth and in a second
more the machine f1oated over the al
falfa field just clearing the tops of
the clover. Then it rose gradually I'M
til it was so feet in the air and cir
cled north toward a large red barn
that stands a half mile away. Occa-
sionally the machine dipped as though
it would come to the earth and once
1t tilted dangerously. THE wind is
choppy." observed Mrs Mars, who
was watching the fight anxiously. The
aviator rose high above the barn and
appeared to the spectators to pass
over it and then the head of the big
bird was turned back toward the
starting place.
Every one get back of the ropes"
shouted Mr.. Banter and the people
scurried back just as the daring young
man and the Skylark dipped down
and settled gently to the earth almost
at the exact spot where the start was
made. The wheels touched the ground
lightly and then the machine scooted
along the ground for perhaps a hum
dred feet like a wild duck striking the
water of a river and scooted about
100 feet along the muddy surface be-
fore it stopped and Mr.. Mars walked
slowly back to where the spectators
were standing.
The aviator's face was splashed with
mud and he looked somewhat disgust
ed. 1T was a hard rise he observed.
1.-The groun is so soft that it was diff
cult to get up the necessary momen-
tum The mud is stirred up by the
front wheel and sucked back into my
face by the propeller, but l am going
to try it again" The helpers were al
ready busy wheeling the machine back
to the starting place. The aviator had
been in the air scarcely two minutes.
The Mars Glide.
There was no delay in the second
start This time the machine did not
stick" and il rose more quickly from
the GROUND Mr. Mars this time decided
to try the air higher up and he rose
fully 200 feet nd taking a wider circle
he passed far beyond the red barn and
far out to the west toward Shorey, the
machine travelling much steadier Then
he headed back toward the field and
again the spectators ran to cover but
this time it was not necessary for the
aviator passed over the heads of the
V atchers high above the earth AS he
passed the soldiers on the bieachers
cheered enthusiastically
Mr. Mars can not hear the cheering
on acc punt of the noise. made by the
propellers" said Mr. Edwards
This time the aviator followed the
course of the second round at about
the same height. He headed back to-
ward the field and as he approached i.
still at a height of 200 feet the people
noted that the whirr of the propellers
had ceased. The nose of the Skylark
pointed downward and the machine
swooped down like buzzard while the
people in the little audience held their
breath. Down 1T came until about so
feet from the earth when the nose was
turned horizontally and the machine
came gracefully to the earth and glided
along and stopped exactly as it had
done before. The soldiers cheered I'M
til they were hoarse as Mr.. Mars walk
ed unconcernedly back toward the
bleachers They had witnessed the
famous Mars glide which has never
been done successfully by any one but
Mars himself except once and that was
when Hamilton's engine stopped in the
air and he was compelled to make the
glide to save his life.
After the flight which consumed ten
seconds less than six minutes and was
about five miles in distance, Mr.. Mars
said: THE air is choppy. 1 found that
it was much better, however, higher
up, and 1 had no difficulty in the sec
ond fight though the engine was not
working as we'll as it might. I got
some mud in one of my eyes on the
second start and that bothered me
considerably. The field is as good as
I ever saw and we ought to have some
great flights before the meeting is
over. If the arrangements are COM
pleted as I hope I will fly to Kansas
City Saturday evening at the close of