The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-01-31
DESCENNEO WITHIN
10 MILES OF HAVANA
Crank Case Broke, Allowing Escape
Lubricatin9 olI--Made Trip
From Key West in TWO
Hours--Pontoons Float
Machine Perfectly.

Canadian by bi'th but now affiliated
record today for an over the water
flight covering nearly 100 miles from
Key West to within ten miles OF
Havana, when, from slight accident
he was compelled to drop into the
sea.
There he remained, his biplanc
foated BY pontoons. until the life
Loaf OF the torpedo boat destroyer
Emy picked him up
With victory within hts grasp, his
goal in plain view, an accident, trivial
in itself, robbed McCurdy of his al.
most wen title Of conqueror Of the
Florida Straits.
A break in a small part of his en-
gine, aruptured crank case permitting
the escape OF the lubrieating oil
necessitated Mccurdy's descent. He
descended rapidly, swinging steadily
to the water The pontoons proved
bouyant, Mlccurly not even wett'ng
his feet,
Vessels Sec His Flag.
His flag was seen by the vessels of
the SQUADRON and they headed in His
direction at top speed, the PanIdns
and the Terry arriving at the sane
time.
Some difficulty was experience III
maneuverlng the destroyers alcngsice
the aircraft, but the aviator assured
the officers that he was safe and that
there was no necessity for haste.
The Tcrry's life boat took him off
and finally he was taken aboard the
Paulding. Efforts to hoist the ma
chine onto the launching platform
failed. Graphing irons were finally
used and the aeroplane was badly
damaged.
While this work was going on the
Cuban flagship Hatuey arrived from
Havana, carrying President Gomez
and friends lie ran alongside the
Paulding and the president presented
his congratulations on the pluck OF
the aviator and regrets for his mis-
fortune. After an hours delay the
squadron started for Havana, en-
tering the harbor a few minutes
after one O'Clock.
McCurdy, on landing from the
Paulding, proceeded without change
of clothing to the drill grounds at
Camp Columbia where he gave mag.
nificent exhibition of his skill, rising
to an altitude Of 1,200 feet and per-
forming a variety of maneuvers. He
used the, machine Of one Of the other
ayiators the meet in progress here
Describes His Trip.
The start from Key West was made
at 1882 O'Clock a. m. Central time
which was sos Havana time, AMI
after making two circles the aviator
squared away on his course Condi,
tions were ideal, faint wind, a
cloudless, azure sky and an unrippied
sapphire sea.
OF the beauty Of the scene Nc
Curdy said this evening:
.Never have experienced so won-
derful q sensation as when arose 0
thousand feet and took tine course
Ahead of me was wondrous mirage
The sea, instead Of horizontal plane
below, had the appearance Of a huge
vertical pi4nre, on which the funnel
tops of tho destroyers appeared like
black spots.
Soon became accustomed to this
and the sensation was glorious, as
rushed forward at SO miles an houi
toward this wonderful panorama
which appeared to recede from me
1t seemed no time before MORO and
Havana were In plain view, and
coud almost see the waiting crowds
Then something went wrong with the
engine, ! saw all my oil running ou'
and there was nothing to do BIZ
descend This accomplished ca lily
'eThe accident only increases ny
desire 10 effect the conquest of the
Florida Straits ! have the fulles'
confidence that | can do it. do mo-
know when shall be able to make
another ATTEMPT, but under such con
ditions as prevailed today, | am sure
OF success"
MeCurdy was exactly two hours Il
the air, covering an estimated dis
tance of 96 miles. Beside bgeakins
the cverwater record this is the frs
instance Of an aeroplane flight en-
tirely cuEcf sight Of land,