Arizona republican., 1911-11-03
Man Who is Making His tory in the World of Avi- ation Was a Visitor to City of Phoenix at Noon Yesterday.
MADE A DESCENT
 NEAR FAIR GROUNDS
Visit Was an Extremely Brief One as the Daring Birdman Stopped Only Long Enough to Get Gas oline Supply.

Calbraith P. Rodgers, aviator extra ordinary, passed over Phoenix a couple of times yesterday. and would have visited the city had the people given him chance but they were too anx- iOus.
 It had been planned that Rodgers should alight on what is known as the circus grounds and Louis Garesche and others who had his visit in charge were present to give the high sign Rodgers saw the signals and, circling gracefully over the grounds, sought to make a landing, but it was no use. The people kept pushing to the front each time the aviator circled the place so persistently he feared he could not alight without jeopardizing the lives of others, so he elevated his planes again and sailed off to the northwest
 The crowd instantly divined his plan and those who had automobiles fol- lowed him as rapidly as they could. The aviator came down safely in a vacant field south of the fair grounds and in few minutes was surrounded by curious crowd He waited for the arrival of his mechanics and oth- CTS from the special train, which fol- lowed him from MaricOpa Then re- filling his gasoline tank he prepared to continue his flight. He was in vited to come down town and look things over from a ground view, also to have a little luncheon, but he re- marked that he wanted to make Yuma last night and time was short.
 Then he boarded his machine again and sailed into the air. In leaving the city Rodgers came back over it as far as Center street, then took a course due south across the river and over the Salt River mountains in the direc- tion of the Southern Pacific railroad, a few miles west of Maricopa. He had inquired as to the general topo- graphy of the country and said he wanted to save a little time by taking the nearest route. though he did not want to get too far away from his train.
 In some respects the visit of Rodg- CTS may be regarded as a common place event, since the flights of avia tors are now common in all parts of the country. But it is by no means commonplace-in fact, it is epoch making in its significance. If Rodgers reaches a Pacific coast town he will be the first man to make a trans continental air journey-in this fact lies the significance of the event.
 There was a time, when the first liner crossed the Atlantic; there was a time when the first transcontinen- tai railroad train made its trip: there was a time when the first telegraph message-when the first telephone message, was sent. There was a time when the first steamboat made its trip up the Hudson river. All these things are of tremendous significance; but they are of no greater significance than is this trip of Calbraith Rodgers from the one ocean to the other.
 There is another fact of local sig nificance-this is the first time an aeroplane has made a trip to Phoenix from an outside town. There have been aeroplane meets here, but aside from the significance of this visit as part of a transcontinental trip, is the other feature that it marks the first air visit of any man to this city.
 Rodgers aeroplane is literally cov- cred with names, scribbled upon it by persons living in the various towns along his route z. will be recalled that when he was in Canton, ohio, he issued request that people would re- frain from that practice; but judging from the looks of the machine the warning did little good.
 YUMA, Nov. 2.-Aviator Rodgers today flew about 225 miles, and then landed on the Arizona desert. sixty miles east of here. at Stoval siding. because his supply of gasoline was exhausted. He left Tucson early this morning, flew over Tempe, and thence to Phoenix, and started away over the mountains saying he was going to make Yuma before night. Nothing more was heard of him un- til a message was received here that he had landed at Stoval. He ask cd that his special train be sent with gasoline. This was done, but the train arrived too late to allow him to continue his trip tonight. He will leave early in the morning.