The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-30
M'CURDY FAILS.
Aviator Alights on Water 10
Miles From Havana
In Attempt to Fly From Key
West to Cuba.
HE RUNS OUT OF OIL.
Picked Up by Naval Vessel Sta
toned on the Route.
Effort to Make New Start From
Deck Unsuccessful.
HE RUNS OUT OF OIL.

Havana, Jan so.-The destroyer
squadron is entering the harbor. the
Paulding leading and having on board
McCurdy and his aeroplane.
Key West, Jan. 30.-McCurdy was
compelled to alight after flying within
ten miles of Havana because his
lubricating oil ran short. A wireless
dispatch from the Roe reports the
aviator safe.
He attempted a new start from the
deck of the destroyer PauIding which
picked him up, but failed to get off.
Story of the Fight.
Key West, Jan. 30.-After a week
of nerve racking anxiety Aviator J. A.
| D. McCurdy in CurtisS biplane started
on his much heralded fight from Key
West to Havana at 1892 o'clock this
morning. At Key West light breeze
was blowing and the sea was smooth.
| Similar reports came by wireless from
Havana when McCurdy, whose pa
tience had nearly been exhausted by
week of anxious waiting, quickly de-
| cided to make the flight
| Early this morning orders were is
| sued to the government boats at Key
West and they Immediately took their
position ten miles apart When word
came by wireless from the torpedo
boat destroyer Roe that the boats were
SCaC1OnGQs McCuTOy got ISdOy ~ A4oAC
the fight.
The motor had been tuned UP and
amid a silence that was almost oppres-
sive, McCurdy took his position in the
aeroplane. The engine was started, an
assistant gave the propeller couple OF
twists, McCurdy listened a moment to
the sound of the motor, then raised
his hand as a signal to the men hold
ing the machine to let go.
Swiftly the aeroplane ran along the
| h
feet, then easily and gracefully 1t rose
from the earth. AS he left the ground
the assembled crowd gave hearty
cheer McCurdy waved his hand and
was off on the most difficult trip over
the sea that has ever been attempted
First News by Wireless.
With tremendous velocity the local
white winged biplane shot out over the
smooth waters. Anxiously the crowd
gathered on the shore ana watched
faded from sight. Anxiously they
waited for the first news by wireless
and when the dispatch came that ne
had passed the third boat. 80 miles
| from shore and was flying steaolly'
| another cheer was given.
| McCurdy had originally planned to
start on January "a. He arrived at
Kew West several days before that date
and made preparations for the nlgnt.
| On last Tuesday morning, however,
atmospheric conditions were such that
he decided it would be unsafe to make
the attempt. Day after day and nlght
after night he waited for reports tnat
| the wind was moderate ana lne sea
smooth.
The navy department took an active
interest in the flight and every facility
at its command was given to help. rug
boats and torpedo boat destroyers
| ware ordered to act as station boats
ten miles apart to mark the course OF
the flight Early this morning they
took thier stations. First came the
| cutter Forward, ten miles from shore
i and then at intervals of ten miles each
I the tug Massasoit and the torpedo
boat destroyers Terry, Crayton, Roe
and Paulding.
Boats Left Behind.
i Some of the torpedo boats were
equipped with wireless and when the
| word came from the last boat out at
sea and from Havana that weather
i conditions were propitious the start
was made.
AS McCurdy passed each boat at a
velocity estimated at nearly so miles
an hour the sailormen gave him rous-
ing cheers and steam whistles were
blown. The torpedo boats, as soon as
) McCurdy came in sight, started ahead
: at full speed, but the swift flying BIZ
plane soon outstripped them.
At 43O o'clock this morning the re-
, port came from Havana that the sea
was calm and the weather fine. At
a m. CAPTAIN W1itZo at the MARINE
corps proceeded to the railroad termi-
, nal from which the start was to be
made.
An order was posted to raise the
J American flag to the top Of the wireless
mast as a signal that the weather con-
ditions were such as to permit of the
fight. At $40 a. m. there was not
J enough wind to move the flag.
McCurdy had been notified and was
soon. at the terminal ready to start.
| While the last details were being look
} ed after McCurdy stood calmly smoking
pipe.
At 6:45 the machine was rolled into
place and five minutes after the big
steam whistle at the ice factory woke
up the town with a tremendous blast
) and almost the entire population rush
ed through the streets for starting
: point. It is estimated that fully 10000
people saw the start. Mayor F'ogarty
| with the entire police force had great
difficulty in keeping an open space OF
500 feet so that a start could be made
McCurdy took his place in the machine
and an assistant oiled the propeller and
! then gave it a number of whirls.
The start.
: Four men held the machine while
f McCurdy tested his motor by starting
: and stopping it. He adjusted his head
i gear, the motor was started and the
f machine was off at a fast gait, running
along the ground. 1t ran nearly the
length of the opening space and ther
' raised in the air towards the east.
: McCurdy first circled over the har-
Dor at an elevation of 500 feet He made
/ a second circle at an elevation of 100t
! feet and at 1882 o'clock the flag drop
ped and McCurdy crossed the line ovel
! the wireless station, going at the rate
I of nearly so miles an hour. In ten min
s utes he was out of sight over Sand Key
t ten miles away.
Before starting McCurdy put on life
= h,10v and carefully inspected the non.