The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1911-08-17
TWO AV|ATORS ARE
KILLED At CHICAGO
Badger Falls to Earth--John-
stone Is Drowned.
THOUSANDS SEE TRAGEDIES
Chicago Youth Dashed $500 Feet Into
Lake When Engine ExpIodes-
Pittsburgh Aviator Was "Dlp-
ping" When Killed.

Grant Park Aviation Field, Chicago,
Aug. 16.-Before the eyes of 10000
Mortified spectators, two intrepid pi-
lots of the air fell from their perches
In the sky, and like birds with broken
wings. were dashed to their death.
One of the fatalities occurred on
| the field, few yards from the gates
of the enclosure, when a biplane with
huge spread of red wing folded up
like jack knife and struck the earth
with terrific force.
The fall was less than fifty feet,
but the engine crushed into the avn
ator and broke his neck.
Falls $500 Feet.
The second accident occurred at
sunset when a graceful monoplane
suddenly shot toward the lake from
height of $500 feet. AS 1t neared
the water It's pilot tried to steer it
upward, but the forces Of gravitation
were too potent. The wings collapsed,
the engine exploded and the driver
was either killed before he struck the
water or drowned.
AS the spectators left the field their
last impression was Of a fleet of tug
boats and motor yachts prowling
about floating canvass wing In the
inner harbor, looking for the victim.
Tragedy had suplanted festivity; the
field was overhung with gloom.
The Dead.
st. Croix tombstone, a Chicago avi-
ator whose Moisant monoplane dived
into the lake after a glide of $500
feet. 1t collapsed when it's pilot tried
to turn its course upward and its en-
CINE exploded. tombstone had van
ished when Robinson, in his hydro
aeropiane, reached the wreck a min
ute later. He was either killed by
the engine or drowned.
W. R. Badger, Pittsburgh pilot
and reputed millionaire, who sought
to emulate the hair-raising exploits of
Lincoln Beachey. His Baldwin red
devil collapsed as Badger was max
ing spectacular dip not far above
ground. The engine struck the pilot,
breaking his neck and crushing his
skull Badger died in ST. Luke's hos
pital within half an hour.
The death of tombstone was an I'M
usual tragedy. The young aviator
plunged to his fate before the eyes
OF his mother and wife, who were
standing near the hangers, proudly
watching his performances.
sUoyed by Hope.
For time 1t appeared, from the
distance, that the aviator had been
picked up by Robinson in his sky and
water craft, and the men at the meg
aphones shouted notices to this effect
all over the field. 1t buoyed up the
hearts OF the two women.
They waited at the sheds for Rob-
inson to return with his machine
while friends poured into their ears
assurances that all was we'll.
The hydroaeroplane at length float
ed over the field. Two miles away
from the hangers 1t could be seen
that it carried only one passenger and
the two waiting women knew the
worst.
Their anguish was heartrending.
The multitudes stood about the gates
silent and sad as the women were
taken to the Blackstone hotel.
Tragic Causes In Doubt.
What the direct causes of the dou-
BILE tragedy were perhaps will never
be determined. Reckless flying is re-
garded by some of the judges as per-
haps the prime cause. Daredevil"
dips, in the case of Badger, and vol.
planning" in the instance of tombstone
precipitated the accidents.
Various theories are advanced. Pro-
peller trouble and weak wings are
put forth as factors that may have
dashed Badger to his death. AS to
whether tombstone met with an acct
dent to his steering gear while in the
air no one will know, as the explosion
OF the engine wrecked the monoplane
and tore the fuselage, or part behind
the engine, from the wings.
The general opinion, however, is
that tombstone simply coasted down
until his machine attained such terri.
fic momentum that no man-made
wings could withstand the strain
when it's course was turned suddenly
upward.
Atwood at EIkhart, Ind.
Elkhart, Ind, Aug, 16-Only TWEEN
ty-one minutes behind the schedule OF
the fastest train in the United States,
which runs from Chicago to Elkhart
in an hour and fifty-five minutes, Avi-
ator Harry N. Atwood blew into" Elk
hart at 5:47 o'clock
Two hours and sixteen minutes
earlier Atwood had pointed his ma
chine southwest and set out from
Chicago. 101 miles from here, on the
second leg OF his St. Louis to Boston
fight. He made no stops on his
journey here and alightee perfectly.