Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-28
ByAviator Beachy Tuesday
At Niagara Falls.
Circles Falls, GIideS Under Steel
Bridge and Down Gorge
And Finally Lands on the Canadian
Side, TO Spectators Relief.

Niagara Falls, y. Y. June 27.-With
the whirl of his biplane motor drown
ed in the roar of the cataract and man
and machine momentarily obscured in
spray and mist, Lincoln Beachy,, the
Californian aviator. today after cir
cling above the falls. swooped beneath
the arches of the upper steel bridge
and down the gorge almost to the
whirlpool. Rising again between the
PERCEPTIONS sides of the lower river.
Beachy scared to the Canadian side.
where he made a successful landing.
1t was the first time that a bird man
had cut through the air currents and
mist clouds and leaplng foam caused
by Niagara's falls and rapids that
have lured so many adventures to
their graves.
Throngs on the American and Canadian
shores on the Three Sister island and on
the bridge gazed with fascination at the
aviator as he rose to a height of about
2000 feet twice circled above the cataract
and then made the long swoop toward
the narrow passage under the bridge.
His biplane came racing over the Horse
shoe falls so low that he was lost to
to the water, perilously close 1t seemed
to those above. 1t seemed almost to
skim the water as he made the bridge
passage midway between the two abut-
ments and about rs feet below the low
est steel Orders of the structure. Pass
ing the bridge. Beachy continued on
down the gorge almost to the whirlpool
rapids, clearing the water by not more
than 50 feet and his biplane tiping I'M
evenly in the air current encountered in
the deep pocket. There was a cry of
relief from the crowd when they saw the
biplane at last soar to a higher altitude
and. clearing the wooded canyon by a
narrow margin, sail away in safety.
1T was the most exciting trip Of my
life." said Beachy after landing at Niagara
Falls.
To ado to the difficulties or the flight
a light rain began to fall when Beachy
took mis- seat in the niplane shortly be
fore o'clock The start was made from
baseball diamond on the American side
of the river about a mile from the falls
He got away nicely and then mounted up
wards moving always in the direction of
the cataract When he crossed the Amer
itdH ldll, lie Was ABOUT GUUD IeeL IN tue
air In great sweeping circle. he swung
toward the north and over the Horse Shoe
falls,
Down the river he flew, almost TO the
lower arch of the bridge. two miles below
the falls, and then coursed to the west
and south, always dropping as he circled
On his second circle he went well to the
southwest before beginning mis- low fight
towards the upper steel arch bridge, I'M
der which he was to pass Swinging again
to the north and travelling about 80 miles
an hour. he came on probably not more
than 20 feet over the Horse Shoe and
slipping through its spray. When over the
cataract he lowered his plane and rushing
with the wind at speed estimated at so
miles an hour, he dipped quickly under the
areh. As he did so, he caught some of
the wash of the outlet of the power tun-
mel which shoots out from the rocky side
of the precipice at that point. At no time
from his final dip until the time ne was
clear of the structure was the biplane more
than 80 feet above the spume.
The space through which he flew was
16S feet in height and hardly 100 feet
from side to side The distance from the
brink of the falls to the bridge in which
he made the dip is about 400 yards
Beachy will repeat the flight tomorrow.
Today crowd was estimated at $50, 900.