The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-01-03
MARS HAS THRILLING FINAL
FLIGHT AND LEAVES On ASIA

With the forward planes on his aero.
plane pointing downwards at sharp
angle and rushing towards the earth
ac a tremendous pace, ]. c. Mars
alighted suddenly after his second as
cent yesterday, and the machine raced
across the polo field at Moanalua
threatening to meet destruction
against the slope which marks the
mauka end of the field before 1t could
be brought under control by the daring
aviator, who had thrown all caution
to the winds and had essayed flights
when all the forces of the air seemed
to have arrayed themselves against
him. The reason for the hurried des-
cent while engaged on the second
| fight was apparent after the aviator
had landed. The post which supports
the steering gear and which elevates
bent almost in two and Mars had
practically no control over the planes.
He was high in the air when the first
! intimation of immediate danger from
this rod forced itself upon his mind
and he instantly directed the biplane
| towards the earth, coming down at an
angle which seemed to defy all recog-
nized rules. A few feet above the
earth Mars brought pressure to bear
and elevated the tip of his machine
and skinned along a few feet above
the ground, alighting on the grassy
field with a bump, then rising couple
of feet and ploughing along towards
the end of the ground, where a short
ridge barred further progress. There
was rush of the soldier assistants
when the aeroplane hit the earth, Tod
Shriver imploring them to hasten and
hold the machine. They raced across
to meet the machine, but it fell to the
lot of one of Mars trained assistants
to get there first and he grasped the
right wing of the aeroplane and swung
on it in wild endeavor to check the
course of the aeroplane. The addi-
tional weight imposed on the machine
at that point acted as a strong brake
and the aeroplane swung round as
though on a pivot, its career being
stayed as a dozen eager soldiers grip
ped it at various points. The mocha
nician who had jumped into the breach
was dragged along the ground holding
tenaciously to the frame work of the
machine and as it was checked by
ether helpers he was deposited fore
IDLY and rdr from gracefully into a
shallow pool of water which had form
ed by the recent rains. When Mars
,alighted II vas seen by those who has
tened to inspect the aeroplane that
the steering gear rod had bent over
to right angles, and the fact was
forced home on. all that the danger
through which the intrepid aviator had
passed had been tremendously real.
Mars leaped from the seat without a
word, and as he stopped from under
the wires and got clear of the machine
he coolly turned to his boys" as he
affectionately calls them, and babe
them be quick about repairing the da-
mage
Not a word about the terrible peril
in which he had been. The boys"
got to work with a win. The rod was
easily Strengthened but, of course, it
was weakened severely by the strain
that had been imposed upon it and it
needed bracing if another fight were
TO be made. And braced it was in
extra quick time. An eight inch span
(, ner, coupe of pieces of stout wire, a
roll of gutta-percha tape and a few
strands of rope were all that were
necessary to put the aeroplane in
working order again, but Mars took
upon himself a fearful risk when he
made his third flight of the day with
crippled machine.
With an impaired steering gear any
thing might have happened. Fortunate
Fly for everybody concerned, and for
Mars in particular, nothing out of the
way did happen, but those who knew
the exact STATE of affairs breathed
signs of relief as Mars made the third
fight successfully.
I'VE have .been fortunate here" said
Shriver as Mars came down. This
is the worst place we have ever flown
lin and we have escaHaS without Sc
rious consequences"
Mars himself was extremely dubious