The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-24

Garrisons, N. Y, Aug 24.-Harry N.
. Atwood, the young Boston aviator,
who is making the cross country
flight from st. Louis to New York,
passed over this village this after
noon. Barring accident on the last
so miles, he should reach New York
at o'clock and break all previous re-
cords for distance flying.
Castleton, N. Y, Aug. 2S.-On the
last lap of his flight from St Louis
to New York, Harry N. Atwood, the
aviator. tonight has his aeropane
hitched to an apple tree on top of a
hill here, overlooking the Hudson riv.
er and Albany, eight miles to the
north. Tomorrow Atwood expects In
what he calls two "bird-hops," to com
plete his journey in New York, land
ing in Sheepshead Bay, with posi-
BILE preliminary circle over Governors
Island
On landing the Boston aviator will
have accomplished the longest flight
through the air ever made by man in
a heavier-than-air machine He will
hold the worlds record for a cross
country fight, and he believes he has
set pace in the development OF aero
planes which will result in more long
distance attempts and a gradual elm
ination of fatal contests at aviation
meets.
Atwood hopes to sail over the 1874
miles between here and New York be
fore mid-afternoon. Ii is not proba-
BILE that he will make II without
stop on the way, because he carries
only twelve gallons of gasoline and
uses one gallon to every ten miles. He
hopes to make his first hop" the
longest, so that he will be able more
accurately to estimate the actual
time OF his appearance over New York
His actual flying time from here
down, he thinks, will be much less
than three hours.
II was only because of slight wear
ing of the bearings of his engine that
Atwood decided not to continue his
flight tonight, but to put everything
in shape for smooth sailing tomorrow
His mechanics prepared to work on
the biplane all night, attaching pom
toons for possible landings in the
river.
Leaving here. probably early, At
wood will take straight course down
the river, flying over or near Kings
ton, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Newburg,
Ossining and intermediate points. His
appearance over Rhinecliff. opposite
Kingston. will mark his breaking the
worlds record for cross country fly
ing, for at that point he will have ex-
ceeded by thirteen miles the present
record of 1864 miles. At New York
he will have flown 1865 miles, or 101
miles above the present record.
Atwoods flight today between Fort
Plain and Castleton was the only
days run which he started and end
ed before noon. From Fort Plain on
the Mohawk river he assembled in a
fog at 1925 n. m. He swept through
the Mohawk valley, went over Ams.er
dam and Schenectady, turned the cor
ner for the south at Albany, and land
ed here at 9:12 a. m. He stopped
fifteen minutes en- route for gasoline
making his actual flying time one
hour and thirty-two minutes The run
was attended by continuation of the
excitement along the way which has
marked the flight since II began in
st. Louis ten days ago.
Over villages and cities and disre
garding all opportunities and offers
of money bonuses TO land In places
where great crowds awaited him, At
wood sailed through the valley In the
fog and against the wind. Whistles
and ringing of bells had no induce
ment for him. for gently he detoureC
around cities. At Schenectady h,
went three miles out OF his wa t'
avoid the demonstration, and wat
seen only In the distance. Approach
ing Albany, he turned to the soutl
and again eyaded the crowds. Whei
he was swinging out over the Hudson
river, however, thousands saw him
and then began great rush in thu
direction in which IL was seen he wa
going TO land Many business estat
lishments were emptied OF their ON
ployes, and one factory declared
half holiday. In the rush down tn
country road leading to Castleton
when people on foot mingled wit
wagons and automobiles in the chase
one man was reported to have faint
ed Another business concern an
nounoed Il had discharged hall II
employees because they ran into tn
streets. Atwood himself after shur
ming hospitality all day. landed Of
the property Of an irate farmer VIII
protested against the appearance @
the IMAM bird" and It's consequence
thrush OF the people. The more III
farmer protested the greater grew tn
crowd and soon nearby apple o
chard was half denuded of It's irul
At FIRST Atwood declared u resumptio
OF the flight down the river was tn
only way to save the apples, but fl
ally an agreement was reached, rope
were stretched around the areoplan
under tree and the unlocking crow