The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-17
AWATORS HAVE NARROW ESCAPES High Winds at Chicago
 Cause Accidents
STONE IS RESCUED
After Falling Into Lake and Swim ming For Half Hour Aviator Is Picked up-Men Opposed
 to Flights

snatched back from death at the inter na tional aviation meet here today. after hopes for his life had been given up.
 Howard Gill, in baby Wright. came almost as close to death, but escaped from under the wreck of his machine unhurt.
 Lincoln Beachey, after being driven far to the south and fighting his way hack above the field. glided SOeo feet in safety 10 the earth after his engine had stopped suddenly. James Ward had an equally hard task to make his way from far out over Lake Michigan, but descended safely in the field.
 Stones machine fell into the lake just at dusk He leaped from the failing p,ane and was rescued at the point oi exhaustion by a motorboat, after he had himself in the water for more than half an hour. His machine was not recovered.
 That Stone was rescued was attributed largely to the insstence of his wife thai he guard himself with life preserver In spite of the order that all flyers should W ear life preservers. Stone, with others started for his machine unguarded Mrs. Stone ran from the hangar just be- fore the flight and insisted that her hus- band wait while she tied an inflated au- tomobile tire about his shoulders.
 Unnerved by the deaths yesterday oi William R. Badger and St. Croix John stone and deterred by a high wind many of the flyers protested agalhs' going up and warned the contest com . mittee that the aeroplanes could not be controlled in the half gale that pre- vailed In the upper air.
 The judges were insistent and in ally half a dozen flyers rose for q cross water race. around crib, three and half miles out Thomas Sop with had completed the second lap or the race and had been declared win . nter. when cry arose that stone machine had fallen into the water, and that the aviator was drowned Later 1t was reported that Stone was afioat and then rumor circulated that a tug was bringing his body to shore. None of these could be verified and Stones fate was unknown until Stone, after being picked up, was brought to the Chicago Yacht clubs landing alive and well.
 Wife Hears News
 Reports that Stone had been drowned we've quickly flashed to the hangars Almost the first 70 hear Of his dis appearance was his wife, Mrs. Irene Stone who, with her baby, awaited Stone's return from the race lar oVel the lake.
 Then Robinson, hydroplane pilot O the Curtiss team. darted in ana toi' that he had been unable to ma an, trace of the missing aviator At thl' Mrs Stone began to weep. She tufhes over the child to friend
 "Here. take the baby" she exclaimed. I'm going out to the lake to help hno Arthur
 As Mrs. Stone darted out an automobile came in from the lake front, and Mfs. Stone was assured that her husband had teen rescued.
 "I'm mighty glad I made Arthur put or that life preserver," exclaimed Mrs' Stone, her tears quickly drying. I'm sure it saved his life"
 Howard Gill of the Wright team prom ised the first feature of a Roman holiday when his machine, suddenly checked as it skinned over the ground after a per feet landing, toppled over with terrlnc force. Gill was pinoned for an instant between tangled wires and taut canvas, but before startled spectators had reached him, dug himself from the ruins.
 Gill really had narrow escape. He probably owes his life to the new feature os construction employed In the papy Wright bplane The engine, instead or resting in the rear of the av1ator's seat, is fixed to one side
 Gil had made a perfect landing and was silmming over the turf at a 4O-mile-an- hour speed. The wheels of his machine etruck a rut The skid supports snapped and the machine toppled over, head fore most.
 The effect of Tuesdays tragedies was ma infested plainly on both aviators and spectators There was a noticeably small CT attendance. On the field and at the hangars the flyers grouped together and objections to further flying.
 None Dare Refuse -"No individual dare refuse to fiy,' said Walter Brookins. His personal reputa- ton as an aviator of daring and courage would be gone and he would be branded a coward. Every man here feels the loss of Badger and Johnstone, though, and none wants to go up
 At the starting gun at S:D o'clock when usually a dozen machines are in the air, not enc had started. Finally Beachey and ward got up. Beachey went high in
 
 a minute later, was blown at a lower level over the lake, when he returned with diff hculty.
 Parmalee rose 100 feet, went half around the field and descended. For two hours no other flyer attempted to trise.
 Several events had been called off, and despite the apparent success of Ward and Peachey. the pilots still expressed fear of airy conditions. Then Parmalee. another of the Wrights' team. tried to go. up al gain Twice fitful gusts forced him to descend.
 Soon the race for speed about tho course was called.
 Ovington called to Chairman Mudd over the telephone:
 "say." exclaimed Ovington, you aren't going to attempt to have us try the in field course and bank those pylons, are your"
 .vrhat's up to the aviators.'' replied Mir. uudd .s'rhey know about conditions
 "Yes. they thought they knew about conditions yesterday he replied. And vou know where two of them are today. We're willing to fly the lake course. but it means certain death 10 attempt 10 bank those pylons.'
 Following this discussion the aviators went to the judges stand and as the wind subsided races were run over both the pylon and crib courses.
 Beachey was an easy winner in the nine mile race around the pylons, finish- ing in 9 minutes, 2S 2-5 seconds Earle Ovington was second, minutes 45 o,5 James Ward third, 10 minutes ii seconds.
 Beachey also was unofficially accorded the days altitude record, reaching a height of 7076 feet
 Thomas Sopwitn won the 14-mie cross water flight in l7 minutes 2 seconds; Rene
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