The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-17
WRECKS B|PLANE
|. To SAVE CROWDS
Ely Drives Machine Into Post TO
Avert Injury to
People.
WILLARD AGAIN THRILLS
SPECTATORS BY DARING
Meets Will Be Held Saturday
and Sunday; Ely TO Fly to
Fort Douglas.

BY deliberately steering his machine
into a post at Aviation park Thursday af-
ternoon Eugene 3. Ely. the Curtiss avia-
tor. prevented a serious accident and
temporarily disabled his beautiful Curtiss
biplane. The accident occurred shortly
after the opening of the programme at
Aviation park Thursday afternoon and
prevented Ely from making a flight from
the aviation park 10 Fort Douglas and
return, directly over the tops Of the build
ings of Salt Lake City.
Ever since the meet opened Ely has
been waiting for a favorable opportunity
to make an over-city flight to the fort
and return. Depite the intense cold Ely
announced Thursday afternoon at 2:3O
O'Clock that he would start Immediately
for the fort He started Off beautifully
from the runway. When he reached the
necessary elevation he Immediately
turned toward the city. He had gone
only a few hundred yards when a wire
stay Of one of his planes snapped. The
accident was not serious, but Ely decided
the safe course would be TO return to
aviation field to replace the wire
Turns Machine Into Post
Ely turned hack and alighted at the
usual place in the middle of the field The
brake on the front wheel of his machine
refused TO work properly. however. and
the machine did not stop as quickly as it
avoid collision with the. machine OF
Clarence II. Walker and found that
large crowd Of spectators was directly in
front OF his machine. They had not time
to flee and a serious accident appeared
inevitable Without hesitation. Ely
steered his machine into a large post.
The post stopped the machine and un-
doubtedly prevented serious injury to the
spectators, However. IL so broke the BIZ
plane that further flights with it during
the day were out OF the question. The
r1n1 81
the chassis was snapped in two. The
valves OF his motor were also damaged
Ely himself was only slightly Jared by
the collision with the post. He never
lost his presence Of mind and appeared
unconcerned at the narrow escape from
a serious accident. His chief regret was
that lie was unable TO make the trip over
the city that he had planned.
Willard Offers to Make Trip.
When he found that Elys disabled ma
chine had prevented his making the over
city night, Willard volun teered TO make
the trip. Interesting as the fight would
il was better TO have Willard remain on
the flying course TO entertain the people
there than 10 have him make trip that
would keep him away from the crowd for
Arrangements were made THURSDAY
afternoon for the avlators To remain In
10 close the meet with two elaborate
programmes Saturday and sunday. Ely s
machine will be repaired today with the
extra parts carried by the avlators, and
Saturday or Sunday he will make his de-
ferred flight from Aviation field TO Fort
Douglas and return.
Charles F. Willard in his Curtiss-Wil-
lard biplanc was the first in the air
Thursday. After five minutes he alight-
cd. Almost Immediately he again ascend
ed He was followed by Ely. who made
his short flight, the landing from which
disabled his machine
Willard was as reckless as ever. 10
circled the field. dipping and turning with
ali the expert daring that has made him
one OF the most perfect masters OF the