The farmer and mechanic., 1911-10-17
Hugh Robinson Begins
Great Down the Mis-
sissippi' Flight
AVIATION THE RACE
0f THE PRESENT DAY

0F THE PRESENT DAY
The Following Story Gives the People
of North Carolina an Idea of What
They Are Going to Witness Right
Here in Raleigh During the Coming
Week When Either Hugh Robinson
or Lincoln Beachey Will Do the
Man-Bird Act in Curtiss AeropIanes,
Which Have Won a Worldwide
Reputation.
The great Down the Mississippi
River flight by Hugh Robinson. in a
Curtiss ro-aeroplane, began at
Minneapolis Friday.
The start was made from Lake
Calhoun, Minneapolis, Friday nooll
Mr.. Robinson is following the Missis-
sippi river, and making no detours in
order to show his machine at places
where he is to deliver and take up a
limited amount Of mail matter. and
for the purpose Of replenishing his
gasoline supply. The cities on :he
river, that were placed on his mail
route are Red Wing and Winona,
Minnesota; La Crosse and Prairie Du
Chen, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Clinton,
Burlington and Keokuk. Iowa; Belle
view, Rock Island and Cairo, ILL.,; /;
Hannibal, Missouri, Memphis, Ten
nessee and Jackson, Mississippi.
Robinson chose Friday, the 18th,
for beginning this long over water
fight because it is his birthday and
because all Of the important events
of his life have curiously enough, run
in cycles of thirteen. In all Of his
hundreds Of exhibition flights
with the Curtiss aerOplanes and Cur
tiss hydro-plane, Robinson has car
red. on his machine, "No. 49,
There is tremendous amount OF
interest along the Mississippi river in
this flight, as it is attracting atten-
ton to that great waterway and as
sisting in the work Of the river cities
to revive the transportation by toat
of the products of the great MlsSls-
sippi Valley, which has been languish-
ing for SO many years.
Robinson has been made special
mail carrier by the United States
Postoffice Department, and Is iel!VeT-
ing and ta>ing on limited amount
of frst-class mail at the various stop.
along the river. He anticipates no
trouble whatever in making this long
flight, because he will have landing
and starting space at all times as he
will keep above the river, following
its somewhat tortuous course from
start to finish.
Remarkable Flight Wednesday.
Lieut. Theodore G. Ellyson and
Lieut.. J. H Towers, the Nays two
most accomplished aviators, made q
remarkable flight on Wednesday. Oc-
tober H. in the Navy's Curtiss hydro
aerOplane. They started at the naVa
aviation station at Annapolis at noon
and landed on the beach at Smith
Point, Va. at the mouth Of the Po-
tomac river, 65 miles south of An
napolis, an hour and half later
Their destination is Fortress Monroe
140 miles from Annapolis.
The hydrO-aerOplane used by LieutS
EllysOn and Towers, is equipped fv:tf
the Curtiss dual control which allows
for the shifting of the steerinsWhe
to either man while in the air. with
out any effect whatever on the ma
chine. The course of the tIShS wa
down Chesapeake Bay and will d
resumed and finished today.
The naval aviators were iollo"et
as closely as possible by the fast tor
pedoboat "Bag4ey.'
At San Diego. California.
San Diego, Cal, is to be the scel'
of Glenn H. Curtiss' activity in tn
work Of developing both MS aero ,
plane during the coming winter ln'
chief Curtiss training school Will ans
be located at San Diego again .n,
winter. 1t will be opened foi busi
ness today Already the entire EQUIP
ment has been shipped from Ham
mondsport, New York, where tn
Curtiss factory is located, to san l)le
go, and with it went the Instructor
and a number of pupils who Wef
under instruction at HammonGspoI'
Mr.: Curtiss, himself, will follow t
San Diego within the course OF tn
next momnth. He has m MIND