The Alaska citizen., 1911-04-03

moment of turning up my heart nearly stopped beating as l heard a choking cough from the engine. then another. then another. and sud denly the br-r-r of the cylinders as the explosions came with fun force. and the propeller, getting its grip on the air, put on all its power, and climbed safely away from the tree tops. everything working perfectly and Cnce more in control of a safe and efficient piece of machinery.
 My relief was so great that I was almost tempted 10 start climbing again, but it was rapidly getting dark. and had no idea where l was. l recognized some houses over the edge of the wood. Twas more than twenty miles from home. but with the engine working smoothly the trip back was mere childs play, and was soon on the ground again, be ing alternately cursed and nugged by Mac. while the mechanics trundled the Bleriot to the hangar.
 They are never pleasant to talk about, these narrow escapes. It is best to forget them as soon as pos sible. for they get on the nerves and things that get on the nerves are not good in aviation.
 Il has always struck me as odd that the general public does not seem to realize this. l mean by that that most people seem to think that man who flies likes to talk about these thrilling moments, and almost the first question the average man will ask after he has met me and we get well into conversation is
 What was the narrowest escape from death you have ever had?"
 People seem to think that is the best way to make conversation with position that asking such a question shows their interest in him and in his work, when as matter of fact it is simply another manifes- tatiOn of that morbid desire for thrills at another mans expense that is doing so much to hurt avia- ton by demanding feats the aero, plane was never intended to per form.
 The aeroplane has it's limitations, and they are, so far. very narrow It will do certain simple things very well, and if not pushed too hard is not a great deal more dangerous han manufacturing dynamite or be. ing picked out by the Black Hand.
 The late Ralph Johnstone recog- nzed this clearly and he once said 'lt will get us all some day" Tt" got him just as it has got many ano'her good man who is trying 10 advance the new science, but these are the things 1t is best for us net to think about
 The game at best takes all the nerve a man can muster and con- stant thinking of the inevitable dan ger is no way to retain nerve.
 1 remember when the first news If Johnstone's death reached me. was dining with Grahame- White in Philadelphia. White had had a hard afternoon, flying in the teeth of a f1uky wind that would have kept any other man safely housed in the han. gar. But he was not willing to dis appoint the crowds who had gone to see him. so he flew, fighting the gusts every minute and using up every ounce of his nerve force. Then. at dinner, came the sudden news of the accident at Denver.
 We were surrounded by reporters who wanted us to express our opin ions of the sad happening. They wanted to know if it would keep White from flying next day
 No" said White, these things cannot stop us. We must do our work just the same But such ac- cidents bring home to us the awful danger that we are constantly run ming and We have to keep constant ly pushing such thoughts out of our minds"
 Yet, as I say, the average man after he has talked to an aviator five minutes will ask:
 What was the narrowest escape from death you ever had?" - New York SuD