The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-12-14
RODGERS FIRST
THE ATLANTIC
Took Him 49 Days, but He
Says the Trip Can Be
Made In 80.

IVY 18th his descent at Pasadens
I'll Cal, Calbraith +. Rodgei
{ ended the first coast TO coas
aeroplane fight and established tn
= greatest cross country record in tn
history of aviation. Rodgers starte,
from Sheepshead Bay race track, New
York, for the Pacific coast on Sept. IL
and has covered 4,23l miles, whicl
more than triples the previous world
record OF 1,265 miles made by Harry
N. Atwood In his ST. Louis to New
York flight. His journey to the coas
was full Of accidents In which his life
was endangered several times. an6
weather conditions and delays pre-
vented him from winning the William
X. Hearst prize Of $4,000. for which
he originally started as a competitor.
Rodgers made several flights Of over
200 miles a day. He covered the great
est number of miles on Oct. IA, when
he few from Kansas City 10 Vanita.
Okla, $50 miles. The flight was made
with stops at Moran and Russell creek,
where he took on supply of gasoline
and oil. His longest flight without a
stop was made on Nov. 3, when he
few from Stovall to Imperial Junction,
Cal, 1873 miles.
Rodgers an Athlete.
Rodgers is one OF the tallest aviators
in the world, standing six feet fouI
inches In height. He Is member Of
the New York Yacht club. played on
the Columbia and Virginia university
football teams and made motor cycle
trip from Buffalo to New York In a
day. He won the duration prize dur
ing the Chicago aviation meet in Au'
gust.
Rodgers started on his long flight on
Sept. II from Sheepshead bay at 4:25
p. m. and made his first stop at Mid
eighty miles In one hour and fifty-three
seconds. He might have made better
time on his first days journey, but he
became confused by the railroad tracks
at Greycourt, N. j., and had flown of
his mapped out route for some distance
before he discovered his mistake. He
was up early the following morning,
intent on making the longest one day |
flight ever made. but met with his first |
accident, when, at height of twenty |
feet, one of his planes struck tree.
which threw him out Of his course, and
he crashed full speed into another tree.
mr.. 90 hN orfIx hrnl n
the force Of his fall, but his machine
was almost completely wrecked The
next three days were spent In making |
repairs, and he was able to resume his
flight on Sept. 81.
With a favorable wind he left Mid
detown, and. after covering distance
of ninety-six miles in sixty-nine min.
utes, he had to descend at Hancock be
cause OF engine trouble. An approach
ing storm forced him to abandon his
trip for the day. He had better luck
on the 22d. reaching Elmira after Gov
ering 172 miles during the day. On |
the 23d he was compelled to land at
fifty miles further, because
of engine trouble. In making his de-
scent toward what he thought was
farm land he landed In a swamp 30
heavily that the lower part of his BIZ
plane was smashed.
Crashes Into Wire Fence.
He was able to continue bis flight on
the oath, however, but again met with
an accident at Red House, near Sala-
manca. after ninety nine mile fight.
He alighted near Red House to repair
a spark plug which bothered him. and
after tuning up he took his seat for a
fresh start. The uneven surface Of
the ground and the peculiar slant Of
the wind bore down on the planes Of
his machine. and he crashed into a
double line OF barbed wire fence. Both
propeller blades were shattered and
one wing was torn to ribbons, but Rod
gers escaped without a scratch.
Repairs and storm prevented a
flight for the next three days, but on
the 2Sth he reached Kent o.. with a
flight of 204 miles. Another storm on
the Goth kept the machine on the
ground and on the 30th he few ninety
ave miles, landing at Rivarre. Ind.
near Decatur. He battled with three
Violent transforms on Oct. 1. In which
lis life was endangered several times,
)ut managed to reach Huntington,
Ind, thirty-six miles away.
Rodgers came to grief on Oct 2
While attempting to make test fight
t Huntington before resuming his ,
cast to coast trip. His biplane crash ,
d into sharp rise In the ground ,
When he tried to dodge some telephone ,
wires. a swift wind preventing him
rom gaining any altitude and fore ,
ng him to pass under the wires. The
ccident delayed him the next two :
avs, and on Oct he was again on I
is way. reaching Hammond. Ind, and
ringing him 1913 miles nearer Chicago. /.
Rodgers had planned to cross the !,
tate line from Hammond to Grant !,
ark. Ill. but weather conditions !.
orced him TO postpone the attempt. !,
uns nor until Oct that ha Was ~