The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-09-07

evening gathering when my engine
began to sputter and miss in way
hat sounded as though there were no
more gasoline in the tank.
This. however, knew could not be
the cause of the trouble. The tank
had been we'll filled before I started.
and what the trouble was l have nev
er ascertained. but felt the power
to give out. and showed
my steering post forward just about
in time to get the machines nose
pointed down when the engine stopped
entirely. There was nothing for it but
to plane down and get as near back
home as possible.
With the machine pointed right for
a long spiral glide. looked below to
get my bearings. and that is where
got my first fright. The mists had
gathered so thickly that could not
see single glimpse Of the earth.
There was nothing below me but :
billowy sea Of clouds. impenetrable to
the eye.
blamed myself in forcible language
for my folly in not taking more care
ful note of my position on the upward
climb Now it was too late. had
not the slightest idea what part Of the
country ! was over nor in what direc
tion l was headed. but had all l
could do to take care of the machine.
rushing downward through space as
was ut the rate Of seventy miles an
hour or more. thought Of nothing
except the steering and instinctively
tried to keep her going in y general
way in about the same wid: circles
that had followed on my journey mp.
Saved by a Fluke.
Soon l entered the clouds and began
to catch glimpses of the earth.
thought I saw something that looked
like one of the buildings on our
grounds, and I steercd accordingly,
aiming to plane down so rs to have
plenty Of room in the open land that
stretched for miles away from the
hangars.
Suddenly plunged through the
mists into the ordinary atmosphere OF
the earth's surface. and below mt
there was nothing but trees. trees
trees. as far as the eye could reach.
seemed to be directly over the heart OF
a nmitless wood. To land In the
branches meant certain wreck. hai
no power in the engine to give me
chance to look about me for an open
/ ing. There was nothing to do apnar
emily but to plunge down among Thu
forest giants and trust to luck that IN
wreck Of the machine would not Gu
me mp badly and that my fall from tn
top Of whatever tree landed in woul'
leave my features In good enough
shape for Identification at the inquest
took a deep swoop downward an'
then desperately turned the aeroplanc'
nose upward to coast as high as tin
momentum would take me and scarcl
for clearing in this momentary r.
spite
l plunged downward for hundrc'
ltVsI at u tdlCs tuCfI Nl tuV titt
ment Of turning mp my heart near'
stopped beating as l heard chokin
cough from the engine. then another
then another, and suddenly the br-r-r-
Of the cylinders as the explosions cam
with full force, and the propeller. Get
ting its grip on the air. put on all it
power. and I climbed safely away froi
the treetops. everything working pei
fcctly and once more in control ut
safe and efficient piece of machiner,
1 sailed close to the ground until rc'
ognized some houses over the edge 9
the wood was more than twcnt
miles from home; but. with the engirl
working smoothly. the trip back W:
mere child's play, and was soon q
the ground again, being alternateI
cursed and Rugged by Mac. while tt
mechanics tr,lndled the Bleriot to tt
hangar.
The Eternal Question.
They are never pleasant to ta'
!. about-these narrow escapes. It
best to forget about them as 500
after they have occurred as pcssib
. for they get on the nerves. and thing
, that get on the nerves are not good
, aviation. 1t has always struck me !;
, odd that almost the first question II
average man will ask after he has M
: me ia:
, "What was the narrowest escal
I from death you have ever hady'
I This IS simply another manifest
t tion Of that morbid desire for thrill
I at another mans expense by deman
| ing fcats the aeroplane was never !
( tended to perform. The aeroplane hi
n its limitations. and they are. so IA
! very narrow ones. 1t will do certa
: simple things very we'll and If n
pushed too hard is not great de
more dangerous than manufacture
dynamite or being picked out by I
Black Hand.
The late Ralph Johnstone recogniz
a this clearly. and he once said. ut "
q get us all some day" '1t' got hi
g lust as it has got many another go
! man who Is trying to advance I
q new science. but these are the thin
q that It is best for us not to thi
about.
remember when the frst news
= JOhnstena's death reached me. W
. dining with Grahame- White in IT
!" adelphia. White had had a hard aft
" noon flying in the teeth of flu
wind that would have kept any otf
man safety housed in the hangar.
: Reporters wanted to know II 1t w'o'
keen White from fiying next day.