The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-08-30
WORLDS RECORD FLIGHT.
ATWOOD STEERS MACHINE OVER
NEW YORK'S HARBOR TO
SAFETY.
His Flight OF 1,265 Miles Beats
Previous Worlds Record by 1O1
Milcs-Successful Airman May
Quit Game, on Account OF Dangers.

the first man in history to travel 1855
miles in a heavier-than-air machine.
Atwood's safe lading on Cover
nor's Island after flying down from
Nyack, y. Y, above the Hudson river
through fog which made him only
dimly visible to the million eyes that
watched him, was a notable incident
in the annals Of aeronautics. He not
only broke the worlds record, cover
ing 1905 miles in an air line or per-
haps 100 more miles with his detours,
but he flew all the way in the same
biplane and with no important mis-
haps.
Atwood's flight is comparable only
to that made by fast trains, for he
covered the distance in an actual fly
ing time of 2S hours and 81 minutes.
Atwood's final lap in his long jour
ney was a glide of 25 miles from
Nyack, n. Y, where he had stopped
overnight. He landed bright and
smiling, hatless and hungry, in the
arms of handful of United States
army officers and men who hailed
him as Americas greatest aviator.
well, I'm glad it's ended" Atwood
said as he hoped from his machine.
II guess the next long distance flight
for me will be from San Francisco or
Los Angeles to the Atlantic coast"
Atwoods coming was unexpected
on Governors Island as it had been
heralded that he would land at the
Sheepshead Bay race track, where
thousands lined vantage points look
ink skyward. Atwood expressed re-
gret at their disappointment.
Atwood left Nyack at 1853 O'Clock
this afternoon after freeing his ma
chine from position where a start
would have been difficult and perilous.
He followed the Hudson at a low alti-
tude the entire distance. At Yonkers
as he leaned forward to wave a silent
reply to the cheers the wind clipped
his cap from his head.
Thousands clustered around Grants
tomb and along Riverside park shore,
roared their enthusiasm when Atwood
passed. AS he approached the recrea-
tion pier at Fiftieth street where an
other crowd clustered, he turned his
machine so that II swept in a COM
plete circle from one side Of the river
to the other and then started down
stream once more.
There was a repetition Of this out
burst at the Battery as he passed and
gracefully circled Governors Island.
An hour after he landed Atwood was
on his way up town.
Il feel as fine as fiddle. Nearly
every one of the mechanics and 9TH
ers who started with me from st.
Louis has been laid up but I never
fcit better"
AT pretty nearly every place I
stopped" Atwood stated. "some fell
low asked me to carry a letter to his
girl up In Boston. OF course l agreed
to do so. ] am going TO take them
all to Boston with me and mail them
there"
Later Atwood tonight said that he
may retire permanently from avta-
tion and his projected coast-to-coast
flight may never be made.
1T is too risky" the aviator said.
Man after man has made new rec
oEds in aviation of late, only to drop
suddenly to death. have been much
more careful than many brdmen. but
feel that if j stay in the clouds too
long l shall some day meet my fate
also. 1t is inevitable sooner or later.
an aviator, no matter how careful he
may be. will end his flights with a
sudden plunge to destruction"
OF his reward for his flight. he
said:
Many imagine that l am making a
huge sum out of this trip. 1 am not.
The only sum that is actually com
ing to me is the $4,000 already paid,
offered by Victor j. Evans of Wash
ington. Out of this must pay a for
felt Of $4,000 to my financial hackers
for failing to stop at all the 20 cities
scheduled on the route"
Late tonight Atwood announced
that he would fly from Governors
Island 10 Sheepshead Bay tomorrow
afternoon at 3 o'clock