The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-12-18

AV|AI)RoOM|NGT TOWALA
Description Of Flight ut Port Huron.
Mich, by Jimmy Ward, Who VIII be
January 1st.
tPort Huron. tMich.) Times-Herald)

(Port Huron, tMich) Times Herald)
Sweeping down the home stretch of
| the track at the Driving Park yester-
day like a huge racing machine, then
as il by sudden impulse. gracefully
soaring into the air. Jimmy Ward, the
| intrepid little aviator, fulfilled all pre-
dicted for him and sent thrills through
the hearts of the crowd that had
gathered to watch his flight. Soaring
over buildings and trees into the east,
cireling in a beautiful curve to the
north and again to the west, swinging
around like a great homing pigeon
| first getting it's bearings, then shoot
ing of $500 feet in a bee line over the
western section Of the city. Ward and
his aeroplane won the cheers of thou
sands. Coming back again on a
| stl aight line at speed of sixty miles
an hour. again performing a graceful
spiral about the park, rising and fall
ing, Ward finally headed his big air
craft for the center of the field and,
swooping down like bird, allowed
his machine to settle comfortably and
easy to the earth. Firm start to finish
| 1T was performance instructive and
pretty to look at and was thoroughly
closure.
Huron people have had to see an avi-
ator at home.
Hundreds at Driving Park
Hundreds gathered at the Driving
Park. the crowds beginning to stream
in before two o'clock and continuing
to come until the time when the
flight was made. Interest of the deep
est sort was taken in the machine and
| many enthusiasts crowded around it
before the tent in which it was kept
was opened for its removal Mechani-
clans OF all kinds were anxious to un-
derstand the construction of the aero
plane. while persons whose ideas of
| machinery were as vague as their
ideas of the constituents of the milky
way were just as eager with their
questions.
When Aviator Ward arrived at the
grounds, the small boys who had been
allowed to escape from their school
duties by Superintendent of Schools
Lewis were all anxious to get a look
at him. Ward lost little time in get
ting into his airship costume, which
included football headgear and a
natty suit.
Smiles Before Start
The aeroplane was hauled to the west
end Of the race track and preparations
were rapidly made for the flying 1t
was just 4:1O when his arrangements
were all completed and the birdman
took his seat on the machine. Cast
ing smiling glance at the crowds of
spectators, he started the plane down
the track. Rapidly increasing it's
speed, the machine was hitting the
track at a thirty-mile an hour clip
just before it rose from the earth in
front of the Driving Park grandstand
Even the most metropolitan Of the
spectators so far lost their equanim-
ity that they stood with open mouthe ed
wonder as the machine, with it's dar-
ing occupant, gracefully rose into the
air. Circling coolly around, the avi-
ator guided his machine on a couple
OF trips around the park at a rapid
1y increasing speed, ting te
the many spectators the flying stunt
from a close view.
High Above Trees
Mounting high above the trees, his
machine was turned towards the
downtown section Of the city and
Jimmy cut loose with the high speed
and let the machine head straight fol
the city. The speed kept increasing
and when Ward reached Black river
he was going at a 65-mi1e an hour
rate. Thousands of the residents Of
the city and many people in Sarnis
had the opportunity of watching TIL,
birdman on his flight through tn.
Iozone, although denied the privilege o
Meanwhile the people at the Driv
ing Park were not letting their eye.
be taken from the aeroplane for {
!single moment and although the dis
tance made Jimmy Ward appear like
speck in the heavens, their interest i,
him and his nervy flight kept increas
ing all the time. He reached a hefgh
of 2,500 feet which was the highes
latitude registered.
Great Exhibition
Every eye followed the aviator an,
his machine on the return flight. H
circled around the park three time s
causing small-sized panics among th
spectators when he Unexpectedly
tswooped toward the earth at a poin
where the crowd was the thickes'
Each time. however. the fears of tn
spectators were short-lived. The re
turn to terra frma was made in
long. graceful descent, in which tn
plane took on new meaning 70
those not familiar with aeronautics
. and those who could claim to have ex
pert knowledge Of aerial navigation
were few.
| When the final earthward swoo
was made, the biplane made the land
, ing in a manner which was SO cas-
that many spectators rubbed thei
] eyes and found it hard to believe tina
it was but a dream. Everything ha
been done in scuch natural and cas-
manner that il appeared impossibl
that the man and his aeroplane ha
= made flight Of fully fifteen miles, hi
| a speed Of 65 miles per hour and gon
nearly a half mile into the air.
Small Boys ON Hand
When the landing was made ther
was an immediate rush OF the sma1
boys towards the machine and man