The Washington times., 1911-01-30
Expected to Make
Trip in Two Hours

Trip in Two Hours
KEY WEST, Jan. SO-"I hope to be
in Havana within two hours" declared
Aviator McCurdy as he left here.
The early part of the fight was most
spectacular, McCurdy flying over the
city before launching upon the course
for Cuba.
With the speed of a swallow the ma
chine sped southwark over the roofs,
passing the heart of the city at 7:3j
o'clock. The roofs and balconies of the
city were black with people.
The prospect for fair weather was re-
SponSible for great crowd which began
10 assembly about the aerodrOme for
hours before the start. Many of them
carried American flags, which they
waved while they cheered the aviator.
At daybreak the revenue cutter For
ward, the lighthouse tender MangroVe,
and two torpedo boats left for their sta
tions.
Machine in Good Shape.
McCurdy joked with his mechanics,
while they tinkered over the machinery
preparatory to a start. His biplane
was in excellent condition with all the
parts working without a hitch. The ma
chine, which weighs 40 pounds, is
equipped with two 6O-horsepower motors
and a big brass tank of a size sufficient
to hold enough fuel to make the trip.
Two long pontoons were attached to tire
machine underneath to float it in the
event ii fell into the water.
Early wireless dispatches from Lieu
tenant Commander Stirling, command
ing the torpedo fOtilla, stating that tire
weather conditions were favorable, led
McCUrdy to announce between 6 and
- rl h9f hn fpl hat .fD DFf
would be made.
Newspaper Men Start Early.
The torpedo boats Roe and Terry left
here at 40 o'clock, the Roe carrying a
number of newspaper men. 4 little
later wireless from Havana stated
that the Paulding and the Drayton had
left that port to take up their respec-
tive stations. The fact that the Pauld-
Ing was iu Cuba when the start was
made disarranged the original plan of
alignment
The vessels were set approximately
ton miles apart and each one was in
Structed TO keep the furnaces filled with
coal so as to throw upward vast vol
umcs of smoke tG guide the aviator on
his way.
The wireless operators on the boats
were also instructed to keep in constant
communication with the wireless sta
tiOns on land and report every detail
of the flight.
Upon the deck of the Paulding a plat
form had been built so that if McCurdy
were compelled to make a descent at
sea he could ascend again from the
deck OF the vessel.
Schools Given Holiday.
The school children had been given
half days vacation this morning in
expectation Of the flight and they were
marched by their teachers to the high
parts of the city from which view of
the biplane ir motion could be seen.
The city had not been thrilled since
Spanish war days as ii was while Nc
Curdy sped over the crowded housetoDs
Thousands waited breathlessly as the
great bird-like machine gracefully
winged its way McCurdy did not try
any fancy work, but was content to
make speed with safety and hold to his
course
Word of the start was flashed by wire
les to Mr.. McCurdys brother in Ha-
VRna.
me, ! will soon see him, then" was
the CHEEKY message which was flashed
back from the Cuban capital.
Protege of DR.. Bell.
McCurdy was a protegc of DR.. Alex
auder Graham Bell when he became in
terested in scientific pursuits He came
from Paddock, Nova Scotia, where Dr.
Bell rcsided. and they worked long and
patiently over the construction of a tet-
rahedral kite. which gave McCurdy in
spiration to become an aviator.
McCurdv was one of the four men
WHO instituted an aeroplane manufac-
tory at HammOndsport, n. y, and was
the constructor of the famous machine
Silver Dart "a blplane in which he made
a humber Of flights in eastern Canada
wa n fD1 in,
The aviatOT's earlier attention was
principally directed toward motor con-
struction, and he attempted to invent an
aeroplane motor fashioned after the au-
toInobilc motor which would combine
liShtnrSs aid durability.
McCurdy made a number of daring
flights near BaddeCk. soaring over fro
zen lakes, where fall meant certain
death.
Later he became a member of the
Canadian AeroGrome Company and ira
Neled about giving exhibitions i'll ma
chimes made by that company.
One of His Daring Flights.
One of his most sensational flights
was at his home town of Baddeck, in
February. 1909, when the weather was
intensely cold, and the ground was
covered with snow.
Ascending over Brasdor Lake, Nc
Curdy cirCled over the Baddeck river
twice. During one of his circles over
the river he swung out over the estate !
Of DR.. Bell. The young aviator al
lowed his machine to careen too sharp |
ly, and il fell to earth, smashing one |
of the wings and throwing the hundreds
of spectators into a panic.
They expected to see McCurdy killed, |
but he arose from the wreckage of his |
biplane with a smile on his face
Subsequently. the flyer travelled over
the United States giving exhibitions in
all sections of the country. AS his
aerial experience widened, he gradually
became one of the beSt-known aviators
on the American continent.
Foreman Killed