Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-01-30

Kew West, Fla. Jan. So.-After
week Of anxiety Aviator Mccurdy. IN
8curtiss biplane. started on his 1ilene
from Key West to Havana at 1882 TINS
morning. At Key West a light breeze
was blowing and the sea was smooth.
Similar reports came by wireless from
Havana. and AIcCurdy decided to make
the flight.
Orders were issued to the government
hoat. at Key West. and they immedi-
atelv took positions ten miles apart.
when word came by wireless that the
a,nata were ready McCurdy prepared ior
fl,rht. Every brace and wire on tne
hinlane was thoroughly tested the
motor was tuned up. and amao sA.
cnce almost oppressive, McCurdv TOOK
~. nositdon in the aeroplane. The en-
zine was started and an assistant gave
the nropeller a couple Of twists. NC.
rrrdv listened a moment to the SOUND
a. the motor, raised his hand as a
.,,n.l 20 the men holding the ma
chine TO let 70. and swiftly the aero
rlare ran along tho smooth ground 100
feet. then rose from the earth. and NC
cnrAvl Avleou1naenced@to mount tho sky.
Choor0o by Crown.
Az he left the ground tne crown
rnve a hearty cheer. McCurdy Waveo
his hand and was off on the most dif.i-
cult trip over sea ever attempted. WIN
tremendou. velocity the bip1ane shot
w. over the waters. Anxiously the
croud watched the machine as it grew
sn,aIler ana faded from sight. Anxi-
o,slv they waited for the first news by
wireless. and when a dispatch came
that he had passed the third boat thirty
miles from shore and was 1lydnS
sn,oothiy another cheer was given.
Mccurdy passed the Spaulding. the
deatroyer. nearest the Cuban coast. at
10 20 a. m. All the boats are rushing
toward Havana.
: Waited On Elements.
Mccurdy had originally planned to
start ian. "a in his flight to Havana.
Last Tuesday morning, however. at
mospheric conditions were such that he
decided 1t would be unsafe to make the
attempt. Day after day and night az
ter night he waited for reports that
the wind was moderate and the sea
smooth. But the elements refused to
be docile and McCurdy waited impa-
tiently.
Navy Gives Aid.
ING navy OcVdIluACAS SOOSA sAAA S~SSAsS
Interest in the proposed flight and ev-
|ery facility at its command was given
Ito help. Tug boats and torpedo boat
|destroyers were ordered to act as sta
|tion boats ten miles apart to mark the
course Of the flight. Early this morn
ing they took their stations. First
came the cutter Forward. ten miles
from shore, and then at intervals Of ten
miles each the tug Massasoit and tor
pedo boat destroyers Terry, Crayton.
Roe. and Paulding.
10000 see the start.
While the last details were being
looked after McCurdy stood about
calmly smoking his pipe. cool and conf
dent. At Gas the machine was rolled
into place. and hve minutes later q
steam whistle at an ice factory woke
MP the town with a tremendous blast.
and almost the entire population rush
ed thru the streets for the starting
point. It Is estimated that fully 10000
people saw the start.
Mayor FoRarty with the entire police
force. had great difficulty to open q
space for fve hundred feet so the start
could be made.
seen Out Of Sight.
When word was received that all the
conditions were propitious, McCurdy
mounted tho machine and adjusted his
headgeas, gave the signal. and was off.
0lcCurdy nrSt circled over the harbor
at an elevation Of 500 feet. He made
Z second circle at an elevation Of over
1000 feet, and at 1882 the nag dropped
and McCurdy crossed tho line over the
wireless station, going at the rate Of
nearly sixty miles an hour. In ten
minutes he, was out Of sight over the
sand key. ton miles away.
0utstripe Vessels.
AZ McCurdy passed each boat at .
velocity estimated at nearly fifty miles
Per hour. the sailor men gave him
1ousing cheers and steam whistles
were blown.
Tho torpedo boats. as soon as Nc
Curdy came In sight, started ahead at
fun speed but the swift flying bi- plane
soon outstfipped them.
0lrdnsan and Mschine Uninjurod.
When nAWs came that NcCurdy had
pasood the third station ship Q vigor.
ouD cheer went up. Al the moments |
6ew and no further reports came. the
crowd g5ew anxious and gathered !
aAeNe ~ cablo o0ice 70 await reports