The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-09

near favorable they will dc their ut
most to show the people of Topeka
that they rank among the most SEN
sational bird men OF the country
YESTERDAY after having waited from
four O'Clock until nearly seven Win
the mercury lowering around the lOV
mark in the shade of N1neWoou park
and nobody knows where IN orolAns
sun on the aviation field, hunureoS o.
the would-be flying enthusiasts board
ed the trains for the city. There was
a near riot and the people were great
" dissatisfied About one third of
the people stayed to see the most spec
tacular fight ever made in Topeka
meet. Those who left were given
their money back, put that didn't salts
fy them. Jimmie" Wa I'd, the 19-
year-old aviator, who holus the altl-
ftude record for the Curtiss company
$500 feet, twice encircled the field,
soaring higher and higher until an al
titude of $500 feet was reached ana
the aviator loked no bigger than
small bird
AS the machine turned in Souther-
ly direction on the second trip arc ind
the field, a heavy straight gale was
encountered, against which the mach
inc did not attain a speed of more than
five miles an hour. Later when the air
craft was directly above the tall trees at
Vinewood park, the cooler atmosphere
caused by the shade of the trees had
the tendency to draw tie machine
down, and down, and forward it went
shooting along with the wind at a
high speed and looking like a great
wasp.
Machine is Broken.
The start was made in the far north
east corner of the field, as /. is necess-
ary for the bird men to 'Iet her go"
with the wind blowing in their faces.
On account Of the fact that there were
dftRhpS in q Of tpo
field adjacent to Vinewood park it was
necessary to land with the wind, which
is contrary to custom. and proved in
this case to be a disastrous proceed
ure, for the air swept under the ma
chine lifting 1t up so that j. was nee
essary to make a decided drop when
finally alighting, instead of skiddIng
gracefully along within foot or two of
the ground. The result was that two
posts in the framework of the Shoot
ing Star" were smashed, and the avia-
tors seat badly bent
Ten of twelve hours were required to
make the repairs, and the mechanics
worked through a good portion of the
night in order to hurry up the lob
This is the first smash up of the kind
which has been sustained since the
machine has been in operation-about
year. The damage done was to the
extent of between one hundred and
one hundred and fifty dollars.
The crowd was "aS mao as a March
hare" by $50 O'Clock. Announce
had been made at intervals that flights
would soon be made, and in the siz-
zling atmosphere the wrath of the Wis
itors on the field waxed more and more
severe.
The trouble was. the loca' manage
ment and the Curtiss managers were
actually of the opinion that flights
would be made, but on account of air
currents, and the condition of the
grounds. the aviators refused to fly,
and when Ward finally consented to
attempt a flight he remarked: 'I'll
either break my neck or my machine -
At $50 O'Clock it was decided by the
management to return the price of ad-
mission to the infuriateo people, and
many of them took advantage of the
offer imm ediately, and lid not stop to
see the fight
The visiting merchants were crying
out: Topeka, Kan..-Topeka will
nit" and it would only have taken a
mob leader to cause a mad rush in an
attempt to cut the machines in pieces.
Secretary H. L. Cook of the Kansas
state Fair association was exasperated,
and he said to the crowd: They sim
ply fatty refused to fly without giving
any reason. You can get your money
back. 1 apologize to you. They will