The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-14
Jimmy Ward Gets Tangled
in a Maze of Railroad
Tracks
THREE LANDINGS
MADE IN ONE DAY
Starts from East to Cross the
Continent, but Gets
Mixed and Makes
Small Progress

49, " Cikhs sept. IIs--A4uEeh
hither and yon by the maze of rail-
road tracks that lead west across New
Jersey from New York. plucky little
Jimmy Ward. the second flyer To start
for the $1,000 Hearst trans-conti-
mental prize. landed at $3.50 o'clock
tonight al Paterson, y. j., after wing
ing all day.
Laden with messages given him
by Major General Frederick Dent
Grant, the intrepid aviator sped into
the blue from Governor Island head
quarters of the United States army
! for the East at .0s o'clock this morn
ing.
a pilot engine. decorated with
flags, awaited Ward at the yards OF
the Erie railroad. But confused by
! the myriad of tracks he missed it and
mistaking the rails of the Lebigh Val
ley railroad for those of the Erie sped
on to Ashbrook. n J.. % miles away,
before he realized his mistake. 1t
was then 9;45 O'Clock.
After alighting at Ashhrook for his
| bearings, Ward again took to the air
and once more was confused by the
multitude of railroad tracks. This
time Wards winding way led him to
East Orange, where he alighted a
$3.50 O'Clock.
Obtaining his correct course at last
Ward winged aloft for the third time
! at SIS O'Clock tonight and at so
o clock alighted at Paterson, twenty
two miles from his starting point,
where he is spending the night.
Work on Machine.
The darkness of Tuesday night
descended upon Jimmie" Ward and
his three mechanicians still working
over the spick and span Curtfss bi-
plane, which nestled In its hangar on
Governors Island Not more than
sixty feet away brooded Harry At
woods big Wright machine in which
he successfully made his flight from
st. Louis to New York. Compared
with the big biplane flown by Atwood.
the Curtiss was as a dragon-tiy 10 q
great moth.
Much remained to be done about
Wards machine. The new gasoline
tank, new extensions new thread
fine piano wires to keep the parts
compact We're not Yet in place.
Dawn found the mechaniCians again
at work. Ward arrived at Gas. With
| him were his pretty young wife, at
tired in a rose colored polo coat and
blue hat: Isaac Bloom. manager:
, Arthur Herbert, Edward Jacobs. II.
} Cavanagh and few other Of
Wards friends. There was no ner-
vousness about the party. Even lit
tie Mrs. Ward was without tremor.
Must Get This Wind.
The aeropiane was not ready when
Ward and his party arrived. The me
channels were still tinkering. There
was some difficulty in adjusting the
gasoline tank. Mechanism Horton
was going OVER the engine. Me
chanician Pagan was balancing on
the very fragile looking seat. They
were calling back and ts.rth III a
strange language about "ailerons,
vertical rudders," lifts" "hoists,
and what not Ward looked on a
moment and assumed charge. Every
( thing had to be done his way. only
few soldiers were about at this time.
Wen get away by s." insisted Ward.
u must get this wind"
Ward appeared to be doomed lit
tie later to get too much OF that
wind 1t began to rise around )
o'clock. jumping from 10 to 20 miles
an hour velocity. with the sun hid
den behind the mackereI stay, which
had threat of rain in it. The In
creasing crowd at O'Clock found
them all still at work. hammering,
twisting, screwing, oiling and tighten
ing. The task of filling the fifteen
gallon gasoline tank was more
tedious, 1t was special gasoline too.
Every fow minutes telephone mes
sages from the Erie railroad.
Railroad Track for Guide.
Manager Bloom explained all this
The route of the first stage or the
trip was to be along the line OF the
Erie railroad to Buffalo, and the
railroad company was doing all In
Its power to aid. The flyer had be-
come for the day part OF the Erie
passenger train scffeduie. Orders were
given to all operators, trackmen, sig
nal tower operators. superintendent
and dispatchers to report the prog
ress of the flyer as they would their
fastest express
He hopes TO make the first de-
scent at Middletown, sixty eight miles
away" said Bloom. There another
supply. of gasoline viii be taken on
and the next jump will be to Susque-
hanna, Pa"
Mr.. Bloom said this and Ward nod
ded; the one thing they had forgot
ten is that Eastern New Jersey Is a
railroad gridiron, and ii would daZe
an eagle TO follow any line of tracks
there,
Receives Messages.
General Frederick -. Grant. his
staff. Colonel Cecil, post commandment.
officers and the ladies ef the military
post. began to arrive shortly after 8
o'clock. General Grant was pareicu-
larry Interested.
I'VE could not let anything start
from here except II was OF trans
continental interest." said he.
At S;5T the bicycle wheels turned
and the great crowd silently follow
ed tho aeroplane out over the level
plot to the smooth surface OF newly
filled ground.
stop" Ward said as they were
out or the trees, ''t'll start her here
with the wind"
He donned his gloves and turned for
the good-hyes.
General Grant rode up and formally
presented the aviator with..hta letters.
There We're messages for the Mayor
of Buffalo, for Mayor Harrison. of
Chicago; for the Chicago Examiner,