The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-01-19
Daring Aviation Feat Accomplish
ed With Ease Over San Fran
cisco Bay
Wireless Notifies the Pennsylvania Of A,iat-
of's Start from Selfridge Field, IL Miles
DiStant---Ely Given Ovation at BOih
Ends OF Trip --Brili,h Naval OF
Ulcers Witness Feat

san Francisco, Jan. iS.-Flying q
Curtis racing biplane Eugene b. ELY
today made a successful landing on
the deck OF the cruiser Pennsylvania
and an hour Inter arose from the deck
and flew back to Selfrldge Field, 12
nliles away.
The fear was accomplished without
mishap Not a wire nor a bolt Of the
delicate mechanism was injured, ana
the seeming ease of tho whole per.
for.nance did not lessen It's spcctacu-
lar effect.
1T was easy CROUCH" said Ely,
as he stepped from his sent and was
seized by the cheering soldiers Of the
3oth infantry and hoisted onto their
shoulders. q think the trick could
be successfully turned nine times out
of ten"
Wireless Announces Start.
IL was just 1o.45 o'clock when he
left the ground Ills motor worked
perfectly and after a few trY-out cir.
cles, he headed nostheastward, swept
over the SAN Rruno hills and disap
peared
In the meantime the wireless had
notified the cruiser at anchor With
the fleet IN the hay that he would
l1aN&e the ATTEMPT and ffSTai prepai'a.
tions were made for his reception.
A wooden platform $50 feet long and
so feet wide had been constructed
over the afterdeck OF the ship II
sl1ped gently aft, and across the floor
We're stretched ropes with lG0 pound
sand bags made fast At either eni,
These were designed TO be caugat BY
hooks on the lower framework Of
the biplane.
Took Precautions.
As a further precaution q canvas
barrier was stretched across the for
ward end of the platform Launches
AMI shlps' boats fully manned were
.put out in the event of mishap Ely
had installed two seven foot pontoons
under his aeroplane to float the ma
chine in the event he was forced tC
descend to tee water. and forwarC
he had built a hydroplane to keer
the aeroplane from living.
At 1885 the lookout on The Penn
sylvania sighted Ely through tht
haze and the Ships siren roared
blast Of welcome Ely came on at 4
terrific speed and moment late
circled around the feet, dipping II
salute to each snip, and cane UP il
the wind off the stearn Of the enn
sylyania
Landed Without Mishap.
He was flying low as he neared thC
ship and dropped down as lightly al
gull, striking the platform about 4(
feet from the end The hooks tina
had been arranged in the center piec,
Of the aeroplane lid their work per
fectly and the airsifip was brought tC
standstil within % feet
When Elv touched the deck he wes
going at the rate Of about 35 mile
an hour. but so sraduaily was th
speed checked by the dragging of tht
sand bags as they wercpicEed ZIP II
succession that he came to stand
still without disarranging any part 0
the machine
There was great outburst 0
cheers when it was seen that thl
landing had been successful. and {
rush Of officers, visitors and sailor
to reach the aviator One Of the frs
to reach Ely was his wife, who haG
been given a point OF view on tn
bridge by Capt Pond.
Much Photographed
After submitting to the ordeal o
being snapped by numerous proto
grapners, Ely was taken below to the
captains cabin, where he was th'
guest at luncheon.
Meantime his machine had baei
turned around, the hooks on the bot
tom Oh the center piece removed, an,
the gasoline replenistcd,
In exactly one hour from The Tins
he landed Ely took his seat IN tnt
1 machine and gave the wo-d to leg e
1 The aeroplane swept down the 1S'
foot platform, dropped to the stell
with a gentle dip, and then rose rap
lilly over the ships In the harhor,
Made Perfect Start.
4 The start was as perfect as th'
landing had been. Rising to a heigh
OF 1000 feet Ely circled over the ex
trcme southern prrt of the city an
then headed straight to the aviation
field. lie landed there at 1919.
The cruisers wireless had advises