The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-10-09
AVIATOR RODGERS
NOWHEAD|NG FOR
ST. LOUIS
Coast to Coast Flyer Now Be-
yOnd Chicago
UNABLE TO FIND HIS WAY
Followed Wrong Railroad Track and
Was Forced to
Descend
UNABLE TO FIND HIS WAY

Chicago, Oct. 9.--Aviator G. p.
Rodgers, on his coast-to-coast flight
yesterday, flew from Hammond, Ind,
26 miles east of Chicago to Bruce,
ILL.,, 35 miles south of that city. Rod
gers made a stop in this city and
landed several times to get his dir
ection. He left Hammond at 11:25
yesterday morning and 1t was DAB
last evening when he landed at
Bruce. He covered the 70 miles
from Hammond to this city in "a
minutes He left the ground here at
4:01 D. m, on the first stage of his
fight toward St. Louis. He follow
ed the wrong railroad track, however
and stopped As minutes later to get
his direction. Darkness and wind
caused him to descend at Bruce.
Rodgers expects TO continue his
fight today.
Rodgers flew into Chicago over the
South Side at a height Of from 1900
to 1000 feet, landing in Grant Park
in front of the place occupied by his
old hangar during the aviation meet
here in August. Thousands OF
churchgoers just leaving their places
of worship assembled In groups in
the streets to watch the airman as
he flew over their heads. After
greeting the crowd warmly, Rodgers
left his machine in one of the hol-
lows of the park and repaired to the
La Sale Hotel, for luncheon. He
took a short rest, then motored about
tho cftv With hfc mother
Rodgers covered the 1899 miles be-
tween New York and Chicago In a
total flying time of 81 hours and SO
minutes. His fastest mile was made
in "A seconds. and he has made many
miles at 4S seconds.
Aside from his fight in the contest
Rodgers is demonstrating the posi-
bility of carrying mail by aeroplane.
AS a proof he delivered letters to f.
B. Merritt for j. Ogden Armor. and
also letters to his brother. Lieut..
John X. Rodgers. U. s. ~. and Frank
NJ. Whiting of Neenah. Wis, at pres
ent in Chicago In his mail bag Rod
gers has letters from Major General
Frederick Dent Grant to the Com
mander OF the Department OF the Pa
cific; from feet to Rear Admiral
Thomas of the Pacific squadron. and
from Postmaster General Hitchcock
for the Chicago postmaster. He was
intrusted by several Chicagoans with
postcards and letters addressed to
Fort Worth, Houston, Dallas, and El
Paso. Texas.
Rodgers was scheduled to leave
Chicago for Joliet in continuing his
trip at o'clock. An immense crowd
had assembled as early at one o.
clock to see Rodgers off. and when
he drove into the field In an automo-
bile at $3.50 there were fully 5000
persons present Policemen had 10
clear a space sufficient for him to
start his aeroplane in by force. so
eager was the crowd Rodgers spent
half an hour tuning warming his
engine. He assembled at 4:01 on the
first trial, while the crowd cheered
itself wild. Circling around the field
twice, he started south at an alti-
tude of 1900 feet on his way to Joliet
He soon lost his way, however. and
after flying TO Lake Calumet. thence
to Jackson park. thus wasting 50
minutes in an effort TO locate the
Drainage Canal. he sighted a special
train on the Chicago & Alton tracks
at Argo 13 miles from Chicago
From Argo to Delwood Park Rod
gers few at the rate of a mile in as
seconds, making a landing in a field
near Delwood Park at 500 o'clock
Rodgers had planned to fly over
the Joliet prison today for the bene
ht of the convicts, whom Warden
Murphy was to allow in the yard to
see the cross-country aviator. Rod
gers intended TO start at Z o'clock
weather permitting. and will stop at
Streator. Peoria, and Springfield