The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-09-13

low Lest AA1-, sept Is ms -
Fowler's story of his hight to-day as
told to the International News ser
Vice representative:
by ROBERT G.. FOWLER.
Il made my start this morning from
Auburn from the top of small hill
which gave me a short run and an
easy lift into the air. Everything was
running smoothly. Both the motor
and the control responded well.
AS / rose into the mountains and
took the higher attitudes 1t began
to get colder. although not unCom
fortabiy 50. From what / know OF
this country II was necessary Tor ms
To keep 1900 feet above the foothills
and ranges. SO / kept close watch
On my barometer all the time
AT Gold Run my barometer show
ed an altitude OF 4.2o0 feet above sea
level, l being about 1900 feet above
that place.
Control Goes Wrong.
From Gold Hun on ! continued
TO climb steadily. II was not until
went To cut across the railroad loop
at Alta that had any trouble. 1t was
there that / first noticed my control
go wrong and IN spite OF my efforts
10 reach a safe landing place, my
machine plunged into pocket of pine
trees.
Il had q wonderful view OF the
mountains at the height ! reached, /
could STE mountains in every direc-
ton as TAR -s my eyes could reach.
The air was quite clear
Il had already picked prominent
peak as d beacon This was granite
ledge tn the north Of thu summit. /
fAckcd UP this peak just after /
passed ever toifaX and i Was steering
tor II " hen my control Jailed 10 work.
Il rttt tizet! that t.1ts meant trouble
FOR me, and | tried to pick out soft
spot To land tried To speed up the
lower plane by reversing the posi-
ton OF the rudder So ] would land
level,
1T did not respond tn the least, but
persisted la swinging sharply To the
left with the warping lever clear
back
II WAS then AT an altitude Of see
feet ana was going at the rate of
about fry mites am hour,
II had seen little fiat further
down the canyon. bat I saw could
not keep In the air. | came down in
long spiral. nghtiug FOR a landing
place, and hoping to land In the
.5rtrsf, on the farther zfyfe Of tt1s cam
yon.
Suddenly my machine plunged
down foremost, crashing through the
pins. tree tops and branching nay wing
tips This threw me into second
pocket Of pines and al a height 81
about thirty feet nay plane turned
completely over, skidding down the
trees
vi grippsd the seat and heIG IN my
feet even while my hiplane somer-
saulted The. final. crash hurled nae
from the machine some seven or eight
feet and / fell on my back
The engine stuck TO It's place. and
AS my seat Mas TO its left / Was not
crushed by the engine.
MY engine did not shut off until
one OF the propcllers WIS broken. and
wire entangled the propeller shaft.
tried 10 shut off the engine while IN
the air. showing the switch 70 the
limit. but II mad no effect.
The machine was badly wrecked
but the engine. one propeller and The
chain driver seemed 10 be all right.
I'm waiting fer Mr. Grumpy and the
party In the special car from Reno.
which VIII arrive here after midnight,
before deciding On how tn best proceed,
VIII Continue Flight.
NO. I'm not going TO give up the
flight. I'm still in the running. ana
viii go on across the Sierras anu the
Rockies, even II | lose ten Gays,
You see | figured on twenty days
actual flying time. and that gives ME
a leeway of ten days.
Il think I viii either rebuild the
biplane at Colfax or Sacramento, or
else secure a complete new machine
without the motor from the Wrishts'
in Dayton. Ohio, ...5.5.
u think this latter plan is the best
as they can express a machine TO me
in four or five days from Ohio.
ITO days experience shows that a
side wind Is hard on a vertical con-
troll. and that one must strengthen the
control and get off before the wind
gets full play.
But ! believe that ii is perfectly
feasible to cross the Sierras. because
1t Is not the impossible feat ii has
been plctura1."