The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-06-13
Crowd After Souvenirs.

track" said Mielke, 81 saw a man
start to run toward the field directly
in front of it. The accident happen
ed SO quick that l didn't have time
to notice him closely, but he was a
older. When the aviator tried to
dodge him, the plane swerved and
struck the iron pipe in front of the
judges stand"
Imme diately following the acct
dent a surging throng of morbidly
curious surrounded the wrecked
plane. In few moments every
available loose splinter was picked
up and carried off by the souvenir
hunters. A rope was finally stretch
ed around the wrecked machine and
a guard stationed to keep off the
curio hunters. The memento seek
ers even went so far as to try and
appropriate cards, papers and other
articles taken from the pockets of
the injured to identify them, and it
was necessary to station guard
over these.
Machine is Badly Damaged.
AS it lay on the trampled, blood
stained grass in front of the grand
stand, the wrecked $1,000 machine
showed plainly the effects of the ter
rifle force with which it had struck.
The left aileron bore the imprint of
the round iron pipe which had caught
its front edge near the tip.
The lower planes were smashed,
the skids and wheels of the frame
demolished, the engine jerked down.
ward out of place and the wiring
and bracing snapped in many places.
The machine weighs total of
approximately 1000, the larger part
of the weight being due to the heavy
engine, radiator and gasoline tank.
Brand New Machine.
The machine was a brand new one
belonging to Turpin, and had never
been used. Yesterday was the first
time it had even left the ground.
The machine was the result of ideas
that Parmelee and Turpin have
gained in their exhibition flights and
was intended to be one of the fast
est, if not the fastest, ever built.
1t was expected to outstrip in
speed Parmelee's new machine,
which with it's 9S-horse power en-
CINE, can do seventy miles an hour,
according to Parmelee.
Turpin's new machine was not
completed when the aviators left
When the meet opened
in this city Wednesday afternoon
there still remained more than two
hours work to put in on Turpin's
aeroplane before it would be ready
for it's initial flight.
Never in the Air Before.
Charles B. Saunders, the para
chute jumper, said Wednesday that
the machine had never been flown.
There were some repairs to make on
Parmelee's machine. AS this aero
plane is the one used to carry Saun-
ders for his parachute drop, the
aviators put in their time getting it
in shape so as not to disappoint the
crowd.
To get Turpen's machine ready,
both Parmelee and Turpin worked
evening and early yester-
day morning, the machine was in
shape. When it was hauled out in
front of the grandstand at $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon, there
was every indication that the meet
WOulu START on time.
The engine was started and tested,
seemingly working we'll. The ma
chine was first taken down to the
west turn of the race course and
headed so as to pass the grandstand
in the same fashion that Parmelee
did Wednesday, when he carried
Saunders aloft for the parachute
drop.
Turpin Changes His Plans.
Owing to the direction of the wind
however, Turpin reconsidered this
position and the machine was Wheel
ed down to the east headed so as to
pass the grandstand. These man
euvers consumed some twenty min
utes or more, so that when the me-
chanic gave the propeller the final
whirl to start it the time lacked
five minutes of o'clock.
With an ear-splitting roar, the en-
CINE started and the machine came
flying down the track on it's running
wheels in the customary manner.
Some 200 feet before coming in front
of the grandstand, Turpin tilted the
planes slightly and started to soar
from the ground. At this instant
the amateur photographer started to
cross in front of him and the acct
dent followed.
The machine was rising rapidly,
but it was evident it would not clear
the rash spectator running across
the track, and in the vain effort to
do so the tragedy was enacted.
Terrible Engine of Death.
AS the propellers of both Par
melee and Turpin's machines are To-
Gated in front of the aeroplanes, in
stead of in the rear, as in the case
Of many, when the machine swerved
into the crowd it became a terrible
engine of death, inflicting wounds
with every turn of,the swift-whirling
wooden blades.
After the injured had been taken
away, some of the crowd started to
leave, but the majority remained
waiting to see what the next move
would be. AS soon as space was
cleared, Parmelee's machine was
out. When it was taken to
the center of the field the crowd ap-
plauded. In a few minutes the en-
CINE was started and at 1886 p. m.
Parmelee scared aloft, making