East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1912-08-15
Manbird Edwards Promises PendIeton
Folks Some Daring Feats on Sat.
urday and Sunday.
is WELL KNOWN FLYER
Machine Arrives I'm City-Edwards
Has Had Notable Career as Naviga-
tor of Air>-New Engine I'm Plane
Will Enable Him to Accomplish
Sensational stunts.

Aviator Walter Edwards, known up
and down the coast as mysterious"
Edwards who is to be seen herein ex-
hibition flights Saturday and Sunday
and who arrived this morning, prides
himself on the fact that he never has
yet disappointed an audience. Ed
wards has an interesting history.
The son of an eastern millionaire,
college bred, of pleasing address and
appearance, and at one time the vice
president of a New York financial in
sttution, he represents the finer type
of Notwithstanding as he does
bravery, GOODNESS and a well-trained
mental ability fit to cope with any
condition.
With the panic of 1907 the bank
of which he was president was in ex-
cellent shape, but the possibility OF
being unable to weather a severe FL
nancial storm caused the young fl
nancier to decide to liquidate while
dollar for dollar could be paid to de-
positors and stockholders. This done,
against the advice of his friends and
family, the young man took his few
remaining thousands of dollars and
the thanks Of scores of poor deposit
tors for his honesty and journeyed to
the west, engaging first in the auto
mobile business. Financial stringency
made the auto trade poor and in 1903
Edwards" as he now chooses to call
himself. found the necessity for Sc
curing n situation staring him in the
face. The stirring life of the news
paper man fascinated him and for
several months he worked as re-
porter on the San Francisco Call.
Carried as Passenger.
While covering one of the great
California aviation meets, he was car
ried as a passenger by Paulhan, the
noted French birdman in his 100
horse-p power Farman machine. Ed
wards fate was sealed from that
moment Fly he must and fly he
would There followed months of dill
gent labor and importantly of wealthy
friends for assistance. Eventually
former business associate of his faith
er's helped him through course IN
aviation under Curtiss instructors and
loaned him funds to secure a machine
Of his own,
Edwards first public flight last
ed AZ seconds. He was taken from
under the ruins of his machine un-
conscious, but two hours later had re-
covered and was limping away to seek
new ways of getting new machine
to put his undamaged engine in.
Twenty-sx falls, the last at Santa
Cruz Cal. nearly having a fatal end
ing. followed. Dsappointments were
many. but with the courage of a Spar
tan he continued until successes be-
gan to come.
Today Edwards ranks among the
foremost of American aviators. En-
perience has helped much. Native
courage has sustained him, but above
all is the innate GOODNESS and resource
fu.ncss in the face of danger that
has carried him through disappoint-
ments and the death menace with
nothing but a firmer determination to
succeed implanted in his heart.
New stunts to Perform.
In an interview given a representa-
tive of The East Oregonian today
the aviator said:
ITS a hard and at times thank
less game, and | presume If | stay
with it long enough l will so the
same way as the others But believe
me, no sexton is going to pat me on
the face with a shovel until | have
broken all of the worlds speed and
altitude records and until the name
OF Walter Edwards, my nom de ciel
is spoken of everywhere that avia-
ton is topic for discussion. When
am in the air | feel as safe as
though walking on the ground. have
been thousands of feet in the air, ir
atmosphere so cold and rare that my
hands and cheeks have felt as though
frozen, but / have yet to feel the
sense of height or the effects of th'
ether madness that scientists sa!
cause the aviator to seek death al
the worlds greatest boon.
IL have new stunts to perform her'
stunts made possible by the higl
power of the engine in my new ma
chine | believe your people Will sa,
kind things of my exhibition when
is concluded II not, they have bu
to indicate what they want and If
Is possible OF accomplishment 1t vii
be done"