The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-07-31

ready for the parachute jump by .
tomorrow afternoon. Three re- .
lays Of mechanicians are working
efght-hour shifts. DR.. Bell and
the head mechanics having
worked from o'clock last even. .
ing until this morning. Mana. .
ger kenworthy stated this morn.
ing that all repairs will be COM
pieted by tomorrow. when the
sensational parachute jump will
DC performed on schedule time.
'
DR.. Bell. aviator for the Kenworthv
Aeroplane Exhibition company, and
Professor Kolh. who was to make the
sensational parachute jump from the
moving aeroplane. both narrowly es-
capped death or serious injury last
night when the machine in which
they were to make their first iump
crashed to the ground from a height
Of fifty feet
The parachute dive was scheduled
| fof so o'clock in the evening and
about O'Clock the weather became
SO perfect that the management de-
clded to take no chances on the dark
cloud in the south, and decided TO
pull off the daring feat as soon as
possible, a perfec1 ay with no wind
he1ns necessary to do the act sue
cessfully.
Accordingly the big Benoist trac-
tor was overlooked and taken out on
the long stretch north of the race
track and given run up and down
to warm UP the engine
Then Aviator Bell and Professor
holb .s, climbed in the big pull aero
plane and sailed away to the north
west over the Lilac Hedge farm
fields. Luckily DR.. Bell did not try
to climb high at the start and they
had gone about half a mile when a
control wire snapped. and the big
air craft crashed to the ground head
first.
Lucky Escape.
When the nose hit the ground the
monsfrous tail shot into the air and
the speed kept the machine going
fessor kolb was in the front seat
and just as he saw the aeroplane was
about to hit he dove, landing head
first in the heavy growth of oats.
only getting a slight scratch on the
cheek to remember the accident by.
The engine missed his head by few
inches as he was sailing through the
air. DIR. Bell hung to the levers as
long as possible. hut the overturnine
Of the ma achine shot him forward and
he was thrown proba bly, fifteen feet
on his side also landing in soft bed
OF oats. The aviator has not even a
scratch from the accident.
Both Men Plucky.
The Times representative was the
first one to run from the fair grounds
to the scene of the accident, expect
ing to find one or both of the men
seriously hurt as the big fiip-flop
turned by the aeroplane could be seen
from the fair ground aviation field.
Or. Bell was inspecting the machine
on the arrival of the people and
cody announced to them that he and
Professor kolh were not hurt in the
least and requested the crowd to
Keep back. Some of the crowd
wanted TO tear strips of canvas from
the wings to keep as souvenirs, but
prompt action on the part of DR..
Bell and his assistants prevented this
destruction of the exhibition com
pany's property.
According to the story of Kolb a.
told after the fall he crawled from
his bed of oats and yelled to DR.. Bell
If he was hurt. The driver of the big
Benolst replied that he wasn't even
scratched and in turn asked Kolb
how he felt.
Fine. fine said the plucky para
chute jumper. and then they both
started on tour of inspection to see
how badly the machine was broken
The left wing was intact, not a rib
In it having been smashed The right
wing, however, was split open in sew
eral places and the big center part
was almost completely wrecked and
the propeller smashed into three or
four pieces. The engine. which is the
most valuable part Of the mechanism.
was only Jared a little by the fall
and is ready for flying today. The
company has another propeller here
and with about thirty-six hours Of
work by the mechanicians 1t is more
than probable that the big parachute
jump can be made Thursday and
Friday for the fair visitors. Mr..
kenworthy has six mechanicians, in.
Guiding his aviators. and Aviator
Mestasch's helpers have also kindly
volunteered their assistance.
Frenchmen Solicitous.
Among the first to arrive where the
wrecked biplane was located were
Aviator Mestasch's helpers and mech-
anicians. They anxiously inquired a.
to the welfare Of DR.. Bell and Pro.
fessor Kolb and were we'll pleased to
find that they were unhurt In the
melee. Manager Mittish ana Mes
tcontinued on Page 81