Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-04-04
RODGERS JOINS
THE LONG ROLL
OCEAN TO OCEAN AVIATOR FALLS
TO DEATH IN FANCY
FLIGHT,
MADE DIP, FAILED TO RISE
Car With Crushed Body Landed ON
Beach, Where Prize Exhibit
Had Ended.

Long Beach, Cal. April 3.-Ca'-
braith P. Rodgers, an aviator Of
Worldwide fame and the first man
to cross the American continent in an
oeroplane. was almost instantly kill
cd here this afternoon when nus
Wright biplane in which he was soar
ing over the ocean. crashed into the
surf from q height of 200 feet AMI
hurled him in the wreckage. His
reck was broken and his body crush
sd by the engine of his machine. He
lived but few minutes.
Rodgers had been making dailv
flights here for week and had take 4
many passengers, both men and wom-
eli. up with him. He started today
from his usual place and SCARED out
over the ocean, crossing the pier ami
then turned and dipped close to the
re Ter coaster.
Seeing a flock of gulls disporting
themselves among a great school of
sardines just over the breakers,
Rodgers again turned and dived down
into them, scattering the feathere
sea fowl in all directions. Highly
elated with the outcome of his dive.
Rodgers flew farther out to sea, grad
ually rising, until he had reached a
height of about 200 feet. Making a
short turn, he started full speed fOl
the pier, then suddenly dipped his
'anes and his machine pegan /,
1rightful descent.
Rodgers was seen by hundreds Of
PERSONS on the pier to relax his hold
or the levers and then, seemingly
realizing his danger, he made siren
uous efforts to pull the nose of his
machine into a level position. Fail
ing in this, he managed to turn his
craft farther inshore, and an instant
later the huge craft crashed into
the edge Of the surf, not 500 feet
from the spot where on December 10
last, he had finished his ocean to
ocean flight.
Life guards were the first to reach
the injured man. They said Rodgers
head was hanging over one wing III
the machine, the heavy engine on
his back and his feet drawn up
nearly doub ed over his shoulders
Ilood was flowing from his mouth.
Rodgers was hurried to the bath
house hospital. where DR.. A. w.
He'll pronounced him dead.
From q hurried examination 1t was
determined that Rodgers neck, jaw
bone and back had been broken.
telegram was sent at once to the avia
tors widow who resides in Pasadena
and q cablegram to his mother, Mrs
H. s. Schweitsor, now in London
The body was sent to Pasadena to.
Eight.
The machine that Rodgers used to-
day was the one with which he wor
$1,000 In prizes last July at the Chit
cago endurance meet. It Is a tota
wreck.
Rodgers cousin. Lieutenant Johr
Rodgers, U. 8. NJ, is now attached te
the aeroplane section of the navy, sta
toned at San Diego.
Chas. Schaffer. close friend o
Rodgers. andsWho came here on thu
special train that followed the avia
tor on his transcontinenta. trip Wit
Eessed the accident.
The speaking of Rodgers career al
an aviator, Mr.. Shaffer, who hat
taken many flights with Rodgers, sal.
the worst example of carelcssness h
had ever seen was while flying will
Rodgers yesterday.
I'VE had risen to a height of abou
500 feet said Shaffer. Rodgers
feigning WEAKNESS, laid back, folde,
his hands behind his head an,
stretched out his feet, seemingly en-
joying the scenery. I said to him
y GU better watch out. Cal, the win,
might get you, but he answered. oh
we're q 4 right; she ridden the wind
before. and she'll ride it now"
Frank Shaffer, 80 Rodgers mechan
ician, who had been with the aviato
since he started on his transconti
mental trip, stated tonight that Roda
ers had made $4,000 out OF the fly
ing game and had several good con
tracts on hand at the time he wa
killed. One of these was for 2
fligh 8 in the east, and Rodgers wa
to have left for Chicago in thrc
weeks.
Shaffer said he believed misjudgin
distance caused Rodgers death.
Rodgers propably thought he wa
higher in the air than he really was.
said Shaffer. and turned his plane
too far over. causing him to descen
SO rapluly Inut nc ulu not nave Nti
to right the machine after seeing h
was so close to the water
Rodgers Is the fourth aviator to
killed In Los Angeles or vicinity. O
December 80, 1910, Arch Hoxsey fe
5000 feet at Dominguez Field an
was crushed to death. May II. 1911
Addison v. Hartle. an amateur fror
Marseilles. Ohio. was killed. fallin
within $50 of the spot where Hoxse
met Death. In the last internationa
aviation meet at Dominguez Field Q
January %, Rutherford Page of Me-
York fell 200 feet while going .
frightful speed and was Instant
killed.
When Mrs. Rodgers was notified
her husbands death tonight she stoo
motionless fir a moment and the
collapsed.
She now is confined to her room ur
der the care of physicians.
His Ethereal Asphyxla Theory.
New York. April members
the Aero Cub of America receive
the news Of Calbraith Rodgers deaf