The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-23
AIR men WILL DIE
Bud Mars Says There VIII Be
200 Deaths.
Sky Flight Development Will
Be Worth Cost.
GOODBYE To SHOW STUNTS
SpiraIs and Rolls Will Soon Be
Eliminated.
Crowds of Men Will CavOrt in
Sky This Year.
GOODBYE TO SHOW STUNTS
(By bud" Mars.)

|
flying the world has ever seen will
take place in this country during the
coming summer. All records for al
| titude, distance, duration, speed and
| passenger carrying will be shattered
and put higher than ever before.
Aeropianes speeding at more than
100 miles an hour and planes carry
ing Is passengers are some of the
events that will be witnessed.
Circus stunts, spiral dips, Dutch
| rolls, dives of death, flying over
cities and over spectators at low al
titudes, TOO common in the past, will
be positively prohibited.
Fatal1tles? Yes, many Will be
claimed in the perfection of aviation.
Is it worth while?
Yes, beyond a doubt
Treacherous Creation.
The writer has had years of ex-
perience in what are termed "haz-
ardous callings," such as parachute
jumping, balloon plotting, expert
menting with gliders, and also has
wide experience as jockey, trapeze
performer. high diver and lastly, as
an aeroplane driver. While all are
very dangerous, the aeroplane has
proved itself the most delightful,
fascinating and treacherous creation
While 1 have agreed with most OF the
other flyers to comply with the lat
est rule of the aero clubs to refrain
from doing stunts the layman can
never realize how hard it is to resist
the thrill of the Dutch rolf or the
spiral dive" or the death Dip sem
SationS.
The public has believed that all
aviators have been making fabulous
sums of money. flyer has to spend
a large amount of money. 1t costs
great deal to repair machines and
always to be ready to fly. The Wright
brothers have stated that they lost
on their exhibition business, and the
Curtiss company find it hard to
make exhibitions pure and simple
pay a very large amount. The aV1a-
tors have to do great deal Tor the
money which is offered and they Will
have to do a great deal more during
the coming summer ana take greater
chances.
Insurance Is Desired.
1t would seem fitting moment %
consider some way of providing LOT
possible accidents and unforeseen hap
penings, which are undoubtedly gong
to be greatly increased IN the neal
future, and to provide some form of
insurance or benefit for those depend
ent upon the aviator.
predict that there will be upward
of 200 fatalities during the coming
year, and many of the victims VIII
be Americans. 1 am personally &C
quainted with nearly every one OF the
American flyers and 1 cannot call to
mind single one who has not one or
more dependent upon him. Every one
of them, with or without dependents
is not only willing, but anxious to COLI
tribute to an insurance fund.
We have the Seamen's Friendly socl-
ety. and there is no reason why we
should not have the Airmen's BENEFIT
society, or some like organlzatloh'
which could also receive moneys from
outside sources
The aviator could take care of him
self if he had the same privilege IS
the ordinary man. But the insurance
companies and fraternal societies can
not afford to take us in. We are too
perilOuS q risk
Grand Circuit Race.
The grand circuit race projected Tor
the middle west early the coming sum-
mer will, in a large measure De an
trial for the international
aviation contest for the Gordon Ben !
nett cup, to be held later in the sea-
son over a circuit traversing the cities
IF chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City,
ST. Louis, Indianapolis and pack 10
about LOO miles.
Many representatives of foreign ma
lions who are coming over for the Cor
ion Bennett cup will take part. The |
Aero Club of America has for the inter
national Bennett cup race two entrants
from England three from France,
-hree from Belgium, Myh MdIOh AAol
Holland and one from Switzerland.
America will have three, one of
whom. without doubt, will be Charles
Weyman, who won the, Gordon Bennett
,up last year in England. They are
also expecting entries from Germany
md Italy. This makes total OF 10
lucky number, isn't it?
FIocks of Men i'll Sky.
Curtiss has announced that he will
build a racer to represent America.
This promises to present the most
amous aviators of the world-a
promise that is a fair certainty. The
interest is going to be intense. There
will be a larger wave of excitement in
his country than there was in Europe
asst year, when flights were made over
he map of Europe that astonished the
world.
In this country we have only begun
o scratch the surface of cross-country
lying. The flights of Curtiss from AL
,any started the cross country flying;
hen we saw flights from New York and
ohi1a -elphia by Hamilton. and, lately,
3eachey. Robinson and Ely, and then
he long flights by Atwood from St.
4ouis to New York and by Rodgers and
Fowler from coast to coast.
The wild enthusiasm with which
hese splendid achievements were re-
eived gives US an inkling of what We
re going to feel when we have whole
locks of these men birds invading our