The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-09
FAMOUS COWBOY TAXES UP AVIATION Unique Team at the Fair Grounds Next Week  PARTY HAS ARRIVED From BuclSing Bronchos to Aeroplanes Is Jump Taken by Jim Gabriel.
 Acts as Bonney's
 Godfather

The noted Berger aviator, l.. N. Bon. ney, his god father, Col Jim Gabriel avn CT of the bi-plane Miss Cheyenno.a clin- ton N. Vidor, press representative, his private secretary, Charles NJ. Branhanl. and Mechanics Gus Guilford and Earnest Kunzie have arrived for tho big aviation meet-autmoble show and races at the Alabama State fair grounds, under tho auspices of the Business Mems league and direction of the Berger Aviation company. The party came in their own private car.
 From bueling bronchos to bucking air ships is a long jump. but there Is nothing too hard for a cowboy. Not your nov ing picture stage chap, near-puncher. who never stuck his spurs into anything Lut the carpet, but the real cowboy who was born on the range and helped 10 mako the west.
 Anybody who knows anything about early frontier history knows Jim Gabriel, or Cheyenne Bill,' as he was familiarity known.
 Twenty years ago a crack shot. rough rider and puncher who rode the range with Kid Dudly, Jim C"KidD Adamson Budget, Dick Beam and others who made wild west history which the great ar- list, Frederic Remington. has left to pos terity in pictured drawings that can never live again. The days are gone Rem lngton is gone. A few of the old timers are left to recite the tales in which they took a never-to-be- forgotten part and Jim Gabriel is one of the few left overs
 Remarkable Life
 book could be written about the ox- plots of Jim Gabriel, cowboy, scout, In dian fighter and bird man. His fame as chief of scouts under General Miles in the Indian wars of 1s90-9t his great en- duranee ride of 25O0 miles in S5 days, when he was selected by Secretary Wilson to make the horseback journey from Sheri- dan Wyo., 10 Chicago. H.. for the pur- pose of testing the staying qualities" of the American range horse for cavalry service in the United States army: his life as chief Rough Rider with Buffalo Bill and trips all over the world; his early life on the range of Wyoming; his career as an actor and snowman, each is a life in itself
 His life has been one of action Clean living through it all has been the means of leaving but few marks to show the wear and tear of years. Today Jim Gabriel is as fine a picture of manhood as you would want 10 see. A trifle be- low medium height. smooth of skin, clear of eve, and dressed in the height of fashion, mop of grey hair is the only reminder of time.
 Conquer Things That Fly
 Not being satisfied with having con quered everything that flies upon four legs, Gabriel has taken to conquerlng things that fly In the air. But like all other things, Jim must have the best He wanted the best machine that money could buy and the best aviator Aftpr looking them all over he came to the conclusion that the Wright machine was the best. A very fortunate thing happened a this time. l.. w. Bonney, who had been flying under the man agement of the Wrights. met Gabriel and immediately took n great liking to the COW boy. Negotiations were opened with the Wrights in regard 10 buying Bonney's contract. After a lengthy time il was all settled and Bonney went to Gabriel Now with his boy" as he lovingly calls Bonnc.- they make a ildiu tOiHDiHdtlDn 10 peat W nile bon ney is today one of the greatest liv- ing fliers, he is only entering on the thresholds of manhood and has no one but Gabriel, or, as he calls him, "fath- CT Jim" Every flight that Bonnev makes father Jim carefully goes over every part of the machine and planes himself; he wants to make sure that every wire, every stsy and truss is sound and in perfect working order. He wants to know that his boy IS going 10 get off the ground safe and come back to him again and his boy knows when father Jim" says all right that the machine has been carefully looked over and everytnrng is ready for the flight into the hea sens. With Jim Gabriel and his boy Bonney here next week the people of Birmingham and many thousands of out f-town visitors can look for some wonderful and fas- cinating flying.
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