Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-19
M0N0PLANES IN
M|DA|R COLLIDE
Gill Killed by Accident That Is
Laid by Survivor to Late
Start of Race.

Chicago. Sept. 15-Howari Gill Of
Baltimore was killed ami George Mes
tach of France was seriously injured
late yesterday afternoon at the cicero
aviation field In midair collision.
GIL died while being rushed to the
hospital. Mestach recovered conscious
ness half hour after the tragedy but
his condition is grave.
Il was forced into making the flight
by the insstent demands of the spec :
tators," said Mestach. at was too
dark for safe flying with another ma
chine in the air. When got on the
far turn Of the course 7 heard the
whirring Of Glls machine, and saw
him bearing down on me. / tried my
best to avoid the collision. but could
not get my machine to answer The
levers quick enough. Then came the
wreck. That is all that I remember
The wreck of the two machines took
place shortly before the close of the days
exhibition. Mestach was racing to win
the 2O-kilometer prize. when he was struck
by Gill; who had followed him in a
Wright biplanc. The accident occurred Mt
a height of % feet and at the northeast
corner Of the field. Both aviators were
hurled to the ground, and their machines
were completely wrecked.
Gill was wealthy sportsman who was
interested in automobile racing until 1905
when he took up balooning. In 1859 he
began flying an aeroplanc. Last Febru-
airy, at Los Angeles. he met with a seri-
Gus accident when his machine fell 10 feet
On October 10, 1911, at st. Louis, Gill
established an American aviation endur-
ance record by remaining in the air A
hours 16 minutes and 81 seconds.
Gill was son OF NJ. Gillctt Gill of Bal
timore and was 90 years old.
Darkness was the primary cause OF the
accident. Paul Peck on the same field
the other day met his death at sunset.
Yesterdays accident occurred even later.
While there was light higher up it was
almost dark near the ground.
Timekeepers at the pylons nearest the
spot declared Mestach was in the lead
and Gill, coming up faster from behind
at the turn. tried to pass beneath. The
two machines clashed. the wings became
entanGlcd and both came to the ground.
There have been two previous coils
ions between aeropianes in midair dur
irg the four years of aeroplane flying.
The first collision occurred at Canton.
Ohio. on September q. 1911. between The
late Eugene Il. Ely and Harry Atwood.
1t was while Ely was attempting to
make a landing, when at a height of
100 feet. that he lost control of his ma
chine and crashed to the ground, hitting
Atwood's acroplane on the way. They
both escaped with minor injuries.
The other collision happened on June
10 last at Douai, France, when Captain
Dubois and Lieut.. Albert Paignan. French
army officers, met their death when the
biplanes they We're plotting collidod in
midair. They were dying IN the early
morning, and the haze was so thick that
they could not see each other.
Gill is the ninth aviator to lose his life
this month In a fall, and several have
been badly injured. Two other accidents
occurred this month in which five spec
tators were killed. The largest number
of ayiators to be killed in single month
is sixteen. Gill is the lard arman to be
killed this year. This equals the record
year If 1911. when % were killed. The
death Of Gill brings the toll of those
hlIIcu III deEopidiie dcciueflts since I''N'
when aeroplane flying began on "A large
scale, up to 1872.
BOMB THROWING AND LANDING.
Chicago. Sept. bat the aviation meet
ing to-day Max Lille. Glenn Martin Far
nam Fish and Tom Kearney took part in
the bomb" throwing and accurate land
ing contests. Lille won the bomb
| throwing event. Fish was second and
| kearey third.
In the accurate landing contest in which
the aviators volplaned from height OF
| 1000 feet. Martin won. He landed within
81 feet of designated spot
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