The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-06-05
st. Johns. Mich, parmalee's old
Father Was Daredevil

home.
Father Was Daredevil
Parmalee's father, c. w. Parmalee,
of st. Johns. Mich, is carpenter and
mechanic, ccording to Mrs W. G..
Ira dish, 81 South Tenth street. Mrs.
Bradish and family We're well ac-
quainted with the Parmalee family in
st. Johns, where they formerly lived.
According to Mrs. Bradish, the elder
Parmalee was a daredevil, and for
many years whenever there was a call
for a man , paint a steeple or climb
a flag pole, Parmalee was always
ready to do the job.
Since the development of his son as
a successful aviator, he has taken an
interest in the building of aeroplane
motors. In the letter received by the
younger Parmalee yesterday the father
urged his on to come back and go
into the business. saying he had the
motor now at a point where they
could manufacture it successfully.
First Accident His Last
Parnalee had often made the re-
mark to his associates that if he ever
had an acci lcnt it would be his last,
and the manner of his death brought
the remark to each of them, for he
had never had q serious accident in
several years of flying. He had re-
marked to his friends this morning
that he had made more than 5000
flights in ALL
ALTHOUGH the fall of his aeroplane
was not more than 800 to 400 feet the
impact was terrific, as the condition
of the man and his machine testified.
There was no indication that the ma
chine or any part of it had fallen on
Parmalee's body, yet his skull was
crushed at he base of the brain, legs
broken, chest crushed, arms broken,
by the fall.
The engine of the aeroplane was
driven three feet into the ground, the
strong propeller blades snapped off
and the ends iml dded in the ground,
other metal parts warped and twisted
and the wooden frame broken.
Recognized as Expert
Parmale was recognized as one of
the most expert manipulators of an
aeroplane in the profession at the
present time notwithstanding the
fact that he. has been flying almost
continuously the last two years, he had
never wrecked a machine and had
never had a serious accident.
Pa-malee first burst into the lime
light as birdman of promise the day
before the International meet at Bel
mont pak two years ago. He lad
been making small exhibition flights
through the south, but had not been
considered in the ranks of prize con-
tenders. The day before the interna-
tional event he made flights suffi ,ient
to get a license. The next day, with
this license less t an "a hours old. he
plunged into the difficult contests at
Belmont and Immediately began TO
make records.
First to Garry Express
Soon afterward, at Dayton, Parma
lee again won international notice by
sendihs over -65-mile route the first
'aeroplane express in history He de-
livered a rD-pound burden, covering
the distance in 81 minutes.
His most important early winnings
We're made in the 1910 Los Angeles
meet, where he flew the Wright Model
r and Model b throughout the. meet,
A month later in San Francisco he set
up new American endurance record
with a fiji It of hours, 80 minutes
and 40 seconds. He also figured prom
inently in the Salt Lake City meet of
April year ago.
Passenger and Baggage
Another of his achievements last
year was the establishment of record
for tire United States army in mill
tary test by the war department at
San Antonio. Parmalee flew without
stop. carrying Lieutenant Foulois,
two guns, ammunition and gasoline
sufficient to last six hours. from La.
redo. Tex, to Eagle Pass. His flight
was two hours even.
In the Los Angeles meet of lost jan
uary. Parmalee made the second
largest winnings of any competitor,
his most spectacular feat having been.
the execution of three figure Fights in.
l minute, 2 3-5 seconds aagVs ~
Record for Altitude
The records hung up by Parmalee
which attracted mos attention in the.
aviation swnrld--sensational achieve
m It's at that period of the game
were those at the Chicago meet last
year. He established a new worlds
record for altitude with flight to
10,S37 feet, more than two miles, and
broke the American record for carry
Ing by successfully handling cargo
of 458 pounds Altitude flights were
his specially however. and he won the
daily prize for altitude more than half
the time of the meet.