New-York tribune., 1912-02-07
Coffyn Goes Up from River in
Strong Wind and Handles New
Machine with Ease.
TROUBLE GETTING ASHORE
Raft Breaks, Aviator Is Drenched
and Finally Dock Launch
Takes Him and His Craft
to Police Anchorage.

| the possibilities OF the aerOplane IN war
during the Mexican revolution. cut cir
cles in the air and left his trail in the
water Yesterday afternoon in flights
that travcrsed part OF the harbor and
the Hudson as far north as ODD street.
II was New Yorks first sight Of n hy-
droplane and also the first tcst Of
Wright machine with aluminium pom
tOon attachments, and In spite OF the
cold and strong wind Coffyn made two
perfect flights ana handled his craft
with az much ease as if a June breeze
| instead Of a February nCargale was
rufling the surface of the Hudson.
For several days the shining insect
! Ike air-and-water machine I'm which
Coffyn performed his antics had been
tied up at the PENNSYLVANIA docks at
the foot Of West I'D street. The ice in
the river and the variable winds had
reduced the prospect Of fight to the
minimum, but yesterday COffyn decided
| to make an attempt. a tug was secured
to tow the raft bearing the hydroplane
out through the ice into clear water
and the machine was pulled of the pier
and placed on II.
Cofyn. dressed in heavy trousers
! high goloshcs. mackinaw jacket and
white woollen hood which fitted around
his head and dropped on his shoulders
made ready to get aboard at moments
notice, and the work of getting the ma
chine clear OF the docks began.
Several hundred persons who heard Of
the proposed fight jammed III" Penn
sylvania docks two hours previous to
| CoHyn's first ascent
The Aviator Towed Out.
Shortly before o'clocl. the iushoat
Mae Mcclure. with the raft. on which
were Coffyn and his assistant I'm charge !
| Of the hydroplane, moved slowly out |
! from the pier The spectators che"rod
! wildly, and some Of the river craft
whistlcd salutcs as the Canvas Back !
/ drew In view in the wake Of the tug. |
| once out in the stream the strong cbo !
| tide carried the craft down river and |
before Coffyn and his machine could be |
drawn clear OF the ice the little fotIlla |
OF two tues-a second had followed along |
out Of curioslty-and the raft had dritted /
down river nearly opposite 1ith street /
once free OF the ice Coffyn and his help |
ers prepared for the trip into the air.
with the aviator in his seat. the motor |
was r,ted and the hydroplanc was |
oased off into the water. The wind was !
blowing from the northwest and 10 be .
sure tEat his engine was working per- /
fcctly. Coffyn turned south and skinned |
through the water, swinging In about /
untU he faced mp river again. Win the
tugs lowering near, he again turned |
down river. repeated the circle. ana as
he turned up river the second time. he
nut m mower. and the shining, spidcrlike |
c-,f, skinned over the water a moment, !
and then few gently into the air toward
! tie Jersey shore
Once free OF the water, the aviator 4
turned in a quarter circle up river. u.s. /
ing continually. The hydroplane ca
reened and dipped in perilous fashion
but Coffyn held 1t steadily In the wind, .
and continued to rise flying up river
until he was opposite I'D street. Ihere
he was 200 FEET above the water, and the !
wind was steady enough at that height |
to permit him to make his turn ana
| come down river. This time he hew oVef
! the tugs and south as far as Governor /
Island. circling and dipping as he mad" .
his turn.
| For the second time he flew mp river
opposite 23d street, making right curve
! toward the Manhattan shore, and again .
! flew downstream. From there he doubled /
UPSTREAM, and when few yards from
/ the tugs dipped downward. hOated along |
I for few feet and struck the water.
| The impact sent up sheet Of spray but
the hydroplane fonted easily. With tho
propellers still whizzing, the craft |
| plouphed along for a moment. Then
with a sudden increase Of power and !
lifting OF the planes the machine again
| took the air.
Hard Work Getting Ashore.
After two more circles up and down |
the river, Coffyn descended near the !
tugs, opposite Chambers street. A rope
was thrown out and helper drew the
Ibvdroplane alongside and aboard the
4 raft. COifyn was dDoul 10 give lnc oIueI
far the tug TO start upstream when sew
eral tugs and other river craft drew near
on both sides, sending four or five big |
vavos that washed aboard the raft,
splitting it into two pieces and knocking
| the hvdroplane half into the water. Cof
fyr and his helper were I'm water nearly
I'M TO their waists and men on the tugs
expected every moment 10 see the avl-
ator and his assistant go into the river.
They finally managed to get the hydro
nIane on a portion Of the raft, but at
that moment the tug started up stream.
leaving both men marOoned.
| The Dock Department dispatched n
launch in charge Of Captain Henry ia
cobs to null Coffyn ashore. Although the
aviator had been in the air only about
twelve minutes. descending at 43O 1t
wos mast 7 o'clock when the raft, with
Cofvn and his helper still aboard, was
warned into the police dock.
81 feel like blooming dock laborer."
| Coovn remarked. as he started up the
rier with a big crowd Of curious people
s,rarminp around him. Looking up. he
cow q bIg electric sign on the Whitehall
p,,,Idine Aashing beer advertisement.
ct cod mo IN IT," Coffyn remarked with
laugh as he hurried toward an auto
mobile awaiting him in the street
with the photographers and news
naner men on the tug we're Mrs Coffyn
I'D Mrs G. Thayer Adams, Conyn's sis