The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-09-03
BIG CROWD AT FAIR YESTERDAY
GOT SEVERAL THRILLS.
AZ Aviator Walsh. Dipped. oi'ded and
Veipisnsd while Travelling At
6reskneek Speed.

Sweeping In wide circles. dipping
and soaring and rushing through
space az a rniiea-minute clip and then
executing In his descent the famous
Charles p Walsh. clearly demon
strated his wonderful control OF a go
horsepower Curtiss bi-plane yesterday
afternoon AZ the state fair grounds
The two sights. the first OF nineteen
minutes and the second OF seven.
started series which the death-de-
fying aviator will make this week at
the big fair. and n his nrst days
performance Is sample OF what IL
coming we are ready right now 20
pronounce him sum" birdman
IL required fast and hard work 10
get the high powered bird In readiness
for action and the task OF putting all
the parts together was not completed
until after ; o'clock. Thousands on
the grounds and about the city watch
ed patiently all during the afternoon
and Aviator Walsh is not the man who
disappoints anv one. About 5:i5 the
birdman had the big machine pushed
out onto the runway for final inspec-
ton and found everything In first
class shane The engine was tuned
up and found to be working Just
right.
Wonderful Exhibition.
At $50 Walsh strapped himself IN
the small seat in front OF the bi-plane
and gave the word to the attaches 70
let 20. He swept down the runway
for about one hundred feet and then
turned the nose OF his craft upward
The engine responded 10 his manipu
lation OF the clutches and with a deaf
ening roar pushed the peculiar craft
up to an altitude 81 about 500 feet
Aviator Walsh circled the grounds
three times and on the fourth Ian
came across the river 10 Wheeling
He turned towards the grouncs at a
point Just above the bridge. going
higher as he went back OF the Island.
He then struck out az a ffty- mile an
hour gait for jaunt down the river
He turned the machine near Renwood
and came mp on the OHIO side. cross
ing the lower end OF the island for a
trip over Wheeling He was sailing
AT an altitude OF about 1900 feet when
he made n sensational turn and head
cd the craft for It's resting riece on
the grounds. Coming back TO the
grounds he shot upwards 20 an altitude
~ $500 feet. his highest. and then TO
the amaZement OF the on-lookers
started n spectacular descent directly
over tho grounds From death-defy-
Ing volplane he turned into n series Of
spirals which thrilled the spectators.
He came down 10 earth with spiral
swoops and dives which mace ~ np-
pear that his machine was turning
over In the air When he reached the
upper end OF the grounds he steered
the speed monster into q beautiful dip
which terminated n hundred or more
feet from the starting point on terra
frma. Walsh's landing was perfect
as the machine skinned along the
ground for about one hundred feet and
was then brought 10 n sudden stop by
the application ~ the brakes. Aviator
Walsh stepped ont Of the machine tist
as unconcerned as " he had been rid
! ing IN an automobile He was in the
arr Just nineteen minutes. sixty sec.
pnds longer than Lincoln Beachev.
who performed here last wear. He
stated upon aIiehting that the air was
fine and that his highest altitude was
| $500 feet He said that he encounter
cd several pockets Of hot air while in
tho air. but thoroughly enjoyed the
trip.
Second Flight
/ After giving the engine n short
/ blow he ordered the attaches to pre-
pare Il for the second fight. Walsh
/ has a contract 20 spend thirty min
uies In the air every day Of the fair.
and he said that he wanted 20 live I'D
70 II. hence his second flight. He rode
the air for seven minutes on the sec
Ond fight and circled the track about
seven times. sometimes attaining a
mile minute gait Aviator Walsh
introduced something now IN aero
planning hero when he showed the
spectators the aerial turkey trot" or.
as II Il more famlliarly known. the
| "Dufct roll" This "a q swinging al.
fernatinC side movement which can
better he described as a zigzar and
! ND and down movement ~ the same
I time n IL exceedingly hard "a exo-