New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-20
GRASS CUTTER" OF FIVE YEARS AGO NOW BIRD OF WA

When a flyer could not tell by holding up a
straw in the early days whether the wind waS
blowing or not, the custom was to wet his niger
and hold 1t aloft until such time as that fact
could be determined. The times were many, and
the hours early, indeed, that few reporters and
acute sufferers from the prevailing disease-they
were known as aeronuts and MISUNDERSTANDING
walk from the little hotel at Aineola out to a
vacant prairie and wait for some man, who re-
ferred to himself as aviator, to keep his prom
Use and 20 up at sunrise, and then all would walk
back to the hotel again, having seen the sun rise
Fresh word would then 90 forth, with the egg
on toast, that the flying would be done in the
afternoon. 1t seems strange TO look back TO- ina
only four years ago people often paid admission
10 see flying at Mineoia. If the motors proved
20 be all right then something else would De dis-
covered to be wrong There has been good flying
at Mineola and there has not
Az many as five thousand people would gather
on a Sunday afternoon. They came early, and II
they stayed long enough they enjoyed the sunset
ard the cool evening breezes. They usually did
STAY, because word would be sent out from the
syiators tents that the wind would probably 20
down toward evening and then there would be
seme flying.
Many of the spectators would come in auto
mobiles at high speed. After the first excitement
Of seeing the aeroplSnes in their tents and listen
ing to the ice cream man not few would wonder
Why they had hurried so.
TBF EAGER CROWDS GATHERED FAITH
FULLY EVERY SUNDAY.
The Garden City aviation grounds were ideal
darin
they were too fat for interesting scenery-to9
r.uch like somebody's big back yard.
During the preceding week there would be
Good deal of talk, which would be reflected in the
newspapers, about the attempt that some member
CT the aviation colony would make next SUNDAY
afternoon, if the weather permitted, to hy in a
new aeroplane over the Sound, say, to Greenwich
that being nice town. and looking well in prime
The crowds would go every Sunday, hoping to
sec said aviator fly above the green grass and the
blue waters until he dissolved away from their
enchanted gaze in the green and lemon sky. The
trip would be described each time, in advance, ~
the morning and afternoon newspapers, as some
thing that it would be we'll to see, and that eouli
be seen next Sunday afternoon, if the weather
permitted.
The aviator would be on hand with dark brown
leather suit. and with goggles that were every
thing that could be desired. There would be som
wind in the early afternoon, and it would receive
rho usual amount of criticism for the alleged
things that it could do to any aviator VINO per
sisted in defyinR it. Friends OF the aviator wouie
talk fervently against winds of all kinds an"
would narticularly disApprove of the direction III
,bicb the wind of that particular afternoon was
headed
Ahopt & o'clock word would come from the
,io4or himself that the waters of the Sound
would not be "waves tremulous with rejected
beauty" cast by his beautiful machine that aaE
Some other day, when the aviator did not nave
headache, his shadow would travel rapidly along
the surface of Long Island Sound.
When? Some other day, that was near enough
The next Sunday all would be ready at p. n'
aroe crowd as usual The wind had died at
o'clock. and rumors of pOstponement had dle"'
too when the machine and man appeared ooth
faced toward Greenwich.
f. was the motor after that. 1t was new
motor Motors that failed in those Gays wer'
a,,vsvs either old or new. Three mechanicianS
would strike at the cylinders, jogge the propeller
confer in French, become soiled and excited and
then give i up The motor had gone to sleep
again. The automobiles hOnked for an exit pas
sageway.
Tho others, who had to walk TO the railroad
station al Mineola or Garden City, had not
bonk in their systems, but they carried lots OF
lnst 70 town with them and were very tired
They did not complain. They understood. Soihe-
thing had gone wrong with the motor.