The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-11-20
RUTH LAW BREAKS
Continued from First Page.

new from Chicago to Hornell. dis
lance of $50 (airline) miles In eight
hours and flfty-fve minutes. She
thus captured the brief honors held
by Victor Carlstrom. Carlstrom on
November . few from Chicago to
Erie, Pa--452 miles--in an attempt
similar to that which Miss Law made
today.
Twice she few straight into the face
Of death and didn't CULVER. She land
ed at Hornell. because she had used
all the gasoline In the tanks. Had the
supply Of fuel lasted it Is likely the
nerveloss girl would have clug to her
levers until her goal had been reached.
She had hoped to make Governors
Island. She will resume the fight
tomorrow morning.
She made her first stop on the
snow-Quilted acres Of the Cornell Fair
Grounds. She fell. rather than step
ped out Of her leather seat. A mask of
ice glazed her face. Her eyes were fix
ed like those OF q marionette. Her arms
remained At right angles. as though
abe had not yet let go the wheel. 1t
was several minutes before the dar-
ing girl could walk erect or talk con-
nectediy.
Hits Tree on Getaway.
From Chicago to Hornell she few
at an average speed OF eighty-two
miles an hour. The sun was begin
ming to sink and the girl began to
see her hopes fade. A fierce deter
mination possessed her. She flung
her small airplane out of the high
trimmed bowl In which the Hornell
Fair Grounds lay and fled due south
like a belated homing bird.
The hills were high and a forest
of ancient oaks and spindling birches
crests them. Darling, wildly. like .
frightened falcon. she struck the tops
Of the tallest trees and tore her way
clear. The crowds Of farmerfolk
started forward. Tho girl, they
thought, had lost control: had come
to grief in the dense woodlands be-
yond the valley.
But she threw her PROV skyward
and took of the engine all the power
1t could muster and Ut she shot, free
Of the trees and out into the open
SKY.
Higher and faster she raced, never
releasing the hope that she would
set the mark for men to shoot at.
Ninety miles, ninety-fve. one hun
dred miles an hour she few. Over
headlands: above snug villages where
In already the evening lights were
twinkling and the cradle songsaris-
ing. past mantious towns and rest
Ing cities. she scared.
Flies Straight b. Compass.
She had to fly straight by the COM
pass. She had to hold hard to the
tine. She carried no drifting instru-
ments nor batteries with which to
manipulate lights. She had expected
to land in New York in daylight She
had stripped the plane to it's elements
and carried nothing to guide her
through the darkness. AT dark she
had thrown her head due east by this
time and was forcing her engine to
speeds greater than 100 miles an
hour.
Again the tanks were being de-
pleted. They carried but fifty-three
gallons when full.
Compared with Carlstrom's great
machine. hers was but q shift Of can
vas and wood. She had never made
a flight OF greater length than twenty
five miles before.
Far below her and to the front
nashing like great brooch. tucked
shawl Of wtthered autumn. lay . city
What It was. how far from Chicago
Il lay. she did not know, But land
she must.
SO. down in q wide series Of vol
plantngs, she plunged from an alti-
tude Of 5000 feet. A great field dot
ted by neat red buildings law before
her.
AZ easily ~ though swung on stout
wires. she landed in the oval field
encirclcd by the wire fencing of q
stock farm.
Plainly Disappointed.
ttvUhnt l. An .1B ~
ed. and how far have / Gomez"
She was told that the town waz
Binghamton and that she had trav-
elisd nearly SOC miles.
4 was 20 sure" she lamented.
'thas could make New York before
nightfail that carried no lights for
my instruments. had removed the
batteries to lessen the weight Of my
machine. Now ! am sorry. know
that could not fly at night without
my instruments before me. So have
stopped With you. Give me = hand
her to town.
II shall start out again It I o'clock
In the morning." she declared. Bar
ring mishap. should be ON Governor
Island at .. Maybe with . favorable
breeze may beat that time, I'll take
the air line. passing over Port Jsrvis
probably. WAS not frightened when
I hit the trees At Hornsli. The cross
current that tried to tip my baby over
didn't scare me. I'd have gone 70 New
York had had my lights and had the
gasoline held out. was not afraid.
but II was cold. very cold
Mics Law had never before attempted
10 eross-oountry flight. but on May 3s
she drove her AntiQuated baby" 20 .
height Of 1850 feet over Great Kills
and New York Bay. On her trip to-
day eha were two garments Of silk
ana eAahneis. two heavy wooden suits
ana n oatalas snit Of leather. TWO
woOisn eADs anA : leather helmet Cow