The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-05-16
FLIES DER STATE;
COMES TO GRIEF
RINEHART'S MACHINE SMASHED
IN NORTH CAROLINA
Aeroplanist, Attempting Augusta
Hampstead Flight, Wrecked Al
ter Crossing Palmetto Borders.
The State.

Howard NJ. Rinehart, Wright ayla-
tor. left Augusta early yesterday
morning for New York, and though
his machine was smashed, and he was
forced TO abandon it, he has the dis
tinction of being the first person to fly
from border to border across the
State of South Carolina. A sprocket
chain of the propeller broke when Mr..
Rinehart was about four miles from
Rowland, n. c., travelling about 5000
feet in the air. He glided and landed
in a newly plowed field. MIR. Rinehart
did not jump, but was riding on a
wing when the machine landed. He
was thrown off and his head buried in
the sand. He was not injured and
after shipping the remnants Of the
biplane to Dayton, Ohio, came to Co.
lumbia, where last might he Joined
Mrs. Rinehart Today they will pro-
ceed to New York by rail.
Fare and Freight.
81 was just going to New York
through the air for the pleasure and
to save a little railroad fare" said
Mr.. Rinehart in his room at hotel
here last night, "and now," he added.
81 will pay both railroad fare and
railroad freight
Heavy clouds, the most beautiful
Mr. Rinehart says he has ever seen,
hung over South Carolina early yes
terday morning, and these clouds
caused Mr.. Rinehart to deviate from
his proposed route. He left Augusta
at $40 O'Clock and had perfect sail
Ing and ideal weather conditions
until he reached Aiken, where he ran
into the clouds or fog and did not see
land again until after he had passed
Columbia.
1.-The first glimpse I had Of earth
after leaving Aiken" said Mr. Rine-
hart, "was caught a short while be-
sore I reached city, which 1 know
now was Sumter, but which I did not
recognize at the time. l looked
down and saw trees and watfr and
more trees and more water aad then
more trees. I wondered if I had
strayed into South American jungle.
/ thought it no nearer to turn
around than it was to go forward.
so 1 continued, and 1 was glad when
I left it behind" Mr.. Rineha-t was
passing over the Congaree swamp.
Mr.. Rinehart says that he did not
go over Columbia but probably was
within five or at least ten miles of
the capital city.
Follows Coast Line.
SHY original route was from Au-
susta to Columbia and then to fol-
low the seaboard tAir Line track from
Columbia to Raleigh" said Mr. Rine-
hart. "Tne first track l saw was
the Atlantic Coast Line, which l mis-
took for the Seaboard, and I did not
Know my exact whereabouts until I
reached Florence, which l recognized.
/ then determined to follow the At
lantic Coast Line track and was on
my way North when the accident oc-
Cured"
/ Mr.. Rinehart said he was making
an average of a mile minute. He
was riding in a Wright biplane.
Mr.. Rinehart is manager and in
structor in the Wright Aviation
school which recently closed at Au-
gusta and which opens again at
Mineola, l.. I. He was going from
one camp to the other yesterday. He
expected to reach New York city by
$50 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
he says that if his chain had not
broken he would have been successful
in the trip. When the accident oc-
Cured ne had travelled about 2l5
miles in three hours and S5 minutes.
wonderful Clouds.
,esAfter getting above the heavy
clouds at Aiken" said Mr.. Rinehart
,last night, I dared not come down.
for1I could not see to make my land
ing. l never saw such cloud forma-
tons, and while was wondering what
would do if my engine should STOP
couldn't but admire the jndescrib-
able picture. The clouds were like
great white rolls of snow, or a frozen
heavy sea- Now. and then, there would
rise a snew-cdgered mountain, very
dense. through which. / would dart
and then, here and there were val
ieys. and rayines Of the cumuius