The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-08
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

By HUGH W. ROBERTS
 Towering over the Magic City at a height of $500 feet, Katherine Stinson, Birming- ham born, completed yester- day afternoon at 4:30 o'clock the longest transcountry flight ever made in the south.
 Miss Stinson, the famous aviatrix who made the sensational Red Cross flight from Buffalo to Washington the past summer, came to Birming- ham direct from Valley Head.
 This morning she will return to Chat tanooga. where she is under contract with the Tennessee State Fair associa- tion. From Chattanooga she goes to Chicago, and next week will return south to Meridian, where she will give exhi- bitions.
 At the Hotel Tutwiler last night Miss Stinson lamented the fact that a defec- tive motor, causing her to alight Friday afternoon at Valley Head, was responsi- ble for her appearance in Birmingham, two days late, without baggage. 1O4 MILES-105 MINUTES The aviatrix made the distance from Valley Head to Birmingham, 104 miles, in hour and 45 minutes a speed rate only a trifle less than mile minute But for the fact that the wind was against me-" she stated to a representa- tive of The Age-Herald, 'T would have made better time. After leaving Vai;ey Head, I began steady climb, and flew over Collinsville at 8 height in excess of $500 feet. When, looking below, l saw Birmingham, my height was $500 feet.' The machine, at that time, from the viewpoint of local star-gazers, appeared | the size of large bird.
 Ask how she knew where to land, Miss | Stinson replied:
 | II looked for fairgrounds featured by | a mile circular track Of course 1 saw l the track. From my height it appeared the size of circle of two feet diameter" " | DESCENT AT FAIRGROUNDS | When Miss Stnson located the fair l grounds, she rapidly descended in what | appeared ever-winding circles, circles which touched the heart of Birmingham l on one extremity and the edge of Ensley on the other.
 In descending she attracted the atten- l tion of practically every resident of the city and it's suburbs. Before beginning 1 the descent however. she lowered prac- l tically unnoted. From reports reachins l The Age-Herald office yesterday after -t-. sx,e,t 1afA NJvn Lake. Then her machine was bird-like l and on account of the sun, almost ob- scured. Along the line, however, her ap- l proach was heralded, and from East Lake to Birmingham many people stood gazing into the skies, someone at every corner explaining and directing: 'There she is! Don't you see her2'
 Landing at the fairgrounds, Miss Stln- son came to Birmingham and later al rected her mechanic to dismantle tEe machine.
 BORN IN BIRMINGHAM
 "Yes. was born in Birmingham, shs said. However I could not point ou
 the spot of my nativity. You see, my
 parents left this city when l was sis
 months old. We moved to Fort Payne and lived there four years. Then wt moved to Canton, and then to Jackson
 Miss, where our home now Is.
 Last week l gave tAillultlOilS 1T NiiesN tanooga. When the engagement Wal
 still incomplete, the management attract
 ed a crowd to witness the beginning Q
 what promised to be-and was eventu ally-the longest over-country fight eve attempted in the south. started bearin; Red Cross and liberty bond literature (which I freely distributed
 'Tt was my purpose on leaving Chatta
 nooga at 3:15 O clock Friday afternoon t
 reach Birmingham in time to catch th l afternoon Alabama Great Southern pacl
 to Chattanooga. However, the motor pc gan missing at Valley Head, and l wa forced to descend. Because of bette
 hotel accommodations offered In For
 Payne, I went there for the night. sun , day I was unable to remedy the defec in the motor and wired for the mechanic
 who had reached Birmingham by rail. FORGED TO LAND AGAIN. yesterday afternoon attempted [ , resume the flight, but was again force to land. This afternoon everything wa
 working well, and I started. And her : IT am-tired and without clean linen.
 On Valley Head, Miss stinson pitche . without warning. The descent of . crippled German plane could not hay
 more completely amazed the people.
 .I did not find an ideal spot to land, 1s;.s ct;nsnr caid ssbut managed to clin