The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-12-11
CHAMBERLAIN A
HIGH FLYER
Clarence ChamberIin Writes His Folks
p That He Flies 1890 Feet in the
Air Before Breakfast
EARLY CLOUDS 1000 FEET THICK
One Hour and Twenty Minutes Going
1860 Feet, and Only Ten Min
utes Coming Back Down

1850 Feet, and Only Ten Min
utes Coming Back Down
Lieut.. Clarence Chamberlin, son of
Mr.. and Mrs. e. C. Chamberlin of this
city, who is a,,member of the aero
section, is again stationed at West
Point, Miss. Clarence completed his
course in advanced flying and was
sent to Hoboken and was to have sail
ed for France, when the armistice was
signed. The Chamberlins received a
most interesting letter yesterday from
Clarence which they are permitting
the Review to print. The letter fol-
lows:
West Point, Miss, Dec. Z.
Dear Folks:
Well, L am here and | guess you
know what think Of this place. The
field was quarantined on the 9Th SO
it's back4to the simple life for me.
Quite come down after month in
New York with nothing to do but en-
joy myself stopped one day in
Washington and had good visit with
Aunt Allie. incidentally had dinner
at the Hotel Washington. They had
a Marimba band for music, the same
as you have on the Victor, and it was
great. Saw some pretty good looking
country on the way down, was special
ly pretty through >Virginia; went
through the Alleganey mountains and
the Blue Ridge range. Before | even
got my bunk yesterday / got a ship
fora little joy ride. Seemed good at
ter more than month on the ground.
Flew three hours and five minutes
this morning and had a. good time;
was up for two hours and ten minutes
before breakfast. Was in the air be.
fore daylight and could hardly see
when i left the ground, but 1t was
quite light when 4 got through the
clouds that were only about 1900 feet
thick, then i. saw the greatest sight
of my life in the way Of ia sunrise, the
changing light effects in colors was
certainly wonderful with the feecy
clouds for background. At the
end of half an hour of lying
| found that L was 1890 feet high,
which was 1000 feet higher than had
ever been before, SO thought that j
would see now high the old street car
1--WE call them street cars because
they are built by the st. Louis Street
Car company would go. At the end Of
an hour l was up 10, 2 50 feet and 1l6OO
in an hour and twenty minutes Al
ter; working for nearly a half hour
longer managed to make 1890 feet,
which is pretty fair fora Curtiss train
ingrplane with only a a 90 h. p. motor.
{ tried for nearly fifteen minutes to
make it an even 10000 feet but she
would not go one foot higher. My
auxiliary air valve stuck so 1 couldn't
open it or l could have gone higher.
They let in more air at high attitudes
and work like what we used to call a
''.Dutohman' on cars.
+ i side slipped her all the way down
and made a landing in less than ten
minutes. Was just reading where
some tourist party had stopped over
a day while descending $500 feet so
as not to make the change too quick
". | wonder what they would think
Of nearly 10000 feet in less than ten
minutes? 1t hurt my ears a little is
all. After about 1000 feet it began to
get quite cool and at about 10000 It
was bitter cold. ! had heavy WOODEN
clothes and leather coat and still
was quite uncomfortable.
am going to try it again soon in a
Canadian Curtiss and think / can
make 10000 feet or better il ! get as
good motor for they are nearly 800
pounds lighter and have the same
power.
had one grand time in New York,
but would not care to live there, |
don't think, but it. would be nice to
live near and run down once in a
while. Iheard some good music, in
GLIDING Joseph Hoffman. Missed Hell
fetz which hear was great. .
Had a good visit with Frank Lynch,
but did not get to see his wife. He
had but little time and | was pretty
busy too. =
There is only one good feature about
this place and that is that army pay
is sufficient to live on here as you
can't even spend time when you have
any. We officers are allowed to
leave the campsduring the day SO long
as we keep out of any towns. We are
careful for ''the gold bricks" will get
us if we don't watch out. They fur
nish us with rifles and shot guns and
ammunition for hunting, so all is not
bad.
1t wouldn't do to write too much at
once for might not get started again,
SO will close for now.
Clarence.