Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-13
AIR MAIL CARRIER
SETS NEW RECORD
Edward v. Gardner, in
Philadelphia, Tells of
Long Flight
CHICAGO TO NEW YORK
18O Pounds Carried 1910
Miles Under Difficulty in
Twelve Hours


of the pathfinding machine, in Philadel-
phia today. modestly told the story of
his trip. in which he encountered and
overcame some of the most difficult
& obstacles airmen have to face.
The actual flying time from the
Illinois city to New York was seven
hours, forty-seven minutes, covering an
aerial distance of nearly 500 miles and
a land distance of 1910 miles, record
that has never been paralle,ed in this
country.
Three stops were made en- route for
gasoline and OIL as previously arranged
for-at Bryan, o., Cleveland, o., and
Lock Haven, Pa. Including time thus
lost. the aerial carrier delivered his
mails sacks to the New York postoffice
within a little less than twelve hours
after leaving the starting point.
Started Flight in Rain
Gardner began his flight in heavy
dowDpour of rain and under general at
Inospheric conditions which argued
against success. Darkness had fallen
when he reached Mineola flying field
and, unaided by signal lights. was COM
As result the machine he flew was
demolished. Gardner and his mechani-
clan, Edward Radel, escaped with
shaking up and a few bruises.
q Gardner attributed the success of his
trip largely to the 400-horsepower
Liberty motor with which the big Curtiss
plane he drove was equipped. It's per-
formance, he said, was perfect.
I'VE left Chicago on our return trip
to New York at :25 o'clock Tuesday
morning." said Gardner. "A hard rain
was falling, and 1t was very misty aloft
1t was our plan, however, to depend
/ entirely on our compass and the specially
prepared maps we carried, as neither
nor Radel had ever been over the route
before. In that we were successful, for
during the entire trip We didn't vary
as much as a mile and half from our
course.
Praises Liberty Motor
Fright here l want to say something
for the Liberty motor, with which my
plane was equipped. People who say the
Liberty motor is a failure in any re-
spect don't know what they are talking
about. l have sat behind every stand
ard airplane motor produced, and l
have never yet seen one that performed
nearly SO WELL The Liberty motor is,
in my opinion, absolutely dependable
under any and all conditions. 1t Is a
credit to the master engineers who turn
ed it out, and l don't believe that any
other motor which may be produced in
years to come will show much improve
ment over it. 1t makes certain that tne
airplane henceforth will have, stable
and permanent place as a commercial
lied vehicle 1t Is a marvel-the best
engine ever built.
I'VE met with no mishaps en- route,
and had no trouble of any kind. Most
of the time we flew at an altitude oil
from 5000 to 1000 feet, and were not
bothered in the least by cold. our aver
age flying speed was 100 miles an hour
Never have l enjoyed flight so much
A man who has never flown cannot
understand the satisfaction and assur'
ance it gives pilot to know that he
is driving behind a reliable engine. Con-
trary air currents the rain and the mist
none of these things, which only few
months ago were supposed to be insur-
h mountable obstacles to commercializins
the airplane-interfered with the success
of our trip.
$50 Pounds OF Mail
THE three stops we made for gas and
ss oil were charted on our course, and VIII
be regular stops in the aerial mail ser
vice between Chicago and New York
which we inaugurated. At each place
we were received enthusiastically by
great crowds, who had been expecting
81 our arrival When we finally reached
; New York, we had 5000 pieces Of mai
matter aboard, weighing about 1St
pounds.
DARKNESS was already near when we
left Lock Haven. and therefore the las
lap of our fight was the most hazardous
Il Our chief however, had been anxious
he ri, ,1
day, and we were determined to do it Il
possible Others have tried it man!
s times, but the jinx of the air always
prevented success.
$50 we headed on a direct course fol-
New York and let our little old motor
hum her best. 1t was pitch dark before
we could see the lights of the city fai
belowzu 1t had been our intention tc
land at the aerial mail service landing
field in Belmont Park, where they hat
lighted bonfires to guide u.s. but we were
unable to locate 1t In the darkness
above 1 was more familiar with the
location of the military flying field a.
Mineola, and 1 decided to land there.
''There were no lights showing o.
Mineola field, and we had to guess at g
safe landing place. or course, we mis-
# Judged our distance a little and cam,
down with a bump at s:14 o'clock Tues
day night.
Rads and We're shaken up a bit ant
got couple of black eyes. After lit
tie rest however, we were fit to star
right back over the same route again"
Here for Conference
81, Gardner came to- Philadelphia las
night for conference of all pilots II
the aerial mail service, called by B. B
Lipsner, superintendent of operation ant
maintenance who Is perfecting plans TO
establishing daily trips between New
York and Chicago, and a regular al
mail service to distant southern cities
He left for New York this morning t
make his second round trip.
Mr. Lipsner, who recently resigned
captain's commission in the regular arm
to direct the work of the aerial ma
carriers, was enthusiastic over the pei
81 formance of Gardner and his mechani
clan.
- Directing men to