New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1918-06-15

| Lake C1ldrleS anu LlSuCoh"A
Dimitry and Sergeant Cunning
ham paid us an official visit las
Saturday morning in their planes
When they landed they were me-
at the landing station by severa
hundred Of our citizens who Ell
loved the wonderful manipula
tions Of Major Kirby before hi
descended to the ground. 1t wa,
treat and those who witnessed
his wonderful stunts were d.
| lighted with the progress beng
made by the Government along
those lines.
The Mondays issue of the
Lake Charles American-Press
contained the following wrlte-ur
of their visit here and New lbe-
ians was given a great deal OF
deserved notorie:y after they re-
turned to the cantonment:
"Flying under weather condi-
tions that were almost ideal,
Major Kirby, commanding officer
at Gerstner field, accompanied by
Lieutenant Dimitry, commanding
! officer Of the 10th squadron, and
his mechanician. Sergeant Cum
ingham, made the round trip be-
tween Gerstner field and New
Iberia Saturday. American ma
chimes were used, and the round
trip of $50 miles was accomp-
lished in ITO minutes.
Major Kirby and Lieutenant
Dimitry left the field within a
few seconds Of each other Satur-
day morning at 10 :48, it being the
purpose of the commanding officer
to inspect officially the new land
ing field at New iberia, which
the townspeople finished recently.
This work was done at a cost OF
several thousand dollars. and
while he appreciated the patrio-
tism shown by the desire of New
Iberians to facilitate the landings
Of our fiiers, this is the first OPP
portunity the major has had to
visit and inspect the field. AS
Lieutenant Dimitry's home is in
that city, it was natural that he
should be selected to accompany
Major Kirby.
On the trip over there was lit
tie wind in any direction, and
they reached the outskirts Of the
city about noon. The field is two
miles from the city limits, and al
ready there were scores of auto
mobiles waiting. Major Kirby,
before landing. took advantage Of
the opportunity and of the
splendid weather to do some stunts
and it is reported by witnesses
that when he finally did land the
people were still gasping in won-
derment. It isn't everyday that
an airplane visits New iberia,
and none of them does. stunts.
But the major did everything, ac-
cording to report. He did a tail
spin and lost fifteen hundred feet
I'M altitude; he did vertical banks,
and one reverse turn after another
until the people didn't know
whether he was coming or going /;
he did stalls, loops. post dives,
and all the other stunts with
which Lake Charles people have
become familiar through frequent
observation, then both he and
Lieutenant Dimitry landed their
machines on the new field.
Here they were met by Mayor
.Sealy, and a committee COM
posed Of the postmaster. Silvic
Broussard, cousin of the late
Louisiana senator; Senator w. j.
Burke, Sheriff Landry. D. A. Dim
TRY, ST., who has been a resident
there for the past twenty years;
Frederick Patout. proprietor Of
the Hotel Frederic, Donald Burke
and District Attorney Vuillemot.
And. oh, yes-little "Lieutenant"
Dimitry Morvant, son of Lieut..
Morvant, formerly stationed at
Gerstner field, whose salute was
a model. anyone would be safe in
copying. Major Kirby had OBJ
tanned some toys for him. and
brought them all the way by air.
plane. We suppose little Dimi-
try, who, by the way, is nephew
of the lieutenant, wondered why
the toys didn't fall out when the
major looped and did the reverse
turn, as it il now proper to say.