Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-05
ART SMITH DANCES
HIGH IN CLOUDS
His Spirals and Loops Cause
Onlookers to Gaze in
Amazement.
PAYS VISIT TO FAIR GROUNDS
Arrival Of Mechanical Bird Is
Event Of West Virginians'
Celebration Of Fourth.
PAYS VISIT TO FAIR GROUNDS

Circling high above the western par.
Of the city. Art smith instructor I'm
aviation at Langley Field astonishcd
| Richmond yesterday by his dariu:
loops and spirals. his complete contro!
Of his biplane and his ability to navi-
! gate upside down. sideways or an
| phrently in any other position. Smith
! gave exhibition flights at the state
Fair several years ago. and is known
to many Richmond people. Yesterday
| he paid visit to the mechanical unit
in training at the Fair Grounds bring.
ing his great army machine to rest
in almost the exact spot from which he
| had once given exhibition flights to
entertain fair visitors
a crowd Of fully $1,000 spectators i'm
! tho Fair Grounds. and many thousands
in the streets Of the West End watched
with open astonishmcrt as the mcchani-
cal bird spun about looping the loop
sixteen times in succession and vol
| planning from great altitude almost
! 70 the ground. only to change his course
! and bank into the clouds again. The
exhibition was the chief feature OF the
| brilliant Fourth of July celebrate
| of the 500 West Virginia soldiers quar-
tered at the Fair Grounds. whose pre-
cision in drill and rapid progress In
training gave the crowd still further
cause for wonder and admiration.
| Adjuiant-Gcrcra, 10 Lane Stern was
the guest of honor, arriving 1T the
| held about o'clock. just prior 20 the
competitive drill between the various
companies of ,he detachment. Seated
in tho box with General stern which
was directly behind the center OF tn.
! field which marked the finish ii::c
were Captain Alcctt Farrar Eiwcil in
fantry. reserve ccrrr. commanding Of
ficcr Of the enoampment: Licui"nan:
J. |, Blair. reserve corps. adjutant:
Captain Hugh Stockdcli. Richmond
Howitzers. and DR.. Eeid White
MOTORCYCLE RACES
FROVE GREAT ATTRACTION
Promptly at 2:l0 o'clock the military
band of sixteen pieces struck uo 1T.
a Long Way to Berlin. but We'll Get
There" ard the great celebration OF
the nations natal day was on. The
first event of the afternoon WAS n i've
mile motorcycle race. between riders
from The four companies of tn" de.
tachmcnt. Two IF the boys got away
To- 4 poor start. but the race between
the others was thriller. keeping the
spectators off their feet from start 10
| inish.
That the crowd might better appre-
. cintc what can be accomplished meer
difficulties. whirh might easily be en-
countercd abroad. Ray w. Noon. who
acted in the caraci,y OF Official an
nounccr and starter. iuforme" the spec
tators that the machines used lad once
been discarded, but had been rehabili-
tated through the ingenuity of the
students. who are assigned as special
dispatch riders. giving an idea of the
va riety OF Instruction tho men un
dergo.
The contestants In the various events
were to be istinsuiahed by armbands
IF different colors-red. while. blue
ami groen-wh.ch was of great assist
ance 20 the spectators in viewing the
merits of the various performers.
MECHiNICAI BIRD
ARRIVES ON SCHEDULE
Following tic 100 yard race, which
was the next event on the r"gram,
came relay race between teams OF
twenty-tour men. representing the !our
companies of the detachment. bat tn"
finish of this competition was badly
eclipscd. wheE tEe whir nf the aero
plane motor was heard. and The great
III echan meal bird YVES seen. lc3minS
closer and closer from the South. 1t
had been announced that Smith wa"
expected 10 arrive at : o'clock. but
gong The printed program on; hetter,
as was the general order of the day.
a beautiful landing was made ~ the
aviator just ten minutes hcfor" that
time 1t WAS announced tha- he had
left Langley Field 1t exactly O'clock.
The machine used was the regulation
army type, and gave those present
splendid idea of the efficiency of these
fighting craft in the hands of Skill
full pilot. The planes Of the machine
were painted a pale green and the body
was a tumble Of many colors. showing
the important part that camouflase
plays in present day warfare. The rud-
der OF the plane was red. white and
blue.
SOLDIERS GIVE
AN EXHIBITION DRILL
While the brdman was tinkerinG
with his car. and rcplcnishing his sup
ply of gas" the men of Company
gave an exhibition OF physical drill di-
rcctly in front OF the grand stand The
exercises. which in reality are a series
OF ScttlnS-up eSeTClScS consumed aDOul
twenty minutes. and were done with
the utmost precision. the mems hands
coming together with snap that re-
$embled the report OF the starters
pistol. The work was greeted with
great applause. and was apparently one
OF the most popular events. Observing
the enthusiasm OF the spectators. MIR.
Moon took advantage of the oppor-
tunity to remark through his mega
phone: THAT Is what you all ought to
be doing every day-but-you don't"
Tho next attraction was entitled THE
Army at Play, but IL was of such
"A sort that the ordinary citizen would
have been ft for hospital had he at
tempted to participate. The four parts
of this act were respectively: Tossing
the Hun" The Ropeless Tug OF War;"
"S:ingaree" and Bump tho Kaiser"
One Of the officers remarked that
"Stinnaree" was n nopiIIar m stin,o n nd