Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-10-03
LIEUT.. MILLER LOOPS
THE LOOP AND AuGHTS

There Ne comesi-
For the e0QoN5ssBSg7a55 tine
TINS ahnouncemeut Was made sEtur-
day Afternoon By someone In the
crowd Of several thousand gathered
on the Lester Miller farm 20 welcome
Lieut. Ray T. Miller. he first Mex
leo boy who has entered the Z. s.
air service. 20 ny home. This time
the announcement was ofieial for
the dim dot far up in the sky soon de-
veloped into a Curtis ~two-seatei
training hi-plane, Of the primary
type carrying Lieut.. Ray z. Miller,
At the helm and Lieut. Giltner Ingles
Of Columbia in the rear Of the fusil-
age, who had left a flying Eela At
Rant0ul, ILL.,, at noon.
The Ledger had arranged a short
program Of welcome for Lieut. Mil
Ter because Of the special local his
torical interest attacked 70 his ar
rival. A man stationed on the Court
House roof sighted him when a num-
Der Of miles east Of Mexico and wig
wagged the news 10 the Ledger Of
flee where a telephone message was
sent to the Mexico Power Company
plant and at $3.50 o'clock four blasts
from the powerful siren Of the COM
pany called citizens from homes and
business houses to witness the arrival
Of the plane.
While over the center Of the city
and some three thousand feet in the
air Lieut.. Miller gave Mexico her
first glimpse Of aerial acrobatics by
looping the loop tw'ce and making
several Immelman turns. He then pro-
ceded to the landing field on the Mil
Ter farm and in the presence of two
thousand people made a perfect land
ing.
His arrival was helped with much
enthusiasm. The field was perfectly
policed by a group Of Mcmillan High
School cadets in charge of Capt. Cur
tbs Mitchell, High School reporter Of
the Ledger. The boys kept the field
free from the crowd and when the
plane alighted formed a circle about
it for a short program.
After being greeted by his moth
er and brother, Mitchell White, jun
Tor editor of the Ledger, introduced
Col. E. Y. Burton, president Of the
Mexico Chamber Of Commerce, who
welcomed Mr.. Miller in behalf Of the
citizens of Mexico and stated tina.
Lieut.. Miller was the best example
of that popular phrase 900 per cent
American" He complimented Lieut.
Miller on his success in whatever h
undertook and stated that We arr
proud of what he and u other Au
drain boys are doing in this grea
! war.
t After stating that Mexico is cred
tied with more aviators than any cit,
its size in these United States, Mr.
White introduced L. B. Hawthorne
: superintendent of public schools, ant
8 former instructor of Lieut. Miller
Q Mr.. Hawthorne made a most appro
= pirate address. He said in olden day
! boys who were to become knight
were, first, pages, then esquires, an
then, if worthy, were made knights
It He stated that Mr.. Miller's hig
a school training had made him a page
y his college course, al esquire, and h
had now come home a knight and on
we are all justly proud Of.
I Lieut.. Miller was then introduces
and was greeted by a salvo of al
4 plause and cheers that lasted sewers
lie minutes. He said that he would hay
s. to take for granted all that had bee
r said, as he had not yet recovered fro
le the deafness due to his flight. He sa
III that his trip had been devoid of II
terest and then explained the aeri
acrobatics he had entertained Il
crowd with before the "ship" w
" brought down.
10 Lieut.. Ingles departed immediate
On afterward for Columbia where
as spent Sunday. He returned to IL
city Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clo
y and before alighting thrilled t
d. crowd gathered to witness Lieut.. M
g. ler's departure for Rantoul, by
number of air stunts, n OF whit
I'm the famous tail spin, brought a ga
mt from the immense throng.
es' Lieut.. Miller is through his flyi
course and is acting as an instruct
all until he is sent overseas. Upon
arrival in France he will be given
course in advance pursuit flying q
then will be ready for the battle Ii
M The trip from Rantoul here is :
'ur miles and most of it was made W
Of the Chicago & Alton tracks as
Oh guide. Two stops were made Sat
''' day for gasoline, one at Pulaski, !
and the other at Pittsfield. They
Rantoul about noon and reached h
Use shortly after 6 o'clock. The act
lay flving time was about 6 hours.
ed The plane they used has a 80
Of u. engine in it and is capable of
mt. miles an hour. Because Of the h
lee west wind Saturday they averat
Gus only about so miles an hour.
ON Several thousand people were pr
ant Sunday afternoon to witness
Irs. FLAMES departure.
Ben Lieut.. Miller and Lieut. lngles
Irs. Mexico about 2:30 Sunday aftern'
lrs, and a wire Monday morning to Lii
and Miller's brother, Lester Miller,
wis this city, announced that they ha
lrs. pleasant trip back and arrived at X
ran, tout att 6:35. They passed Nebo,
60 miles east of here Sunday al
T. noon, about $3.50, according to a n
sage received here.