The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-16
FL YlNG PARSON WELL IN
LEAD OF SECOND HALF

CHICAGO, Oct. l6.--Almost halfway
across the country on his return jour
ney in the great army airplane reliabil-
ity and endurance race, Lieut.. b. W,
MAYNARD, the flying parson," today
was well In the lead of the four other
homeward bound flyers who had doubled
back after soaring from coast to coast.
The sky pilot" was almost a day 8
flight In the van of his nearest pur-
suer from San Francisco and his clos
est opponent in the point Of actual fly
ing time for the transcontinental flight,
Capt. Lowell H. Smith. temporarily was
out OF the contest as his ship was
burned last night shortly after he land
ed at the Buffalo control station
His claims to premier honors in the
first half of the twice transcontinental
race disputed by Capt, Smith as re-
garded actual flying time for the jour
ney, Lieut. Maynard apparently was in
tent on being returned undisputed win
ner as he was In the Mineola- Montreal
race for yesterday he broke all records
for flights from San Francisco to sid
ney, Neb,, his overnight stop. He an
nounced he expected to spend tonight
at Chicago. Through snow storms yes
terday the flying parson" made 1856
miles in Sc minutes and then dashed
an additional SO miles through the skies
In 40 minutes.
The death total in the race today
stood at seven, leaving 30 pilots In
the contest. Lieut.. French Kirby, pilot,
and Lieut.. Stanley o. Miller, observer,
were killed yesterday when their plane
fell zoo feet to earth at Castle Rock,
Utah. Others who have been killed in
the race are Maj. II. d. Grossly, Lieut..
and W. II. hewitt, ana obserSSss
er Worth p, Mcclure. OF those re-
manning in the race sl9 have completed
half their trip by landiItk at the Mine
ola field and nine westbound flyers
have reached San Francisco. Twenty
four others still are on the first leg OF
their flight, scattered at various con-
troll stations across the country.
Inasmuch as Capt. Smiths plane was
destroyed at control fiefd after he
had landed for the night. those inter-
ested In the race hoped that the Wash
ington authorities would permit him to
take another ship.
MINEOLA, N. Y, Oct. 16.--Three
more entrants in the army air race
across the continent and back were
ready to take off here early today In
the wake of Maj. Carl Spatz, leader on
the westbound second lap. with his
nearest competitor, Capt. Harry Smith,
put out Of the running by tho burning
OF his plane at Buffalo last night. Mai.
Carl SpatZ, who spent the night at
Rochester, held a 276-mile lead on the
westward trip. The three flyers who
hoped by getting off today to overtake
him were Lieut.. Il. G.. Kiel, Lieut.. IL.
L. Queens and Lieut.. II. Worthington.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16. - Three
contestants in the arny's transcon-
tinental ar race who have completed
the flight from Mlneola, N. Y, to San
Francisco, were expected today to Join
the five who Yesterday were on the
final lap OF their 8, ,402 mile flight. Those
ready to leave here during the day
were Capt. ii. G. Drayton and I.ieuts.
II. M. Manzelman, and l.. s. Webster.
Lieut.. Alexander Pearson, Jr., reached
Reno yesterday on the first day of his
return trip, while Capt. j, o. Donald
son, who had promised to meet him In
Reno for dinner, was held up here
nearly an hour because attendants
filled his motor with ordinary cylinder
oil Instead Of castor oil. few miles
out he made a forced landing In the
marshes between Benecia and Suison,
start again by number of school girls.
He spent the night at Sacramento.
Lieut.. Col. J. n. Reynolds, who ar
rived from the east yesterday and
Lieut.-Col. t. n. Bowen have an
nounced they will not make the return
flight. Lieut.. H. w. Sheridan also
among yesterdays arrivals, announced
he would be ready to start back as
soon as he could under the rules gov
erning the race