Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-12
Attains Half Of Objective
After Topping Sierra Ne
yadas in Plane That Also
Carries Assistant and DOG.
EASTBOUND FLYERS
ARRIVE AT MlNEOLA
Major Spatz and Lieut.. Kiel,
Close Competitors. on East
bound Flight Conclude First
Lap Almost Together.


Maynard, the flying parson," won
the first coast to coast leg of the
army air race, it was announced to-
night by officials of the American
Flying club. which assisted the army
in the conduct of the race.
His actual flying time for the g.
70l miles from Mineola, l.. T., TO
San Francisco had not been official
ly checked late tonight, but "a hours,
So minutes aud S. IL seconds was
unofficially reported as the 1igh,
time.
While Lieut.. Emil Kiel touched
the ground at Roosevelt field 20
seconds before Maj Carl Spatz in
the dash from west to cast, Major
Spatz was credited with second
lonors, having left San Francisco
three minutes behind Lieutenant
kiel.
Lieutenant Maynard's total
elapsed time was given unofhcially
tonight as Is hours, AZ minutes;
Major Spatz's as S3 hours and Al
minutes, and Lieutenant kiers as
IS hours and A minutes.
Only the unofficial elapsed time
could be given. and the results Of
the two divisions Of the racc--ac-
tuat time and handicap time
wait the receipt here of all official
reports, it was stated by club Of
hcals.
Despite announcement today from
/ the army air service at Washington
that the return trips Of the planes
would be started on October 20. il
was intimated at the American Fly
ing club tonight that the race might
not be continued, and that should
it be. the route might be laid out
in easy stages through the south. in
all effort to avoid the severe weather
encountered in the west.
! Members of the club and officers
4 of tho army air service we're in con-
ference tonight on the matter.
Plane Too Badly Strained.
/ Mineola. l.. l.. Oct. 1l.-Asked by
Colonel Miller if he could make the
return trip in the same plane. Major
Spatz said he could. but that he
would not want to try it. He said
that while the engine was III perfect
condition, he feared the plane itself
had been put to too great Strain.
Asserting that all the flying fields
were good except that at Rawlins,
Wyo., which he said was too small
and with mountain jutting up a,
one end, Major Spatz declared that
if single motored planes were TO be
used commercially for transconti-
mental work. landing fields should
be built at 200-mile intervals, bul
that il two or three motored ma
chimes were employed these safety
fields would not be used.
Major Spatz said that in genera
weather conditions had been goot
for the trip, but that, running into
snow storm in the Rockies they
had to fly only so feet above rail
road track in order not to lose theil
. way. Except for a o0-mile gale a
Cheyenne and the rain storm en-
countered between Binghamton ane
, New York, the weather was almos
, perfect.
: Praises Liberty Motor.
Major Spatz praised his Libcrt,
motor as the best ever" and sale
6 that his only accident had been the
breaking of shock absorber dur
, ing a landing.
= Major Spatz's wife is hurryinG
, eastward from Chicago to join him
: She started from the coast in wha,
she believed would be sufficient
. time to reach here and greet him
on landing, but he caught up with
> her in Chicago.
Mrs. Maynard. wife of Lieut.. B
, w. Maynard, first flyer to complete
the east to west fight, was or
Roosevelt field with their two
, daughters when word was received
> her husband had reached the Pacihl
/ coast.
, The next eastbound flyer will no
, arrive until Monday as Sunday fly
ing is prohibited.
e Capt. Lowell H. Smith, who LEI
Major Spatz and Lieutenant Kie
: most of the trip. but who met will
six hours delay because OF broker
propeller, was last reported at TIL
Rochester control station.
! Learn of Wrong Landing.
: When Major Spatz and his pas
/, senger, Sergeant Enlmet. Tannc,
t stepped from their machine III
: spectators learned for the first tim
i OF the wrong landing made at Haze
II hurst. Lieutenant Kiel aud his pas
l. senger, Sgt. Frank Mckee, ha
made up six OF the eight minute
: start the rival plane had on lcavin
o Binghamton. and it was the tw
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