Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-09-10
SENSATIONS in THE AIR! |
EXHILIRATING SCOOT WITH A
NOTED FLYER
A Former Viroqua Boy Takes Pic
lures Above the Clouds-A Rath-
er "Skeery" Situation
Louisville, Kentucky, July 2,19l

LOUISVILLE hentuChy, July isis.
Editor Censor: l was an "airman"
for forty-four minutes last Saturday
and in view of the fact that yours
truly" is former Vernon county boy.
l felt obliged to tell the Censor about
it. l am charged and found guilty
of being a photographer-not a news
paper correspondent. Were ] the lat
ter I'd be with Mr.. Wilson somewhere
in Europe or better still, at Toledo
covering the Willard Dempsey SQUAD
BILE. will, however do the best | can
to describe my trip to the clouds.
Here goes:
/ have covered" several big events
for the Louisville Herald-Kentucky' s
foremost newspaper ( Republican, the
Air Circus, Kentucky Derby and
such events as viii offer real newsy
pictures. This service made it pos
sible for me to pose as a newspaper
man and ''get in" on a real treat. We
newspaper mem were ordered to re-
port at Goodman Field, Camp Knox,
at 2 p. M. on Saturday report to Capt.
H. A. Schaffner, executive officer at
the 29th Areo Squadron headquarters,
where Major o. p. Echols has arrang-
ed a fight to celebrate signing of the
famous treaty of peace. Yours tru-
ly and five sure enough newspaper
men, two of whom were women, TIM
ed ourselves so as to reach the field
in time to have chow with the officers.
Capt. Schalfner took great pains in
explaining the different parts of the
planes, showed US the stores of sup
plies and last, but not least, the six
ambulances that were ready for i'm
mediate service. We thought that as
the air busses were waiting, every
thing was in readiness and you can
guess how we felt when we were in
vited to the office where we were re-
quested to sign cute little piece of
common white paper. The wording
was so arranged as to free the U. S.
Government in case of accident. Now
we were ready for the air.
Ladies first, always / was fifth.
Lieut., Skow, very young dare devil,
whose first vote viii help us elect a
republican handled the "joy-stick" and
l war strapped in the cockpit inn
mediately back of him. | had my lit
tie ga Graflex with me so as to have
Photographic evidence that / really
was ''up in the air"
Well / was up in the air all right.
We left the earth going straight east.
but Friend Show took sudden no
ton to turn back. / thought he had
forgotten something and was going
back after it, but by this time we
were $500 feet from the ground. This
turning movement is called banking
in the language of the airmen. We
were 5000 feet above the north bank
of the Ohio river at this stage of
the game. | always will believe that
the gang of news grabbers had re
quested Lieut.. Skow to "treat me
rough" as he looped the loop three
times, made spiral dip and a couple
of 500 feet nose dives. | am not guess
| ing when / refer to feet for the lum-
nous dial on the instrument in front
of me told the story. Then he took a
sudden notion to go higher and try
to get lost above the clouds. At $500
| feet it did not matter what direction
l pointed my camera, there were
clouds everywhere.
| felt sure that we were travelling
towards mother earth again and !
was holding my camera over the fus-
| llade ready to make a shot as soon as
the camp was visible through the
clouds, | am left-handed. This was
absolutely necessary as / could not
| lift my arms to get my camera in po-
sition. | could see traces of land
scape below but before the view suited
me Brother Skow made a righthand
bank which brought my camera in po-
sition to make picture of Mars, OF
something straight up in the air.
secured ten negatives. | am enclos-
| ing print from one that shows the
hangers. There is an English spar
rows nest at the southeast corner
see it? This was made at 5000 feet
Cousin Skow made that ship act. He
called it looming" I'll not say what
| called it. He was very saving with
his gas, for he shut his motor off now
and made a nose dive and in about
nine seconds we were on the ground
safe and sound.
/ made no effort to converse with
| Skow. First, because he could not
hear me. Second, wanted him tc
attend to his own business. Yes,
was very anxious that he should not
be interrupted at all.
The Camp Knox boys were delight
full fellows. They certainly treated
US just Wright. We flew in q
Wright Plane. They are starting q
recruiting campaign and / am to re.
ceive one ride for every one hundred
recruits / secure. Yours truly,
/ MET I GIME