The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-16

in the sage brush about twelve miles
east of Walton. The torrential rains.
accompanied by a very high wind,
continued for about thirty minutes.
1.-The plane was tied down as Sc
curely as possible to clumps Of
greasewood, the motor was kept rum.
ming, and the pilot stood on the right
wing, as it seemed in spite of all eff
forts the wind would carry 1t backs
ward. However, the ground became
so soft that the plane began to settle
considerably and the tail skid was.
driven quite distance into the
ground. The wind died down after
about thirty minutes, though some
rain continued for about an hour.
Knowing it was impossible to get the
plane out of the hole into which It.
had settled without assistance. trip
was made over 10 the Southern Pa
cific Railroad, about one mile to tho
south. \ passing freight was tagged
and the assistance of the foreman and
section crew and foreman of the near
est section house was secured. The
plane was dragged to harder ground.
considerable sage brush and grease
wood was hacked down and a safe,
getaway was made at PAS i. NJ,
and an hour later arrived at Yuma"
Dexter, Mo-, Progressive.
, Dexter, Mo. was the most progress
sive town visited by any of the air
service men. The citizens had painted
the name of the town in white letters
on several roofs, and a large IT, was
! placed in the landing field. showing
the men from which direction to land.
Near here a peculiar atmospheric con-
dition was noted. At 1900 feet the
pilots appeared to be flying over q
| perfectly fat white sea, the ground
! being only hazily visible directly I'M
der them and for not more than q
/ mile in any direction. .-
Pilots rendered an important service
To the state of Louisiana when they
! flew over and photographed impass-
| able swamps which had never been
/ explored before. Because of the dam
ger of death in the swamp & conn
! PEELED for any reason to descend they
| recommended that no ono fly over
them lower than 10000 feet. but in
! order to get the pictures they thcm-
/ selves flew much lower. At a height
/ Of 4 600 feet, with the motor shut or.
a plane could glide nearly ton miles
1 before coming to the ground and could
/ thus reach safety.
\ Lieutenant flying near Lake
! Charles. La, was compelled to land
, i'm river. The squadron with which
he was trail breaking lost the landing
field four times owing to the density Of
the fog which had blown in from the
Gulf Finally In desperation he drove
his machine into the river rather than
risk striking house on solid ground.
Luck was with him, for neither he nor.
is plane was injured.
Tho winter flying will soon he, over
But in the spring from everEs flying
field in the country pilots will start
out again over unknown routes In
their humminE planes. Every State Iva
the Union will be visited by the trail
blazers, and piece by piece the entire
territory of the nation, from Atlantic
to Pacific and from Canada to Mexico.
will be visited and mapped. So that
when the great commerce OF the air
comes-and il will come, say these
trail makers, as surely as came steam
ships and automoh!"s-a vast chart.
money saving, time saving and lie
saving will be ready.