Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-10-19
Lieut.. Maynard First to Com
pIete Second and Final Lap
of TranscontinentaI Flight
in Which 81 Participated.
WIFE AND CHILDREN OF
MINISTER GREET HIM
Seven Aviators or Observers
Lose Lives in Flight and
Dozen Smash Machines and
Fail to Finish Race.

mental airplane race today by land
ing at Mineola at 1:55:05 on his re-
turn from San Francisco after an
elapsed time of slightly more than
10 days, three of which were spent
in San Francisco under the rules and
another being lost in repairing his
machine at Cheyenne on the west
ward trip, and at Wahoo, Neb., on
the homeward flight. Just how many
hours of the six days actual flying
he consumed in the air has not been
calculated, but he was slightly under
50 hours for the 5,402 miles.
Second in the race tonight, with
an enforced delay over Sunday
under the rules, was Capt. ]. O..
Donaldson, who today reached Buff
falo on the second continental cross
ing, 323 miles from the finish. Next
in the contest was Lieut.. E. H. Man
zel1nan, at Rock Island, Ill.,, with
985 miles separating him from the
goal at Mineola.
Third place in the pursuit of May
nard's record was held jointly by
Capt. Lowell H. Smith and Lieuten-
ant Queens, westbound, who
reached Cheyenne tonight, ZOOS
miles from their destination. They
were closely followed by Lieut.. E.
&c. Kiel, first to reach the Atlantic
from the Pacific, who flew to Sid
ney, Neb., today, 1908 miles from
San Francisco.
Pearson Sixth Man.
Capt. Alex Pearson, who had
been Lieutenant Maynard's nearest
contender until he broke down at
North Platte, Neb., 1,4ol miles from
New York, was still there tonight,
sixth behind Maynard. He expected
TO resume his flight eastward Mon
day, after installing the mate of the
Martin bomber plane borrowed by
the flying parson" when he broke
his crank shaft at Wahoo, Neb.
OF the II flyers who have made
the first crossing, only two others
remain in the contest, Lieut.. II. w.
Sheridan, spending Sunday at Salt
Lake City, 2,0S3 miles from New
York, and Lieut.. R. S. Worthington.
westbound, at Buffalo, 2,34S miles
from San Francisco.
Tweaty-nine Make First Lap.
OF IKE 62 who started in the derby
only . managed . make the first
lap of 2,701 miles, the rules provid-
ing that those who did not arrive be-
fore sundown today would be dis
qualified. Capt. Felix Steinle, the
fifth man to reach San Francisco to-
day in borrowed plane at 4 p. M,
was the last aviator to get IN under
the time limit. The only man to
reach New York today was Lieut..
Paul Richter.
OF the other 50 starters, a dozen
smashed their machines, causing the
deaths of seven aviators or observ-
ers, while the rest were only able
to get within striking distance Of
the first objective too late to qualify.
At least three of those completing
the first lap will not start back.
There were three wrecks today. but
no one was hurt. Maj. A. H. Gilke-
son, trailer of the westbound con-
tingenr, hit ditch in landing at
Rawlings. Lieut.. D. B. Gish wrecked
his plane on reaching San Francisco
and Mai. Harry Abbey fell at Au-
burn, Cal, only 100 miles from the
finish oi the first lp.
Family Greets Him First.
The first persons to greet him as
he stepped from his machine were
his vie and two little girls, who
rushed .2cross the field amid the
frantic ciie ring of the hundreds OF
spectators who were marshaled at
safe distance by special details of
soldiers.
The first words uttered by Leu
tenant Maynard when he put his
foot on mother earth again, were
generous tribute to Sergt. w. E.
Klein, his companion on the flight.
Sergeant Klein deserves the
greatest credit" said the lieutenant.
"It is all up to the lieutenant"
promptly retorted the sergeant.
''He is the greatest pilot on earth" !"
Wife at the Plane.
Between Lieutenant Maynard and
his wife, however, it was not a ques-
ton of words. Mrs. Maynard was
at the side of the airplane almost
before it had come to rest and her
husband leaned from his seat and
embraced her silently. His two lit
tie girls were lifted up one after the
~ T. Al l.
father.
Lieutenant Maynard's second pub
lie announcement following his
tribute to his companion in the great
race was a signal proof that neither
his courage nor nerve had been af-
fected by the crueliinp fest to which