New-York tribune., 1919-10-19

storms, with path about half q n, c
between them. Throughout the fig 1t
refused to fly through snowstorms.
| always went around them.
Narrowly Misses Mountain
In this case. however, | lost alti-
tude, and tried to go under them. Sud
denly there loomed before us a snow
capped mountain, and ! was just able
to zoom up over it, We found out
later it was the very mountain that
poor Wales was killed on in n snow
storm.
"The first two days of the flight we
were very tired. We arrived at Chicago
at sundowr the first day of the flight
and the officials were not prepared for
US. We had to sleep on straw, and
was very tired the next morning.
Between Chicago and Rock Island
encountered the worst flying conditions
l have ever experienced. The air was
bumpy and rough. We experienced the
same thing between these two places on
the return. Whether it is always like
chat, | don't know.
Our ilrst trouble came Mt Cheyenne,
Wyo., the second night of the race. As
soon as we had landed | drained my
radiator so 1t would not freeze. 1t was
cold, almost zero. At sun-up next
filling the radiator, the overflow pipe
froze
"When we started the engine the
radiator burst open and water few in
all directions. | thought we had conf
pletely destroyed it. | took it down
town and had it repaired. Fortunately Y
it only had one leak. This delayed us
about seven hours.
Bitter Cold Over Mountains
"My/greatest fear before leaving WAS
over the Rocky Mountains. Perhaps
it was because of the name, but we
found them easy to fly over. The worst
was the Sierra Nevadas. We had to
climb straight up 1900 feet to cross
them, and it was bitter cold. Kline
was hugging Trixie close to him fol
warmth.
"When we arrived in San Francisco
we got great reception. | spoke al
the First Baptist Church and the Ham
invited to all Of the churches in the
city but didn't have time.
II sent an invitation TO the King q
the Belgians to take a ride in my ma
chine. He replied that he was sorry
lat he coulG rot 0er tacr" tn",
but invited me to lunch | was COM
PEELED to tel, him | was sorry, too, for
| could not wait.
"Everywherc we were given a re-
markable reception on the return flight.
Nothing too much can be said in favor
Of the citizens of Battle Mountain,
New. 1t is a small town Of only 500,
but they spent $4,000 out of their own
pockets to prepare landing field
there. They arc anxious it should be
a permanent landing field in the cross
country aerial route.
"They gave us each a gold nugget
and three Indian arrowheads, symbolic
ing pioneers. At Salduro we landed on
a field ten miles wide and fifteen miles
long-solid salt 1t was like landing
on ice. We went fully mile before
we could bring the ship to stop, and
then we skidded all over it,
Battle Mountain is the home town
of Captain Lowell H. Smith, leader Of
the San Francisco contestants, and IS
| had said something nice about him in
San Francisco the citizens of Battle
Mountain went out of their way 10 en-
tertain US.
"They held special dance for us
at the schoolhouse. No, didn't
dance
"On the westward fight we were
Mr.. Cobb IN San Francisco. On
arrival, Mr.. Cobb tod me that IN
Egypt the original trade routes were
blazed specially for transportation of
salt.
"He said that over the same course
in those days, it would have taker
forty days to nave delivered the sat
We did it in five hours"
Says Vandals Damaged Plane
Serious charges of deliberate tamper
ing with the gasolene tank Of his air
plane were lodged in Buffalo yesterda!
by Lieutenant Robert S. Worthington
one of the San Francisco flyers, on hi
return flight across the continent il
small single scatter SE-5.
Lieutenant Worthington reported
that on arrival at BInghamton iron
Mineola he found three holes in tn
gas tank. They had the appearance, h
said of having been made by a nail
The holes had jagged edges inside tn
tank. The incident was reported b,
telephone to Mineola from Buffalo. an,
is being investigated by the officials a
Roosevelt and Haze hurst tielos.
Captain j. o. Donaldson. one 0
Americas leading aces and Lieutenan
Maynard's nearest competitor, arrive,
at Rochester last night, too late t.
finish his second hight across the con
tinent. He will have to remain ther
unSl Monday, according to the rule
of the race.