Americus times-recorder., 1919-07-13
Great Aerial Circus At
Souther Field Huge
Success
PROGRAM is PUT
ON DESPITE RAIN
Big Dance, Following
Minstrel, Winds Up
Big Day

Souther Fields great aerial circus,
staged Saturday fer the entertain
ment and enlightenment of the pub
lie by the officers and enlisted men
of the air post came to a close last
night with big dance in hangar G.
The whole affair was a huge sue
cess. The weather man interfered to
an embarrassing degree, providing a
cloudy, threatening morning and
keeping many away from distance,
and in the midst of things in the af-
ternoon a hard shower fell, but the
attendance Notwithstanding was be-
yond expectations of many people
and measured we'll toward the hopes
of the men of Souther Field. While
the gate receipts have not been
checked and reported, it was said
that the attendance was approx
mately 1000 persons. The fringe of
the flying field next to the hangers
was banked with autos all afternoon
and evening Early in the afternoon
it was officially stated that the gate
receipts were sufficinet to safely COW
er the expenses of the occasion. It
had been hoped, however, to realize
a neat surplus for use in connection
with camp athletics.
May Repeat Spectacle.
Last night it was stated that Colo
mel RAIDER was considering the appeal
of several of the officers to allow
the show to be repeated some. day
this week, with the hope that a fair
er day would be encountered permit
ting more spectators from distance
10 attend. Also, it was pointed out, a
large number of business people
from Americas could easily and would
gladly attend on a mid-week day who
could not leave their business on Sat
urday.
Despite the threatening weather,
large number of spectators were
present from elsewhere, among them
numerous auto parties from Atlanta
and Macon. The entire throng APP
peared to be highly pleased with the
exhibition put on by the aviators,
who did not allow a dull moment to
develop from the time they took off
after the shower cut in at o'clock
just as the aerial program was un-
der way.
Daring Stunts Plenty
In spite of the fact that the airman
put on every stunt in the catalog of
daredevil flying, not mishap of
any kind occurred And there were
stunts plenty, the most daring of
which was that staged jointly by
Lieut.. A. w. Vance and Lieut.. A. B.
McMullen who exchanged seats in
flight. In addition Lieut.. Vance
climbed all over the wings of the
plane, and later Lieut.. McMullen
swung out of the cockpit onto the Ian
ding gears, where he remained hang
ing until the plane reached the
ground. An air sham battle between
Lieut.. Greenwalt and Lieut. Croneau
staged at the close of the aerial pro-
gram was the most spectacular event
of the day.
The grandstand was located on the
roof Of one of the hangers, just to the
left of the front Of headquarters.
In it were located members of the
chamber of commerce, which organ
ization was largely Instrumental in
securing Souther Field for Americus,
Colonel RAIDER and family, Major
Schofield and his family, and many
others. There were also sringside"
seats constructed at the end of the
flying field from which closeup
view of the ships as they took off
or alighted could be seen.
The minstrel show last night was
one of the best features of the en-
tire affair, although of a different
nature. All Of the best talent Of the