The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1919-09-11
MANY LIBERAL PEOPLE
RODE IN THE AIRPLANE
H. w. Sheperd With New Curtis
Plane Administered Thrills
to Public.

Sheperd, pilot of the big Curtis
airplane, gave. his exhibition as ad-
vertised.
The "stunts" consisted of I'm
mellmann turns, tail spins, loops,
side slip and barrel roll, and the
exhibitions was thrilling enough for
anyone.
Mr.. Sheperd is a highly trained
pilot and gives the public their
moneys worth. He was instructor
at Mather field, Sacramento, Cali
fornia, during the war. Here he
trained hundreds of men who went
to the front to fight the Germans,
Mis- competence in the art of fly
ing prohibiting him from taking
part in the actual fighting.
After the exhibition Mr.. Sheperd
announced that he was ready to
take passengers and there were
many who took advantage of the
opportunity to ride in the clouds.
Gene Martin of the Dubois &
Martin Clothing Store, an old school
mate of Mr.. Sheperd was the first
passenger. He liked the sensation
so we'll that he went the second
time and prevailed upon the pilot
to do an Immellman turn with
him.
Otis Turner is another passenger
who had the desire to ride upside
down two thousand feet in the air,
but he has lost the desire. Otis
says he did not look down until
he was hanging up there by a
strap across his legs and while he
got by all right, he has no desire
to repeat the performance.
Miss Mary Farmer, the seven
teen-year-old daughter of A. A.
Farmer, was the first passenger
Monday morning. She slipped out
unbeknown to the family and hied
herself away to the flying field
south of the city, climbed into
the big machine and thoroughly en-.
jpyed the ride. AS she wanted
81 me "stunts" the machine went
&rough a side slip and the zoom
but neither had any effect upon
the young lady According to Mr..
Sheperd Miss Farmer was the best
passenger he carried during his
stay here.
We tried to secure a complete
list of all who made the trip, but
could not get all the names.
Among those which we learned
were A. P. Sanford, o. ]. Wilkins,
Gene Martin, Otis Turner, Samuel
W. Laughlin, Earl Smith, ]. P.
Dawson, Chas. Black, ]. E. Ressar,
Mary Farmer, George Spradling, j.
P. McHargue and John W. Baugh-
man.
There were possibly others, but
if so we could not learn their
names. Turner and Wilkins made
two flights each and Gene Martin
made three.
Sunday morning ]. P. McHargue
of the Star Lumber Company, found
it necessary to make trip to Ty-
rome. He hunted up Mr.. Sheperd,
the plane was started, he climbed
in and ten minutes later had reach
ed his destination, none the worse
for his experience. Mr.. McHargue
ia possibly the first Liberal man to
Use the airplane for a business
trip.
It is peculiar that in talking with
those who made the trips each one
will have something different to
tell. Few notice the same thing
and after talking to several, one
can get fairly accurate idea of
how things on earth look from the
air.
Mr.. Sheperd is a careful driver
anu says hC IdhCo llO NlihllSCo. IL
wind conditions are favorable he
says there is no more danger in
the airplane than there is in an
automobile, and he refuses to take
a passenger up unless conditions
are right He says he has never
had a fall during his experience
and that there is little necessity
for accidents if caution is used.
He says one of the greatest
daryers to the flyer is in people
crowding too close to the machine,
especially when a landing is to be
made. According to Mr.. Sheperd,
when the engine is killed the driv-
er han no control over the ma
chine, and if people insist on getting
out in the way it is almost sure
/, death.
+, He, is well acquainted with the
driver who fell at Perryton, Texas,
recently and says he is a competent
pilot, being credited with four Ger
man planes in the war. He was