The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-10-04
Account for Those Who Did
Not Go, by Member of
RefOrmer Staff
TRIP WAS ONE OF
CONSTANT PLEASURE
Feeling of Security at All Times Un-
der Skillful Manipulation of Plane
by Lieut.. Lucas-view at Altitude of
1000 Feet Magnificent.

Among the numerous Brattleboro
persons who made airplane flights yes
terday with Lieut.. p. D. Lucas was
member of The Reformer staff. Miss
Bessie l.. Farnum, and in view of the
unusual interest here just now in this
form of locomotion and for the benefit
OF the many who have not had the
privilege of sail through the air Miss
farnum was asked to write an account
of her trip, which was made about 4
o CLOCK. Here is her story:
My desire to travel by the air route
dates back only few months-to the
time when the transatlantic flights
were begun but in those few months
the desire has been growing more in.
tense. =.
1.-The thought of the possibility of
an alrplane trip remote though ii
seemed, crept into my mind,-snd I
might say into my heart,-when a
member of The Reformer staff stated
about lO.45 O'Clock Tuesday afternoon
on the Valley fair grounds that the pi.
lot OF the government machine. which
mad been engaged from Camp Devens
to make exhibition flights over the
grounds the two days of the fair, would
take newspaper representative into
the arr with him. Later, however, it was
stated that engine trouble would pre-
vent fight that day, and although no
lntlmatlon had been made that / might
be the representative to fgo up it was
with much regret that / received the
news as ending the possibility. of
hight for me in the near future.
The desire to hop off grew strong
er as Lieut.. P. d. Lucas of the Aerial
Activities corporation, who came here
from Springfield, Mass, early Wednes.
day morning to give exhibitions at the
fair grounds, made flights with passen-
gers and performed various feats in
the air, including the loop the-loop,
nose dip, tail spin and other stunts: as
L watched Lieut.. R. C. Moffatt sail
away for Camp Devens with his gov
ernment plane, and as the list of pas
-sengers carried by Lieut.. Lucas con
tlnued to grow, it was with great
pleasure that L received the announce
ment at IL O'Clock yesterday that The
heiormer would make it possible for
me to fly that afternoon if I so desired.
Upon arrival at the flying field on
INC httItdb mbdO0WS CONGRATULATIONS
were extended by some, while others
were ready to extend sympathy and
hopes that no unpleasantness would be
experienced, but the desire to fiy did
not wane for an instant During the
flight of another passenger the union
oversuit provided for the occupant of
the second seat was donned and when I
had taken my place in the plane, which
required a step somewhat outside. the
limit set by the narrow skirt, the
mechanician fastened the strap over
the lap, adjusted the head gear. which
included the cap, goggles and private
telephone, and all was ready for the
hop-of in the Curtiss bi-plane.
2 As the motor was started the ma
chine got under way to the south sew
eral rods. turned to the east and then
to the north short distance beyond
the starting point before it left the
ground to sail serenely above West
CONTINUED on Page ~