Omaha daily bee., 1919-05-20
Commander of hC-4 Plans
Early Start on Last Leg Of
Journey; Will Stop at
Ponta DeIgada.

:" dSLliStoH, MAY lS-NcdI hu-
miral Jackson at Ponta DeIgada,
Azores, cabled the Navy department
tonight that the American naval sc =
plane NC-4 in command of 1t. Com
A. c. Read would leave Horta,
Fayal, tomorrow at 7 o'clock, Green
witch time 6 a. m. Washington
time) if weather conditions permit.
A stop will be made at Ponta Del
gada, the message said.
The early hour set for the stait of
{ - flight to Ponta Delgada was
interpreted by navy officials here to
mean that Commander Read would
attempt tomorrow to make the en-
tire trip of more than 925. nautical
miles to Lisbon, Portugal, the real
end of the transatlantic flight. The
stop at Ponta Delgada was thought
to be planned for the purpose of OBJ
tanning supplies.
NC-4 Weatherbound.
Meanwhile, 1t. Com. A. C. Read
with the NC-4 still was weather.
bound at Horta, and the NC-l, third
ship of the aerial feet, was officially
described as in almost sinking con-
dition 80 miles off Corvo island,
Azores, with the destroyer Fairfax
standing by. Lieutenant Command
er Bellinger and his crew of the
NC-l are aboard the cruiser Colum-
bia at Horta, definitely out of the
race, according to Bellinger's own
report on the condition of his ma
chine.
With his arrival at Ponta Del
gada, Commander Towers again
takes active command of the fight
situation. Whether Commander
Read in the NC-4 shall proceed
alone at the earliest possible mo-
ment or await reftting of the NC-3
to resume the flight depends on the
condition of the latter plane. Of
ficers here believed the NC-4 COM
mander would be ordered to pro-
ceed as soon as weather permits.
Dispatch Lifts Gloom.
A dispatch from Rear Admiral
Jackson announcing that the NC-31
had been sighted approaching Pom
ia Delgada on the water under its
own power lifted the gloom that
slowly had settled over the Navy de-
partment as the hours passed with
no word from Towers and his men.
The air of anxiety hanging over the
department passed in moment as
the good news ran like wildhree
through the corridors when Admiral
Jackson's terse message was re-
ceived.
As news of Commander Towers
safety spread through the Navy de-
partment feeling of relief fol-
lowed it, for it meant that Ameri-
can seaplane construction had stood
the test of storm on the surface as
we'll as having conquered the air.
1t has been saying of the service
that the planes were built to ride
any seas in which they could land.
The NC-3 rode out gale that is
said to- have approached a 90-mile
rate at times, and came serenely
taxi-ing into port, having kept stead
lily on her general course under
guidance Of her crew. This estab-
lished, it is said, a record for the
service, probably for the world.
"Safe and Well"
When Secretary Daniels got the
word of Towers safety, he personal
ly telephoned it to- Mrs. Towers,
wife of the officer, who had clung
courageously to her faith and hope
throughout the endless hours of
waiting. The secretary also flashed
to the officer a message of con-
gratulations and assurances of Mrs.
Towers knowledge that he was safe.
Later Mrs. Towers received ca,
b1egram from her husband, saying
only "Safe and we'll"
Reports on weather conditions
about the Azores, cabled to the de-
partment tonight by Admiral Jack
son, were not altogether favorable
for a start by the NC-4 on the next
leg of the flight Rain squalls still
overspread that part of the ocean
and the sea visibility remained low.
=