The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-08-01
Forced to Descend in a New York
Park.
P|kCHED FOR spOIL|NG GRASS
"Cantcha See Them Signs: Keep OF
! the Grass?" Demanded lrate Pa
trolman--"You Should Have Writ.
ten Letter to Park Board Asking
Permission to Land There" Declares
the Judge-sentence Suspended.

The deplorable lack of landing
helds, or even places where airmen
can land with any degree Of safety
about our largest cities is the biggest
obstacle in the way Of flying becoming
common. Airplane enthusiasts are
agreed upon this, and until some way
out Of the difficulty is found the sport
will always rank as hazardous, I'M
safe, but extremely thrilling.
New York had an example of this
~~3ew days ago when Philip A. Bark
lund, civilian aviator, landed In Van
Cortlandt park and tore up a few feet
of turf. His engine had "conked"
while flying to Albany and he was
forced to descend hurriedly where he
could. Van Cortlandt park happened
to be 1t. It might have been the
Woolworth tower or Forty-second
street and Broadway, or Brooklyn
bridge, so far as the pilots ability to
control his destiny was concerned.
He landed, got out and was ruefully
contemplating his machine. Up
walked Hard Luck in the bulky shape
of Patrolman John T. Shields.
"Hey, whatcha mean by tearing nip
that grass" queried the exponent Of
law, order and fiat feet. "Cantcha
see them signs: Keep Off the
GrassY"
Bjarklund explained that he had
forced landing, and that so far as he
was concerned it was unavoidable,
that he certainly hadn't wanted to
land in the park ct cetera. But the
law was obdurate
'Tain't my FAULT said the noun
tain in blue. ''Them signs say Keep
Off the Grassr and I'm here to see
that they're obeyed."
Arrested for Trespassing.
He thereupon handed the aviator q
summons to appear before Magistrate
Ten Eyck for "unlawfully disturbing
the grass in grass plot of Van Cort.
landt park without a permit from the
park authorities, against the peace
and dignity of the state Of New York
and the municipal ordinances in such
cases duly made and provided"
"Phew!" said Bjarklund as he read
the charge sheet.
Magistrate Ten Eyck promptly adj
Judged him guilty when he appeared.
The court was stern. Justice fairly
beetled from his honor's brows.
"Didn't you see the signs?" queried
the court in deep bass voice. 1
"No, your honor, / was 1900 feet
up" BjaNklund then explained to the
court that his motor had quit and
that he couldn't very well tie up to
cloud while he tinkered with it
Neither could he throw out sky an
Choir. Inasmuch as the motor wouldn't
go up he had to come down, and he
had only about the split part Of
second to decide where he was going
when he got down.
Judge Suspends Fine.
"Well," said the court, you should
have written letter to the park
board and asked authority to land
there. Of course, it being Sunday, no
one would have been at the park
board office to answer it. And, Of
course, you might have been killed in
the meantime, but you should have
stayed within the law anyway.
you're guilty as charged" doomed
the court. But" with a twinkle in
his eye, "the sentence Is suspended.
Next time when you've got to come
down fast write letter to the board
and ask for permission to land.
Next"
swell, he was guilty anyhow" said
the cop triumphantly, as he stalked
Out t0 rpSuma his watchfrlnpSS 0f tha