The Mena weekly star., 1920-03-04
FElL 5 MILES IN 2
 MINUTES, LIVES!
Major R. W. Shroder Climbs Seven Miles High, Loses Consciousness and Revives in Time to Save
 Himself.

Dayton, ohio, Feb. 2S. Major R ". Shredder, chief test pilot who yes sercay fell more than five miles after shattering the world altitude record miracuiously escaping death. lies to- day in the army post hospital. near acre recovering from partial blind- ness. and determined to make another ascent into the heavens at the first opportunity.
 Major Schroeder climbed yesterday so height of 36,020 feet, then plung- ed downward more than five miles when he lost control of his machine after his oxygen supply was exhaust aa White still 2.000 feet above the ground the aviator. regaining presence of mind. righted the plane and sailed down to make graceful landing on McCook field
 When attendants rushed to the fiier's machines after he had landed they found him sitting erect in the plane blinded and unconscious. His xyeballs had been frozen, the temper ature at the height to which he had ascended being CT degrees below zero Fahrenheit
 At the hospital last night, Major Schroeder told of the climb to heights aever before attained, of his battle against cold. wind and lack of air and of hts determination to mount 10000 feet above the ground. his objective when he took the air yesterday.
 ''E was thinking only of my desire so climb 10000 feet when suddenly m5 oxygen stopped flowing" he said. Then all at once, it seemed that an explosion took place inside my head. Ny eyes hurt so could not open them, and knew I was falling. l guess I pulled hard on the stick for I knew must straighten out for a glide. The plane rode easy, I opened my eyes again for a moment and when 1 opened saaem I saw Wilbur Wright field, | knew couldn't land there because of the hangers, and tilted my machine for climb, intending to make sure of { good altitude and then jump with my parachute But at that instant l saw AGcCook field and came down"
 Major Schroeder took the air yes- ferday forenoon. He climbed above xAe clouds. but the exhaust gas from hs plane, freezing in the frigid tenn gerature. caused a cloudiike forma- sion resembling the tail of comet to lang in the sky. As the plane was act visible from the earth thousands sf Dayton citizens who stood gazing zs the formation during the noon hour Aelieved it to be the tail of a comet. Some of the witnesses inclined to the belief that a strange body was coming 10 earth with message from Mars. These beliefs were dispelled. how eser by Prof William Beck. astrono- mer at St. Mary's College, who oh- served the airplane through a tele scope.
 The mark set by Major Schroeder again gives him the record which Ro- land Rohls won from him July 20, ists. with an official altitude of 30, ,aA0 feet, and later increased in 3 second flight to 31 900 feet It also breaks the record of Adjutant Casale. French plot. who was credited with an unofficial record of 33.137 feet
 Major Schroeder was dressed heav- fer than any polar explorer who ever set forth He literally was wrapped in flexible electric heaters His flying suft was lined with the fur of Chinese nuchwang dogs and between the fur and outer lining flexible electric heat units connected with the dynamo of the engine heated the entire suit. His hHadgear, gloves and moccasins were heated in like manner