The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1920-07-30
truth OF
AIR TRIP IS
REVEALED
E. N. BunneII Up In Air Hang
ing On To Nothing Is Only
One Experience He Had

Friends OF T.. y. Bunnen. Hammond
automobile salesman and one of the
Calumet regions most consistent boost
ers. had been worried over his actions
ever since he went south with Lieut.
Bob Blair on Decoration dav TO bring
am aeroplane to Hammond from Chat
lanooga. Tenn.
Bunnell for several weeks after that
trip hadn't been himself. but he re-
fused 10 explain his condition. The
folks all knew that the trip had been
abandoned down around Bowling Green.
Ky. because of engine trouble" but
that was about all they could get out
him TO start and act nervous and then
close UP like a clam.
Well. il was all explained the other
Gay when Lieut.. Blair dropped in Tor
a little visit. He told the whole story
and now that the load IS off his mind
Runnell is genial and afable as ever.
1t was pretty exciting trip; much
more so than the little telegram about
engine trouble" would ever lead folks
to believe.
They left Chattanooga at 1915 on
Friday before Decoration day. The old
plane hit it UP to 100 miles per hour
for 20 miles. Then trouble began. The
ngine began to sputter and pop and
miss fire" says f. ~. ."and I began to
wonder where we would get on
looked over board straight down 1000
feet and could see nothing but noun
tains and trees under us"
Well" he continued. since there was
no landing place in sight. 1 decided that
1t wasn't for me to worry I settled
back and let Blair work out our saliva
ton Somehow or other he picked out
a place to land. Only four OF our six
spark plugs were working. He fixed
them up and away we went again. Ire
went about another hundred miles when
the daFned thing began TO act UP agairssY
Once more the pilot was able to pick
out a fiat spot in the hills and landed
safely. but getting out was eff7
fcrent matter 1t seems they had set
tied in a sort OF pocket among the
mountains SO that II was necessary 70
take the air as soon as possible and
point the planes nose just as near
straight UP as possible. When the re-
pairs had been made they climbed
aboard and started.
Only a few topmost limbs of a tall
tree prevented them from making a
getaway. The limbs caught on the under
rigging OF the plane and headed her
towards the earth. The fall. HOY, yer
was halted by smaller tres cad there
tho plane hung nose downward.
Blair loosened his safety belt and
climbed out but BunnelI. who was in
the forward seat was not so fortunate
I was hanging head down and couldn't
get my feet and hands on anything so
that I could take the weight off the
belt" he says. Il tried to open the
safety latch and unbuclIe the straps.
but couldn't bulge them. Then the
gasoline began to tricl1le past me and
drop on the hot engine. That made me
scramble harder than ever but il did
no good. At last Blair came to my as
sstance and cut the strap. tumbled
out and the minute we got to the ground
the whole plane broke into flames"
Incidentally Mr.. BunneII was stung
by a Tennessee hill billy" as a result
Of the accident. Blair had borrowed
Mr.. Bunnelrs watch and had It on a
hook in the plane in front OF his seat
Tho timcpiece. worth several hundred
dollars had been given to the Ham,
mond man by the National Cash Regis
ter company. when he broke all of the
company's sales records in 1910.
After the fire they started searching
for the watch. but could not find it.
Bunnell told the bunch of gaping by
ISLANDERS that II anyone found the watch
and returned it to him In good condi-
ton he would reward him with s2s
Even If badly damaged he would nav
$40 II It was sent to him. Yesterday
lie received a package from a little
burg in Kentucky. 1t was sent c. q.
H. and Bunnell had to pay s25 before
he could take il from the expires Of
fee. When he opened 1t he found the
watch. but il was so badly burned that
it was almost unrecogniza