The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-02-10
UP IN THE AIR
Continued from First Page)

forty-mile trip in twenty-five minutes,
ard then intending to go back to the
landing field at the Anthony farms,
but found his engine lacking in power
and had to come down in the old open
field just west of the fair grounds.
The other two machines did not start
from Gainesville until this afternoon.
Investigation revealed that some
scoundrels had put trash in the oil
tanks of all three machines. Whoever
did this dirty trick deserves a long
term in the penitentiary-or lynching
for it might have cost one of the
boys his life.
Preceding Aviator Black about
twenty-four hours came Mr.. John
Hammond, the business man of the
circus, preparing for it's advent, meet
ing the wholesale dealers of the sue
culent gum, interviewing the news
paper men and preparing the landing
field. Mr.. Hammond is very cour-
teous and efficient young man. He
treats everybody nicely, and at once
made friends, among them Messrs. E.
G.. Beuchler and r. B. Meffert, two
very efficient allies. In spite of the
slight accident to one plane and delay
to the other two, Mr.. Hammond was
rejoiced to deliver consignments of
chewing gum to the dealers on sched-
ule time.
The other two machines, with
Messrs. Elmer Partridge and Paul
Minor as pilots. arrived Monday aft
ernoon. One found the landing field
at Anthony, and the other did circus
stunts over Ocala. That boy certainly
knows how to handle his machine. In
few minutes after the explosions of
his engine had been heard, half the
town was out in the yards and
streets, wondering whether he was
having fun or having an accident.
Presently up he went like he had a
Gate with an angel; then, when al
most out of sight he turned his nose
down and came like Lucifer falling
from heaven until he seemed about to
hit the tree tops, only to fatten out
and skim like a swallow toward the
landing field nine miles north. This
skilled and daring birdman was Mr.
Paul Minor.
The writer was one of the interest.
ed spectators, and when he saw the
aviator do that nose dive he said tc
himself: "Now. if that boy does that
stunt when | am up with him, won't
my tummy wrap itself around my
backbone so tight that all the doctor:
in Ocala won't be able to pull it bach
in place." His feelings along thi!
line were added to by the misplaced
and wholly unnecessary sympathy Of
a number of friends who had made VI
their minds he was going to be killed
apG tried to cheer him up by telling
hiw how much they would miss him.
However, we have learned to masl
our feelings and a pair of ninespot
behind a smiling countenance, S,
when Bruce Meffert and Mr.. Ham
mond in Bruce's car came by for u
we looked more cheerful than many
young man on the way to his wedding
Perhaps we felt that way too.
The party wasn't long in reachin,
the landing field. You are never lonj
going anywhere when Bruce Meffer
drives. Bruce doesn't drive as fast a
now, and tries to set a good example
So he always holds his car down t
not more than forty miles an hou
Oh the rough places ON the roads
and its pretty good road to Ar
thony.
The landing field is part of tn
Anthony farms. a big field runnin
west from the Ocala and Citra roat
just this side of Mr.. Beuchler's nes
residence. 1t is being used now as
pasture and its springy and almos
smooth surface rises in a gentle slor
for nearly half a mile. 1t is the be:
landing place for planes in thirty {
more miles of .Ocala. Mr.. Beuchle
takes great pleasure in allowing tt
government and other airplanes
use it.
Here we found the two lately arri'
ed planes, their pilots and mechani
ians, with number of people, most.