The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-03-04
DRAMA OF THE
SKY AT DAYTON
MAJOR SCHROEDER HAS THRILL
ING ESCAPE.
Fall of Five Miles.
New Altitude Mark of Thirty-SiX
Thousand Feet Set BY Daring
Aviator.

tude of 5000 feet, said to be 5000
feet higher than the worlds record.
Tonight the major is in hospital
suffering from the shock and tempor-
ary partial blindness. instruments on
the machine indicate that it fell more
than five miles in two minutes. While
still 1000 feet above the ground, the
airplane righted itself and glided to a
graceful landing. When the plane set
tied, attendants who rushed toward
it found Major Schroeder sitting erect
in the machine, apparently lifeless.
For brief time, residents of Dayton
were sure a comet had appeared in
the sky. They had mistaken the trail
Of vapor escaping from the machine
as it sped downward for stranger
in the heavens
Thousands of persons gazed sky
ward watching the plane which had
escended two hours before, plunge
downward.
His senses numbed and his eyes
frozen shut in temperature said to
have been 67 degrees below zero,
Schroeder regained partial conscious
ness when 1000 feet above the earth
in time to right his machine and pre-
vent it from crashing to the ground,
out of control.
Only Speck With Tail.
The thousands of spectators were
unaware at the time they were wit
Messing drama of the sky" They
saw a speck of black silhouetted
against the blue to which was attach
ed "tail of grayish color" Gradu-
ally the object was enlarged as it
hurled to the earth. When but a few
thousand feet above them those
watching saw that it was an airplane,
turning in a tail spin. 1t was at this
point that Major Schroeder regained
control Of his plane and headed it
toward MCCOOk uSlu.
Here Major Schroeder made a safe
landing and collapsed. He was blind
ed and his limbs were numb, despite
the electrically heated suit in which
he was encased. He was suffering
from the effects of lack of oxygen.
When nearly seven miles above the
earth, his oxygen tanks became ex-
hausted and it was this which robbed
him of consciousness and caused him
to fall.
Mechanics and officers at McCook
field lifted Major Schroeder from the
plane and he was given first aid
treatment and later being removed
to the post hospital, where it was said
his blindness will be only temporary.
It will be several days before he will
be able to use his eyes, according to
DR.. Howard V. Dutrow, an eye spec
ialist called into consultation. The
thermometer on Major Schroeder's
machine registered a temperature of
SIS degrees below zero Centigrade or
81 degrees below Fahrenheit.
Altitude figures from the barograph
reading indicated a height of $4,000
feet and when calibrated by Capt.
Harrison w. Flickinger, showed an
official attitude Of 5000 feet, a new
worlds record and a variation Of less
than 1000 feet.
Airman Regains Record.
The mark set by Major Schroeder
again gives him the record which
Roland Rohl first won from him July
80, 1919, with an official altitude of
10000 feet and later increased in a
second flight to $1,000 feet. It also
breaks the rcord of Adjutant Casale,
a French pilot, who was credited with
an unofficial record of 33,197 feet.
Major Schroeder was dressed heav-
ier than any polar explorer who ever
set forth. He literally was wrapped
in flexible electric heaters. His fly
ing suit was lined with the fur Of
Chinese Nuchwang dogs and between
the fur and outer lining, flexible elec-
trio heat units, connected by silk COW
cred wires with the dynamo of the
engine heated the entire suit.
In a like manner his headgear,
gloves and moccasins were heated.
Major Schroeder wore an oxygen
mask of his own design.
Capt. Harrison w. Flickeringer,
chief celebration officer Of McCook
field, said Major Schroeder's record
would be first sent to war department
| officials at Washington and later to
officials at the Aero club of America.
The Aaro club of America, recog-
| nized by the Federation Aeronautique
Internationale, will be asked to GER
tify the record of the world.