The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-03-09
FALLS OVER FIVE
MILES AND LANDS SAFELY
Ma ;or e. w. S. "roeder Breaks Alti-
tude Record OF World When He
Ascends to Height Of 5000
Feet.

;lane, carrying Major R. W. Schroed-
er, chief test pilot at McCook Field,
today fell over FIVE miles after
reaching an altitude Of 36,020 feet,
SAID to be 5000 feet higher than the
worlds record.
Tonight the major is in hospital
suffering from shock and temporary
blindness. Instruments on the mach
inc indicate that it fell more than FIVE
miles in two minutes. While still
1000 feet above the ground the air
plane righted itself and glided to a
graceful landing. When the plane
settled attendants who rushed to-
ward it found Major Schroeder sit
ting erect in the machine, apparently
.ifeiess. For a brief time residents
tef Dayton were sure come h ap-
peared, in the sky. They had mis-
taken HE trail of vapor escaping from
the machine as it sped downward for
a stranger in the heavens"
Ascends Two Hours.
: Thousands of persons gazed sky
ward watching the plane, which had
ascended two hours before, plunge
downward. :; :: g..
His senses numbed and his eyes
frozen shut in a temperature said to
have been sixty-seven degrees below
zero, Schroeder regained partial con-
sciousness when 1000 feet above the
earth, in time to right his machine
and prevent it from crashing to the
ground out of control.
The thousands of spectators were
unaware at the time that they were
witnessing "drama Of the sky"
They saw speck Of black silhouetted
against the blue, to which was at
sached ''taip' of grayish color.
Gradually the object was enlarged as
it hurtaed to the earth. When but
few thousand feet above those watch
ing they saw that it was an alrplane
turning in tail spin. 1t was at this
point that Major Schroeder regained
control of his plane and headed it to-
ward McCook Field. Here Major
Schroeder made safe landing and
collapsed.
Limbs We're Numb.
BE was blinded and his limbs were
numb, despite the electrically heated
suit in which he was encased. He was
suffering from the effects of a lack
of oxygen. When nearly seven miles
above the earth his oxygen tanks be-
came exhausted, 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 treat
ment, and later being removed to
the post hospital, where it was said his
blindness will be only temporary. 1t
w;Il be several days before he will be
able to use his eyes, according to DR..
Howard v. Dutrow, an eye specialist,
called into consultation.
The thermometer on Major Schroe-
der's machine registered tempera-
sure of fifty degrees below zero,
Centigrade, or sixty-seven degrees
below zero, Fahrenheit. Altitude fg-
ares from the barograph reading in
xlicated a height of $1,000 feet, and
when calibrated by Capt. Harrison W.
Flickinger showed an official altitude
of 36;D20 feet, new worlds record,
ana variation of less than 1000
-feet.
Gives Him High Record.
The mark set by Major Schroeder
again gives him the record, which |
Roland Nolphs won from him July 80,
1919, with an official altitude of 80
800 feet, and later increased in a
second flight to $1,000 feet. 1t also
breaks the record of Adjt. Casale, a |
FTs'I--,ch pilot, who was credited with
an unofficial record of 33,137 feet.
Major Schroeder was dressed heav- |
Ter than any Polar explorer who ever
set forth. He literally was wrapped
IN flexible electric heaters. His flying
suit was lined with the fur of Chinese
Nuchwang dogs and between the fur
and outer lining flexible electric heat
units, connected by silk-covered wires
with the dynamos of the engine, heat
ed the entire suit.
Ina like manner his headgear,
gloves and moccasins were heated.
Major Schroeder wore an oxygen
1,ask>oi MS own design.
casS, Harrison W. Flick!nger, chief
I