Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-05-14
NEGLIGENCE IS
CHARGED In AIR
MAIL SERVICE
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changes which were never tested be-
fore the ship was put into duty; al
gas iced system and that improve
naents in feed pipe arrangement al
legged to have been made, never were
made; charged defective parts Of
fallen planes were ordered thrown
into river by officials to prevent
knowledge Of their negligence.
Death Of Pilot Stewart,
la.~-Filot Stewart. killed in a fall
near Minneapolis. Officials saie
and undoubtedly tainted in ship, thus
losing control. Eversole's evidence
charged that the ma in such condi-
tion should not be allowed to ny, and
contained affidavtts from witnesses
that ship crashed to the ground In a
tail spin, whereas official report vas
! said to have stated that machine
crash was fault OF pilot and not Of
faulty consultation or negligence by
field official Is. +
Death of Pilot Christensen.
1S.-Tbe FINAL case cited VAS tine
death of j. T. christensen, head Of the
! Air Mail Pilots@ Association and con
sjdered II OF the uest pilots in the
service. The testimony and evidence
presented by Eversolc alleged that at
tempts had been made\by field Off
Gals TO got" Christensen and force
hin oui OF the service because IF his
work in organizing the pilots asso-
citation and because he was known to
he gatherins proof of alleged neEli-
sence by Officials,
Christensen. it was alleged. had
; bought a home In Chicago and then
was ordered cast. Hc refused to &c
east and was told he would he dis
it was said. He finally went to Wash
ington and obtained permission to re-
main on routes out Of Chicago hut. it
was charged. was forced TO take many
hazards. The day he was killed he
was ordered UP in bad weather
against his protest and given to IN
derstand that he must get the mail to
Cleveland or lose his job. according to
the testimony. Hc landed at San
dusky. Ohio, because OF poor visible
/ ity. hut finally attempted to proceed
to Cleveland, and, lost. in a dense
tog, crashed to the ground. Govern
i ment reports from Chicago field said
he s,acrif'crd his life hv. deliberately
era shing into a bridge to prevent
hitting people in n crowded street. but
Lieutenant's E~versole's testimony. In
|iAAeu 0llIiSN1LS 'I6t 'Attt "1S IlU
crowded street and that Christensen
undoubtedly fell because he could not
see through the fog and was lost.
Concerning his own fall hear Min
neapolis. when he jumped from his
plane in 4 parachute. Lieutenant
Eversole presented an affidavit from
Paul Rickel. chief riEger at tho Twin
Cities ield. It stated that the pro
peller of E~versole's ship had cracks
wide enough for 2 nlstrh to be insert.
ed before, ii left the held and that he
Rickel, had been urged by officials
to withdraw, his official report to this
effect and make another one not men
tioning the defects, and that he die
this.
Concerning the rules that pilots and
mechanics must sign . statemen,
that they had inspected their ship be.
fore going up. Lieutenant Eversole
testified that the men either had tc
sign the statements or lose their job,
and that it did no good to protest that
the ships were in poor condition.
Lieutenant Everaole recommended
thai the service be rc-organized with
a Capitalization of authority, thai
mechanics be given better training
and more Responsible: with credi,
where credit was due and that pilots
be given thorough training in air mai
work before being assigned to duty.
The committee through wht>h hi.
testimony was presented, was headed
by Charles C1arahan. postal Inspector
who will send the evidence to Wash.
ineton.