The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-01-27

y
- flight ranks with any aerial event
& attempted anywhere The bird
flew at least 1000 miles
of virgin territory, without land
Nv marks landing fields They
landed fifty times on strange fields, often almost
impossible landing places.
The British last spring attempted to fly from
Egypt TO the cape, over the wilds of Africa One
pilot reached the destination, but only after he
had replaced his machine and motors and after
much delay and inconvenience.
In the transcontinental reliability test last
tumn. Lieut. BeIyin Maynard the winner. broke
his motor near Omaha, and had to change it en-
tirely before proceeding Only one Liberty motor
succeeded in making the journey both ways.
Compared to the nonstop flight made by the
Englishman, John AIcock, which gained for him
recognition from the British government In the
form of knighthood, fiers will agree that the
Alaskan flight is a greater feat The Alaskan
flight was a steady grind of over three mouths
duration.
Plane No. I, Capt ST Clair Street. in command
of expedition; Sergt. Edmund Henriques, mechani-
clan; No. 2, pilOted in turn by First Lieut.. Cliff
ford c. Mutt and Second Lieut.. Eric c.. Nelson,
engineering officer; No. 8, Lieut. c. II. Cumrne,
Photographic officer Sergt A. 1. Vierra; No. 4,
Lieut.. r. c. Kirkpatrick, information officer Jo-
seph E. English. Capt. Howard Z. Douglas, went
ahead of the flyers, making preliminary arrange
ments and blazing the trail.
Here some closeup pen pictures secured
from Lieutenant Mutt:
1--WE cut across the international line when we
landed at Portal. From Portal to Saskatoon was
the only leg Of the journey in which had
the wind with We made the 80 miles in
three hours, andsat Saskatoon got our first taste
of that CanadisH Hospitality which added so ire
mendOusly to the anjoyment of the long journey.
Almost One-thfrK ofifhe population, though Ameri-
can born, are new canadians in spirit
about 100 'Tililes from Saskatoon we left the
prairie country and got into region of forests
and lakes, with rolling hills, of them $500
feet high. At Edmonton, Captain Streets ma
chine had leak in the gas tank, and
held there for three days. getting that patched
up. The people at Edmonton intensely in
terested in aviation as a means of developing the
country. They talked of getting planes to survey
the Peace river country to the north of them.
big stretch of arabic land wholly undevel-
oped, pack mules being the only means of trans
portatiOn. The transportation to mines of the
region also offered another opportunity for avi-
alton to exemplify its usefulness.
"Our first attempt TO leave Edmonton was I'M
successful because of lOw-hangng clouds Taking
off at 1000 feet, had to drop to 800, and when
about 100 miles out Street motoned us to re-
turn. The next day, in spite of a stiff wind we
made the jump to Jasper park This is Cana
dian national park, 400 miles. long by 100 wide,
Astounding with game and fish. Here we found
of the best landing fields the whole route.
Colonel Rogers warden of the park. met US and
extended cOurteses and hospitality Tents were
provided for accommodation with a Chinese
cook in the tent. Gas and oil were on the
nel0, ana aIIer cleaning up our DOSSeS ana get
ting everything in shape for the next day. felt
decidedly if needed a bath. We set out,
expecting to take dip in the Athabasca river,
but were warned that we should find the water
too cold; 50 with guide, we set out for little
lake about half mile away, which, were told
was a good bathing place. When ready
for the dip somebody stuck his foot in the water
to try the temperature. Well, all 1 can say is
If the Athabasca river Is colder than that little
lake was, then it's recOrd-breaker for temper
AZURE. But it was choice of two evils. We were
ready for bath either had to get in the
water and take it. cold it was, or be literally
eaten up by mosquitoes. We chose the water It
is impossible to conceive the multiplicity and
ferocity of the mosquitoes in this region; and in
deed, to the very nOrthernmOst limit of flight.
They almost block traffic they are so numerous,
and they certainly block progress, preventing
at some seasons of the year
"Soon after the hop-of at Jasper Captain
Streets machine caught fire. caused by the oil
tanks being too full and overlooking down the
exhaust pipe. HenriQues, who driving put
the plane into a side slip and going to land
in the river but they descended, the change
of balance stopped the flow Of oil and the fire ex-
tfnguished itself. We got into Prince George just
ahead of a rainstOrm, and without Street. We
lighted flares to aid him In finding the landing
field Outline of the field was however OF course
indefinite; so when Street alghted he came in
with great speed and overshot rolling out of the
field into cut-over stretch where he struck q
stump that took off about four feet of the end OF
his left wing, breaking both main spars and tear
ing all the ribs out also the left half OF his hori
zontaI stabilizer and the aileron. To get wing
sent TO us in the quickest possible space Of time
would take eight days from Mather field, Sacra-
mento Cal, the nearest point available So
got busy on the job ourselves, with the help OF
q big Swede carpenter who was wonder and