The Washington times., 1921-05-29
WINGS ON
ASST0R|V|S
LASH HIM.
IN CLOUDS
CONTINUED from First page.)

(Continued Eom FIRST Page.)
morning. / again arrived over Chsy-
enne. was very tired.
i sighted the landing flares on the
airmail feld, flaming T. This T
Is ordinarily. and should be placed
90 that the flyer lands close to IL and
rolls into the good portion of the
landing fieid beyond. Therefore, I
set my ship down 100 feet from the
flares. ] rolled 200 feet beyond the
flares and fell into ditch, the ma.
chine turning completely over. 1t
was a miracle that I was not killed.
and dropped on my head. was now
getting used to. the experience.
The air mail mechanics ran ous
toward me-
why didn't you head into the
windf" they asked, as 1 clambered out
from under my plane.
asked what they meant by invert-
ing the landing sign. They said that
they had set It according to custom.
let 1t go at that. A few flashlights
were taken of the crashed ship.
ACCEPTS AIR MAIL PLANE.
The air mail superintendent at the
field was exceedingly courteous. He
Immediately offered me the use OF an
air mail plane to continue my flight
This Invitation I accepted. finally
got to bed at 1890 o'clock. but was
up again at 4:30.
regretted that smash-up exceed
ingly. Had 1t not been for that I
should have been able to complete
the flight Friday instead of last
night.
Shortly after 6 o'clock, In an air
mail plane piioted by c. ". Pickup.
] resumed the eastward flight. 1t
was a beautiful morning. We ar
rived at North Platte after a flight
of two hours and the plane was
reserviced within twenty minutes.
We got or again at 8 o'clock, land
ing in Omaha, the goal of my first
days flight. at 1880.
Here I found an old squadron
comrade. Capt. wier Cook, in charge
of the army ships. He said that
none of his planes were In shape
Tor me to continue my flight.
There was another airmail plane
leaving at lao o'clock for Chicago.
and the pilot just in from Chicago
told me that 1 would 6nd In that city
an army plane with which / could
resume my flight east. William c.
Hopson, airmail pilot. took the ship
on to Chicago. On this way / was
able to take a. little nap.
want to say right here that the
precision of the airmail and the work
of the pilots is the result only Of
ultra-efficiency and excellent organf-
cation.
II the public knew one-hslf of
what these mail fiiers were up
against. IT would appreciate more
what a wonderful thing this serv
ice really is. The airmail pilot can
only carry on for pure love of the
game and his loyalty and devotion
TO the interest Of the country-not
for the measly sum he is paid.
Were the sirueil proposition put
mp 10 one OF the big men of this
country, to be carried through on
sally schedule as II is now being
conducted halwould tell you that he
could not possibly do the work for
mail Is operating at about $1.250.000.
PLUG ON THROUGH RAIN.
A rainstorm came up before We
reached Iowa City, but Hopson
plugged right on through the rain.
landing amidst downpour on q
muddy field at Chicago. The boys
were right on the Job and filled the
tanks in the rain, the plane taking
Off again in the rain from heavy mud
on the next hop east. This was at
$3.50 o'clock.
found upon inquiry that the army
ship to which I had been directed
had flown on back to Dayton. Gen
eral Mitchell, whom / called on lorg
distance, told me to get a ship from
Major Stratemeyer at Chanute Field,
Rantoul. Ill. This plane arrived at
Chicago at $3.50 a. m. yesterday morn
ing. With Lieutenant Woodbridge as
pilot we took of from Chicago at
$40 a. m. on the airline to Dayton,
Ohio.
Our map took in the route only as
far as Union City, after which we
few blind, finally landing In the
county twenty miles north OF Dayton.
Here we obtained directions OF 4
farmer and took off for Dayton,
arriving there at 900 o'clock. I had
coffee and sandwich while a new
plane was being fueled, and took OFF
asclncL The ship n mn A