The Nome nugget., 1921-01-08


 the World who joined the welcoming force with Scrgt. Edmond II nlrques as pilot, Sergt. Hendriquts Was m original member of the .tlaska force. but at Hazelton, E. C., on .hc return trip, had given his seat :o Capt. How .tfd T. Douglas of the Air Service who had .;on" ahepd to make ,trrung - ments and prepare landing fields in virgin territory for the flyers.
 After flying across the Hudson and cruising up and down over New Jcr- scy the escol' picked m the Nlask,ns over Jarnaicn Bay. Capt Street had led his force nto New York at l57th Street, and had followed the Hudson south and the coast ine east until certain of his bearings for Mi.chsl field.
 It ws,s i B o'clock, three hours and q half from Erie. p,t.. when the wan dering ul1nes touched their wheels to the turf of Mitchel Field. They well deserved the cheers which greeted them. for when you give it q moments though. you discover that their achievement is as notable as anything. recorded in peace time aviation.
 It was not alone that they had flown 5000 miles in Ill hours in the air without a mishap that is wor- h mentioning, although that in itself is a challenging record. The tan tic hop was only 1900 miles; the Cape jaunt and the Italian cruise from Rome to Tokio all earned their places in aeronautical history, but none of them presented the peculiar dangers and difficulties of the New York 70 Alaska journey.
 A very Erge part of the trip was over absolutely uneNplored territory, unInsLpped or unchtrtetl. except on the unreliable statements of trlppers. lNlpu1lilHS WHICH T. lli' pt'u NfiIi were only 1000 feet high proved to thrust their summits more than 12,0Oo feet into the sky. For stretches of 200 or 800 miles there was no possible landing in the event of engine trouble.
 Moreover, beyond Dakota such landing fields as Capt. Douglas, scout ing ahead of the flyers. had been ahle to locate were of the toughest. Some were literally hew-n out of the forest. Others were stubblefields from which .he wheat had just been cut. At Prince George it was necessary to re imburse owners of wheat to induce an early cut so the aviators could land
 The weather too was suc'l as no other flyers have been forced to flce. Valleys filled with fog. between tow ering pes,las. sudden gales howing around the bases of the hills. long S+ornns which held the men earth bound for days on end. afforded mr- terial for their Alaska logs.
 Leaving NTitcfel Field on July l5. the route took them vit Erie. Grand Rapids, Winona (Minm, Minneapolis, Fargo, Portal. Saskatoon (Saskatchc- wan). Edmonton. Alta, Jasper Prince George N3. co. Hazelton NE. CD. Wrangell. Whitehorse, Dawson Fair banks and Rubt, 70 Nome
 "1'he average distance between stops was 300 miles. which meant about four hours flying Jay.
 "On the return trip" said Capt Street. i've were held up five days br a southwest er. We wanted 70 get back to Wrangel. and were told we could make q landing at Telegraph Creek. This was on a bee line to Ed monton. so we started out, but ran into clouds over the mountains and had 70 put back t50 miles. The next day in good weather we started ont again, and found that flying at 5000 t' J,UUO ltstl we were Sllll ftlpW the sunmits of mountains we had bean .old were but 5000.
 "The field at Telegraph Creek we had been told was perfect proved to be an old beaver dam from which hay had been cut. It was so rough broke an axel landing and had 10 wait four days for replacement from Wrange1.
 We set out for Hazelton and ran into n snows.om over the mountains which drove Us back. Then we were held up for another week. Coming out of Telegraph Creek we flew over
 mountains 12.5Oo feet high"
 Going out the squadron followed the course of the Yukon for long dis tances. It was as safe flying low as flying high. because .here were no