The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-08
MACHINE WRECKED WHEN IT STRIKES
 AND UPROOTS TREE
(Continued From Page one.)

it was thought necessary to secure an airplane to take him to Bellamy yesterday afternoon after the meet ing. He was scheduled to leave at 3:3O o'clock and expected to arrive at his intended destination about 5:30 o'clock. However, when he reached the Dixie flying field. the motor was not ready. and he did not leave until APO o'clock.
 During the 50 minutes that he waited for the mechanics to get thi plane ready for the trip, his friends were laughing and joking with him about his suit case, which he had brought along, he said, to fall on in case anything went wrong with the plane.
 All Appeared We'll
 The plane looks good, the engine goes fine and the air is in great con dition," said pr. Edmonds, after a short test flight around the field had been made before the actual start.
 "In London and Paris and Brussels when you go in to buy a ticket fol one of the other cities the clerk al- ways says, By air or railg and doesn't crack a smile. For nearly two years there has been double ualiy SSi NlNt pttWttA ILOHuOn anu Paris, and they have never had an accident"
 Just before the plane was ready to sail George Benton, president of the aviation company, said to Dr. Ed monds
 r Doctor. just step over this way and sign this insurance policy. Of course, in the airplane business you know, there is always certain amount of risk"
 All right" said pr. Edmonds, and a spectator added;
 Somebody is always taking the joy out of lfe.'
 Immediately after an Age Herald photographer had snapped the avia- tor and passenger moment before they took their seats in the plane, pr. Edmonds said.
 Well, now that the picture is taken. l hope the next one you have to take will not show us in a river CT hanging in the top of tree" After they were seated in the plane and the engine had ben started Dr. Edmonds waved and said: T am sorry for you all who have to move around by slow going trains and automobiles"
 . With that the plane was off with both pilot and passenger laughing and waving to their friends. When these friends reached the scene of the wreckage both men were out and neither receivd scratch as rsult of the fall of approximately 200 feet.
 The first words of each man as the plane hit the ground were to ask if the other was hurt.
 Not Even Jolted
 l.. Tly- monds just as he stepped out of the wrecked machine, "I am not hurt and did not even get hard jolt
 My greatest fear is that the ac- cident might hurt the prospects Of you boys who have just organized your new airplane company 1 hope it will not have that effect.
 My greatest disappointment Is that I cannot keep my wedding en- gagement on time. I must get an automobile and start at once and get to Bellamy as quickly as possible William Moore, son of J. D. Moore, who was present. with his father, spoke up and said:
 Let me take you. I have the car right here. I know the way as far IS Eutaw and an, sure we can make it all right beyond that point. We  can make quick trips
 Let's start at once. said Dr. Ed monds
 His grip was unstrapped from the wreckage, put into the big Packard car and they were off via Tusca- loosa.
 "When the engine began to slow down." said Major Meisner in the automobile which carried him back to the flying field to change his clothes. "I saw I couldn't keep her nose up. We had crossed the A. G. $. railroad from the field and had started to swing back toward the tracks which we were to follow to I.;vinsston. One plane was lower than the other as we made this turn. and as this wing struck the tree the plane swept around,
 of we had hit the tree with the nose the result would have eeen se- rious. AS it was the force was broken bv the swing. the plane made With the three as pivot | immediately after the accident | heavy rainstorm came up On his way back to the flying field rom the point where the plane came do"h' Major Meisner said;
 Tt would have been very haru trip in this rain With the pest luck, because we should nave hao Y fly so low"
 Within a few minutes 1t was Ialn- inr st, hard and the wind was blow ing in such gusts that prae .ns everyone about the field felt that the trin could not have been made III such a storm even if everything hau h1 1xr