Weekly journal-miner., 1921-06-08
LOST AVIATOR OF CROSS-U. 5. FLIGHT FAME LIKES COOL
 PRESCOTT WEATHER

"If I could be stationed in Pres
 cott," remarked Alexander Pierson,
 as he surveyed the cool plaza and
 breathed a lot of Yavapai air. The young flyer was thinking of the six days he spent recklessly in
 the Great Bend country of Texas
 last February, and the heat and thirst and the carburetor cap he kept
 in his mouth to promote thought
 away from drouth and the long walk of two days without water and the swimming of the river and the other
 journeyings to and fro before he found the world again.
 Pierson docked at the Santa Fe and looked up the chamber of 2om- merce in order to inquire about the landing field at the Target Range, because he is coming to Prescott in
 few days by ship to do a few chores around the Grand Canyon for the national park service of the in- teriOr department It is understood that an international civilian airpianc company is aiming to put in sight seeing busses at the canyon, and the
 army has been asked to make a sur
 vey of the landing field possibilities and other conditions there for the department of the interior.
 In the course of his wandcrings
 about town. the flyer interviewed the
 forest service and while he missed Forester H. B. Wales, had quite a
 chat with Mrs. Rosemary Campbell,
 the chief clerk, concerning the lay
 of the land between here and the
 canyon The subject of the need of air patrols for forest fire detection
 was touched on and Pierson said he
 believed the country needed such an
 institution and that from Prescott,
 where there is the best landing field, the important forested areas of five national forests could be successfully patrolled.
 Pierson leaped to fame first iri the transcontinental air race over a year ago, won by Flying Parson" Mayn- ard on the best flying time, although Pierson's record for actual elapsed time was 20 hours better. Both fly CTS were compelled to change engines on the double trip across the con tinent Pierson did 137 miles an hour in his ship, which was a De Haviland plane, equipped with 4OO- horsepower Liberty motor.
 His second flight among the major headlines came last February when, on a trip from Fl Paso to San An tonic, he burned out his motor and was forced to land in the wilds of the Great Bend. For two days he was without water and it was six days before he reached civilization and reported his whereabouts. He was searched for by scores of army planes and for a time the widest rumors were current as to his fate. The incident now is a joke to the aviator, who finds the keenest delight ill the peculiar fact of his modes of on that memorable voyage.
 q started out in an airplane," he says. After the ship was beached, ! I took to my feet swan river' and then floated down 1t on a raft. The next means of transport was a Durro, followed by a horse. 1 then adopted an automobile and ended my journey on a train. During that trip I made up my mind that when got back. I would have me an ice oox and keep it right at my side.
 would have it filled with every lind of drink from milk to beer, and l1so fruit and everything else that Iuenches thirst But after l got a ot of food, I abandoned the ice box dea."
 Pierson left last night for Ash 7ork, where he will interview Billy ( I1enn regarding the possibilities of n air field there. He will go in l urn to Williams, Flagstaff and the i -anyon. On his return, which will { e in about 10 days, the aviator is ' rdered to fly over these places and | 1ake landings and then to spend | ome time flying over the Grand ,anyon to make an air map and to a judy weather conditions, air cur | ents and other scientific subects c ear to the heart of flyers. V
 When completed, it is believed, his II eport will convey the whole data h eeded by any outfit planning to l .ake commercial flying for sight E eeing over the canyon a regular a 1junct to that famous spot D