The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1921-01-22
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H1 1t travelled the 5000 miles from
Y New York to Nome and return in
> - J 40 flying hours. Ihe four DH-4
[ s planes were flying their original
\ / motors upon their return. The
~ flight ranks with any aerial event
& J attempted anywhere. The bird
men flew over at least 1900 miles
~ of virgin territory, without land
~ marks or landing fields. They
landed fifty times strange fields, often almost
impossible landing places.
The British last spring attempted to fly from
Egypt TO the cape. the wilds of Africa. One
pilot reached the destination. hut only after he
had replaced his machine and motors, and after
much delay and Inconvenience.
In the transcOntnental reliability test last au-
tumn. Lieut.. Belvn Maynard the winner, broke
his motor near Omaha, and had to change it en-
TREY before proceeding. Only one Liberty motor
succeeded in making the journey both ways
Compared to the nonstop flight made by the
EngliShman. John Alvock, which gained for him
recognition from the British government in the
form of knighthoOd. most fers will agree that the
Alaskan flight is greater feat. The Alaskan
flight was steady grind of over three months
duration.
The personnel of the expedition was as follows:
Plane No /, Capt ST. Clair Street in Command
of expedition; Sergt. Edmund HCnriqueS, mechani-
clan; No. ,, pilOted in turn by First Lieut. Cliff
ford c. Mutt aud Second Lieut. Eric c. Nelson,
engineering officer; No. g. Lieut.. c. H. Cumrne,
Photographic officer Sergt. A. l. Vierra; No. 4,
Lieut.. Il. c. Kirkpatrick information officer Jo-
seph Z. English. Capt. Howard T. Douglas went
ahead of the flyers, making preliminary arrange
ments and blazing the trail.
Here are some closeup" pen pictures secured
from Lieutenant Mutt:
I'VE cut across the international line when we
landed at Portal. From Portal 20 Saskatoon was
the only leg of the journey in which we had
the wind with us We made Pc 80 miles in
three hours, and at Saskatoon got our first taste
of that Canadian hospitality which added so ire
mendOusly to the enjoyment of the long journey
Almost one-third of the population, though Ameri-
can born, are now Canadians in spirit.
About 100 miles from Saskatoon we left the
prairie country, and got into a region of forests
and lakes, with rolling hills Some of them 600
feet high. AT Edmonton, Captain Streets ma
chine had leak liz the gas tank and we were
held up there for three days getting that patched
up. The people at Edmonton are intensely in
terested in aviation means of developing the
country. They talked Of getting planes to survey
the Peace river country to the north of them a
big stretch of arabic land now wholly undevel-
Oped, pack mules being the only means of trans
pOrtatiOn. The transportation to mines of the
region also offered another opportunity for avn
alton to exemplify its usefulness
"Our first attempt TO leave Edmonton was I'M
successful because of l0w-hanging clouds. Taking
off at 1000 feet, we had to drop to 300 and when
about 100 miles out Street mOtiOned us to re-
turn The next day, in spite of stiff wind we
made the jump to Jasper park. This is Cana
dian national park, 400 miles long by 100 wide
with game and fish. Here we found
one of the best landing fields on the whole route
Colonel Rogers, warden of the park, met US and
extended cOurtesies and hospitality. Tents were
provided for our accommodation with Chinese
cook in the mess tent. Gas and oil were on the
field, and after cleaning up our buses and get
ting everything in shape for the next day, we felt
as if we needed bath. We set out,
expecting to take dip in the Athabasca river,
but warned that should find the water
too cold so. with guide, set out for little
lake about half mile away, which. we were told
Was good bathing place. When we were ready
for the dip somebody stuck his foot in the water
to try the temperature. Well all can say is.
if the Athabasca river is colder than that little
lake was, then it's recOrd-breaker for temper
AZURE. But 1t was a choice of two evils. We were
ready for a bath; we either had to get in the
water and take K, cold it was, or be literally
eaten up by mosquitoes. We chose the water. 1t
is impossible TO conceive the multiplicity and
ferocity of the mosquitoes in this region and in
deed to the very nOrthernmOst limit of our flight.
They almost block traffic they are so numerous,
ana they certalnlyDlOck progress, preventing work
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 was driving put
the plane into side slip and going to land
In the river but as they descended. the change
Of balance stopped the flow of oil and the fire
tingushed itself We got into Prince George just
ahead of 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 alighted he came in
with great speed and overshot, rolling out Of the
field into a cut-over stretch where he struck a
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 a wing
sent to us in the quickest possible space of time
would take eight days from Mather field, Sacra-
nentO Cal, the nearest point available. So we
got busy the job ourselves with the help of
big Swede carpenter who was a wonder and