The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-04-07
ECHOES FROM THE SOUTHLAND.
753 S. w. 1st St., Miami, Fla.
Mar. 81, 1922.
Dear Opinionites:

| Dear OplnlohiteS.
This just escapes being an April
FOOLS letter, it being a day early for
that. This week has been busy
week seeing the 'folks off" Mr. and
Mrs S Hooker started off the week
| by leaving on Monday evening, a
sizeable group of their friends gath
ering at the station to see them en-
bark from one home to the other.
| They should reach Bradford before
this letter and their friends will
doubtless have heard the first chapter
of their winter experiences in Miami
before this. We have reliable in
formation that they will be good
boosters for the Magic City.
John A Cross of Northfeld, who
has been here since the goth of
December. left on Wednesday, declar-
ing that he was getting away about
month too early. Mrs w S Hunt
ington left for Concord, NJ H. We'd
nesday, having been the guest of her
father since the first of February,
and Mr. and Mrs E Kennedy left
on Thursday for Essex Junction, VT.
But they are all coming back next
winter.
When we wrote the last letter we,
in common with most of Miami, we're
not concerned about the Miss Miami,
although it had been in trouble since
Wednesday noon. 1t proved to be
the first fatality here in air circles
Of the passenger planes. Every
available airplane was searching the
waters for signs Of the distressed
plane and water craft also aided in
the search. 1t was confidently ex-
pected that the passengers and pilot
would be found on some of the keys
and it was not until the oil tanker
picked up the pilot opposite Fit.
Pierce that hope was abandoned. You
know the facts as revealed by Pilot
Moore. who is now recovering at the
Riverside Hospital. The Miss Miami
was within three minutes of safe
landing when the propeller broke, and
splinter hitting the hull caused the
boat to leak. Despite the huge
waves, which the gulf storm raised,
after hour and when finally capsized,
it still kept afoat for all the fifty
six hours of the catastrophe. Two
of the passengers were drowned when
the boat turned over, two women
and man were saved to go through
agonizing hours, hoping for rescue
urtil all three died of exhaustion,
all showing extreme bravery to the
end. The pilot. delirious and dashed
to one of the uprights of the wings,
was discovered by the tanker which
was bit off its course on the look
out for the disabled pl9ne. There
are stories in town of boats which
passed and didn't offer aid. It is
surmised that some of them may
have had liquor aboard and did not
dare to take the chance of the plane
being one of the prohib squad; but
it is more likely that if. these boats
didn't come to the aid of the Miss
Miami they didn't see the disabled
plane. The waves were running high
and a plane is a small object on the
water and would have to be discover
ed while on the crest of wave to be
seen at all. In making inquiries
about the accident, we learn that the
gulf stream is peculiar bit of
water in that person may drown
out there and be entirely out of the
water, if the right conditions pre-
vail With wind blowing forty-two
or three miles an hour, fine mist
Is blown from the water two or three
feet and this mist is so dense that it
is impossible to breath in it. An
other thing all the search was direct
ed south because It was supposed that
the strong wind would carry the
plane in that direction, If it were
forced to land. whereas the plane
was hundred miles north Of Miami
when found, the fearful current of
the gulf stream more than overcom-
ing the velocity of the wind. 1t is
tragedy but does not deter air
travel any more than a train or auto
mobile wreck keeps people at home.
A party of six started for Havana
Saturday morning. even as they were
rushing pilot Moore to the hospital
in an ambulance And other sailings
have gone on as usual all the week.
The planes have been searching the
coast for sight of the bodies but all
hope for their recovery has been
abandoned AS they were fully cloth
ed, it is not expected that sharks
Will InOleSJ Illciu anu IL 10 Ddl ely
possible that they may come ashore
around Hatteras.
Charles Vebber has been tried for
killing Jack Tigertail and found
guilty in the first degree with
plea for mercy. He will probably be
sentenced to life Imprisonment. The
evidence was circumstantial and
there was a general feeling that he
would be acquitted, coupled with
quite a general feeling that he was
guilty, so the verdict, while causing
some surprise, meets with general
approval.
We are having little visit Of the
prohibition SQUAD but that seems to
be quoting down, although more
prohibition men arrived the middle
of the week. This has been still
hunt with the blare of trumpets so
1t is occasioning some surprise that
Col. Mutt is disappointed that his
seizures did not net more gallons.
The Metropolis heads an editorial
with this little appropo quotation:
Dear Burglar: At 11.30 tonight me
Il