White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-12-09

Inc RENO JuuTldl gives IL SidpnlC
story of the experience and safe re.
turn of Pilot Vance in a recent storm
over the high Sierras last week. 1t
follows:
His ~airplane wrecked in untamil-
lar territory, after being forced down
from the clouds, a night in a raging
storm with only candy for food, and
four matches in his pocket, and
finally a ride on a pack mule forty
miles to civilization, were the ex-
periences of Claire X. Vance, air mail
pilot, who returned to San Francisco
from Colfax in Placer county last
Saturday.
Vance escaped without 4 scratch
although his plane was almost a total
wreck. He said he was ready to
leave on a regular trip TO Reno the
next afternoon.
The air pilot left San Francisco
Just before a heavy gale swept over
the bay district. When he failed to
arrive in Reno at 4 o'clock in the
afternoon a search was started with
air mail and army planes. forest
rangers ard railroad employees CO.
operating.
1t was not until Saturday night at
$50 that Vance got in communica-
tion with air mail headquarters.
Vance said it started to snow
heavily when he had completed about
three-fourths of his trip and he 500
was enveloped in heavy clouds at an
altitude of 10000 feet. He lost his
sense of direction, he asserted, but
finally located an open place below
the clouds. Having only a half
hours supply of gasoline he decided
to land. but what seemed to be a large
clearing proved to be covered with
rough manzini.a brush, which played
havoc with the fuselage and wings OF
his plane.
He tried to locate Last Chance, a
mining camp in the vicinity, but
failed and returned to his plane.
my clothes were soaked and I
made a small fire." he said. 81 found
four matches in my pocket, of which
three refused to function. For food
/ had two pieces of peppermint candy.
Then l went to sleep"
At daybreak, he said. he made his
way to Last Chance, where a miner
loaned him pack mulcs. Then he
hit the trail for Colfax with his 2S2
pounds of mail.
Seldom has the public manifested
the great interest in any event, as
was shown when the story of Claire
Vance, u. S. air mail pilot. was pub
lished. The telephones in the Office
of the Reno Journal were kept ring
ing continually with anxious in
quiries of some word from the miss
ing flyer.
I'VE were on duty all Friday night
and all Saturday, watching, waiting
and obsessed with that awful fore
boding that comes over a body Of
men who are closely associated with
the pilots said Neal Angle. mana
ger of the local air field. Our tel
erhone and leased wire and radio
were in constant service. I'll never
forget, and I peak for Superintendent
w. +. Lafollette, the honest inreres.
that came TO us in messages from
every conceivable source. We had Of
fers Of every kind of service imagin-
able, from every class Of men in
Reno and for hundred, of niles
radius. Automobiles filled with
searchers, saddle horses, mushers,
trappers, w~oodsmen, sheepmer,
and cattlemen were freely offered
and asked that they be assigned to
some part in the search for the
pilot. l tell you it made us feel that
our incorporates were appreciated
and that their work and their loyal
ty known to all. Reno is all heart
when it comes 10 matters of this
kind-such response was a r.vola-
tisn to us and We want them 81. to