Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-04
Across Continent
Continued from PAGE One)

After Kelly and McRready had re-
freshed themselves with quick wash
and some food they told their story.
1t was a composite story. first one put
ting in sentence or two and then the
other breaking in.
When we left New York." said Kel.
ly. I'VE could not seem to get the full
horsepower ont of the Liberty engine.
We few for more than 90 miles at an
altitude of less than 400 feet.
over New Jersey the voltage reg
ulator went out. This was heart
breaking, for unless we could repair it
in flight we would be forced to turn
back. While l handled the control
wheel McReady set desperately to work
taking off the switch and installing q
new one.
He succeeded and load was lifted
from our hearts when the regulator
again began to function properly"
McReady took up the story.
From that moment the flight be-
came pleasant prospect for us and we
encountered no further mechanical
trouble. The Liberty motor we kept
at 30 per cent. of it's full horsepower
after we had cleared the New Jersey
air lanes.
Reaching Dayton, Ohio, $50 miles
airline from New York, we headed for
St. Louis. thence stccred for Tucumari.
\. Nj. We were flying at an altitude
of 1000 feet when darkness caught us
near Indianapolis. Approximately so
miles from Belleville. ILL.,, we were
thrilled by the sight of huge beam Of
light projecting up through the clouds.
1t was veritable beacon along a
rocky and dangerous shore to us. for
otherwise intense darkness prevailed
and We trusting solely to our compass
to keep on a straight course.
Rain in Missouri
"Aided by this beam of light,
which we knew came from Belle
vile we continued straight as an ar
row for the Missouri river. A light
rain began to fall when we crossed
the Missouri line. condition we were
prepared for on account of the cloudy
weather in Indiana and Illinois. At
the Missouri Kansas line, while
travelling better than 10 miles an
hour and at an altitude of 5000 feet
we sighted moonlight filtering
through cloud holes. 1t gave us a
feeling of security.
These faint streaks of moonlight
were all that we sighted of the
iiSstNcHS Until Va DISdN over uCu1lli.
Kelly was at the wheel. Dawn was
Just breaking. Kelly gave a shout
of JOY. when, on looking over the
side of the cockpit. he spied the GENE
terry on the outskirts of Tucumi. 1t
was a landmark we knew"
Smooth Sailing
From that time on the aviators
had not the slightest difficulty. They
were flying in daylight over a sec
ton they knew we'll from their pre-
vious fight and the plane, liShtened
of much of it's early burden of fuel.
did all that was asked of it in
climbing over the mountain ranges.
MacReady and Kelley said they ex-
changed places at the wheel every
six hours except while crossing over
the Arizona forests. Then they
changed frequently, partly to rest
and partly to arrange their schedule
SO that MacReady would handle the
controls in making the landing here.
The aviators said they would re-
main here in the hope of establish
ing a new world duration record of
at least 4S hours. They will make
that effort sometime this summer.
They expect to remain on duty at
Rockwell Field until next spring,
when they plan to go east to pre-
pare for their attempt to fly around
the world.