The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-04-18
BY William Philip S!mms
Special Cable to NEA Service and
Bismarck Tribune)

Special Cable to NEA Service and
(B Smarck Tribune)
Aboard an airplane over the Eng
lish channel.
April lS.-Sitting in a comfortable
armchair. | am pounding out this
story on "a typewriter perched on my
knees.
Three-quarters Of Il mile below me
l can see the English Channel. Rath-
er rough, for quite gale is blow
ing. To right and left, the great
silvery-blue wings Of the Handley-
Page.
And on either side roaring Rolls
Royce twin-six. throtlcd down to
carry US on schedule time, about 80
miles an hour according to the
speedometer in front of me.
Cottonwood is in my ears to
drown the noise. Yet that is not
disagreeablc. for we are inside a
sort of ''parlor car" with seven
chairs on either side of an aisle,
and there arc glass windows.
Schedule Is Exact
Overhead, on the ceiling, is a map
Of our routc-London to Paris, via
Ashford, Hythe, Bouloene. Mon
treuil (Sir Douglas Haig's old head
quartersl, Amiens. and Beauvais.
The time of our arrival at each of
these places is printed opposite the
name.
For, you see, this is just the new
way to travel. have only two
large suitcases with me, but in the
baggage compartment to the rear
there are several trunks belonging
to another passenger.
Over the window at my elbow is
notice. 1t says
l. Smoking strictly prohibited.
z. 1t is prohibited to throw OBJ.
jects from the window.
3. Pure water is carried on boa r,l
the plane.
q. In case of emergency put ON
the lifebclt like a waistcoat and fast.
en- buckles. A sharp blow on the
lever will initiate the lifebclt.
b. There is lavatory at the back
of the salon.
y. Passengers may move about
freely as the slight shift in weight
mas no effect on the stability of the
machine.
There are but five of US on board:
The pilot. G. =. Ollcy, one of the
best in the business; two mechani.
cians, u boyish Englishman and my.
self.
One Of the mechanics has lust
come in from outside. He has TAX
en- the chair in front of mine and is
reading-from the rack overhead
copy Of John O'London."
A column called "Nibbles From
Pied Pipcr's Street catches his eve.
NOW the sporting page Now "Cas-
anova, the Supreme Adventurer"-
Don Juan, Cagliostro and Wandering
Jew all in one.
Ihat seems to please him. He
unfastens his flying garments and
settles down. Casanova. the an
preme adventurer," probably in all
ms lie never experienced the equal
OF this noY commonplace adventure
Of flying.
Far down big liner is heading
toward Boulogne.
Inc young Englishman takes his
pasteboard lunch box from the rack
ana begins to eat. His drink is
whisky and soda. Cheese, tonpue
and ham sandwiches, fruit, cake and
chocolate for dessert, compose his
victuals.
We are skirting the shore line
now, bit out to sea. Far below T
can plainly make out the beach at
Etaples and the hotel where. when
things were quiet on the British
front, l used to 20 for a fancy feed
The young English lad has finish,
ed his meal.
I'm hungry The dots repre-
sent the interval of my lunch. We're
now past Abbeville. NV ..stout"
tasted pretty good. Certainly beats
home brew.
Young English lad is asleep!
What's the use? No more thrill in
This flying thing. No more novelty.
Just a business now. Just a quick
way to travel-zquick and comfort
able. Folks--even young boys-po
CONTINUED on pa1e three.1