Seward daily gateway. [volume] (Seward, Alaska) 1923-1933, 1924-04-14
Filters Arrived Yesterday;
Will Hop Off Tomorrow

Completing what the air pilots de-
scrlbed as one of the most gruelling
flights of the trip, the four Army De
Haviland planes, Seattle, Boston, New
Orleans and Chicago arrived at Sew
ard yesterday afternoon at gil direct
from Sitka, dropping gracefully into
the water and taxing to their moor
ings within a few minutes after being
sighted. The long trip Of nearly 600
miles from Sitka to Seward in seven
hours and 26 minutes, was one of the
worst the airmen had experienced on
their trip, snow squalls, rain, hail, and
tremendous winds causing the intrepid
pilots indescribable trouble. Off Males
pima glacier amid the battling air cur
rents Of Mt. st. Elias was found the
worst stretch of flying Lieut.. Leigh
Wade, commanding the Boston, the
flagship Of the squadron on the flight
from Sitka, said the weather could not
have been worse; in fact they did not
want to see it any worse, and his com
rades voiced the same opinion.
"We're here because we're here
said Major Martin, commander of the
flight and pilot Of the Seattle, the
flagship of the airplane fleet, as he
voiced his satisfaction at concluding
what is acknowledged to have been
one Of the hazardous legs Of the voy-
age.
Seward is before the eyes of the
world today, the news of the fleets
arrival having been telegraphed out
to all points of the two continents by
special correspondents for outside pa
pers. Shortly before the hour an
nounced for the arrival of the planes
practically every man, woman and
child wendell their way to the beach,
the Anchorage delegation swelling the
throng to nearly 1000 persons. The
day was perfect, being bright and sun
ny with just enough breeze from the
west to ruffle the sun kissed waters Of
beautiful Resurrection Bay. Track of
the flight was kept at points along the
way, radio messages reporting the fly
ers had passed the stations and giving
the time. At 2:13 word was receiv-
ed that the squadron had passed above
Latouche, and everyone was the qui
vive tense with excitement, as the
hour approached.
Suddenly the planes popped above
Fox Island and dropping to level OF
about seven hundred feet, skinned
gracefully above the water, skirting
the town side of the shore to a point
directly opposite the plant of the San
Juan Fisheries and Cold Storage, and
wheeling like flock of gulls, dropped
to the water, with scarcely a splash.
Then they TAXED to their respective
buoys located and in readiness about
200 feet off shore. The acting flag
ship Boston, with Lieut.. Wade, pilot,
and Sergt. Ogden, mechanic, was the
first to take the water, at 3:11. Then
followed the Chicago, with Lieutenant
Smith and Lieut.. Leslie P. Arnold, pi-
lot and mechanic respectively. The flag
ship Seattle was next, with Major
Martin, commander and Sergt. Har
vey. The New Orleans circled about
once more and finally took the water
at 3:13. Lieut. Erik H. Nelson and
Lieut.. John Harding were in charge.
A launch was sent out to the buoys
and the pilots came ashore where they
Immediately started refueling their
preparing for the long
flight from Seward to Chignik. With
an hour or so the machines were ready