Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-21

soula. Mont. Still following the rail.
road, to save long walk in case of
a force-doWn. about 100 more miles
are covered before Helena, the State
capital, is reached. and from where, so
miles east, the mountains taper off,
the great plains begin.
Leads in "Nothingness."
For vast nothingness. this has
everything whipped and stretches for
about 900 miles east and west and
about $50 miles north and south. The
best air line lies close to the railroad,
running down to Billings and then
to Miles City. The latter was reached
hours and minutes after leav-
ing Spokane, a distance of G20 miles
and against head wind.
Another long flight was on sched
ule the next day. Peoria. ILL.,. had to
be reached by dark. SO a start was
made at $40 am. for Mason City
through the southwest corner of
North Dakota and diagonally across
South Dakota. Here the only bad
weather of the whole trip was en-
countered, when it rained for three
hours out of Miles City. AS the coun-
try was flat except for Il small section
of the bad lands of South Dakota, it
made no difference, and Mason City
was reached 6 hours and 20 minutes
later--a distance of $50 miles. Re
fueling, after a picnic lunch, off again
for Peoria, where landing was made
3 hours and as minutes later, due TO
the fact that the field had been moved
and could not be found for some time.
A total of more than 1000 miles was
flown between GAO am. and 7:15 PM,
with Il hours out for lunch.
After all the trouble to get there,
it was found that a mistake had been
made in the schedule and no one was
expected until the latter part of
August, so sail was set once more for
Mason City the next morning. where
we arrived az hours after leaving.
Encountered Heavy Fog.
From Mason City, Col. MacNider
and Cant. Erwin flew to Lincoln, Neb..
back to Mason City, Rockford. Day
ton. Louisville, Camp Knox, Cincin-
natl and Pikeville. The flight between
the latter two cities provided more
concern for the two airmen.
1.-THE weather man said there was
to be good weather." Capt. Erwin said,
but disappointed us by having
thick fog on hand which did not lit
sufficiently until 10 minutes of >. PIKE
vile lies in the extreme southeast cor
ner of the State, right in the hill coun-
trv. Although the hills aren't very hlgh,
still thew are mostly straight up ana
down with no landing fields and very
few in the small valleys between them.
Information had been supplied that
there was a field 1900 feet by 900 feet
at Pikeville, but they had failed to say
that two-thirds of the field was In
corn. and that the other third had
harm and two trees in it with about
enough room to get between them.
Landed in Corn Field.
"The weather all the way down
from Cincinnati was cloudy, Visibility
poor, ceiling about 500 feet, getting
down to zero by the time Pikeville
was reached. After circling the field
and nearby country, it was found that
after all it was the only place to land.
Picking up a few corn stalks with
the landing gear and lower wings,
the plane came to rest finally at the
edge Of the remaining third that was
not in corn and sigh of relief was
heard from both occupants"
Col. MacNider drove to Williamson.
w. Va, and attended the State Legion
convention and was back in time to
leave Pikeville at 4:15 for Washington.
1.-The take-off was effected by start
ing in the corn at place where it
was very high" Capt. Erwin ex-
planned, land getting up speed enough
to utilize all the good part with a
straight run" Three hours and Is
minutes later the plane landed at
Boiling Field.
After a rest of one day here, Col.
MacNider and Capt. Erwin flew to
York and Middletown. Pa; Albany,
Rome and back to Boiling, completing
103 hours and 35 minutes flying time.