The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-23
LKINS and EEL SON May FLY
FROM ICE-BOUND POLAR ISLAND;
STORY OF TRIP REACHES WORLD
Explorers Report No New
Land Sighted in Cross
ing Top of World.
FORCED DOWN BY STORM
Plane Barely Able to Rise
After 5 Days Snow
on Barren Strip.
Copyright, 1928. by United Press

GREEN HARBOR, Svalbard
(Spitzbergen), April 23-Capt.
George Hubert wilkins started from
Point Barrow, Alaska, April is, at
10 o'clock Alaska time presumably
10 a. No. He was obliged to change
his starting point because the run
way was too short for the heavily
loaded monoplane, which weighs
about 1900 pounds when empty and
$500 pounds when loaded.
The weight of the plane necessi-
tated a runway of about five ighthS
of a mile to achieve a speed of
eighty kilometers (fifty niles an
hour, so that the plane could rise.
The newly selected starting point
was bad because of loose snow,
which had to be hardened.
That was done to width of four
meters (abOut thirteen feet) so
Lieut.. Carl B. Eielson, pilot Of the
Arctic plane, was obliged to steer
carefully. The ice was very un-
even, adding to the danger of the
start.
SlSnt NO NEW Adilu
Captain wilkins passed the places
where DR.. Cook and Admiral Peary
presumably had been and sighted
Grant Land"
The modern air explorers passed
about 300 miles from the north pole.
The weather was fine then, al
though a little foggy. The plane
flew at height of 1000 feet ana
was obliged to rise few times.
Occasionally it was necessary to
ascend to $500 feet to get above
the cloud banks.
The explorers sighted no land
which had not been discovered pre-
yiouSly.
There were no signs of animal life
on the ice.
Goes South of Pole
wilkins trip of exploration over
the top of the world was made for
the sole purpose of trying to de-
termine whether there was land
where Admiral Peary thought he
saw it. wilkins purposely flew
south of the north pole instead of
across it, to carry out the scien-
tific object of his flight.
Captain Wilkins took his last OBJ
servation about 200 miles from
Svalbard, but visibility then became
Dad.
Near Svalbard (the Spitzbergen
archipelago there was open sea.
Captain Wilkins knew he was
near land by two pointed mountain
tops he saw on Prince Karls
Charles, Foreland, near Svalbard.
Then, with land in sight, terrific
snowstorm started.
Wilkins and Eielson knew they
must land quickly. But landing was
made difficult by the gale.
With consummate skill Eielson
managed to bring the plane to
earth on Doedmansoeira Island
Dead Mans Island. The plane
stopped dead after run of only
thirty feet in loose snow.
wilkins and Eielson had flown
201a hours at a speed of more than
10 miles an hour
wilkins and EieIson were forced
to stay five days on Dead Mans
Island because of unusually bad
weather for this time Of the year.
Plane Buried in Snow
SnoWstorm followed snowStorm,
with the direction of the wind con-
tinually changing, and the average
temperature 25 degrees below zero
Fahrenheit.
About 3 a. m. Saturday the
weather cleared and Wilkins and
Eielson began to think of reaching
civilization.
Until then the only things the
pair could do we're to eat and sleep
and remain huddled up in the
monoplane. 1t gave them a good
rest, but they had heavy work in
front of them before they could
start their airplane, which had
been almost covered with snow.
The gasoline supply was SO low
that fuel had to be pumped into
the higher tanks so the plane could
be made ready for starting.
Three times the engine was
started at full speed, but the mon
oplane- refused to bulge.
The third time Captain Wilkins
tried to help loosen the plane from
the snow.
He got out of the plane but held
tight to rope tied to the seat in
the machine so he would be able To
get back.
Finally the plane started to move
but it was sometime before Wilkins
was able to climb board.
They had agreed that if wilkins
was unable to get back when the
plane started, Eielson should fly
around and try to find some people.
wilkins had left behind a tent
and provisions but had he, too, been
left behind he would have been eX-
posed to the cruelest hardships OF
Arctic weather.
JULIUS WOCHER DIES