Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-20
Last Word Sent as Aircraft
Flashed Position IS Miles
Off Cape ChidIey on Way
to Mount Evans.
LANDING IN ICY WASTE
is BELIEVED PROBABLE
Radio Message From Arctic Region
Portrays Anxiety Over Long
Overdue Aviator Bound for
Sweden-Weather Conditions Re-
ported as Perfect.

OTTAWA. Ontario. August 20 (4pl.
The Canadian government wireless
service had received no word of the
Greater Rockford up to $50 am.
today.
The operators had listened for
signals from the missing plane or
for reports of its being sighted.
r. the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. August 20.-Arctic seas
that pound against Greeniands icy
shores today concealed the fate of Bert
Hassells attempt to fiy from Cochrane,
Ontario, tc Mount Evans. Greenland, in
the monoplsne Greater Rockford.
Not since am. central standard
time SUNDAY has any word come from
Hassell and his companion, Parker
Cramer. who left Cochrane at noon Sat
urday on the second lap of good will
flight from Rockford, Ill, TO Stockholm,
Sweden
Thai last message picked from the
air BIZ wireless operators at Madison,
Wis. was only the letter "R." repeated
several times. after the planes call
letters KHAH The "R," however. in
dicated in the prearranged code that
the Greater Rockford was IS miles of
Cape Chidley, flying over Davis Strait
It meant that the plane had completed
approximately three quarters OF It's
i,60o~nlile journey toward Mount Evans
Don Mix, the Madison, Wis. operator,
who had kept vigil at his wireless set
through Saturday night and Sunday,
was in communication with the station
al Mount Evans last night. The operator
there told the New York Times there
had been no sign nor word Of the plane.
Mix heard the New York station ask
about the weather conditions con-
fronting the flyers in the Greenland
area. and the Mount Evans operator got
the Official weather forecaster out Of
bed 70 provide the information.
The report as wirelessed to Mix was:
Temperature. 55 maximum. So: partly
cloudy all dav Sunday; surface wind.
east Of 20 miles; barometer, 2S.45; fair
weather"
Landing in Greenland Hoped.
+, Mix who four years ago vas In the
Greenland territory as radio man on
the Donald Macmillan expedition. said
the greater Rockford might have reach
ed Greenland, but missed Mount Evans.
being forced to pick landing place
somewhere along the rocky coast line.
In such an event. Mix said. 1t would
be days before Hassell and Cramer
could get word of their safe descent to
the outside world, for Greenland is
aparsely populated and there are only
q few wireless sets there, hundreds Of
miles apart.
Charles Smith, a Philadelphia wire
less amateur. reported being in COM
fnunication yesterday with the Mac
Milan station aboard the schooner
Bowdoin, at anchor in Anatalak Bay.
ported that the plane had not been
seen by any member Of the Macmillan
party. nor had any message been heard
despite the fact that the Macmillan
operator had kept tuned on the planes
wave length Of 32s
II HasselI and Cramer succeeded in
landing In Greenland. there was spec
uiation rs 10 why they had made no
effort 70 communicate through their
own wireless set II was pointed out.
however, that difficulty might have
been experienced IN rigging q a'satisfac-
tory aerial or that the set might have
been damaged in landing
Weather Conditions Perfect
Prof w. H Hobbs, head Of the Uni
veysity Of Michigan expedition at
Mount Evans. wirelessed the Rockford
Chamber Of Commerce, sponsor Of the
fight, that the long delay In the planes
arrival could not be attributed 10
weather conditions Weather perfect
all last night and today Prof, Hobbs
I1essaged.
ANXIETY for the safety Of the flyers
81
Etes, mechanic sent ahead 10 Green
land 10 await the arrival Of the plane
II was 10 the Rockford Chamber Of
Commerce and said
NO sign Of Hassell get. Long over
due. Etes."
The Greater Rockford took off Thurs
day from Rockford and made the fight
10 Coci1rane, Ontario. without incident.
Starting the second leg Of the journey
an noon Saturday, the plane appeared
~ be making slower time than 1t had
on the flight from Rockford 70 Coch-
YsDe Reporting It's position over Fort
George River 393 miles from Coeh-
rsne ~ o'ciock Central standard
time the plane Vas making only about
90 miles All floUr An hour later if
wsTeIessed il WAS over Apiskigamish
Like 52s miles from Coehrane. and the
EFEf8 8H% eyEf0 Fn& - Att4Afg Gil 4}JNir
Radio Messages Hindered.
Several hours passed before further
word came from the plane the reason
probably being that strong Gibraltar
station communicating with 3 station
In Canada. set up interference that
gnut out reception Of the Greater Rock
ford's signals Finally, at am. Sun
cay. there came the message that the
plane was IS miles on Cape Chidley
aver Davis Sirslts~-the final and most
hazardous quarter Of the hep.
Al Rockford. where the good VIII
fight plans were born ard financed.
snziety increased as the hours stretch
ed long without word Of Hassell and
(granoer. The plane was due al Mount
pans at about 8 an. Central stand
srd time Duf II vas not until night
fhaf Rockford citizens began 10 show
,lgns of worry. for IL was realized that
t6e Mount Evans wireless station might
not haze been able 10 penetrate the
cavliaf1t hours When communication
~s.s established with Mount Evans.
i,oarHer and word came that Hssseii
hee rot arrived the city became
EisFnec
8rs Hsseell the flyers aife. and his