davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1936-08-09
Vast Fleet of Aerial Craft Contrasts Strik-
ingly With Three Crude Planes Which
Initiated New Arm of Service.

| 1909. Lieut.. Sweet, who did not be-
come an aviator himself, endeavored to
stimulate interest in the subject Of
aviation, however, and suggested the
use of pontoons in his report to the
Navy Department. The Navy, how
ever, was not ready for aviation and
no action was taken.
In 1910 Capt. w. I. Chambers,
U. S. N, who was assistant to the aide
for material in the Bureau of Equip
ment, Navy Department, attended the
aviation meets at Belmont Park, N. Y,
and at Halethorpe, near Baltimore, as
an official observer. Chambers. who
played long and important role in
early naval aviation, retired from the
Navy and died about two years ago,
after rising to the rank Of rear ad-
miral.
Approaching the potential value of
the airplane in naval warfare. Capt.
Chambers endeavored to interest the
Wright brothers in arranging for a
fight off United States man-of-war.
Wilbur Wright declined the offer for
the Wright company. but when Glenn
H. Curtiss was approached he said
that the Curtiss company was willing
to make the trial.
The necessary arrangements were
made by Capt Chambers and on No
vember IA, 1910, the Curtiss represen-
tative, Eugene Ely, successfully flew a
50-horsepoWer CurtisS land plane from
a platform hastily built on the bow of
the U. S. S. Birmingham at Hampton
Roads, Va. Ely was posthumously
awarded the Congressional Medal of
Honor last year for this achievement.
FOLLOWING this successful expert
ment, Curtiss agreed to instruct
several naval officers free Of charge,
as no money had as yet been appro-
priated by Congress for the develop
ment of naval aviation. Lieut.. T. G.
Ellyson was sent to the Curtiss camp
at San Diego, Calf, December %,
1910, and there became the first naval
officer to learn to fly.
The birth year of naval aviation,
1911, dawned auspiciously. On Janu-
ary 18 Mr.. Ely, then attached to the
Curtiss camp at San Diego. made a
successful landing with an airplane
on the deck of the U. S. S. Pennsyl-
vania, lying in San Francisco Harbor.
and the next day he flew this plane
back to shore from the deck on which
he had landed. During the same
month Curtiss and Lieut.. Ellyson per-
fected hydro-airplane pontoon at
tachment for airplanes, and the first
seaplane was given to the world
With the new hydro -airplane," on
January 26, 1911, Curtiss flew from the
water at his San Diego base, landed
alongside the U. S. S. Pennsylvania,
was hoisted aboard ship, subsequently
hoisted off again, and few back to his
camp. This performance. together
with the previous feats of Ely, gave a
very decided impetus to the develop
ment of naval aviation, not only in
this country but in all the leading ma
tions Of the world.
AS a result of Capt Chambers re-
Evening star., 1936-08-09

aviator was accomplished in the
Autumn Of 1911 by Lieut.. Rodgers, who
few from Annapolis to Washington
and then to College Park, where the
first Army airdrome had been estab-
lished a year earlier Rodgers returned
to Annapolis by way Of Baltimore and
Havre de Grace.
This was followed shortly by an even
more remarkable flight by Lieuts,
Ellyson and Towers, who few down
Chesapeake Bay from Annapolis to
Fortress Monroe. Va, and returned.
This flight virtually closed the first
Summer of naval aviation operations.
In the next year Towers established a
new world endurance record for sea-
planes by remaining in the air hours
and 20 minutes.
NAVAL aviation during its first year
had numbered four pilots Dur
ing 1912 the quartet was joined by the
following officers. who reported to the
aviation camp for flying instruction:
Naval Constructor Holden c. Richard
son, Lieuts. q. g. G. de Chevalier,
Patrick NJ L. Bellinger and w. D. Bill
Kingsley, and First Lieuts, A. A. Cum
ntngham and B. L. Smith, u S. NJ C.
OF this 1912 group, Capt. "Dick"
Richardson has won world renown
as an aircraft designer. After some
10 years in commercial aviation, as
a designing engineer, he returned
to the Navy as a Reserve officer on
extended active duty, and now is in
charge of the patents section of the
Bureau of AeronauticS Bellinger,
after one of the most glorious flying
careers in aviation history, today ranks
as No. 2 of the active Navy pilots.
Billingsley was the first man killed
in naval aviation. While in flight
with Lieut.. Towers as pilot, he was
catapulted out of the plane to instant
death on June 20, 1918, during flight
over Chesapeake Bay. AS a result
of his death safety belts were ordered
as standard equipment and now are
found on every airplane. None of
the others of the 1912 group remain
in aviation. Chevalier is dead, Cum
ningham retired and Smith resigned
from the Marine Corps.
The year 1912 saw the invention of
the catapult, a distinctly American
achievement and one which today
plays a vital role in naval aviation.
The first catapult was designed at
the Naval Gun Factory, Washington
Navy Yard, under the supervision
of Capt. Chambers. The first shot
attempted, with Lieut.. Ellyson as pilot,
was unsuccessful. The catapult was
redesigned by Richardson and Lieut.
Ellyson was successfully catapulted
October IL, 1912, from float at the
Washington Navy Yard.
A MOTHER important naval aviation
"A development Of 1912 was the con-
struction of the Navy Aerodynamical
Laboratory at the Washington Navy
Yard. This laboratory. or wind tun-
mel, was built under supervision OF
Naval Constructor D. w. Taylor to
Evening star., 1936-08-09
UNIQUE Walk Is Built With Many Gifts From Friends

paper clippings and booklets. MANY
Of the stones in the walk I know by
sight" he stated, sin the case of others
I have to look in the book to refresh
my memory"
Several stones in the walk were
taken from historical places associated
with the immortal Washington. One
came from Fort Necessity, built by
Washington in 1854, when he was
fighting the French and Indians; an
other from the Molly Pitcher well, near
Freehold, N. j., where was fought the
battle of Monmouth, and still another
came from the banks of the Delaware,
where washington made his famous
crossing, and was carefully preserved
in one family $50 years. A piece of
stone from the ruins of a mill built
by washington at Great Falls. Va, is
also in the walk.
American battlefields are we'll rep
resented. There is chunk of rock
from Cedar Mountain, in Virginia,
where Stonewan Jackson drew his
sword; also a stone each from the
Antietam and Monocacy battlefields,
in Maryland; stone from the battle
field at Princeton, N. j., and one from
the place where was fought the battle
of Long Island.
One port of the walk Is a piece of
Fort McHenry, and near it is a piece
OF Fort Frederick, in MARYLAND, and
a small black piece set in cement is
nothing less than of Fort Ticonderoga.
THE most historic brick in the walk,
states Mr.. Martin, was taken from
the ruins Of the John Amber House,
one Of the first erected ON Jamestown
Island. Probably the most Interesting
stones in the walk, according to Mr..
Martin, is a combination of two one
set into the other; and the story is
this: When Z. K. Hall. known through
Evening star., 1936-08-09
Private Company Gave First Training to
Navy Airmen-First Seaplane Designed
in 1911-Early Flights Dangerous.

provide a means for finding the en-
gineering basis for the design of
naval aircraft and was the first wind
tunnel of modern type to be built in
the United States. This wind tunnel
was then, and remained for many
years, the largest and most powerful
in the world.
In January, 1918, the naval avia-
ton detachment went to sea. 1t was
transported by Navy collier to Guam
tanamo, Cuba, for its first operation
with the feet. The Cuban camp was
commanded by Lieut.. Towers subject
to orders from the commander in
chief of the fleet. Numerous tests
were made of the employment Of air
planes in cooperation with ships and
many of the feet officers became more
or less familiar with aviation.
While the unit was at Guantanamo
several notable flights were made
along the Cuban coast and the use
fulneSs of aircraft as scouts in dis
covering the approach Of a distant
fleet and in detecting mine fields and
submarines was amply and prac-
tically demonstrated. With the return
of the feet to the United States after
the Winter maneuverS, the aviation
detachment was transferred back to
Annapolis again and continued under
command of Lieut.. Towers.
In 1918 there was another influx
of new blood into naval aviation.
Those reporting for flight training
during the year included Lieut.. Comdr.
H. C. Muslin, Lieuts. 81. G) J. NJ.
Murray, R. c. Sauf1ey and M. l..
Stolz; Second Lieut.. William Nc
Ilvaine. U. S. M. c.; Ensign w. D.
Lamont and j. B. Rockwell, c. E. c..
a Navy civilian engineer. Muslin.
who became the commander Of the
first naval aviation station, rose to
the post of assistant chief of the Bu-
reau of Aeronautics in 1922 and died
about 10 years ago. Murray was
killed February 16, 1914, in crash
at Pensacola; Stolz died in a crash
May 8, 1915; Rockwell crashed to his
death in California May "a. 1916, ana
IIucC "CCho IobNL N1e10AASJ NAeSoAA~A
and died during an endurance flight
in California. McIlvaine later left
| the service.
IN JUNE, 1918. Lieut.. Bellinger
hung up worlds seaplane record
for altitude by ascending to $500
feet in As minutes in Curtiss sea-
plane. Lieut.. Smith, by taking OF
from the water alighting on the land
and then returning to the water, made
the first successful flight in an am
phibion, or combined land and water
aircraft, in the Summer of 1918.
During 1918 Capt. Richardson con-
Quoted series of model basin tests
on the planning properties of seaplane
floats and hulls which, according to
the Navy Department, have proved
to be perhaps the most important and
fruitful research ever undertaken BY
the Navy" Richardson for the first
! CONTINUED on Eighth Page)
Evening star., 1936-08-09

vicinity, he said, and the work pro-
gressed slowly. Then one afternoon
a friend drove up with a rock for his
walk, and that gave him an idea.
He reasoned that if this friend could
hunt up a rock for him other friends
could do the same.
Then came another idea. Why not
ask each friend to select stone from
some historical place?
A few letters explaining the idea
and the stones began to arrive, usu-
ally accompanied by written or verbal
descriptions of the places whence
taken. Some of the stones were taken
from places that were usually care
fully guarded, he revealed, and some
of his friends could be arrested as q
result. One of them just escaped the
clutches of the law and was forced to
give up his treasure, but most OF the
stones were acquired in q perfectly
legitimate manner.
MR.. MARTIN regards his walk as
AvA a strictly personal affair. for the
stones, every one of which was laid by
him, represent friends or bring back
memories of pleasant trips.
Beginning at the street, he has laid
che rocks in a systematic manner. and
as they were received he gradually ex-
tended the walk to his front door
step, a distance of about so feet, each
stone possessing a definite historical
Significance Of its own, as well as being
a token of friendship.
Mr.. Martin kept a permanent record
of each friends contribution. He made
out a chart with the number OF the
stone, followed by the contributor
name. He also has special file In
which he has kept all correspondence
in regard to this friendship walk.
and descriptions Of places from which
stones were taken, including news
Evening star., 1936-08-09

struction in the art Of flying. They
became naval aviators Nos. 2, 3 and 4,
in the order named.
Ellyson was killed In an airplane
accident at Norfolk. Va, February %,
1928, and Rodgers, hero of the incom-
pleted but the first attempted flight
from the United States to Hawaii, in
1925, who later became assistant chief
of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics,
was killed in an accident at Philadel-
phia. This left Towers as No. Of the
living aviators. Herbster has retired.
Two Curtiss and one Wright planes
were purchased by the Navy out Of its
first 5000 appropriation and in the
Summer of 1911, just 25 years ago, the
Evening star., 1936-08-09
By Joseph S. Edgerfon.

TWENTY-FIVE years ago this
Summer, on the banks of the
Severn River at Greenburg
Point, near the Naval Academy
at Annapolis, naval aviation was born.
There, at the first aviation camp"
three airplanes were delivered early in
the Summer, and there the late Lieut.. T.
G. Ellyson, first naval aviator, was
launched from an overhead cable to
make the first official naval fight.
Today, after a brief quarter of a
century, United States naval aviation
ranks as the worlds foremost naval
aviation force, and hundreds of pilots
now fly in the sleek, powerful, high
speed airplanes of the modern feet for
every one of the pioneers who risked
his life 25 years ago in the open
seated, fragile ships which earned the
derision of the old-line Navy men Of
that day.
Still, despite the hazards of early
Navy flying, when every flight was an
experiment and an adventure of high
order, there are number of naval
aviation pioneers still in the active
flying service after from 20 to Is years
of flying. Others have been retired
from the service after distinguished
careers. Many others gave their lives
in the colorful pioneering period which
preceded the mass production days
of the World War, when aviation be-
gan to settle down as the integral part
Of the fleet which it has become today.
OF the earliest naval aviation pio-
neers-those of the first two years OF
fying-four still hold active naval
aviation assignments. These officers,
each with "a or Is years of active fly
ing behind him. are Capt. John H.
Towers, now naval aviator No. l, who
today is chief of staff on the staff of
the commander of Aircraft, Battle
Force; Capt. Patrick N. L. Bellinger,
now commander of the Navy'S newest
aircraft carrier, the U. S. S. Ranger;
Comdr. Earl w. Spencer, executive and
second in command of the Ranger,
and Capt. Kenneth Whiting, now in
command of the Fleet Air Base, Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii Another of the first
three Navy pilots, Comdr. II. v. Herb
ster, retired last year.
THE whole pageant of mans con-
l. quest of the air, from the days
when q flight of 40 miles was mar
vel, a speed of 40 miles per hour was
regarded as wonderful and duration
fights were measured in minutes, to
the present, when nonstop flights Of
more than 5000 miles have been
made, speed records have passed 400
miles per hour and aviators, by re-
fueling in flight, have remained in the
air a month, is welded into the an
mails of naval aviation.
The Navy first investigated the pos
sibllities of aviation for naval purposes
in 1908, when Lieut.. G. c. Sweet and
Naval Constructor McIntee were de-
tanned as observers for the test of the
Wri-ht airplane at Fort Myer, Va, in
Evening star., 1936-08-09

O fast Navy fighting plane, the last word in aircraft
moderny. () Looking down the deck of the aircraft
carrier Lexington 3 One of the huge seaworhy patrol
planes which the eyes of the Navy () The Navy
Air Force it looked in l9ll ( The Navys first plane
and its first pilot, now Comdr. T. G. Elyson (6) An
early Navy plane taking off from improvsed flight
deck the U. S. S. Pennsylvania. () Lieut.. J. H.
Towers in 1911. (S) Comdr. Towers today.
Evening star., 1936-08-09

ports and recommendations on avia-
ton, the first aviation appropriation Of
$4,000 was included in the 191l-12
naval appropriation act, passed early
in 1911.
On March 10, 1911, Capt. Chambers
received orders assigning him to the
Bureau of Navigation, Navy Depart
ment, and directing him to devote his
efforts exclusively to aviation and to
the coordination of the aeronautical
work Of the various bureaus. The Navy
Department is frank to admit that his
Evening star., 1936-08-09

efforts were coldly received. Here Is
the official Navy version:
This officer struggled with the many
difficulties which always present them
selves to those to whom fate assigns
the difficult task of injecting new ideas
and a new activity into a staid and
elderly organization. The Navy as a
whole was not interested and Capt.
Chambers worked alone and unassisted
to build UP a naval aviation establish
ment."
EARLY in 1911, Lieut.. John Rodgers,
- Lieut.. John H. Towers and Ensign
v. D. Herbster we're ordered to the
Curtiss and Wright Co. bases for in
Evening star., 1936-08-09

first naval aviation unit was organized
and established in a camp at Green
burg Point. on Government land.
Soon after the camp had been estab-
lished the first naval seaplane was
flown off a suspended cable, with Lieut..
Ellyson at the controls The camp
was transferred to San Diego on land
adjoining the Curtiss camp for the
Winter months of 1911-12. but was
moved back to Annapolis the following
Summer. where tent hangers were set
up fronting the Severn River.
The first notable flight by a naval
Evening star., 1936-08-09

Continued on Eighth Page.)
Evening star., 1936-08-09

CONTINUED on Second Page)
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-10
CHANGES INFECT LOCAL OFFICERS
Lieut. Colonel Bronson ls Placed in Charge of
 4Olst 0. M. Regt.

Two new Quartermaster Divisions have been organized in the state to replace the 78th Division Train and the 76th Quarternaster Company, which were disbanded last June, according to announcement from organized reserve headquarters. Lieut.. Col. Bonnet Bronson of Wa terbury has been appointed Co C0In- mand the new 40lst QuarterInaster regiment, which is the 76th divi- sion QM regiment. Several other local reserve officers have been giv- en important posts.
 Lieut.. Col. Bronson will serve as commanding officer at headquar- ters of the 40lst. He will be as- sisted by several officers from va rious cities of the state.
 Capt. Thomas Martin of Water bury has been named to serve as staff adiutant at headquarters of the 9th QM regiment. Lieut.. John M. Phillips of Woodbury will serve as commanding officer of the serv- ice company of the 9th QM reg iment.
 Lieut.. Ralph Munger of this city will serve as assisting officer for headquarters 1st battalion. An- other local officer in the same group is Lieut.. Frank P. McCue.
 Lieut.. George Scott of Waterbury will serve as assistant officer with headquarters Sd Battalion.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-10
Produce Market
Furnished by Connecticut Department of Agriculture. B. P. StOrrs. local agent.)
Furnished by State Department of
 Aer~to.S1tVY~a n1,raou Af Haphrakc

Furnished by State Department of
 Agriculture, Bureau of Markets
 Tomatoes, peppers and caulihower were in very good demand on the Waterbury farmers market this morning. Good quality tomatoes brought from .75-1 % per Ia bushel. Peppers cleared well at from .40-.75 per bushel. Liberal supplies of cauli- flower sold readily at l.2S-l.85 per dozen. All the other items were plentiful and continued low priced. Hand picked apples were light in supply and held firmly by sellers, but windfalls were liberal and rea- sonable in price.
 Increased offerings of potatoes were on sale but held firmly at from 1.05-l.15 per bushel. Much of of. the increased supply came from the Hartford area.
 The following quotations are based on sales of first grade native products to retailers at the farmers or wholesalers stores, except as otherwise noted:
 EMO41G
 Apples, McIntoch 1.5O-2.O0 bu., No. 2 and drops, .75-1.00 bu., Greetings, Baldwin, etc., 1.O0.1.2S per bushel., Grapes, .50-.6O 1-2 bur-, Pears, Bart lett -.50-2.0O bu., Sheldon and Anjou .5O-.75 1-2 bu.
 VEGETABLES
 Beans, green 1.75-2.00 bu., limas, 1.35-1.50 bu., shell, 1.25-1.75 bu.
 Beets, .25-.35 doz., Broccli .S5..5O box; Cabbage, .50-.7S bu., Carrots .2S-.35 doz. punches; cut .4O-.50 1-2 bu, Celery, .50-.90 doz, Egg Plant .35..5O dox., lettuce .75-1.O0 box, western Iceberg $6.50-S7.00 crate; Onions .75-1.O0 bu., Peas, western 2.05-2.75 bu., Peppers; Green .SO-.40 bu., red .35-.7S bu., potatoes, 1.O5 1.15 bu., l!SO-2.l0 cwt., spinach, .60- IS bu., tomatoes, .7S-1.0O 1-2 bu. tomatoes, (green) .3O-.A0 1.2 bu., turnips, white .25..AO 1-2 bu., yellow canadian 1.1O-1.25 bu.
 POULTRY PRODUCTS - Conn. eggs per dog; Newlaid Fancy 50; Special .4S..4S dOz., Extra .43-.45 dog; Gathered .40-.42; Newlaid med, .3S; Special med.. .S5-.SS; Exc tra med. .S4-.35; bullets, .27-.29; western firsts, .29-.30;
 Live fowl; heavy, .lS-.20 lb; Leg horn .16-.1S ID; BrOilers, reds, .l9- % lb., rocks, .19-.23 lb., leghorn, .16-.19 h., Roasters, 1928 Ibi dressed, fowl, .25-.27 h., broilers, .2S-.S0 h., roasters, .31..34 ID.
 LIVESTOCK, MEATS and BUT TER-Butcher stock, cows, .O3-.05
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-10
SLAYER OF WOMAN. BELIEVED AT SEA
Boston Shoe Models Body Found in Harbor
 Monday
BY EpWARp HERRrCK

(United Press Stan Correspondent
 Boston, Oct. 10-(UP)-Search for the slayer of Mrs. Grayce As- quith, whose burlap-wrapped legs were found in Boston Harbor Mon- day, turned toward the sea again as police topped the list of suspects with the name of fishing boat enc gineer.
 This man, one of several who vied for the affections of the small blonde widow who once modelled shoes, was missing from his usual haunts and authorities strove to de- termine whether he was at sea on regular fishing trip.
 A theory still under consideration was that both Mrs. Asquith and John Albert CAD Lyons, disabled naval veteran described as her sweetheart, had been slain in her cottage at suburban East Wey- mouth by the third member of Q love triangle.
 Unheard from by his friends since the night of Sept. 10, when he vis- tied the Asquith home, Lyons did not even appear Oct. 1 to collect his $50 montly compensation for disability attributed to naval Serv- ice. Oficial belief that Lyons may have been the second victim in a double murder was shared by his closest friend, Guy F. Hawkins of Quincy, a former merchant ma rine officer.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-10
JUSTICE BALKS
 MARRIAGE PLANS
Fine Results in "Wedding Breakfast" Failure in
 WestpOrt

Westport, Conn, Oct. l0--(UP)- Ethel Smith Atwell, divorced wife of the stuttering radio comedian, and Cyril Toliey, dunked doughnuts at restaurant counter early today, apparently downcast over their fail- urc to make 1t 6 wedding break fast"
 They had planned to be married in the window of e beer tavern last night but the justice of peace fail- ed to show up with the marriage license. Mrs. Atwell, clad in white shorts and Q sweater, climbed into the display window early in the evening and stood behind sign reading wedding here at 800 o'clock tonight"
 A few minutes later Tolly, claim ing to be relative of the noted British golfer, stepped into the win. dow and posed with a golf club and c ball.
 AZ 8 D. m, the crowd got rest less. Mrs. Atwell and Tolley leaned over the bar while photographers snapped their pictures.
 Toward midnight, when 1t was apparent the justice didn't intend to appear, the lovers, both of whom were arrested earlier in the week on breach of peace and intoxication chrages following a tourist camp party, motored to New York's "dretna Green" at Armonk. The justice's fee of $25 baked their marriage plans and they returned to Westport.
 No date has been set for the wedding.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-10-10
WITNESSES ADMIT
 PALKA SHOT COPS

Bridgeport, Conn.,, Oct 10-(UP) -The state today had produced two witnesses who testified that Frank Palka admitted to them he shot two policemen after Q radio store rob- bery here year ago.
 They were Jack Burke, brother of an alleged accomplice of Palka, and Thomas Evans, Q roommate of the accused youth.
 Palka is being retried for the slay- ing of sergt. Thomas Kearney on a states appeal from Q second degree murder conviction last spring.
 Burke said Palka told him the same night of the shooting that he had wounded Kearney and Patrol man Wilfred Walker, and that he appeared to be sober.
 During the earlier trial Palka tes- tified he had been so drunk he did not recall the robbery or the shoot- ing.
 Evans corroborated Burke's testi- mony and identified hte grips of a revolver said to have been used by Palka, which were found in the radio store after the robbery.
 It was on information obtained from Evans in october, 1885, that Palka was arrested at Buffalo, N. Y., and returned here to be indicted on two charges of murders in the first degree by a superior court grand jury.