Evening star., 1936-12-06
FIRST CONTINENT
FLIGHT RECALLED
Cal Rodgers Drove Plane
From Coast to Coast
Fl Years Ago.
By HOward p. Bailey.

Cal ROQBerS HlSIOTlC QdSii-u IL COuu
be called that-from Sheepshead Bay,
Long Island, to San Francisco, a flight
beset with hazards and mishaps, and
the prelude to what eventually became
the fatal last fight of the relatively
unknown flyer.
1t so happens that the writer saw
the completion of the first leg of the
historic flight and the first of the
series Of Is crashes which slowed
Rodgers down to an elapsed time Of
"a days for the coast-to-coast trip.
1t was on September II, 1911, that
Rodgers took of from the Long Island
field in a Wright biplane Of the pusher
type, with the flyer seated out in front,
having no protection whatsoever from
the elements.
His plane, with a cruising speed Of
about mile minute. was OF type
which was obsolete almost before the
completion Of the flight. What re-
mains Of the original, stabilizer and a
pair of struts, is incorporated in the
craft in which he finally landed and
which is now on display at the Smith
sonian Institution.
Rodgers first hop was scheduled to
end. after about 70 miles, at Middle
town. N. Y.
A large crowd gathered at the cir
Gus grounds to await his landing,
interest fired to a fever heat at the
prospects of seeing the first airplane
in the city's history. Balloon ascen-
sions, with the famous Maggie Daley
making parachute hops, were the
city's only taste of aerial venturine
up to that time Before the plane
arrived a white baggage car carrying
enough spare parts to construct
nearly two planes had arrived over
the Erie Railroad. The car was
painted while, with large purple ad-
vertising signs of Vim Fizz, carbo-
mated grape drink which was popular
at the time.
THE Erie Railroad furnished Rod
= gers with his route marks, fol
he followed the Erie all the way tc
Chicago before going on westward
over other lines.
Rodgers hop to Middletown marked
a number of firsts. 1t was one Of the
longest flights up to that time. l,
was the start of the first transconti.
mental flight 1t was followed by the
first crack-up of the flight and il
marked the construction of the first
purely aeronautical article of clothing
Harry Hayes, president of the
Middletown Tannery, anticipating
Rodgers arrival, had a sheepskir
tanned and made into vest with WOO
side in.
A purse was raised among Middle
town citizens for presentation to
Rodgers and everything was set for
his arrival.
While the crowd waited, rumors by
the dozen spread like wildfire-that ht
had cracked up, that he had decided
not to start, that he had by-passeo
Middletown and decided to go all the
way to Binghamton, and then finally
came the real report that he hac
passed Goshen. miles south OF Mid
dletown. In a few minutes he ap'
peared as a speck in the sky, flying
however. at a low altitude, and g
great cheer went up. In a moment
or two, he set the plane down grace.
fully on the circus ground, and the
crowd almost mobbed him in its eager.
ness to greet him.
A brief speech Of welcome was made
by the Mayor, Ross NJ. Cox, after
which the purse, which was raised BY
the Middletown Times-Press, was pre-
sented by its managing editor, William
F. Bailey, who later became a mem.
ber of the staff of The Evening Star
and then Hayes presented Rodgers
with the vest, which he wore when.
ever he flew thereafter, even on the
fight on which he was killed.
ENTERTAINED like royalty, Rodger!
remained overnight in Middle.
town and prepared the following morn.
ing to start on for Binghamton.
An equally large crowd was on han,
to see him off, the school being dis
missed for that purpose. With hi
motor warmed up, and the plan
wheeled into position to start into tn
wind, Rodgers took off.
Almost Immediately 1t became ap
parent that he was having difficult
in gaining altitude, and the crow'
held its breath as he neared q lin
of trees. Realizing that ne coult
not rise over the trees, Rodger
turned his plane to one side, IN al
effort to 60 between them. but hi
wheels struck telephone wires and tn,
plane nosed down as the crowd criet
out in horror.
Fortunately, he was not injured
and the damage to the plane wa
limited largely to broken propellel
and few broken wires.
Repairs we're effected during tn,
day, and the following day he startet
on, this time taking off successful.
and going on to Binghamton for hi
second stop.
Months later, acclaimed as the out
standing flyer of his day, Rodgers me-
death while giving an exhibition owe
San Francisco Bay. As he few owe
the water, seagull was caught il
one of the wires running to his rud
ders, and the plane lurched. plungini
into the bay and carrying Rodgers t.
his death.
The 25-year story Of the airplant
since that time could hardly be better
summarized than to consider the
elapsed times for the coast-to-coast
flights. Rodgers time-84 days. To-
days record-less than 10 hours.