AERONAUTICS: Magellans

Rain and storm fought the U. S. fliers, journeying from Manhattan to Washington in their attempt to keep an appointment with their Commander-in-Chief, the President of the U. S. A worn-out gear brought Lient. Nelson down near Baltimore, and he was obliged to continue in an escorting plane. A dense fog at Aberdeen, Md., brought down the whole exhibition for lunch and rest till the weather cleared. For four hours the presidential party waited in drizzling rain at Boiling Field. But Mr. Coolidge took the matter good-naturedly, welcomed the national heroes with unabated enthusiasm, examined every part of the planes. “Who would have thought the President would meet us?” cried Lieut. Smith.

From Washington they flew to Dayton, where mechanics worked all night in relays to overhaul the planes. A new engine was installed in Wade’s plane, the Boston II. Repaired, they flew on to Chicago, where once more they rested.

Torn by the wind, worn, burnt out and battered, these were crippled birds. Over the tilting continent they limped on raveled wings. Their lifting power was now so impaired, due to the yield of fabrics and skeleton, that they could not attain an elevation of more than 6,500 ft. The bastions ,of the Rockies, therefore, were impassable; they felt obliged to skirt them. The route was changed. Leaving Chicago, they were scheduled to fly, not by way of Cheyenne and Salt Lake City, but to veer south, with Omaha, Dallas and Tucson as their main stopping places on the sky trail to California.