1 10 20 https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/fa0f36e9df2c5ae682329cbd11499d24.pdf 6cc9ef34c5fa2427ad3490aface06173 PDF Text Text N. WolB GHOST T0W4S OP THE NORTHWEST Bnowi and Unknown k('^l('6 Other Books by the Authori All About Grizzly Bears All About The Vhlte«Talled Deer �Title Page by Norman D. Weis GHOST TOWNS OP THE NORTHWEST Known and Unknown Illustrated by the Author �Dedication To J. M, W �N. Weis PRBPACS Ghost towns are quiet places• nothing moves about. Little or Thia charaoterlatlo Is faith* fully preserved -* In fact enhanced — through the process of still photography. Mediocre scenes of deserted buildings seem to gain quality through the Imposing remains, becked by developing process. puffy clouds, become near classics. It is the stillness of ghost towns that appeals to the maker of pictures. This book is a collection of photographs, with a little history, adventure and humor sandwlohed randomly between. The historical accounts InoludMdare as accurate as the reference sources available, and as reliable as the Individuals Interviewed. In the belief that history need not be tedious or boring, I have attempted to slip the facts In painlessly ** In some oases almost subliminally. The humor fell I In place quite by accident. Old timers remembered first the tall tales, then the fact, and often the facts were hilarious. Prone to stupid mistakes, and *1 �N. Weis suffering from a mild oase of "foot in mouth disease," I contributed my own share of misunderstandings and embarasslng moments. A writer may quite accidentally mislead his readers by extolling the past glories of a particular ghost town while excluding any mention of Its present remains. Numerous old photos complete the Illusion, and the reader Is convinced that the town la worth at least a week end visit. Too often I have traveled more than one hundred miles to explore such well descrllied sites, only to find that a dam built forty years ago put it under eighty feet of water, or that a bowling alley had been built on Ita bulldozed remains, and It in turn had burned to the ground. For this reason the photographs In this book are accurate renditions of present remains. A few old photos have been included, but they arc clearly labeled as such. Between ten and fifteen ghost towns from each of the five northwest states were ohosen to be treated In this book. Included. Some well known favorites were At these sites, the effort was primarily on a new approach to a well known story, or an elabora* tlon on some new aspect freshly uncovered, A concerted effort was made to search out some "unknowns" In each state ** towns that have had ptr/gee �N. Vols little or no mention In print. A large fart of the text 18 devoted to the searoh for these sites and their subsequent exploration. That Is where the adventure ooaes In. The effort, of oourse, was not all mine, and X am privileged to thank those whose asslstanoe was so willingly given. Suggestions oonoernlng the text, solicited of Mike Herblson and Marie Stewart, were of great help. Wilhelm Ossa and Joo Stewart gave valuable advice on the selection of photographs. Senator Gale McGee of Wyoming was Instrumental In procuring the topographic maps vital to the searoh for *unknown* sites. There were many who offered help and hospitality along the way, and to them X have expressed ay appreciation In the text. Here are some folk not otherwise mentioned, who deserve my thanks« Mr. Antonloll of Butte, Montana, owner of Kirkville, Montana, The unnamed old timer at Galena, Idaho, who shared with me a very welcome pot of coffee on a rainy afternoon. Gale Ontko of the Bureau of Land Management, Prineville, Oregon, �N. WU-.J Mr. and Mra. Paul Gorbalay of Blewett, Washington. John Meek of Boulder, Colorado Mr. and Mrs. Hoerer of Atlantio City, Wyoming. The personnel of the State Arohives, Museums and Libraries of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. The U. S, Weather Bureau employees of Bozeman, Montana, who gave me aooess to satellite photos and helped me determine how to esoape the oloud hiding smoke of forest fires drifting down from Canada and Alaska. Numerous mine engineers, hoist operators, muokers, and prospeotors, espeolally the old hand I met in Northern Idaho that proudly showed me his three peanut butter Jars full of gold nuggets* 1 �N. Weis Lastly, for adding a little eploe to life, 1 would like to thank the two eighty year old oltlsene of a onoe booming town In aouthem Wyoming, who, Inaulted at ay BUggestlon that their town was nearly a ghost, stood up as one and ohallenged me to a fightt �Contents PART I - OREGON Page Sumpter........................................ • • . Granite .............. Whitney . Galena Susanville Richmond . Lonerock Ashwood Horse Heaven Antelope Shaniko Boyd ... .. .............. ... ...................... Placer ........................ Greenback. ................................... Golden ........................ PART II-WASHINGTON Area 1 Liberty. H/ewett Disautel ...................... ........................ • •. ................ .. Area 2 Molson. ................ .................. Chesaw Bolster «...•••« H^avlllah Area 3 Bodie..................................... • • •. Old Todora........................ • •.. Sheridan Mine Camp Sheridan (Town)••••«..••• PART III IDAHO Area 1 Leesburg................. ••• Cobalt Yellow Jacket................ •. • • �Area 2 Bayhorse, Bonanza (City) Custer. Sawtooth City Vienna . ................ .............. Area 3 zj Idaho City Placerville ka<^CaaiDaok Mining Gamp -^Golden Age Gamp PAHT IV- WYOMING Area 1 Atlantic City . South Pass City..,. . Pacific Springs..... Miners Delight . The Duncan ........................ Lewiston . Area 2 Port Steele. Benton Carbon Timber Town Walcott. ........................... . PART V - MONTANA Area 1 Jardine Electric Aldridge . Corwin Springs Area 2 Cable..•. Red Lion. Tower.... Granite.. Kirkville Area Pony Red Bluff.... Virginia City Nevada City,. Ruby .............. �N. Wel8 IWTRODUCTIOH For several years the exact definition of the term "ghost town" has eluded me* A ^ost town should, of course, display only a shadow of Its former glory. Ideally it would he completely deserted, full of two and three story false fronted hulldingo, all of them completely furnished and undisturbed. The town should appear as If the entire population had gone to a funeral and failed to return. To top It off, a tumbleweed should blow down the dusty main street, bouncing In rhythm with the banging of loose shutters and the soreeoh of unolled hinges. But that's not the way It Is. Perhaps such a perfect example awaits discovery, but I fear that I shall never find It. I've seen the tumbleweed, but the buildings were mere heaps of rubble. The rattling shutters were theretOoo, but the buildings were single storied and empty ofwmares. buildings? Three story false fronted Xes, but the town was yet alive. About the closest I could come to a proper definition was that "the place excited me." Bxolted me enough to recommend that others travel perhaps fifty miles to see It. It Is a poor definition, and «!• �N. Wel8 Z*a happy to twap It for ono proposed quite off hand by a gentleman from Spray, Oregon* I oalled him "The Sage from Spray,* beoauee he had a oonatruotlve* althou^ oaustlo oomment to make on every subject broached• He watched ae 1 spread maps out on the counter* He listened as 1 asked questions about some of the towns In the vlolnlty* X number of Interested folk volunteered Information on this and that town, designating several as genuine ghost towns. Finally the "Sage" took Issue. "Hell, X don't see how you kuys oan oall them places ghost towns I They's Just like any other town 'oept they ain't hardly no one livin' there —•—* Part of the fascination of ghost town hunting comes from the wide array of hazards Involved* Bad roads are the rule, and a four-wheel drive vehiole la a must. But four«wheel drive is of little oomfort when ruts are deep enough to let the differentials drag. With the slightest effort, one oan become hie^» centered, spinning all four wheels free and clear. back roads, distances between gas stations oan be unbelievable. When the tank gauge reeds "zerc^" one becomes apprehensive, but the addition of a five gallon of reserve tank of gas wipes out all fears* On �N. Weis But soon the gauge reads "zero** again, and your goal ohanges froa deserted towns to "soae sign of olvlll* zatlon,* Hlraoulously, Z never had to walk for gas. Often the tank read less than eapty when a serrloe station was finally reaohed, Baoh tlae X aarked the needle's position with a felt pen> At the end of two months, X had a fan shaped array of marks extending to what should have been a minus one* quarter tank. Having taken preoautlons oonoernlng oil (four extra quarts) and gas, the only meohanloal trouble was dlslooatlon of the drive-shaft support, ZiOoated In the exact oenter of the vehlole. It was vulnerable to any rook more than six Inches high. Ten or twelve hard whaoks with a one pound sledge always put It baok in reasonable position. After half a dozen straightenings, It began to weaken, and finally had to be replaced. Some problems encountered Irhlle ghost town hunting are compounded by the bad habits common to most photographers. Often looking through the view­ finder, and seldom watching their feet, they are forever backing up while looking forward. Snakes and open shafts abound *« and nails ** nails are *3* �K. Welfl there by the thousand — firmly embedded and pointing straight up* eaoh one a rusty Invitation to lookjaw* By far the greatest obstaole faolng the would be visitor to a ghost town Is Initially locating the alto, A searoh of the existing literature will reveal the obvious towns, and an In-depth Investigation Into the records and photos In various state archives will turn up a few more, also quite well known. Post offloe records and county seat plat books will give up their share of secrets. Fishermen, hunters, bottle diggers, state patrolmen, and of course, the old timers are valuable sources for searching out the lesser known sites. Old timers are often difficult to locate, but It Is worth the effort, for the benefits are twofold. As one proceeds to gather Information on sites already visited, clues to additional ghost towns come to light. None of the adorementioned methods are quite as productive as a systematic searoh of topographic maps. Multitudes of "possibles" can be pinpointed for later Investigation. The United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.) maps are among the most responsive to careful analysis. A complete set of such maps for a given state are available at most libraries. The job of searching eaoh map — square mile by square �N. Wais mils — oan be tedious. A asp may require a mere ten minutes of study, but there are many maps to soan. There are more than eight hundred and fifty U.S.0.3. maps for the State of Montana alone. The moat common is the minute nap, labeled beoause It encompasses 7| minutes of longitude and latitude. These terms are not Important as long as one realizes that suoh a map covers an area approximately six miles east and vest, by nine miles north and south. The scale Is listed as li 24,000, but Is more easily understood as approximately 2i Inches to the mile. That la quite a large and revealing scale. Every building Is shown as a square, filled In If oooupled, and empty If empty. lay. Forests are shown In green over­ Surveyors claim that even a three foot bush Is represented by a tiny green dot. cate the steepness of slope. Contour lines Indi­ Where they lie close, the grade Is steep — where there are few, it Is relatively level. Every creek, ridge, road, railroad, shaft, tunnel, and prospect holo Is supposed to be Indloated, but map makers to make mistakes. Buildings are left out and extra lakes are oooaslonally thrown In. Onoe a feature Is listed on a map. It Is generally carried along through future revisions. This perpetuation �N. Vela aakea Boat naps aooldentally hlstorloaX In nature. The original map date Is always listed, and one may assume any buildings shown were actually In exlstenoe on that date. When a topo map shows a town of considerable outlay, and the same town Is missing or Indicated minimally on a road map, then It may be considered a possible ghost town worthy of Investi­ gation, Other signs that tip off the presenoe of ghost town are dead end roads and railroads, mine shafts, tunnels and prospect holes. Unnamed buildings set in a row often indicate a company town. Tailings denoted by small *v" shaped marks are sure Indications of a past mining effort. indicative. The very name of a town Is You may ignore "Kennedy Heights" and "Plaza Park," as they are sure to be modem communities, but "Galena,* "Ironton," and "Copperopolis" are good bets. Xt has been my ezperience that if chosen carefully, about twenty-five per cent of the sites selected prove to be ghost towns. The percentage is enhanced by the cartographer*s occasional use of the terms "abandoned" or "site," The U.S.G.S. publishes many maps of leaser scale that cover larger territories. The 15 minute map covers an area approximately thirteen by eighteen -6- �N. Vela alias and Its soals is approxlaately ens Inch to ths alls. Harder to road than ths 7| minute map* It la still valuable, and Is often ths only topo map available. The two maps reproduced here are typloal examplea of ths 7^ and 15 minute topos. Bach map has the Important Items labeled and explained. If you oan rsasmber that ths top of a map Is north, and that saoh red square Is a square mils, ths rest is easy. Topographic maps may be obtained through local retailers, but stooka afe often limited. The Denver section of the 5,3,0.3. offers for sals all of the maps covering the Western United States. The Denver Distribution Section U. S. Geological Survey Denver Federal Center * Building 41 Denver, Colorado 80225 address I Upon request, free copies of state Index maps will be supplied. Desired maps oan be readily selected with the aid of these “keys." Ths prices of topo maps are generally fifty cents saoh, with discounts on quantity orders, Note to Edltori (continued on page (D ) following are two sheets describing the two maps Included. Also Included Is a uses symbol sheet •- all, part, or none of It nay be used as filler. ��N. Weis Map desorlptlon of the Badium Springe alnute map. (iiSl®.* reproduoe map with no reduction or enlarge* aent.) Trim edges if required. This la a portion of the Badlum Springe, VyoBlng 7i minute topogxaphlo map. shown as solid double lines. Dirt roads are The dashed lines Indloate unimproved dirt roads or trails. Item A proved to be "The Good Hope Mine," a most soenlo rello. B Indicates The Oregon Trail. Note the Trail merging with the road, then passing through Lewiston, item D. Little is known of this remote Wyoming ghost town, and small bits of Information gleaned from mpe are often important. There were two very old log buildings just as Indicated, one a false fronted store, the other a livery. B la "The Hidden Band Hine," conveniently labeled and complete with hoist house and smithy, on the map. P Indicates another mine not shown Named "The Iron Duke," It would be a nameless site, except for >eraovorlng memories of old timers living in the area. Items H and I represent a small mining complex and extensive tailings. One of the buildings by the mine shaft Is the home of the only surviving prospector on the Sweetwater Blver, ficant. Items C and 0 proved to be insigni­ �BODIE MTN. QUADRANGLE WASHINGTON 15 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) )40f_ J_^aCOO=f.£' V- 'J? 118*45' ib-4 pKA^mAN ’I ?4fi0000 F€£l Service SCALE 1:62500 4 milcs ROAD CLASanCATK 71000 rCEl *nission HeCiu^'duCy RiLOMPrcfls tods -- Li^t-dij UmiTiDrMCd <)*1. . . . J CONTOUR INTERVAL 50 FtET MTUM IS MEAN SEA LEVEL QU^IMUX LOCATION BODiE N NASAS-^ AmOXrKAff MfAN OeCLlNATiON. }9Sa THIS MAP COMPlIES *I’H NAIIOMAL MAP ACCUHACV SIANtlAPOS FOR SALE BY U S GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DENVER 25. COLORADO OR WASHINGTON 25, D. C. A FOLOEH OCSCmaiNO lOPOaBAPMIC MAPS ANO SYMBOLS IS AVAILABLE ON RtqUEST �N. Welfl Hap desorlptlon, Bodie Mountain 15 minute map* ilo^t Preserve the scale on this map also. Trim if desired, Approxlniately one-fourth of the Bodie Moiintaln, Washington* 15 minute topographic map Is shown here. Upon Investigation* Item A turned out to he a mixture of old sawmill remains and relatively modem oahlns* Xt was clearly not a ghost town, B* labeled "Bodie*** Is a small but well known ghost town* The building on the left Is a schoolhouse• Those on the right are old stores and resldenoes of Bodie* some of whloh have been converted to vacation homes. C Is **01d Todora," shown on the map. Only one building Is Actually there are a number of buildings at the site* making Old Todora a ghost town worth visiting. The "Old Sheridan Hine," D, was Indeed old, and consisted of far more than was shown on the map. Item P Is the town of Sheridan, one of the finest "unknown" ghost towns visited* The two empty buildings Indicated on the map are large story log structures. In addition* there are nearly a dozen other buildings standing In town* along with a fancy frame hotel* now partially collapsed* Item E was not visited, due to over Indulgence concerning Item P. 9* �N. Weis Finding the site on the nap is the first step — getting there is often a di^loult second. Hew reads frequently sake aeoess to old reads diffi* oult. Broded trails and looked gates oan stop the best of baok»ootmtry vehloles, hut there Is little to inhibit foot travel. Walking is time consuming and tiring, and the trail seems always to be steep. A five mile hike may be required to reach a deserted site, and often as not, one will find the old town has been newly converted to a ski resort, acoessed from the other side of the hill by an excellent black top road. Onoe found, photographing the site Is a Filn is cheap compared to gasoline, simple natter, so plenty of variations in angle and exposure are in order. Clouds add tremendously to most scenes, but like a watched pot, clouds are slow to cooperate when closely observed. A paperback book was an item of standard equipment. A dozen pages always seemed to lure the clouds into proper position. Plus X pan professional film was preferred for the black and white photographs, and was exposed through a yellow 2 X filter. color shots, Bktaohrome X was used for the The Praktlslx 2J x 2i reflex camera was my favorite. It handled well and produced pictures -10- �N. Weis equal In quality to that of cameras costing three times as much. Absolutely necessary are a pentaprism for eye level composition, and a monopod or tripod for a steady hold through the exposure* The monopod Is the more mobile of the two devices, and the single leg Is steady enough when the camera Is braced against the forehead to allow exposures as slow as onethirtieth of a second. A roll of 120 film takes twelve shots, and the average ghost town required four rolls* To keep the records straight. It was my prac­ tice to write the name of the town on the outside of each roll of exposed film. Later X realized that the outer portion Is discarded during development, and the record lost. The solution was simple — write the name of the town on some convenient surface, then photograph the sign. Bach new roll was started with one exposure sacrificed in the Interest of accurate records* X have chalked names of ghost towns on boards, old buckets, barrels, and outhouse walls. In a pinch, X have used the black sidewalls of ny truck tires. Although of short duration, and certain to wash away, the chalked named might have appeared to be the work of some demented soul bent on visiting and repeatedly Identifying every deserted town In the Northwest. �N, Vela Perhaps that statement Is not too far off the mark. Although this book Is not Intended to be oomprehenslTSt Hore than two hundred sites were visited I seleoted three or four dosen firoia eaoh of the five states, taking oare to choose among them ten well- known sites. The remainder were "possible unknowns** gleaned from searching the topographic maps. Of these* “possibles,* a number turned out to be lively communi­ ties. Many others had been completely eradicated by olvlllratlon. town. About one In four was a genuine ghost Of the sites visited, I seleoted slxty-two for Inclusion In this book. They were chosen for their story, their photogenic qualities, or for their virginity of publication. Pour times those ghost towns have come to life for me — when found and studied during the map search, when visited and researched, when photographs came to life In the dark room, and finally when the text was assembled fx*om notes and reference. My sincere hope Is that your enjoyment one time through will equal the four of mine. �N. Weis SELSCTSD BIBLIOGRAPHY Bartlett, Rlohard A. - Great Surveys of the American West Norman, Oklahoma 1962 Beebe, Lucius, and Clegg, Charles • The American West New York 1955 Burlingame, Merrill G, and Toole, K. Ross - A History of Montana 3 Vols New York 1957 Capitol Journal (newspaper) Salem, Oregon, Aug. 26 *64 Carey, Charles H. - General History of Oregon Portland, Oregon 1935 2 Vols, Chatterton, Governor - Yesterday’s Wyoming Aurara, Colorado 1957 Goutant, Charles G, - History of Wyoming, Prom the Earliest Known Discoveries 2 Vols, Laramie 1899 Crossroads of the West - Premont County, Wyoming Jubilee Book Lander, Wyoming 1968 Dlmsdale, Thomas J. ■ The Vigilantes of Montana Norman, Oklahoma 1953 Donaldson, Thomas - Idaho of Yesterday Caldwell, Idaho 1941 Driggs, Howard R. - Westward America New York 1942 Erwin, Marie E, - Wyoming Historical Blue Book A Wyoming State Publication 1946 Fisher, Vardls and Holmes, Opal - Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of the Early American West Caldwell 1968 Florin, Lambert - Western Ghost Towns Seattle, Washington 1961 �N. Weis ——————————— Ghost Town Album Seattle, Washington 1962 Grant’s Pass Dally Courier Grant's Pass, Ore. Apr. 3, 1935 Apr. 2, i960 Hafon, LeHoy H. PhD. - The Overland Mall Cleveland, Ohio 1926 Hobard and Brininstool - The Bozeman Trail Cleveland, Ohio 1922 Heritage, Vol, 2 Ho. 1, A publication of the Okanocan County Historical Society Washington Deo, I963 Howard, Joseph Kinsey - Montana, High Wide and Handseae New Haven, Conn. 19^3 Montana Margins Now Haven, Conn, Idaho, American Guide Series New York Idahols 1946 1937 Yesterdays, Vol, I9 No. 1 A publication of the Idaho Historical Society, Quarterly Journal Boise, Idaho 1965 Jackson, Clarence 3. - Picture Maker of the Old West lew York 194? Jackson, Joseph Henry - Gold Rush Album New York 1949 Miller, Nina - Shutters West Denver 1962 Mining Catalog For the Mining Industry ffor Metal and Non Metallic Open Pit) Now York 1949 Mining In Idaho Ref, No. 9 A publication of the Idaho Historical Society Boise, Idaho No Date �N. Weis Montana Amerloan Guide Series New York 1939 Nevins, Allan - Premont, Pathmarker of the West Mew York 1955 Okanojran Indeoendent (Washington Newspaper) numerous Issues Oregon, Amerioan Guide Series Portland, Oregon 19^0 Oregonian (newspaper) (please supply town). Oregon September 7, 19^3 September 9» 19^3 Pence, Mary Lou and Homsher, Lola jY. - The Ghost Towns of Wyoming New York 1956 Ramsey, Guy Heed - Postmarked Washington, A publica­ tion of the Okanogan County Historical Society (Wash.) No Date Hickey, Don Jr. - Forty Mlles a Day on Peans and Hay Norman, Oklahoma 1963 Sollld, Roberta Seed - Calamity Jane Helena, Montana 195^ Stewart, W. S, and Assoc. - Idaho's Bonanza Years Halley, Idaho I966 United States Forest Service, Department of Agriculture maps of the National Forests of the Northwest States. United States Geological Survey Bulletins Nos. 364, 580C, 580G, 626, 811D, 804, and Prof. Paper No. 25 United States Geological Survey - Topographic maps of all areas known to carry mineralization In the Northwest States. �N. Weis Washlnflfton, Amerloan Guide Series Portland 19UI Webb, Tod - Gold Strikes and Ghost Towns New York I96I Wolle, Muriel Slbell - The Bonanza Trail Bloomington, Ill, --- ----------------------------------- - 1958 Montana Pay Dlrti A Guide To The Mining Gamps of the Treasure State Denver I963 Wyoming-Amerloan Guide Series New York 1941 �■ •• f XXXU3TSAT1QNS Jf S>^Jie 4^t/4 at s :^x^/ Mapi Area near Baker, Oregon.,,,.,,.,..,,,,,J X Dredge, Sumpter. Oregon,,................... 2 Dredge bridge, Sumpter, Oregon,...,.................... 3 Hospital, Sumpter, Oregon.................................. 4 Old bam, Sumpter, Oregon..... ............... 6 Town liaXl and Fire dept. Sumpter, Oregon...•• 6 Sohool house, Granite, Oregon...................... .. 8 Heroantlle, Granite, Oregon................. .. ..................... 9 Drugstore, Granite, Oregon.,,..10 Saloon and Danoe hall. Granite, Oregon....... 11 Xaln Street, Whitney, Oregon,X2 Hesldenoes, Whitney, Oregon.,13 Sawmill, Whitney, Oregon..,.xU Oalena, Oregon.. 15 store. Galena, Oregon.,............. ..............................,,,, x6 Bedldenoe, Galena, Oregon.X8 Stamp Hill, Susanville, Oregon.19 Sesldenoe, Susanville, Oregon,21 Custom Hill, Susanville, Oregon.................... 22 Hapt Area near Madras, Oregon.23 Mwthodlst Church, Blohoond, Oregon............. Sohool, Blohmond, Oregon............... ................................ 25 Smith System Stove, Klohaond, Oregon.................... 26 Barly Shopping Center, Richmond, Oregon............. 2? �House on the hill, Rlohaond, Oregon*••••••••• 28 Lone rook and Churoh, LonerooR, Oregon*29 Baptist Chtroh* Lonerock* Oregon*•«•««•••***« 30 8aln Street* Lonerock* Oregon**** 31 *............. School* Lonerock* Oregon 31 Stairway of Hotel* Lonerock* Oregon********** 33 Baptist Church* Ashwood* Oregon**.*•,*•••,,*• Country Store* Ashwood* Oregon.***....**.*.., 36 Shaded houses* Ashwood* Oregon 37 . Residence* Horse Heaven* Oregon..... 39 Loading Tipple* Horse Heaven* Oregon... It-O Clnnahar furnace* Horae Heaven, Oregon.•...•• kZ Overview* Horse Heaven* Oregon*.••.•*•.,•••.* it'3 Hook face* Horse Heaven* Oregon............. M Sllvertooth Saloon* Antelope, Oregon.*....**. Ball of the Ancient Order of United Workraen, Antelope* Oregon*. ................. Ruins, Antelope* Oregon* Methodist Church* Antelope* Oregon**.*••«••,. 49 Hotel* Shaniko, Oregon. .............................. 50 School* Shaniko, Oregon ....................... 51 Water tank* Shanll^* Oregon*••.•*.,•••.•«,**, 53 Fancy hone* Boyd* Oregon 5A Holler Bill* Boyd* Oregon*......*,.*.,*.**.** 55 Mill owner’s resldenoe* Boyd* Oregon.,.,,*,.* 55 Mapi Area near Orant’s Baao, Oregon..,,,,.,,, 57 Resldenoe* Placer* Oregon 56 Storekeeper’s home* Placer, Oregon.,59 �Sohool, Plaoer, Oregon ........................... Covered bridge. Plaoer, Oregon,,,.,,.,,,,,,,, 62 Ball Hill, Greenback, Oregon ...................... 63 Timber Skid, Greenback, Oregon,. 64 Staap lifter. Greenback, Oregon,. 65 Ore oar. Greenback, Oregon ......................... 66 . 68 Community Churoh, Golden, Oregon Carriage houae and store, Golden, Oregon 69 Sohool, Golden, Oregon,..,,,.,,.,,.,, 70 Heaidenoe, Golden, Oregon 72 .............................. Churoh dteeple. Golden, Osregon,. C<apf Area near Cle Blum, Washington Thorp Hill, Thorp, Washington ,,, 75 . Kiner's cabin. Liberty, Washington 77 iline shack. Liberty, Washington 79 Cabin, Liberty, Washington,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 79 Besidenoe, Liberty, Washington 8i . Water wneel, Liberty, Washington.... . 82 Modem gold washer, Liberty, Washington 64 Shoemaker's cabin, Blewett, Washington.«...,. 85 Mill, Blewett, Washington... . Blewett, Washington... 86 . 87 Logger's home, Disautel, Washington 88 Wash house, Disautel, Washington 89 Future brono buster, Disautel, Washington..., 90 The Brooks uaoe, Disautel, Washington 91 �1 Map I Area near Oroville, Waehingtoi.. Bank, Mol eon, Vaahington. ............... Three etory eohool, Molson, Vae hlngton 97 C. L. Diamond Store, Holson, Washington 93 Bastem Okanogan Telephone Company, Mol8on, Washington*• 98 Minnie Carpenter's Millinery, Chs^v, Wash.,. 100 Bank and Townslte Building, Chesaw. Wash...., 101 Blaine's Assay Office, Chesaw, Wash.«•••,.,,• 102 Collapsed home, Chesaw, Washington. 103 . Saloon, Bolster, Washington.... 105 Bachelor's cabin, Bolster, Washington...••••• 106 Lutheran Church, Havlllah, Washington . 107 First eohool house, Havlllah, Washington 109 Last school house, Havlllah, Washington 110 Mapi Area near Hepubllo, Washtgton,,«••••.,,. Ill Cabins, Bodie, Washington.,,,•,.«••••••.,.«,« 112 Moonlight on bleached boards, Bodie, Wash.... 113 3ohool, Bodie, Washington .. Assay Office, Old Todora, Washington 114 . 115 Smithy and Store, Old Todora, Washington,..., 116 Bunkhouse, Sheridan Nine Camp, Washington..., 118 Mill, Shorldan Nine Camp, Washington.« ...... 119 "Loader", Sheridan Mine Camp, Washington.*.,. 120 *Eotel", Sheridan, Washington.• 121 Close view of "Hotel*, Sheridan, Washington., 122 The real Hotel, Sheridan, Washington,. 123 �Miner’s oabln, Sheridan, Washington............... .. Mapi Area near Salmon, Idaho............................... iis, Main Street, Leesburg, Idaho...,........................ 128 Swaybaoked building, Leesburg, Idaho.................. 129 Two story building, Leesburg, Idaho............... 131 Board and batten roofs, Leesburg, Idaho,.... 13f Overview, Cobalt, Idaho............ .. ................................ 133 Store and reoreation hall. Cobalt, Idaho..., 134 Bachelor's quarters. Cobalt, Idaho............... .. 135 Blackbird t41ne. Cobalt, Idaho',...,.,.,,.......... 136 Sixty Stamp Hill, Yellow Jacket, Idaho............. I38 Lonely Cabin, Yellow Jacket, Idaho.. 139 Pelton Wheel, Yellow Jacket, Idaho., 14o Five story Hotel, front view. Yellow Jacket, Idaho.................... 142 Five story Hotel, roar view. Yellow Jacket, Idaho,,,.. 143 Map I Area near Stanley, Idaho................................... 145 Bayhorso Saloon, Bayhorse, Idaho,. 146 Company building. Bayhorse, Idaho.......... .. 147 Charcoal Kilns, Bayhorse, Idaho149 Tramway station. Bayhorse, Idaho............ .. 150 Yankee Fork dredge. Bonanza City, Idaho.«.., 151 Cabin, Bonanza City, Idaho............... .... .............. .,, 152 Buildings and boardwalks. Bonanza City, Ida. 153 Residence, Bonanza City, Idaho.,..,.......... .. 155 �School beoomo museum, Custer, Idaho Doo's house, Custer, Idaho ......................... Blaoksnlth's shop. Sawtooth City, Idaho.......... 160 Log oornera. Sawtooth City, Idaho..,................ 161 Cemetery, Sawtooth City, Idaho............... ................. 162 Sagging oebln, Vienna, Idaho.................... I63 ^Two Btury Vienna, Idaho............... 165 Webfoot Mine, Vienna, Idaho....................................... 166 Mapi Area near Idaho City, Idaho.,.................. 167 Overview, Idaho City, Idaho..................................... 168 Portable stamp mill, Idaho City, Idaho...... I69 Idaho World Building, Idaho City, Idaho..... 170 Territorial prison, Idaho City, Idaho............... 171 Maeonlo Hall, Idaho City, Idaho.............................. I73 Boot Bill, Idaho City, Idaho.......... .......................... 174 Magnolia Saloon, Plaoerville, Idaho......... 175 Residence, Plaoerville, Idaho............... ................... 176 Episcopal Churoh, Plaoerville, Idaho........ 177 Adit house, Comebaok Mining Camp, Idaho..... I78 Bunkhouse, Comebaok Mining Camp, Idaho179 Waterhouse, Comebaok Mining Camp, Idaho.......... 180 Diana Sohool, Golden Age Camp, Idaho.................. 182 Malo Street, Oolden Age Camp, Idaho........... .. 183 Public privy, Golden Age Camp, Idaho.......... .. 184 Mapi Area near Lander, Wyoming................................ I87 Log Church, Atlantic City, Wyoming........... 188 �Remains of stamp mill, Atlantic City,Wyo.,•. 189 Rook Building, Atlantic City, Vyomlng............... 190 Granler and Paters, Atlantic City, Vyomlng,. 191 Log Churoh, Atlantlo City, Vyomlng....................... 192 Livery, Atlantlo City, Wyoming...................... 19^ Rosa Wine, Atlantlo City, Wyoming...................... 194 Gold vashar-dradga, Atlantlo City, Wyoming., 195 Rosa Mina Interior, Atlantlo City, Wyoming.. I96 Portable gold washer, Atlantic City, Wyo.... 197 Eclipse Hotel, South Pass City, Wyoming...,. I98 Jail and hat shop. South Pass City, Vyo..,,, I99 Smith and Sherlook Store, South Pass City, Wyoming. ................ . 200 Ovarvlaw, South Pass City, Wyoming....................... 201 General View, Paolflo Springs, Wyoming............. 202 Livery interior, Paoiflo Springs, Wyoming... 203 Store baoome residence, Paolflo Springs, Wyo. 204 "Hard Rook Sam" ^Jeatio............... .. ................................ 20^ Kain Street, Miners Delight, Wyoming., 206 Resldenoe, Kiners Delight, Wyoming.,.,,............. 20? Custom Mill, Miners Delight, Wyoming.••.,.••• 208 Miners Delight Mine, Hiners Delight, Wyoming. 209 Hiners* cabins, Miners Delight, Vyomlng,.,... 210 Monte Carlo Mine, Miners Delight, Vyomlng.... 211 Dunoan Mina, The Dunoan, Wyoming.............................. 212 Mill. The Dunoan, Wyoming.................................... 213 Dormitory, The Dunoan, Wyoming............................... 214 �Or^rvlew, The Dunoan, Wyoming.,,,,,,,..,.,.., 214 Ore oar at the swltoh. The Dunean, Wyoming... 213 Store, Levleton, Wyoming.,, 216 XAvery and shaft, Lewiston, Wyoming,.,,,,,.,, 218 Hidden Hand Mine, Lewiston, Wyoming,,,,,,.,,, 219 Good Hope Mine, Lewiston, Wyoming,.,.................. 220 Mapi Area near Rawlli^ Wyoming....................... .. 221 General Store, Port Steele, Wyoming................. 222 Officers' quarters. Port Steele, Wyoming......... 223 Barraoks wall. Port Steele, Wyoming,,, 224 Governor Chatterton's home, Port Steele, Wyo. 225 Powder House, Port Steele, Wyoming.............. 226 Main Street, Carbon Timber Town, Wyoming.,... 228 Company Store, Carbon Timber Town, Wyo.,.,,.. 2^ Dug well and cabin. Carbon Timber Town, rfyo,. 230 Tie *snake*out’*. Carbin Timber Town, Wyo.,.,, 232 Log trestle. Carbon Timber Town, Wyoming.,.., 234 Sawmill ruins. Carbon Timber Town, Wyoming,235 Boom-tending boat. Carbon Timber Town, Wyo,.. 236 Powerhouse, Carbon Timber Town, Wyoming.••.,, 237 Glub Saloon, Walcott, Wyoming.,,,,,,,.,,.,... 239 General view, Walcott, Wyoming................................... 240 Map I Area near Gardiner, Montana.......................... 2^ Head-gate shack, Jardine, Montana...............................244 Revenue Mill, upstream view, Jardine, Mont... 245 Revenue Mill, downstream view, Jardine, Mont.,246 The Welcome headstone, Jardine, Montana,............. 24? �Ore ear9 Jardine• Nontax Are onio mill, Jardine, Montana.. Overview, Jardine, Montana , ........................... Upper Bill, Jardine, Montana ................. Moonlight on mill and bridge, Jardine, Mont.. 252 Sneloeed ^unge, Corwin, Montana.. 253 HAppy Hollow, Aldridge, Montana . 255 Water and kiln, Eleotrlo, l^ontana..., ,.,.,,,, 25B Bow of kiln, Sleotrlo, Montana............ .259 Baohelor's oabln, Bleotrlc, Montana,.260 Mule bam, Eleotrlo, Montana. .,••••«.• 261 Mapi Area near Bnnle, Montana 263 . Epleoopal Churoh, Pony, Montana,264 ............... 265 Morris Mill, Pony, Montana, Bealdenee, Pony, Montana Isdell Meruautlle, .............266 Montana.., ... 26? Buelneee district. Pony, Montana,, 268 Coded ’’aesaage". Pony, Montana ............................. Boarding House, Red Bluff, Montana.,,,, 269 . 271 Bjaoed buildings, Red Bluff, Montana 272 Boaz Mine, Red Bluff, Montana . 27# Pour taoe seesaw. Red Bluff, Montana, .......... 273 Peanuts Mine oookhouse, Red Bluff, Montana.,. 273 T^loal reeldenoe, Virginia City, Montana.... 275 Overland Stage Office, Virginia City, Montana 276 Panorama., Virginia City, Montara ............. 277 Gunsmith’s Shop, Virginie City, Montana 278 �Walla Fargo Express Offioa, Virginia City, Montaxia..................... . 279 Cheap Cash Store, Virginia City, Montana.... .^80 Gilbert Brewery. Virginia City. Montana............. 281 Locojwtlva, Nevada City, Montana 282 3tageooaoh. Nevada City. Montana 283 Outhouse. Nevada City, Montana 284 auby 3tablee. Hnby. Montana., pauper’s oabln. auby^Montana 286 286 $ Company Offloe. Ruby, Montana 287 Tranefoirmer building. Ruby. MoW«na 287 Steam dredgoc, Huby, Montana 288 Remains of dredge, /^by, Montana.............................. 289 Reflections on a puap. Ruby. Montana., 290 Mapi Area near Phllllpoburg, Montana Deluxe bam. Cable, Montana................................. 292 Cable Mill. Cable, Montana............................... 293 Coro samploB. Cable, Montana.......................................... 294 Trl-level home. Red Lion. Montana..,,,.,,,,, 296 Boardinghouse, Rod Lion, Montana,,,.,.,,,,,, 297 Chloago Mino, Tower, Montana..,..,,,,,,,,,,, 298 Bay window. Tower, Montana................................................299 Storexjgj^aa* Tower. Montana...................... 301 Home of last resident, Granite. Montana., 302 Company Hospital, Granite. Montana..,......,, 303 Miners Union Bail. .Gxaulte. Montana.......................... 304 Mill and ruins. Granite Montana., 305 �i Granite adlX, Granite, Montana,..................... ........... 306 Jlaahealthy, KlrkrllXe, Montana,...................... ,,,.308 Barracks, Kirkville, Montana..................... .. .............. 309 Plune, Kirkville, Montana,...................................... ...310 Moon over/Mill remalne, Kirkville, Montana....311 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown&nbsp;</em>Final Introduction Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_CompletedIntro Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/ef8c735c8a739ce3992e6fa2d426f4ae.pdf d04a5f289af1a45221ba736d011225dc PDF Text Text �N. Weis OREGON AREA T4x1s-Unlt GonXaiRg-' A^&p3M>xifflateiy^--3400--ifard^i At slwrt gl^ce, the old dredge resembled a monster. A monster in Its last frantic moment of life, its square-browed head reared high, vacant eyes staring blindly, with steel jaws poised for a last vengeful IQ Q thrust. Frozen in position by disuse, and trapped in a small pond of its own making, the gigantic dredge is as impressive as the destruction still evident in its -1- �N. Weis gravel--strewn wake. This dredge and two others like it ■> ) once ravaged the broad valley of the Powder River of pastern Oregon. Green with trees and lush with grass, the terrain was lifted, sifted, washed^and subtracted of Its wealth, then haphazardly replaced. The precious soil that once topped the baser rock now spread^ Its fertility thinly downstream. Gold was the master, and ten tons of it lay in the valley, demanding harvest. The giant dredges reaped that harvest, slowly tracing their broad erosionary swaths until the entire valley was consumed. Twelve million dollars’^worth of gold poured temporary life into the town of Sumpter. That life has since faded, and little is left of the original Sumpter, One of the three dredges was destroyed by fire, another was dismantled and shipped to richer gravel. The third dredge is largely intact, and is Sumpter's largest and most impressive surviving structure. It rests quietly in the small pond at the east edge of town. Slightly down at the bow and in gentle contact with the bottom, its endless bucket chain is raised high. Three levels of enclosed machinery topped with a control house, which in turn is capped by a cable housing, give the dredge a height fully sixty feet above wateiTilne. -2- �N. Weis As I was preparing to photograph the old relic, a man and two boys approached. Equipped with hammers, gold pans,and fishing tackle, they proceeded to unlock the sliding door on the lower deck. As part owners of the dredge, they were intent on enjoying the day aboard their private, although immobile craft. I quickly r accepted their invitation to tour\the monster's innards. An ancient electric motor once fed power to the chain of buckets by means of a drive belt eighty feet long, two feet wide, and nearly a half an inch thick. Great banks of shakers and sorters processed the gravel to a gold-bearing black sand concentrate. Next, sca­ venger Jigs separated the gold from the useless sand. One of the cogwheels that relayed power to the shakers was thirteen feet in diameter. Prom the broad-^windowed bridge, the operator controlled all functions with twelve large levers and a number of rheostats, A double-barrelled heater constructed from two fifty-gallon drums offered minimal comfort on cold days. A catwalk le^ directly from the control deck to the extreme end of the dredge boom. A serpentine stairway connected the bridge with the lower machine decks. The handballs were worn pleasantly smooth from countless use. -3- �N. Weis A small projection at water level, "amidships on the port side," made an ideal fishing platform for one of the boys. Although small, the trout were The boy’s brother and father were busy plentiful. pounding out rust and trace deposits left in the final shakers and scavenger jigs. It took an hour or so for them to glean a cup of rusty concentrate, but when panned, the gold realized was enough to pay wages, and to set them once again to pounding away at the old rusted machinery. Gold was located here in 1862 by a group of Confederate soldiers on their way to California, They called the place Sumter, after the ^ort of the same name Later the spelling was changed to the present Sumpter News of their discovery of placer gold spread rapidly. and soon hundijsds of men were washing gravel In the SGVGnuXOS late(70’s) the Chinese moved in to rework the same de- posits. Later, the prime deposits were found on the hillsides, and hard-.rock mining ensued. In I896 the railroad reached town, and the population grew to more than ^00^. Sumpter town reached its maximum in 19OO when the deep mines and the dredges were both operating full shifts. There were two brick banks, two hotels, an opera house, a lumber mill, and more than two dozen 0 ’h �N. Weis saloons in Sumpter, A two-story building on the hill served as a hospital, and was later converted to an Odd' '* /•ellows Hall, The fire of 1916 destroyed most of Sumpter. When the hoses burned through, dynamite was used to blow up buildings to create firebreaks. The desperate attempt to save the town ^:^argely failed, and only a few structures were saved. The O^d /ellows Hall, the school, a store, a few bams, and a number of residences were among the survivors. Many citizens moved out. Those ths-t stayed scavenged many of the deserted buildings to enhance their own homes, or to supply firewood for the winter. One of the surviving barns has been preserved by the care demanded by constant use, and the protection of a metal roof. Painted on the roof, in startling contrast, is an orange-lettered sign marking the location and distance to the nearest airport. It seems as incon­ gruous as an old man wearing a propeller beanie. Along*^ side is parked an old^solid-rubber-tired Union Oil trailer tank. An old brick vault marks the location of one of the town’s banks. Nearby is a small wooden shed with a bashed—in garage door at its front. fire department. This is Sumpter’s Inside is a brightly painted four*- wheeled trailer with a tongue adapted to either pulling -5- �by hand or attaching by pin and clevis to any handy vehicle equipped with trailer hitch. The deluxe hose /A cart is complete with several reels of stout hose, a number of axes and a tool chest containing extra nozzles. The bed of the narrow-gauge railroad that once connected Sumpter and nearby Baker is now the grade of the excellent blacktop road that serves the town and forest recreation areas beyond. Sumpter is six miles south of Baker on Highway 7, then twenty miles west on There are no topographic maps of the area Highway 220. near Sumpter, or Granite and Whitney to the west and south, but forest ^ervlce maps indicate most of the Important features, Today there are 11? people living in towaffbut only 80 spend the winter. operation, One place of business is in A cafe and general meeting place, it serves good coffee and great conversation. The ranking old^^ timer, whose father had lived in Sumpter since 1880, took great delight in telling me about the town. He had a storehouse of the finest quality lies I had heard in years. He fired them out so fast that laughter on the last interefered with the telling of the next. "When the town was goin* strong, there was fourteen saloons, five hundred rahR4?ah girls, and one tired sinner,* �N, Weis After several cups of coffe^ we were still undecided as to how we might best preserve the facts as to "what old Sumpter was really like," -7- �N. Weis KG^ITB, OREGON Once inhabited by five thousand lively souls, the town of Giranlte now is best known as the smallest incorporated town in the world. With a population of one, its smallness cannot be exceeded, only equaled, Ote Ford became the sole resident of Granite when the mayor hung himself, and "Cliff the Prospector" went looking for gold in Ten Gent Creek, Being his own mayor, council, treasurer and constituency, Ote was quick to state that Granite had a Republican adminis­ 64^issue of the ^Capitol In the August 26, tration. Journal,^ Ote is quoted — "There’s no such thing as isolation. Too many people want to share it with you," There are a number of reasons why people are drifting back to Granite, Easily accessible — Just fifteen miles west of Sumpter ~ and burled deep in the beautiful Blue Mountains, the setting alone is attraction enough. Taxes are nonexistent, water fees are one dollar a month, and the town treasury is in the black. At last report, the balance was more than one hundred dollars. Although the summer population has soared to nearly one dozen, the permanent year-round count of residents remains at the minimum — one I -8- �N. Weis A few years ago the "pride of Granite" — the three-story deluxe hotel — burned to the ground. Still standing are a number of old buildings dating from the 1800’s when Granite was in its prime. The small school^ house -- later used as^city hall -- has developed a decided slant. Built on a strongly sloped hill, it leans to the high side in over^ompensation. Main street, in spite of fire and depredation, leaves the impression of being lined with stores. Prominent on a corner of the main intersection is the old Mercantile, which later became an entertainment hall and did final service as a gas station and general store. Across the street, the drugstore — now converted to a vacation home — displays a broad-palmed set of moose antlers on its porch roof. Next to it is the freight office with its stylish cater-cornered doorway, A block east are the remains of the fancy two—story dance hall. Only the front portion of the second floor is left. The windows have long been paneSis, but the fancy sill work and gussied shingles offer a suggestion of yesterdays grandeur, r One general store is now in business. Strictly a seasonal operation, it offers a warm welcome, cool refreshment^and enchanting history. -9- �N. Weis .WHITNEY, OREGON^Z ~ Surrounded, by booming gold camps, but unblessed by even token amounts of the precious metal, the town of Whitney could offer only a supporting role. The railroad that passed through town was kept busy hauling lumber to the camps and bringing gold out. Freighting and lumber­ ing promised the town only temporary life. Its longevity depended upon two expendables, gold and timer, A Whitney was the prime station of the famous eighty-jnile-long narrow-gauge Sumpter Valley Railroad, Centrally located between the two end terminals — Prairie City and Baker — it was the ideal spot for roundhouse and crews’ quarters. In spite of the fourteen rail crews quartered in Whitney, and the lumber mill that employed up to seventy-five men, the population of the town never climbed much beyond one hundred. When the sawmill burned in 1918, the town became nearly deserted, A brief five- year revival occurred in 1939 when the Oregon Lumber Company rebuilt the mill in order to harvest a newly purchased block of timer, Whitney may be reached by ten miles of passable dirt road extending south of Sumpter, or by sixteen miles of the same kind of road extending northeast from Highway 7 near Bates, Whitney occupies only a small part of a -10- �N. Weis large grassy flat, and the dirt road does not widen appreciably as it passes through town, "Town" is now a mere handful of buildings, perhaps twelve or fourteen, mostly on the north side of the street. The old round^^ house and depot are disappointingly absent. Even the rails have been torn up for scrap. But the old sawmill is there — its proud image faithfully reproduced in the quiet waters of the log pond. The mill rests in the center of its own broad flat, lush with flowers in full bloom, KneJljiigh purple blossoms stand uniformly a half foot higher than yellow blossoms, I bent down to inspect an old saw blade, and the broad field turned from purple to golden yellow, then returned as I regained my original perspective. The mill is gutted of machinery. There is no floor, and water seeping in from the log pond has turned the dirt to mud a foot deep. You can navigate through the building only by hopping from old board to rock to concrete pillar. Thousands of swallows have made the old structure their home. They resent any intrusion and take issue with each sudden movement. Assuredly, they are harmless, but in such great numbers they are distinctly unsettling, A simple wave of the arm, and a multitude of birds take*^wlng, A symphony of motion -11- �N, Weis flows, at first away, and then toward the offender. The noise rises to a peak, each bird encouraging the other, then settles down to a flutter of wings as a transitory calm again prevails. Surely great events have transpired in Whitney, but for now its primary claim to greatness is its magnificent birdhouse standing on its own reflection, centered in a field of purple and gold. �N. Weis ^GALENA, OREGON The roots of trees, downed by high winds, had levered up fantastic chunks of gold. they glowed dully, awaiting discovery. Cleansed by rain, In 1862, a group of miners made the find of their lives. They kept their secret for more than a year while they skimmed the richest deposits. By 1864 the word leaked out, big as your fist J" This time the wild rumors were trueI "Nuggets Gold was sprinkled along the Middle Pork of Day River and up Elk Creek, It ran from fine to five-pound chunks. Claims were filed and the rich deposits along the Elk and the Middle Day were soon taken. Some miners objected to claims laid out length­ wise along the stream, and forced a maximum width rule on the offenders. Each man could have a slice of stream as wide as he could reach with his pick, without moving his feet. Tall miners with long-handled picks had a distinct advantage. Later, at a meeting of five hundred miners, a standard width of fifty feet was set. Soon two communities sprang up. One near the junction of the two streams, another about two miles north up narrow Elk Creek Canyon, The lower camp was originally named Susanville, and had its own post office. Shortly after 1900, some miners from the upper Elk Creek camp slipped into town and stole the post office — boxes. -13- �N. Weis ink pad, oanceling stamp^and all. The Elk Creek camp then became Susanville, and "Old Susanville" petitioned for and received a new post office with the name of Galena, By that time much of the gold was gone, and the most likely future for the newly christened Galena seemed to be in the mining of galena, a shiny sulphide of lead. The town of Galena never was very large, since most miners preferred to camp on their claims. Its stores came near outnumbering its residences, Lee On Ralph Rider operated the livery ran a Chinese store, I and hotel. .. There was a dance hall and meat market, along with a number of saloons. Galena was a going town, but gold is soon gone and the miners leave with it, A new lease was given to the life of Galena when dredges designed originally to be used on the Panama Canal were refitted and shipped in during the A Reassembled, they processed much of the gravel along the Middle Pork of the John Day River, extracting gold that had eluded the miners of an earlier day. was lucrative but short-lived. The new effort The town became so quiet that in 19^3 the post office was closed by request of the postmaster. The road to Galena is long, yet pleasantly scenic. Prom the twin cities of John Day and Canyon City, -14- �N. Weis U. S. Highway 26 extends about twenty-two miles northeast to Bates Junction. A left turn at Bates puts you through town, across the "Middle Day" River, and past the sawmill. Twenty miles on down stream are the quiet remains of Galena. The gusanville, Oregon. 15 minute topographic map shows the locations of both Galena and Susanville, as well as many of the mines in the area. At Galena, several old residences and two stores line the south side of the road. Imbedded in tall weeds. The stores are deeply One place of business was con­ verted later to a combination garage and gas station. Its old pump, complete with long-handled lever, stands nearly vertical. The glass reservoir is gone, but the strip marking the level for each gallon is intact. Inside, the oli one-stall garage has been converted to a meat cooler with provisions for hanging freshly killed game, A single flower grows tall through a one-inch hole bored in the floor. A metal-roofed clapboard cabin once sported an outside stala?way to the attic. Recently the staircase has been dislodged by horses that graze on tall grass once worn short by frantic activity. One family lives in Galena now, and even they find it difficult to believe that at one time five thousand -15- �N. Weis miners visited town to cast their votes in a vain effort to beat out Canyon City in the contest for county seat. -16- �N. Weis \^USANVILLB, OREGON Two miles northeast of Galena, up the narrow canyon of Elk Creek, are the sparse remains of Susan­ ville, once called "Upper Camp." Established in 1864 as a gold camp, it received its present name in I90I when miners lifted the post office from the rival camp downstream. Placer deposits were rich along the two miles of canyon, and claims were narrow and lucrative. ran large, Nuggets Jane Erickson reported in the Sunday Oregonian Magazine that a nugget large as a flat iron and worth fourteen hundred dollars was found there in 1913. It is now on display at the bank in Baker, Oregon. Placering paid off along the entire length of Elk Creek Canyon. One of the larger outfits was owned by a Mr, Haskell. His hydraulic operation netted #165,000 in one day, and reportedly resulted in a total yield of nearly two million in gold, in spite of the ever-present loss due to high-grading. High-grading was the quaa'- respectable practice of quietly pocketing the richest ore samples. Mine owners commonly paid low wages and tacitly permitted high-grading. There was outright thievery^ too, but most thieves found it difficult to leave town with the goods. -17- �N. Weis Early one morning, Haskell’s Chinese night watchman was observed walking down the road, suitcase In hand. The suitcase sagged heavily from Its handle, and the Chinaman stopped frequently to rest. During one pause, Haskell's men rushed up and demanded the suitcase be opened. Out rolled a number of golden nuggets, the largest worth twelve hundred dollars I Quartz prospecting began In Elk Canyon about 1869. Early samples were processed In the Cabel panamalgamatlon unit. Later a ten-stamp mill was built, primarily to process the ores from the nearby Badger Mine, A number of shafts found and exploited the mother lode. There wshb the Bull of the Woods, fhe Gem, The Present Need, and the Poor Man that made several men rich. Susanville had but one street. too narrow to provide a second. The canyon was More than a thousand miners were known to crowd Into town on Saturday night I White's Store was busy. So busy that to make change quickly, all prices were rounded to the nearest quarter. Anything that sold for less than fifteen cents was free. The remains of Susanville are strung out for nearly a mile, and are now mostly flat but empty home sites, and scattered piles of rotting timber. At the west end of town there is an old log cabin, its walls -18- �N. Weis leaning under a collapsed roof. Central in town is the old mill, erect and plumb, but nearly devoid of shingles. Its machinery is gone and the trees have grown close alongside. The tar-papered cabin just opposite the mill has eight rooms and three stoves. One of the last residents strung a long antenna to improve his radio reception. He used whatever wire was handy, and what was handy was barbed wire. At the upper end of town stands a small^ but Intact stamp mill. Of fairly recent vintage, it has a driveway leading to the upper end where ore can be dumped in. In operation, a reciprocating engine provided power, and a lever gave control over the flow of ore to the stamps, A stamp is merely an iron rod about two Inches in diameter and ten feet long. The lower section is broadened to a width of six inches. Each stamp weighs several hundred pounds and has, near its upper end, a projection that allows it to be lifted. When released, the stamp falls on the ore, crushing it fine, freeing the particles of gold. The stamp butt was^ef stout metal and high-sided to permit stamping in a bath of mercury. The mercury amalgamated with the gold, holding it in the bath while the worthless rock spilled over the sides. -19- �An occasional camper or sightseer may travel up the canyon, A few stubborn prospectors still cast about for some lost vestige of gold, Down below, a mechanized gold washing operation is reworking old gravel. narrow canyon is quiet, But the Skinners driving twelve-mule jerkliners no longer fight the rear teams over the trace to make a tight switchback. Welcome would be the sound of cuss words well chosen from a vocabulary of large experience and delivered with unwavering conviction. �N. Weis ■^^he closest tow was twenty miles away and not much when you got there. The farmers and ranchers were tired of losing so much time commuting for supplies, A meeting was called, ideas were set forth, and solutions were reached First they would build a school, then a store and finally a church. The homes and entertainment halls -1- �N. Weis would follow naturally. The plan was sound and the town had a guaranteed future. But unknown to the planners, the guarantee would last only until the advent of the automobile. Mlles would then be measured in minutes Instead of days, and the town’s reason for existence would be lost. Richmond, born in I890, grew in a few decades to respectability, then faded slowly again to nothing. Highway 20?, an all-weather road which is partially blacktopped, passes within a mile of Richmond. The Richmond. Oregon, 15 minute topographic map is a help in locating the town, but shows little that is not readily detected when on the site. The schoolhouse — first structure built, and probably one of the last in use — is equipped with the standard bell tower plus a covered porch on two sides. The large single classroom is still dominated by a large black heater bearing the name "The Smith System." A major engineering breakthrough for its time, it had a the large flue that drew cold air from^floor level and delivered it to the chimney. The open door of the Methodist Church invites the visitor. A fetching alcove empties into the sanctuary where two pews still face the empty platform. The bell tower was vented, and probably held a bell capable of sending its call throughout the town. -2- �The boarding house - store - resldenCt- saloon post office buildingiras a forerunner to the modem en­ closed shopping center. The "mall" was a covered porch that serviced the full length of the structure. Several large homes stand on the hill to the northwest of town. One home is occasionally occupied and has posed on its door a passionate plea by its owner stating in part* "This is not an abandoned home and is not locked — so don’t break the windows or kick in the V^.everything worth stealing has already door," I t been stolen," Then an addendum is addedj "Please^folks, if you gotta go — be brave — and use the convenient sagebrush — our water is turned off and the stool won't flush---- " Thoughtfully, owner Rod Donnelly adds a word of caution concerning rattlesnakes and exposed portions of the anatomy. Beyond Donnelly's house, and up the hill, stands a more pretentious structure. Vacant and open, to the elements, it exudes an aura of mystery. isn't haunted, it ought to be. If it Every room on the second floor is covered with old clothing. Several feet deep in most places, it offers delightful shelter to mice �N. Weis and other rodents. Their rustlings from under foot keep one on the alert. Occasionally an animal will scurry out on the roof and create a new sound not quickly Identified, Occasional screeching sounds are probably loose sheets of metal roofing scraping raw edges. stairs creak three steps ahead of your feet. The The house groans — but It Is old, and the wind has picked up. Weather Is making, and biscuit clouds are overhead. Precursors of tornadoes, their Ominous presence adds the final touch of ghostllness to the house on the hill. -4- �N. Weis LONEROCK, OREGON Never was a town more appropriately named! The huge lone rock Is the only dominant feature of an otherwise flat valley. Not only the town, but the stream and the valley derived their names from the Impressive landmark, A helpful gentleman In Spray, Oregon, had. de­ scribed the rock as "big as a house," and also fl-rmly declared the town had recently burned to the ground. was wrong on both counts. He The town was quite Intact, and the rock was not just "big as a house," It was "bigger than a church!" The Baptists were the first to build a church In Lonerock, Soon It proved too small for the community and In I898 a new church was planned. Times had changed. The majority of citizens were Methodist, and a Methodist Church could be built In only one place. Built stoutly and planted firmly by the rock, one must assume that Peter was quoted often, and that "Rock of Ages" echoed frequently within Its walls, Lonerock may be approached from Condon, Oregon, by proceeding east on Highway 206 for five miles, then branching to the right on an undesignated blacktop road, After about fifteen miles, the road becomes gravel, and -5- N �MH* promptly slants down the steep valley wall to Lonerock, There are no topographic maps available for this portion of Oregon, Luckily, many of the towns in this unit are shown on ordinary state highway maps. Sixteen people live in town, and the ranking resident is declared "mayor" by acclamation. Edith Perry, holds the office at present, and is highly re­ spected by the citizenry. The mayor pointed out some of the sites in town, occasionally throwing in a little Chamber of Commerce ^itch, "Yes, that old flat thing there is the dance floor — had a building over it but we had to tear it down cause it was aleanin*,,The building next to it was a pastime," I asked about the name of "No name — just a pastime — sold soft drinks the store, and candy and nuts. Had a confectionery over there," Mayor Edith pointed to a small building nearly overgrown with trees, "The school is being torn down. in Portland own it now. Some people Was built in 1903 and we even had a highschool on the second floor — had fifteen students," I asked about local taxes and learned that five dollars a month was adequate to run the town, "And we make Improvements^too. water system. We have a new Ran a pipe from the spring up on the hill and the water comes down just a flyin*. No, we don’t have a fire chief, but we are all members of the Fire Department, Saloons? — sure we had some. ’em with a spoon they was so thickI Could stir We graveled the -6- I anerac �N. Weis streets last year and still have money left — only town in the ^tate that’s out of debt." I left town via the gravel road to the north. The local two-wire telephone line parallels the road for a number of miles. Never had I seen a telephone system with such personally. /Mayor Edith had termed it a "private line that works sometimes." Most poles were nothing but small saplings. Some were bent nearly double by the weight of the wires. At times the Insulators were nailed to fence posts, or the wires merely tied with twine to a handy tree. Here and there the lines crossed and touched one another. What appeared to be an old rake handle was tied to a metal fence post, thereby gaining the rigidity needed to support the wires. At intervals, rocks as big as cabbages were hung on the line to prevent wind whipping. The eas3<^ing attitude that prevailed in Lonerock seemed to stretch out along the pleasantly haphazard strands. Occasional creosoted poles appeared, then became frequent. Disgustingly upright and too perfectly aligned, they pinched to nothing the last quiet memory of Lonerock. �N. Weis ASHWOOD, OREGON The little weathered building with its comer-'' mounted double doors and fancy half-circle entrance porch gives little indication of its rowdy history. Called "McCallum’s Saloon," it was established in 1897, two years before the town was platted. Thirty years later it suffered the Insult of being placed penmangnf.iy on the wagon when the Baptists converted it to a church. Many of Ashwood’s buildings have been put to new uses. Others have drifted into decay or met destruction by fire. The countrjy store-gas station was once the hotel, with attached saloon. A house deeply buried among lofty trees was the town’s favorite eating house. The Ash Butte Grange Hall is unchanged and unused. Cows graze on the lawns and wander about the streets. An old deserted store has wire mesh fenc­ ing nailed to its porch posts to prevent damage by cattle. The road to Ashwood leads east from U. S. Highway 97 about two miles south of Willowdale. After fifteen miles of unmarked hairpin turns, the road enters the j^alley of Trout Creek, makes a left turn at the Baptist Church, and promptly becomes the main street of Ashwood. I was in town less than ten minutes when I was informed^"Mrs. Allison want^ to see you." -8- The invitation �N. Weis was Issued rather firmly by a soft-spoken but stoutly constructed man In miner’s clothes. With little delay, we adjourned to the two—story deeply shaded home of Mrs. Allison. The welcome was warm, and yet strange^4i^-\ "How are you? I saw you enter town two days ago." I expressed my puzzlement and she explained, "I see things — visions If you wish. I saw a tall man with dark—rimmed glasses entering town." The miner offered corroboration. Shortly, two other miners — the Mosley frothers — Joined us and formed a larger chorus of agreement. My comment that I put little faith In fortune-telling, was accepted calmly and I was treated to a recounting of past forecasts proven true, each accompanied by much head bobbing. The three miners and the clairvoyant had been hired to look Into an old mine In the area, and search out Its hidden deposits. It was to be a cinch. With the added power of vision. I asked why they hadn’t already located the vein, and was told that success would come soon. Word had come down from the other world to be patient. They were very Interesting and helpful people, and their coffee was great. One of the ^^^ley frothers suggested that I visit Horse Heaven, and^gave me a -9- �N. Weis description of the extensive remains there. This was great news, because it appeared to be a little-known site, and so far my efforts in Oregon had turned up only well“’documented ghost towns. rOn the heels of the suggestion that I visit Horse Heaven came the forecast "that’s where you are going early tomorrow morning." I asked the seer if she would trace my future route — It would save me a lot of map study. It seemed "the old people" hadn’t informed her of my plans more than one day in advance. My im­ pulse was to (immediately Mrive'|to Horse Heaven and prove her forecast wrong, but the light was right for pictures in Ashwood, and there was a local old-Xlmer I Wanted to visit. Eighty-five-year-old Aaron Hale lives in a long trailer pulled close 1'^ to one of Ashwood’s old stores. Besides Aaron and his wife, the trailer holds three cats and a Chihuahua. the lot. The dog is the smallest of He thinks he is a cat and gets along fine. All six evidenced a warm welcome, and soon Aaron was telling about old Ashwood. He remembered best the humorous events like the time the men at King Mine quit. "There were seventy men working shifts, living in a big boardIng'^ouse up there. -10- L �N. Weis Had a gal hired to run it and cook — she did for quite Tired of being unappreciated. a while — then quit. They hired two men to take over. oyster stew and crackers. For supper they served The next mornln’ they dished up hot cakes and syrup, and you could roll up the cakes like a cigarette, then throw ’ em — they’d open up and fly like a pigeon. The boys threw 'em all, then threw out the table — and then the chairs — and all walked to Ashwood to the cafe," Aaron pointed to a delapidated old building a few lots away, "The superintendent returned and found the mine shut down and the men in town. They would go back to work if he got a new cook — he did — two women. Really turned out the ore for a while I" Aaron had a friend named Tom Brown, who had his own claim, but had to work to earn dynamite money. "His claim lapsed as he was cornin’ close, and old Hubbard filed on it — Tom took him to court and got it back — turned out a good mine^too. ‘’Ashwood had its heydey," says Aaron. "There were three hundred people here in the nineties — and now there’s just four." He didn’t count the folks doing temporary exploratory work. "The Hamilton Hotel had ten rooms — and the town had its own paper, ^he Ashwood Prospector." He dug out an old copy dated”^^^ -11- �N. Weis May 4, 1901. Half of the front page was an ad asking people to come live in Ashwood. A Justice of the Peace announced in a box ad, "Careful attention given collections." Much of the paper was filled with ads from the nearby and larger town of Antelope. [Tn fact, the Ashwood Prospector was ’ printed in Antelop^ , IV O \ .& From the beginning. Ashwood had been over^ shadowed by Antelope. When mining activity began to slow down, shortly after I9OO, it was logical for those out of Soon stores were work to seek employment in Antelope. closing down for lack of business. A small flurry of mining raised hopes momentarily in 1925. During the thirties and forties, the town revived somewhat in response to mercury mining at Horse Heaven, twenty miles or so to the east. Things are quiet these days in Ashwood, are more cows in town than people. There It is a relaxing place to visit, and a restful place to camp. I overnighted by the old grange building in the center of town, and was awakened early by cattle rubbing vigorously against the tailgate of my truck. Soon I had breakfasted, and in accordance with the seer’s forecast, was on my way to Horse Heaven. -12- �N. Weis HORSE HEAVEN, OREGON Two old prospectors, Champion and Kenton, first located the fine particles of red cinnabar on the divide between Cherry Greek and Muddy Greek, The find developed into a major producer of mercury. That is the way one historical account dis­ posed of the story behind Horse Heaven, But the real story is fantastic, and perhaps never before told in its entirety. It was related to me by a tall, somewhat Z- .. -■ graying gentleman now prospecting at Horse Heaven, His name is Ray R, Whiting, Jr,, and he, more than any other man, knows -the total story — because he lived it, '?•. "Old Champ5ejFjira®: great- jst©specter could find it as if he could^^mell it. Always scratching though — like he had seven-year itchy and no bath. He used to take some of us kids along with him. One summer my buddy, Harry Hoy, and myself were out here camping and prospecting with our dads. Old Champion was along, and he was showing Harry and me the float of cinnabar that he had found earlier," We walked a few steps over to the scant shade of a juniper tree, Ray bent down and picked up a handful of whitish granules that covered the area. fhrfe. �N. Weis "This is the stuff. In fact it was right here that Champion panned some out to show us." Rather than Just talk about it, Ray got a pan and a plastic jug filled with water and proceeded to pan the sample. Quicklyy- the coarse chunks went over the rim of the pan. More water, and the finer granules were slopped over the edge. In moments| Ray had the original handful down to a small residue of deep red powder and black sand. "There — you see the red — that’s cinnabar — mercury sulfide — and it's mostly mercury. Champion had found the stuff earlier the same year — Well^old that was 1933 — but had given up on it because it was just float — stuff that washed in. Being on top of a divide, he figured it couldn’t be much and told us it was worthless. Like any other kids, we figured a big lode was nearby, so we got to looking around. Pound some outcrops that looked good, so we started digging." Ray pointed out the spot a few yards up the slope, "Spent most of the summer. and made a project out of it. sixty days. Brought supplies in Harry and I tunneled for That's sticking pretty good for a couple of higPischool kids, but we were beginning to lose our confidence. Eating lunch one day, we were sitting by -14- | > �N, Weis the tunnel, and I got to kicking at a rock — just messing around. That rock just flipped over. It was wet on the bottom and bright red I” We looked at some samples that Ray had nearby pink tracings went everywhere throughout the pale whitish rock. "Here — look see how it comes to life when you wet it." Ray poured some water on the rock, and each pink line became flaming red. "We started a new tunnel, and in a couple of days we were really in it — solid cinnabar, and slimy with beaded mercury. Our dads had us sit on the claim and we formed a company. Us kids got a third interest for maklng^t^e find. Later when ‘... ' K we sold out, Harry and I got eleven percent, and we were both rich." In a few years the new Crystal Syndicate had the mine in production. Heaven Mines, Inc. Later it was named the Horse In 1936 the Sun Oil Company bought the mine and operated it until 194-4. One hundred thousand tons of ore were removed from deep within the hill, leaving tunnels fourteen hundred feet long on ten different levels, the deepest over three hundred feet down. Four huge stopes, or caverns, were left where massive pockets of ore were removed. -15- �N. Weis A twenty-ton mill and reduction furnace turned out 15,000 flasks of mercury, each weighing seventy-six pounds, and valued at a total of seven million dollars at the old prices. The mill burned In 1946, and excent x for a spurt ln^ft^^ty-f©ury the [mining was finished. At Its peak the town had a population somewhat over a hundred. It had a post office, dozens of cabins, a few bunkjhouses, one cookhouse, a few office buildings, a schoolhouse with fifteen students, and uncounted numbers of rattlesnakes. The rattlesnakes are still there. Ray killed three the day before I arrived. No topographic maps are available for towns In the area, but Horse Heaven Is easily reached by driving the fifteen miles of good gravel road extending east of Ashwood. ■& I asked Ray what would a rich hlghjschool kid do with his money and his life back In 1933. ’’Well — I built a fancy restaurant In California It was a dandy — and lots of famous people used to come there. Made money^too. But somehow I let It all slip through my fingers. "Rags to riches to rags again," I volunteered. "No, more like tatters now. here to locate some new deposits. I'm on a project The government Is helping out, since the need for mercury Is critical." There was more to the story, and Ray led the way to a spot where we could look at a skyllned outcrop. "See that rock up there'? man’s head, doesn't It? Looks Just like a See the open mouth? That looks �N. Weis just like a dear old friend of mine, I was with him when he died, and he looked just like that rock. He had the same nose and chin." I agreed that the rock certainly looked like an old man’s final profile, "He told me before he died that he and a pal of his — way back in ’35 — had been kicking around just west of the old cook*^house. are standing now. That’s about where we They uncovered an outcrop of cinnabar that looked redder than the one I had found. They agreed to keep it a secret, maybe try and file on it later. They never did, and he wanted me to know about it. That’s why I am out here now. I intend to find, that outcrop," It has been over a year since I visited with Ray Whiting, Jr. By now he has either found the new lode or ended his search and turned Horse Heaven over to the rattlesnakes. -17- �ANTELOPE, OREGON Supplies were needed at Canyon City. been discovered. Gold had The nearest supply point was The Dalles, and a route between the two points was quickly established. In 1862 the Wheelers built a way station at a point sixty miles out of The Dalles. it VAntelope.X They named Soon Nathan Wallace built a store, then a smithy and stockade were added. Competitors built on a better site two miles north, and all of Antelope soon moved to "New Antelope." Immediately the Union House Hotel was con­ structed, Soon a large livery and dance hall named "Tamany" was built. There was no stockade at the new town, even though Indian threats continued, P, W. Sllvertooth, openrator of a saloon bearing his name, is said to have "saved the day" when the regular stage driver refused the run because of Indian danger. The stage operators were so happy to have Sllvertooth volunteer^ that they offered him generous payment. "Just name your price." "Well," answered Sllvertooth, "just give me some Saw Log and some Battle Axe," Armed with these two most popular brands of plug tobacco, the intrepid Sllvertooth whipped the teams up and dusted the stage out of town. -18- His plan was simple. �N. Weis Each time Indians were sighted, he stopped the stage, waved them in, and handed out presents. In spite of Indian problems, the town grew rapidly, and in 188?, according to H. C. Roper, "It was visible to the naked eye." By I896 there were one hundred seventy folk, three saloons, a bowling alley, and several churches. Two years later the town burned. Many residences and all but one building on ^nain street But Antelope was an important place, went up in smoke. and it quickly rebuilt, even larger than before. John Silvertooth, son of the one-time stage driver, is presently living in a shaded bungalow at the north edge of Antelope. John and his wife^ Laur^ remember what Antelope was like at the turn of the century. Laura began, "Why^yes, it was the main stop •tween The Dalles and Canyon City, and a big sheep shipping point. at one time. The population reached two thousand There were three hotels, three stores, a rooming house —" Then John chimed in. "Three, no,four saloons — Doyles, Macbeths, and Silvertooths, place. That was my father's Then there was one more — two smithies and a couple of red-light places. girls at the one place —* -19- There was a madam and two �N. Weis Laura helped out on the names, "Pearl and Flossy — Flossy was the fat one." John volunteered, "Pearl got sick — appendix. The doc operated in the drugstore. That Pearl, she was good-looking — red hair — real nice looking," Laura added, "They buried one of them in our cemetery. At first they were against it, but finally they decided to put her in a lonely corner, where she couldn’t do any harm," In 1900 the railroad,reached Shaniko, a small town eight miles north of Antelope, It became an im­ portant ralinhead and lured away most of Antelope’s major businesses and professional men. The population shrank, and most of the stores on mln street became vacant. Numerous fires ravaged the unoccupied buildings, A pitifully small portion of Antelope remains standing today. The old Methodist Church, a fraternal hall, Sllvertooth’s Saloon, and scattered residences offer evidence of Antelope’s more active moment in history. Just as Antelope had drawn heavily on Ashwood, so Shaniko subtracted the life from Antelope, But Shaniko was to prosper only briefly, then suffer in turn a similar fate. �N. Weis SHANIKO, OREGON Bankers in The Dalles decided that the riches from the large wool-growing area to the south could best be tapped by railroad. Galled the Columbia Southern Railroad, it branched off the main line at Biggs on the Columbia River, and in I9OO reached the site of the old Cross Hollows Stage Station and Post Office. The station had been operated from 1874 to 1877 by a German immigrant named August Scherneckau. The Indians trusted Herr Scherneckau in spite of the wide difference in backgrounds and the resulting communications problem. Neither could twist his tongue around the sounds favored by the other. August used the rolling r-r-r-r and broad gutt^al vowels of his homelandi The Indians returned each word with lighter vowels and evenly valued syllables. Thus Scherneckau became Shaniko, and Shaniko was the name chosen for the new post office established at the railhead. Quickly a "town of permanence" was built. larg<^ brick two-story hotel was raised. with heat available in every room. of the roof at close intervals’. A It was plush, Chimneys stand out The corner porch is broad, fully balustraded^ and supported by white-painted columns. -21- �N. Weis Across from the hotel a row of stores catered to the mixed trade, supplying the wants of sheepherders and ralH^oad men alike, A fancy two-story firehouse served also as^meeting place for the town council. A school was erected from funds donated, and taxes pa^d for an elaborate water system. Shaniko had grown up to be a fancy town, but it possessed some earthy problems. Somewhere in history, ’’'shepherd" became "sheepherder,’’ and much of the attendant respect fell away, Cow^men hated them, and mothers feared them. In defense of their daughters, the women of Shaniko tol­ erated an elaborsrte red-light district. Shaniko had thirteen establishments, mostly^^ndly^^ferred t^as "sporting houses," Less than a dozen yea3*is ago, the town was just a small deserted shipping point. Then a few news­ papers carried stories about the "quaint and quiet place." Tourists arrived in large numbers and left with amazing quantities of "artifacts." At first the people of Shaniko objected to such Invasion and were insulted to have their town classified as a ghost. But there was a new future for Shaniko now, a showplace for the local history, and a watering place for a new kind of sheep. The new variety was similar to the original. -22- �N. Weis varying mostly in eating habits, consuming much in the way of pop, hot dogs and Kodak film. Tattered but comfortable lounging sofas, and hard-backed benches line the side of the hotel where the porch offers shade and view. Old-timers, mostly retired sheepherders, make frequent use of these comforts. Each seems to have a favored spot from which he can eye passing tourists from under lowered brim, A notably ugly wooden Indian stands guanrd at the hotel door, viewing visitors with a like reserve. The schoolhouse at the north edge of town displays a unique architecture. Built in 1902, it is fronted by a tall ventilated octagonal tower, A flag^ pole ..extends from its upper portion at an angle a bit up from horizontal. The building is large and square, its roof slanting from all sides to a flat top. Traces of boardwalk still front the school 'and skirt the dusty street. The few children in Shaniko now travel by bus to the schools at Maupin, thirty-three blacktopped miles away, A few blocks west of the old school, a large rectangular structure dominates the sky. Resembling the base of some giant windmill, it woixld place in awe the bravest Don Quixote, Inspection shows it to be a deluxe large-capacity water tower. Water tanks occupy the upper levels, and pipes extend downward. -23- �N, Weis Below frostYine they branch in multiple directions. The school and the hotel both Indicate that Shaniko was once a much larger town than is evident today. But to justify the large water tower, one must mentally fill in the empty lots that extend for blocks in all directions, and replace the absent stores on the intersecting main streets. With a little imagination, one can hear the old eight wheeler whistling at the mile marker, and see the flock of sheep top the rise above town. -24- �N. Weis BOYD,. OREGON Fifteen Mile Greek carried water enough to power a mill, and wheat fields extended for miles in every direction. It was a proper place to build a grist-mill and granary, A little store half a mile north of the creek crossing had been built in I870, When the mill was constructed some thirty years later, the store suddenly found itself the center of a booming community. Homes were built, the store was enlarged, and a blacksmith moved in to set up shop. Stories vary as to the existence of a hotel in Boyd, Some claim there was just a boarding'~liouse, which has since burned down. Others claim the old house at the south edge of town was used as a hotel for a time. Half a nineteenth dozen fancy homes of the 19^ century have lasted well, A Under the shade of broad—branched trees they stand, badly in need of paint, yet proudly displaying sunburst—' patterned gablesy and stained-glass windows. Part of the original store remains^ and is presently in use as a storage shed, but the outstanding remains of Boyd are at the mill site, about a half mile to the south. The town and the mill are both easily reached via a good gravel road branching east about three and a half miles north of Du'fur, on U. S, Highway 197, -25- �N, Weis Boyd Is about one-half mile from the highway, and the mill is immediately south of town. The Dufur East minute topograph map shows the location of both sites. h At the mill site, waters of Fifteen Mlle Creek were diverted to a holding pond. Located above the mill, with a vertical drop of sixty feet, the water rushed downward through an eighteen-inch-diameter flume to make powerful contact with a large waterwheel, Cog-«i wheels increased the force by sacrificing speed, then delivered the power to a slowly revolving stone roller. As a boy might crush leaves by riding a bicycle in tight circles, the broad roller crushed grain against a stationary stone base. If some ground up rock was found in the flour, it merely lent a little bod^and character, say those who lament the present scarcity of stone-ground flour. Against the mill lean the remains of old farm implements, wagons^and cars. One ancient truck chassis is bodyless, but its wooden-spoked, solid-rubber-tired wheels still cap the front axle. ♦ Above the mill is an impressive three-story rock home. Occupied originally by the mill'~owner, it served a second important purpose. Customers were entertained while their wheat was ground. -26- Overnight �N. Weis stays were oommon. The home is occupied at present, and water that once powered the mill now sprays generously on lawn and garden. The reason the mill shut down and Boyd became deserted can only be speculated, -aMMr. Cer­ tainly a water^wheel-powered roller mill was technically behind the times shortly after the mill was constructed. Electricity was soon available andIn most mills, steel rollers replaced those of stone. Other mills could process grain for less, and consequently offer a better purchase price. And besides, with a gas-driven truck, what farmer would pass up a chance to haul his harvest to the big city, especially If the added return more than paid for a night on the town. �N. Weis OREGON AREA 3 3) •Thio Unit -Containo approximatoly-2700 wordsv PLACER, OREGON ^eo^le are intrigued by maps, especially large maps. My map of Oregon was about four by five feet, and when spread out on a cafe counter, it became an open invitation to comment. Before I could com­ pletely unfold the map, someone would generally Inquire as to where I had been and where I was going next. Hopefully, they would point out some little—" -1- p/a.ce^ �N. Weis known site that would turn out to be a ghost town worth visiting. That is just what happened at a small coffee shop In the central Oregon town of Prineville. The waitress asked, after lifting the corner of the map to find a place for my coffee, ’’Have you been to Golden? I was born there, and the last time I visited the town It still had a church, some stores, and a few homes. The whole place was deserted. Used to be a mining town.” pWe located the town on the map to find that it was just one of a number of towns, all of which had the earmarks of long desertion. Strung out in a line, north of Grants Pass in southwest Oregon, were Granite Hill, Forest Queen, Winona, Lucky Queen, Placer, Greenback, Golden, and Speaker. It developed that three of these towns had remnants worth observing and stories worth telling, but to find the three, I had to search out all eight. The Metsker map of Josephine County, and the U.S.G.S. 15 minute Glendale, Oregon, topographic iiiapZ^> are both of value| but of little help in finding a way off the new Interstate. Turn’'‘bffs, signs, new roads — nothing agrees with the old maps until you get a few miles away from the Interstate. -2- �N. Weis A dozen miles up Louse Creek, a triangular Intersection located the site of Forest Queen. a cabin or two remained. Only One cabin was occupied, and its owner was quick to agree that the town was essentially non/exlst^nt, and volunteered that nearby Granite Hill was the same. He was right. Granite Hill was but a flat spot occupied by a piece of road— building equipment. At Winona, a few miles north, the town'^lte had become the Shady Greek subfdlvision. Lucky Queen was merely a mine site, and little was left. The dirt road leading north toward Placer deteriorated quickly to mud_Jioles, then abruptly worsened. Boulders replaced the mud, and the grade became steep. In places, a four-mlle-per-hour crawl was too fast. An hour laterthe road leveled and broke into the open. about. A few deserted cabins were sprinkled The sun had set and it was rapidly darkening. A lighted window guided me to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Coome. They were surprised at the circuitous route I had used to reach Placer, and I was surprised to learn that I was in Placer, The Goomes explained that the little town of Placer was across the creek that flowed along side their home, and that it was not -3- i^rrytn �N, Weis a "remote" community, but located on a blacktop highway, just four miles from the Sunny Valley Junction of Interstate 5. In answer to a multitude of questions, the Coomes informed me that the town was largely deserted, but that it was at one time a rather large community. They further stated that the town was now reduced to a half-dozen or so structures, but did have two out­ standing features: an old school and an old-timer. They thoroughly recommended a visit to both. The next morning I toured Placer, observing the few remaining structures along its two parallel streets, then drove a few miles west to talk with the old'-timer, George Arlington Klonus is elghty-flve years old, of German extraction, and sharper of mind and eye than most youngsters half his age, "Sure it was a big town — biggest in the county for s^hlle. Had three stores, them from *32 to *35. Not sure Just when the town started, but it wasway before 1900, up ’til *24, I ran one of Had a post office For a while it was mostly a place for Blind Pigs," I asked for an explanation, and George Arlington Klonus patiently explained, -4- "Speakeasies — �N, Weis you know — where the back door was always open — a few glrls^too. Sure sold a lot of home’^made whiskey. More than twenty stills were spread out along the creek. One old fellow used to put glycerine in his moonshine to make it smoother. Pound him one day — dead — sittin* in his rocking chalrl" Mr. Klonus was Clerk of the School District for a while — "up 'til the last family with kids moved out of town. That was three months after school started so the teacher just sat on the steps and collected pay," The lack of buildings in town puzzled me until George explained. "Most of them burned. afire, we thought, by just one guy. Set He was always stealing firewood — never cut his own, and always had plenty. Had a habit of knocking his pipe out — didn't even realize he was doing it. We know he burned down hisr own cabin and three others, maybe more." —----- There is an old covered bridge a mile west of George's home. The date of construction is somewhat vague, but it was one of the early bridges on the Applegate Trail. Rebuilt in 1925. It looks brand new. George recommended the bridge and the town of Golden ————--as being worthy of a visit, and espoially endorsed the old community of Greenback, just up the hill a ways. -5- �N. Weis "That Greenback was a fine place. The mine always had plenty of fellows wanting work there — good high-gradin’ — twenty-five dollars a day easy no trick at all to pocket a few of the best chunks —some of ’em near pure gold. No saloons there so they all came to Placer to spend It." Speaker, the last of the string of eight towns, was quickly evaluated by George Arlington Klonus as "underwhelming." I crossed It off my list. �N, Weis GRESMBAGK, OREGON The mineralized stretch of ground connecting Placer, Greenback, and Golden is thickly shot with mines. The Star, Gold Cup, Yellowhom, Jim Blaine, Martha, and even the Shot Mine, have punched deep holes in search of gold. Ed Hanham and his partner discovered one of the richest. Called the Greenback Mine, it proved rich enough to require its own mill. The heavy metal parts for a twenty-stamp mill were hauled three miles up the steep^winding road^ extending north from Placer. into twenty-fouh-hour When completed, it immediately went^itebft^^feiwjimoperation and required a crew of twenty men. Cabins were built to make work at the mill and mine more attractive Soon a company store was added. In 1902, Greenback became officially a town when a post office was authorized. It lasted only six years, but during that time many fortunes were made. "Everyone that worked there went away rich," stated one former resident. The owners finally stopped all but the most Ingen^tous hlgh'-graders by requiring miners to change clothes at the end of each shift. No liquor was permitted in the company town of Greenback, The road to Placer was well worn. �N. Weis Miners made frequent trips to relieve the Itch of money. Their horses knew the way and often returned to stand at the hitching rail In Greenback while drivers and passengers, unaware their destination had been reached, continued to sleep off the effects of their celebration. The road to Greenback Is In poor shape now. It Is best to walk the last mlley^ as there Is deep mud along the final stretch. Heavy grout foundations, an old log skid, and a few stamp lifters are at the burned over mill site. The stamp lifters, heavy double cams of cast metal, show the reason for their abandonment. Rectangular recesses, where locking keys once held them firmly to the driving axle, are worn to Ineffectual smoothness. The shrinking evolution of the mining effort since the rich veins petered out In the early 1900’s •^ilnotoon hundrodc can be pieced together by observing the age and size of the ore buckets scattered about the premises. A small ball mill has been erected next to the remains of the old mill. operations. It has also ceased Beside the mlllpa number of ore cars stand on rusty wheels. One car carries a comparatively fresh sign stating "Jos. Sourdoughs Co.," a name undeniably appropriate. -8- �N. Weis Adjacent to the newer mill are a few of the original mine shacks of Greenback. They are presently used for equipment storage and are securely locked. A lonely out3iouse stands a short distance from the storage sheds. A continuous stream, from an artesian well, is directed under considerable pressure against the out-^ house door, effectively prohibiting its use. The water then flows down the road from Greenback, transforming a dirt road to a tree~lined lane of mudj|L — two feet deep. Far-reaching, and better than a locked gate, it prevents easy access and precludes any possibility of heavy equipment being stolen. -9- �N. Weis GOLDEN, OREGON There was gold to be found in the gravel of Coyote Creek, but It was finely divided and thinly scattered. hand. A man could hardly make wages panning by The few miners sticking It out on Coyote Creek were- quick to Join the 1850 rush to the new find on the Salmon River. As the white man left, Chinese moved in to take over the deserted claims. Soon there were more than (5^ spread out along the length of Coyote Greek. It took only a few years to skim the cream of rich deposits at the Salmon find. Soon the thin deposits at Coyote Creek began to look good by compari­ son, especially in the light of new placering techniques. The Chinese were quickly run off and old claims were reoccupied. Hydraulic placering was soon tried and found profitable. The word spread and more miners came to stake claims. The community slowly grew as Coyote Greek continued to release its treasure. 150 There were more than one-jmndred fi#ty-people living along the creek in 1892. The time had come to organize. A "Campbellite" ^hurch was built that year. Soon a carriage house was opened for business. .''and a general ^tore In I896 the town was formally -10- �N. Weis recognized, and a post office opened under the name of "Golden. '* By all reason, they should have named the town "Ruble City," The first minister was William Ruble later replaced by his son, W. N. Ruble. Schuyler Ruble was the first postmaster, and S. C. Ruble was active in the local mining effort. He was the inventor of the Ruble elevator, a device designed to remove unwanted gravel from stream beds. general ^tore. S. C. Ruble also ran the S. C. Ruble and Schuyler Ruble may have been the same person. If so, he was obviously talented and busy. It must have been a red-letter day when stored keeper Ruble turned his duties over to a man named something other than Ruble, Columbus Bennett, The new storekeeper was Ruble was Bennett's uncle. Later, Harold McIntosh ran the store, but of course Bennett was McIntosh's uncle. Coyote Smith was appointed Justice of the Peace, and apparently was unrelated to the Rubles, Justice must remain aloof and untainted. The schoolhouse was in operation about a half mile down the creek to the west. On Sundays it served as a church, with the Reverend Mark David offi­ ciating. Sinners had little chance in Golden, -11- Two �N. Weis churches and no saloons. Perhaps that Is why neps lived strung out down the valley. Golden today consists of a church, carriage house, the old store, several old homes, and numerous shacks scattered along the stream bed. It is easily reached, just four miles east of Wolf Creek on the Coyote Creek Road. Mr. and Mrs. Orville Cornwell own much of the ghost town now, and are living in one old residence while they properly recondition another. Their future home is a handsome one and nicely intact where it was protected by a metal roof. an open-air motif, Elsewhere it has more of I stepped through a large opening in the rear porch and was immediately met by two squirrels moving at high speed and headed for the nearest tree, I stepped through a doorway into the old living room. There, to the right, was an old stove resting on a metal floor protector. Standing upon the broad metal sheet was a third squirrel. He reacted quickly, his hind legs moving faster than the smooth surfaces could accommodate. His speed built up slowly, and he headed toward the door, making a smooth turn to miss my feet. As he approached, his rear legs were beginning to slide toward the outside of his turn, but he continued without deceleration, and passed me going �N. Weis broadside, his rear "wheels" still spinning, his head turned sharply in the direction of the skid. His rear end was slightly ahead as he passed through the door. Then with a wobble of over-«correction, he reached top speed and lined away for the nearest tree. The Golden Community Church is a classic, ranking with those in Richmond, Oregon, and Atlantic City, Wyoming. shape. Rebuilt in 1950, it is in excellent The bell is still in its tower, but only because of a watchful neighbor. Not long ago, when the town appeared deserted, a man drove quietly into town, parked his pickup close beside the churchj.and unloaded an extension ladder. The Interloper proceeded to climb to the belfry, carrying a block and tackle slung across his shoulder. Unaware that he was observed, he loosened the ventilating boards, BONGI The bell rang. It rang so loud that the sound of shot and ricochet was hardly detectable. But the would-be thief knew he was in trouble. Either the hand of God was poised to strike again, or someone was shooting in his direction. He left town with little dignity and much alacrity. Eighty—year-old Harold McIntosh, one-time operator of the general s/tore,*^and long-time resident -13- �N. Weis of Golden, lives a quarter mile northeast of town In Rohlnson s Gulch, alongside one of the finest strawberry patches In Oregon, He Is a willful, honest man. He may fracture a word here and there, but the meaning Is always clear, I Introduced myself, and asked, "Harold McIntosh, I believe?" With just the faintest twinkle In his eye, he replied, "Well ,,,,mostly," We talked strawberries and weather for a while, then got down to serious history, Harold McIntosh mined Robinson Gulch with his own Giants (hydraulic gunspouring out a mighty stream. "We Three men helped him with the operation, got some gold — but It wasn’t so good. Not as good as Coyote Creek — they took out millions there. Used to get seventeen dollars an ounce — In 1933 It went up to thirty-five dollars. The gold was nine hundred fine," I asked If It was true that Golden had no saloon, "Never had a saloon, but they all dralnk sort of ’no whiskey - no mining,’ Never saw anyone drunk, though," Business was good when Harold ran the store, "Had to build on a lean—to — needed more room. That was about the time they were tearing down some of the houses to get the gold beneath them," -14- He paused, then �N, Weis grinned and went on. store. "Used to hold dances at the Church wouldn’t allow it. I finally gave up and built a dance hall down at Wolf Creek. Had real good times there, but church folk still gave me trouble. Used to parade around the dance hall prayin’ away the devil — was fanatakism — pure fanataklsm." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and </em><em>Unknown </em>Oregon&nbsp;Draft Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_DraftManuscript_Oregon Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/dfcf470f46019a5bcc1e98ee933f4149.pdf df3621d93fef578d4f8bc20e8b63e315 PDF Text Text Part II •I’;' ■■ -.■'jf-.■...■■> �N. Weis WASHINGTON AREA 1 t a T y J O 0 0 - WO 1^. S LIBERTY, WASHINGTON 11 ’~The sun disappeared behind Teenaway Ridge on my left. curves. Highway 97 continued to climb in broad Horizons lowered as altitude was gained The sun reappeared frequently, offering brief post/ ponements to the day’s end. The road leveled and the sun set for good as I pulled into Liberty Guard Station, fifteen miles northeast of Cle Elum in -1- �N. Weis central Washington. A brief look at the topographic maps showed that I had passed the Liberty turn'^ff a quarter of a mile back. Liberty is located at the joining edges of the Liberty and Thorp, Washington^l5 minute maps and the maps have to be matched to make out the route. I reached the turn'"' Retracing my off and headed east up Williams Creek, occasional glimpses of quiet pools. enjoying Windrowed gravel banks Indicated the area had been placered heavily. The last traces were the obvious result of a dredging operation. A short two miles from the highway, the road crossed Lion Creek, angled slightly right, and suddenly became the main street of Liberty. A sign on the left read "For Sale, Claims, Cabins." of the street, Mining There were old cabins on both sides and just visible across the valley was a string of mining shacks. My maps indicated that two tunnels and three shafts were to be found near the mine shacks. of town. The road divided at the upper end The right fork dead-ended in a quiet clear­ ing, and I made camp for the night. Making camp was simply a matter of jockeying the truck about until two spirit levels were satisfied. mounted at right angles. The levels are One indicates fore and aft -2- �N. slant — the other shows my "roll attitude." to do a bit of reading, Weis I planned so this night I parked with a quarter bubble on the left of the level to raise the head of the bed. It was a peaceful spot. The waters of tiny Boulder Greek rushed by a few feet away. It was quite a relief to be camped by a genuine ghost town, after suffering through three days of high expectations and dashed hopes. Reviewing my notes, appointments In a row. I counted seven dis­ First there was Maryhill, south-central Washington. Once a going town. In It had degenerated Into an orchard and truck farm. An old store stood alone among young fruit trees. Part of two old ferries were at the banks of the Columbia River, put to disuse by a new highway bridge. On the hill above town, a replica of England's Stonehenge seemed strangely out of place. A few miles away, the Maryhill Museum overlooked the Columbia from a lofty perch on the north bank. of Interest, Inside were many Items mostly art objects and European royal family relics. It was a fascinating museum, but not a single Item pertained to the old town of Maryhill. Both the Stonehenge memorial and the museum were -3- �N. Weis built by Samuel Hill, a famous pioneer in road building. I speculated as I drove away that many visitors to the two sites must have departed with the same thought: "What in Sam Hill?" Thorp, one hundred miles north, next on the list. shrunk, town. had been Bypassed by the highway, it had but was still too lively to be called a ghost The old water—powered flour mill at the north end of town was fascinating. swimming in the mill pond, Complete with kids it was a sight guaranteed to transport the beholder to the time of his childhood. I would have joined them had I packed a swimTsuit. One of^the youngsbers offered the loan of his! To the north, Greek, Lester, investigation, town. the towns of Easton, Cabin Ronald and Cle Elum all warranted but failed to fit the category of ghost With mild irritation I recalled my troubles with a loud and perslsV^nt cafe operator who ranted so continuously that no one could mount a response. He badgered me to buy something or he "wouldn’t answer a damn question!" I ordered coffee, handed it back to him with the paid for it, s u ggestion that he drink it, and treat the customers to a few seconds of blissful quiet. then �N. Weis And that reminded me of the quiet that permeated my campsite at Liberty. I was again relaxed, anxious only for the next day to arrive. The morning was cool, and the skies were clear overhead. A few puffy clouds were climbing over the hills to the west. The conditions were ideal for photographing the old mine shacks that extended down the south side of the valley. The first cabin was securely locked with a hasp of unique construction. A large saw blade, hinged at one end, entire width of the door. spanned the A square hole, burned through with a cutting torch, obviously allowed a U-bolt to be exposed far enough for a gigantic padlock to pass through its eye, A long rear marked the beginning of a tunnel. shed at the The shoring was rotted and collapsing, A bit fjlrther west was a smaller shack with a vertical mine shaft located in its center. There was barely room to stand inside between the walls and the shaft. A shaky rotted ladder extended downward beyond view. There was no hoisting wheel mounted above the shaft, and no evidence of one ever having been installed. Perhaps the old shaft was used merely as an inside cooler for food storage. A horizontal tunnel penetrated the hill a few yards from the shack. �N. Weis An eighth of a mile downstream was a small building with lots of character. Some of its wid® roof boards had warped to near rain-gutter proportions. A ramshackle rear stoop was on its last legs. door was battened shut, but part of the south wall I poked my head inside, was missing. The and after a moment getting used to the dim light, I made out a wooden floor and some old furniture. One step inside was enough. With a hollow groan, the floor sagged like a trampoline. I could make out a large trap'^ door in the center. Another shaft,no doubt. a rock onto the trap~}ioor. I tossed The punky empty sound demonstrated that further exploration would be fool^ hardy. The solid earth outside felt reassuring. Behind this cabin were a number of shafts nearly hidden by heavy brush. Some were covered with three— inch-diameter poles too rotted to support one’s weight. Their partial collapse indicated that some ipnwary creature had broken through. attest^to The numerous shafts and tunnels indicated A a considerable hard*rock mining effort, a vain effort, but it was for most of the gold taken in the area was placered from Williams Greek, -6- �N. Weis In 1867, Benton Goodwin, the first sizeable gold deposit. a deaf-mute, found He uncovered a two-r-^ dollar nugget at the junction of Swauk and Williams ireek*^ when he kicked over some rocks to make it ' a''/, easier to gather cooking water. Greatly excited, he put the nugget in his mouthy and ran squawking back to campj Members of the party panned gold furiously all summer. Some pans ran to one thousand dollars, and a good gravel bar yielded up to six hundred dollars per day. Inevitably, word leaked out, and miners poured in. The first community established was called Meaghersville, and was located at the site of the original discovery. As gold was panned out and the hot activity moved up^ream, convenience. camps were moved for The town migrated two miles up Williams Creek to its present position. the slacked, and^Chlnese moved in. By 1884 the boom had A few years later, white miners held mass meetings and demanded the Chinese leave. It had been determined that hydraulic operations would pay off, and deserted claims were again valuable. Scott Darling opened a store in I892, "everything you could want - Miners supplies, -7- selling fishbait. �N. Weis A post office was gum boots, and bug juice." established and the town was officially designated "Liberty." Liberty was^X^w^^ij^ deserted in 189? when the Yukon ^trlke lured most miners away. dredge was brought In from Sumpter, activities boomed again. Some wire gold in but the big lode was never tapped. During the depression, to a few hard-up miners moved in "pan wages," but pockets miss were rare. Oregon, and Hard rockers s^nk shafts in search of the mother lode. quartz was found, In 1925 a by the dredges Slowly, Liberty became deserted. Scattered throughout town are relics typical of the various booms that Liberty enjoyed. The oldest are probably the log structures that dot both sides the o:^maln street for nearly a quarter mile. A number of the cabins were used for a time as places of business. and repair. disrepair. On some, Many show signs of loving care the repairs are falling in Sheets of metal roofing placed over scant shingles are loose and floppy. Thick butt shakes have been tacked over the metal and now they are falling away. -8- �N. Weis A water-|whe el-powered rotary goldiwasher rests Intact at the east edge of town. A small ditch still carries a minimal flow of water to the wooden trough that in turn feeds the water to the upper portion of the wooden wheel. The wheel stands about twelve or fourteen feet high and is equipped with perhaps four dozen slanted boards that catch the flow of water. An iron axle transports the power to a series of belts and chains which result in not only turning the drum, but in powering a small endless belt. The belt lifts the gold-*-bearing gravel from the bln to the mouth of the drum, where it is treated with water and agitated. Unwanted gravel flows out the far end of the drum like concrete from an over'^ull ready-mix truck. Periodically the drum is scoured and the gold concentrate is panned out by hand. At the west end of town there is another gold washer. Built to more modern specifications, operates on the same principle, Diesel engine, it but is powered by a and appears to have a capacity hundreds of times that of its counterpart across town. It was in Liberty that the "Incident of the rock" supposedly occurred. repeated, A favorite story, and often it has a number of variations’*"^] .j. i. The -9- �N, grizzled old prospector, Weis tired after ten hard hours spent on the blister end of a pick, was contentedlyeating his home-cooked supper. A two-ton rock came flying through the happenedI roof, smashed the table flat, and drove It, and all, stew, That's when It clear through the floor. boiling mad, but unhurt, supper Spattered with the old gentleman sat then he rose, swiped the stew from his face^and ystalked outside. He planted his feet there a moment, wide and firm. canyon, With a voice heard for miles down the he bellowed^ <tv^'A11 right, dammlt‘^~^who threw It?" -10- �N. Weis BLEWETT, WASHINGTON There are a number of historical accounts I read two of them concerning the town of Blewett. and found little agreement. A third account sided with neither of the first two, hence the vague nature chosen because they were of the following few items, consistent in some small measure. Gold in quartz or nugget form was found by a soldier, perhaps a captain, in 185^ or (^5. The The area was noted either town started about 1861. for its small nuggets found only near bedrock, or its thousand-dollar nugg^gfB^ found nearly everywhere. About 187^, nearby Culver Gulch. gold in quartz was found in The veins ran narrow and rich, or up to eight feet wide. In 1880, the action slowed and the town died — or — the place was a boomer until 1890, when the rush was in full swing! A twenty-stamp mill was built in 1879 by the Chelan Mining Co. For a while it turned out ten thousand gold bricks a week. Some of the facts are obviously "Chamber of Commerce." Like the ten thousand bricks a week. Any gold brick worth its name weighs at least thirty pounds and was worth, in 1890, about ten thousand dollars. Now ten thousand bricks a week adds up to one hundred iaillion dollars in gold per week — far more than the -11- �N. Weis area’s lifetime production. Blewett’s past is hidden behind a disastrous fire, and the destruction of most of the surviving buildings by construction of a highway through town. Later the highway was made wider, and Blewett’s visible trace of history became even narrower. About all one can be sure of in Blewett/ is that the site is located twenty-one miles north of Liberty, and if you don’t look clos^ you will miss it. Four buildings remain on the north side of the road, two of them original structures of Blewett. One is said to have been a shoemaker’s establishment, the other a wood shed. Across the highway are two structures of more obvious background. One, an old stamp mill, shows that four bays of stamps were once in action. A bay of stamps was traditionally five stamps. Near the mill is the old smithy, with a few items of original gear still within. What makes a visit to Blewett worthwhile is the marvelous old stone arrastra. ore crusher, built in 1861 or 18?^, been water*^ower driven. This drag^stone is said to have The explanation seems likely, since it is located adjacent to Peshastln Creek. -12- Much �N, Weis of the ore from the earlier shafts and tunnels was processed here for a percentage of the gold retrieved. Dozens of prospect holes and horizontal tunnels can be found within a mile or so of Blewett. According to the Liberty, topographic map, Washington, 15 minute more than a dozen tunnels are located in Culver Gulch immediately behind the old mill. -13- �N, Weis DISAUTEL, WASHINGTON Disautel stands alone, far removed from the other ghost towns visited in the state of Washington. It is not shown on the area map at the beginning of the chapter, but may be located on the Disautel, Washington, 15 minute topographic map. gravel road 155 heads in north-central Washington, east. In fifteen miles, the right (south), From Omak, a lesser road branches to crosses Omak Creek, and Immediately branches into the various streets of Disautel. To the left is a huge garage, a number of residences, and beyond are one of them occupied. The road to the right leads past a row of look-alike homes, by then windsa number of residences of mixed vintage. On the hill is a strange-looking structure. It appears to be a small store with a gabled false front complete with a pointless window that opens to^e air in both directions. Louis Whlstocken^who lives in town, was happy to talk about the history of Disautel, and to discuss the nature of its remnants. The funny structure on the hill was not a store, but the rear wall and wash house of a home that had been partially dismantled. The large building in the center of town was once a barn for logging teams, then a garage for logging trucks. Louis explained^ �N. Weis that the trucks put many of the loggers out of work. A railroad once carried logs from Disautel to the sawmill at Omak. When the area was logged out, the j^lghway department used the garage for housing road . . Highway Department Later, when the Statfee moved A Only two families remained. . maintaining equipment. out, the town died. Louis Whistocken is a handsome man of Indian ancestry. His last name was his dad’s first name, and meant "walk on the arm." in spite of his name, was a very add that his father, wel]»educated man. Louis hastened to Louis* main interest was rodeo, until he got bent up. "Busted my knees a few times had three specialties, steer ropin’, bull doggin’ and saddle bronc. Used to win my share of prize money even after my knees gave out." On the way out of town I came upon two more bronc busters. The meeting was a near collision. It looked like I would head them off at the bridge^ but at the last moment^ the two young riders veered their mounts sharply and headed for the stream. speed, At full they flew over the backs of their ponies and splashed heavily in the water. Shortly, they both emerged, laughing — each hanging on to his pony’s tail, enjoying a tall drag onto dry land. they galloped off, Remounted, then turned and headed back to $ �N. Weis repeat their performance. stepped out, I stopped the truck and camera In hand. The encore was out­ The third go-round was even better, and standing, the fourth performance rated a cold bottle of pop all around. We sat on the tailgate of my truck and talked, Dave was twelve and Leon was fourteen. were brothers, sharing the last name of St. They Peter. Their father had been killed riding saddle bronc at a rodeo a few years back. In spite of this, the two boys both plan to become championship rodeo hands, Dave pointed out the old Brooks residence just across the creek. It was aroundLeon chimed in, "the ghostiest place "We stayed over there once — clear after it got dark — scared us — it sure is haunted!• I looked back as I drove away, I could see the two of them shaking up the last of their pop • then thumbing the stream of foam carefully against their tongues t, .-ryand each other. �N. Weis ’’The wooded slopes and fractured ridges that make up the Okanogan Highlands in north-central Wash­ Here ington constitute a ghost town hunter’s paradise. within a few miles of the Canadian bo3?der, are the remains of four ghost towns. Born of a short-lived mining boom, they maintained a shaky existence through 1900’s ' the early hundroda as agricultural communities A -1- Le/afJi �N. Weis The last to die was Molson, correctly, the three Molsons. or more The story is unbelievable, but thoroughly documented, John Molson, promoter, investor, and George Meacham, decided to combine their respective funds and talents to create a town. Molson, the man with the money, had large sums invested in the Poland China Gold Mine. The mine was located high on the North Pork of Mary Ann Creek, just two milesof the Canadian border, and not considered a fit site for the town. A flat area four miles west of the mine was selected, and the town laid out. Named for Molson, but never graced by his presence, the town grew from nothing in 1900 to a population of three hundred in one year. Then the town nearly died when Meacham, the promoter, had a bad hassle with the new town fathers and left for Texas, In the first year^ the promoters had invested seventy-five thousand dollars. A drug'^store was built, and a dentist and a lawyer set up practice. The Molson Magnate was to have printed up the first paper. Perhaps a few issues were run off the presses, but no one recalls ever having seen a copy, -2- �N. Weis The ornate three-story Tonasket Hotel was the big drawing card. It had a full-glass front, and a wrap-around second-story ballustrade. More than sixty full-height windows gave the three_story structure an impressive appearance. The two outboard windows on the false front were strictly decoration. They smacked of empty promotion, as did brochures showing steamboats coming up Baker River to dock near the hotel. Baker Creek was in reality the seepage of a few springs a mile to the south. Ore deposits at the Poland China were thinning, and Molson suffered. to be doomed. In 1904-, W. W. For several years the town seemed Then a trickle of homesteaders appeared. Parry built a store and grain warehouse. Rumors of a railroad were widely spread in 1905, and a new j/ercantile went into business. crews did, in fact, The railroad builjK the tracks right past town. Eight saloons grew from the ground overnight "like mushrooms," and a deputy was hired. The town was booming and lots were selling at a premium. J. H. McDonald filed his homestead. Then No one had bothered about land ownership, and Old McDonald had a farm of considerable wealth after he planted the corners of his legally allotted one hundred sixty A acres. His quarter section of land Included forty acres of Molson, Hotel Tonasket included I -3- Molson, Washington �N. Weis Legal notices to vacate were posted, and lawsuits led to countersuits. Storekeeper Parry considered the situation hopeless, mercantile half a mile north. and built a new Sev/Cal businesses followed, and a new residential area was created. Lots in the new Molson had the advantage of uncontested ownership. By 1906, New Molson and Old Molson were of equal size and temperament. Arguments never stopped, and fislfYights were common occur^nces. A gun fight was threatened once when a resident named Sutherland complained of his neighbor's pigs trespassing on his property. Sutherland met his adversary in the middle of Main - .45«s. Street, with two loaded^forty-^ives-. He offered one A to his opponent, but was refused. The fight was a failure, but the pig problem was permanently resolved. By 1908, of Molson. a bank. McDonald had fenced in the old town That year, Mr. L. L. Work decided to build He chose Old Molson, but could not gain legal ownership of a suitable plot of ground, so the bank was built on skids in the middle of Main Street. It opened for business a different place each morning. Finally a lot was designated and the bank was ceremoniously planted. Procedures were temporarily -4- �N. Weis 1nterupted when the participants paused to watch, then take part in one of the better street fights in Molson’s history. ( Miraculously, in 1914 the two enemy camps combined efforts "for the good of our kids," and built a three-story brick schoolhouse. It had a gymnasium in the basement, and steam heat in every room, but the two outhouses were still placed out back as a sanitary measure. Built precisely half way between the two towns, the school became the nucleus of a third town. Those tired of fighting in the name of town pride were quick to build homes and places of business in "Center Molson." Potter built a mercantile, and Dunn built a fancy theater. Addition of a barbershop and pool hall made the new "town" the entertainment spa of the surrounding territory. The two extremes of Molson continued to fight. one. If one had a new dance hall, the other built When an auto dealer began to sell /Oakland^ in Old Molson, a dealership was quickly established in New Molson selling ^Maxwells.'* Proud owners drove to Center Molson to compare notes. the post office, Old Molson had so New Molson opmpaigned to have one -5- �N. Weis of their citizens elected postmaster. They succeeded in 1920, but Old Molson citizens wouldn’t give up the post office. When the old postmaster went to lunch, a few New Molsonites stole the works and moved it to "its rightful location," The fights and arguments continued into the twenties, but they were largely academic, since all three towi^ were shrinking due to Improved trans­ portation and removal of the railroad. happens when business fails, As often the hotels and stores A few of the stores struggled burned down one by one. on for a number‘of years. One of them lasted until 1955. The railroad tracks have been removed, but access to the various Molsons is still easy. The road east from Oroville is a good blacktopped secondary. Fifteen miles out, a gravel road branches to the left. About six miles north on this road stand the remains of* the three Molsons, The^^t^ Bonaparte, Washington, 15 minute map shows the layout of the Molsons as well as Ghesaw, Bolster, and Havlllah. Now, in 1970, all of the stores in the three Molsons are closed and the school is deserted. Only a handful of people are left to carry on the fight, and they seem to be uninterested. -6- �N. Weis At old Molson, three buildings have been Among them is the old bank building. preserved. Fully equipped with memorabilia of the times, it is an excellent museum of the early I9OO agricultural era. Surrounding the old bank is a multitude of ancient farm machinery. powered tractors, steam—-'" and *—> reapers, cultivators# A f Horse powered saws, threshers, are there. At New Molson, or just plain Molson, a T-shaped intersection is lined with nearly a dozen Outstanding are the Pratt substantial buildings. and Chamberlin two---story rock or concrete structures that were built in 1913. On the corner is the G, L. Diamond S^^re with a sign in front stating "For Sale, Inquire wihln or ...."and that is all. Fire Axs destroyed part of the interior, but much of the < AL*'*------ - 1/ counterwork and some scattered merchandise ts- still inside. Next to the Diamond Store is a wood and metal building that is still full of old hardware. Nails, rusty bolts, bent gutter work and other worthless items are strewn all about. the front reads The sign on "McCoys Cash Store — Meats and Groceries ," -7- ar �N. Weis A hundred yards south of the Diamond Store is the quaint old broad-porched headquarters build­ ing of the Eastern Okanagan Telephone Company. Its picturesque multl-paned front ^Indow and pompous false front make it the classic structure of Molson, Center Molson has the school and grange hall. The school has a T^Vj antenna on its roof, and cord after cord of weathered firewood stacked at its foundation. The basketball court is still in the school basement. It isn’t hard to Imagine a game in progress. Bitter enemies must have gathered here to sit in close proximity. Perhaps they even joined together momentarily to give three cheers for the Molson basketball team. -8- aJ th. �N. Weis GHSSAW, WASHINGTON Ten miles east of the Molson Jiinction, the banks of Meyers Greek, on stands the town of Chesaw. Once the prime rival of the Molsons, It has been reduced by time and fire to a precious few buildings, A country store continues in operation and a dozen or so people live nearby. July, Once a year, on the Fourth of up to six thousand people flock to the famous Chesaw Fair and Hodeo, and Chesaw looks like its old self again --but on this quiet summer day, only one car was parked on Main Street, Beyond the little general store is a small log structure that has been converted to a double­ In 1900, doored garage. "Home Millinery" shop. this was Minnie Carpenter’s In its display windows the latest feathered fashions were changed as rapidly as styles required. There were several other hat shops, among them "Mrs, Commodore Johnson's Millinery Shop," where the tastes of the younger generation were counted North of Minnie’s Millinery is the false- fronted Townsite Building, Once there was a bold sign along its flank reading "TOWNSITE OFFICE" indi­ cating it was a real^estate office, perhaps both. or town halli Between the Townsite Building and -9- �N. Weis Minnie’s is the largest remaining building in Chesaw, It has been used for a number of purposes, best remembered as the Chesaw Bank. but is Later it was the town’s post office, and more recently it has served as a residence. One of the first mining services offered in Chesaw was that of assayer, J. P. Blaine. His small smelter and laboratory building stands on the right side of the street at the extreme north end of town. The hipped-roofj^square-log structure is plumb and sound of wall, but its shingles are blowing away in batches, and the lean-to shed behind is in Ou shambles. The tree that stands behind matches the ' building, With sturdy trunk topped with broken limbs and dead branches, A quarter mile north of town are the squat remains of a two—story log and frame house. beautiful home, Once a it now presents a study in angularity. The left gable leans out. The ridge'^ole has broken and permitted the roof to drop at the center. One comer has sunk and carried one side of the entry cubic^ with it, creating another set of distortions from the vertical, Chesaw was named after ”Chee-Saw," an early Chinese settler who took an Indian wife and settled JL 0 *** �N. Weis near a commonly traveled ford on Meyers Greek. In the 1800*s visitors to Ghee-Saw’s Ford spotted some traces of gold in the creek. Word of the gold spread, but since the area was in the Golvllle Indian Reser­ vation, no prospecting was allowed. In I896, with morals adjusted to fit the pocketbook, the white man opened half the /i^eservation to mineral claims. Promptly, a»ory good pasturesand fieldswere taken by whites^ as placer claims. The town"~site of Ghesaw was laid out on land obtained by filing a half-dozen Some honest mineral claims false claims side by side. t were made, however, on outcrops that looked promising. Iron and copper were the first ores taken in hard-'^ rock operations, the Ast er, Gonslderable iron has come from '’^Polaris, and the /Roosevelt placer^old was "spotty," The One claim might yield eighty dollars a pan, and twenty feet away another claim would be worthless. The ^Gold Axe*- on Buckhorn Mountain was the first to produce gold from hard rock. Eventually high-grade ore was produced in quantity, and mills were built at the north edge of Ghesaw and at a road junction about three miles to the south. By 1900 Ghesaw was a sizeable log community of two hundred population. -11- It grew rapidly into a �N. Weis full-blown town with two three-story frame hotels, and a population (on a Saturday night, and counting dogs) ahe-— that neared the/^thousand mark. Josh Clary's saloon In town. "Greenwood" was the busiest Fred Fine’s paper, //he Meyers Creek Ne^,\ aligned Itself solidly with the editorial policies of the Republican ^arty, and printed a little news on the side. The-Barker Hotel burned in I906, and @years lateri three more of the town's larger buildings were destroyed. * y^burned^ Mining operations were dropping off as lodes were depleted. The Greenwood Saloon was sold and converted toca church. roof, A steeple was tacked’on the extending only slightly above the saloon's false front. In the twenties, the automobile led people to the bigger towns, and Chesaw declined at an increasing rate. Many buildings were scavenged, Pires racked the town in I950 and again in 1959. But the population of Chesaw is now increasing. Recently a couple bought the old eight-"^ sided silo behind the general store. Stained a dark brown and fitted with a spiral staircase and handsome front door, it makes a proper summer home. p. -12- �N, Weis BOLSTER, WASHINGTON D. Drill» G. Jenkins was the editor of the Bolster Generally outspoken, he was particularly acidic as he wrote his last editorial. He had learned why so few subscriptions had been bought. the paper. Most borrowed Some even split the cost and passed the paper around. Editor Jenkins wrote» To those upon whose backs a fungus growth sere and yellow is clinging , Those who for the past year have borrowed the paper.j .j.which wasn’t no good no how, I offer my sympathy!" He closed his office and departed town. Bolster, just two miles north of Chesaw, once threateened to outshine its southern rival. one year, For each called the other a "suburb," It was in 1899 that J. S. the Commonwealth Placer Claim, McBride bought up paced off a main street, named the place "Bolster," and proceeded to sell lots. The Hamilton Store was already there, and soon a corner of the store was designated as post office, with the storekeeper as postmaster. stores sprang into action, up. Within a year, two more and three saloons opened Thirty homes were built, and Editor Jenkins started up the paper with high hopes of success. -13“ �N. A three-story hotel, parts, Weis the mark of success In these was constructed, hut never quite finished,' Bolster collapsed! It seemed to follow the mining trend closer than Ghesaw, and perhaps the loss of Its newspaper had some effect. The town’s people drifted to Ghesaw and Molson, School opened for one post office closed In 1909. year In I9IO, then closed. The By 1916 the only citizens left were seven bachelor prospectors, and they finally left or died. The remains are sparse, A large false-X^ fronted saloon stands at the edge of a cultivated field, Its three bay windows are vacant, A false front extends half heartedly toward the ridge-pole, and part of It Is blown away. The north wall sags and will soon fall,and will probably take the rest "^with it, of the building alon^ similar structure, Just beyond the saloon Is a but without a false front. may have been a store, It but has been used as a bam ! SO long that all signs of human occupancy are gone. Half a dozen cabins are scattered about, last used^ perhaps^by the seven lonely prospectors. There isn’t much left to see or explore at Bolster, The few old buildings seem sad and dejected. -1^- �N. Weis Only one man could look upon this lonely scene with any measure of satisfaction. Jenkins, -15- That man would be Editor �HAVILLAH, WASHINGTON Martin Schweikert built a grist^^ In 1903, mill and store near the junction of Antoine Greek and Mill Greek, at a point three miles west and ten miles southwest by road from Ghesaw, good; and in a few years Mr. Schweikert, first postmaster, mill. Business was the town’s built a larger steam,powered flour The boiler and other parts were railroaded into Molson, and then freighted sixteen miles to Havillah by oxen. constructed, Grain storage buildings were and soon fine white flour was flowing from the mill. Packed in carefully weighed sacks, it sold far and wide under the trade name of "Gold Sheaf." Soon a log school was built, ydhurch constructed. Havillah, and a Lutheran pronouned "HaVEBlah," —— — was rapidly approaching its maximum size. In 1917 a handsome new tall-splred church was built. A deep ravine cuts across in front of the church, requiring access via a wooden foot bridge. Although the bridge is In doubtful repair, and the church looks somewhat tattered at the windows, sign out front proclaims weekly services led by Reverend Wlnterstein. -16- the �N. Weis The little log schoolhouse has become an Y-«si out building for one of the remaining Stoutly resisting decay, with windows boarded over, it is hung all about with the wire, ladders, cables, chains and the miscellaneous parts that farmers always save. When the Schweikert was converted to a school. |llll closed down, it A second-story access had to be added as a fire escape. Enclosed, and lighted by two small windows, the stairway cranks its way down the side of the building, around the corner, and ends at the next corner, having traversed nearly half of the building’s perimeter. Havillah Isn’t much of a place anymore^ of course^ ^t never did measure out to be much of a place — until you added up the- friendships, the memories, and the good times that were yesterday in Havillah. -17- �N. Weis I -------- ’^he road northeast from Wauconda parallels Todora Creek along its entire length, the creek's terminating at juncture with Kettle River. along this scenic route, is the site of Bodie, About midway fifteen miles from Wauconda, Washington, Forested slopes broken by occasional barren outcrops and footed by grassy flats make the trip to Bodie one of pleasant -1- �N. Weis variation, Todora Creek bounces along, nearly always visible|from the road, and gently audible at each The Bodie Mountain, crossing. n‘iAp Washington^ opo is a definite aid to exploration. Part of this map Is reproduced in the introduction. Bodie has half a dozen buildings strung out along the road, Most of the cabinsiare stained board and the creek. 'batten. mostly on the east side,vnext to Across the Only one is of log construction. street is the deserted Bodie ^chool, complete with wood^shed and twin houses out back. The second story of the schoolhouse appears to have been an apartment, perhaps an early version of a teacherage, Bodie was established as a mill town about 1900. At one time it had a store, house, bunkhouse^and hotel. post office, cook^* Almost every resident worked for the Perkins Milling Company. The giant stamp mill processed much of the ore taken from the Golden Reward and the Elk (later the Golconda) /fines. Business was good up until the late thirties. shut down — and so did Bodie. Since then, The mill In 1962 the mill burned. things have been pretty quiet. You can almost hear the silence in Bodie, especially at sunset. Later, by moonlight, the old cabins in town take on a new look. seem luminous, Bleached boards and fence posts show half outlines. -2- Bodie, Washington �N. Weis Clouds scattered above reflect the dim light and stand out boldly against the pitch-dark sky. The morning light divorced Bodie of its nocturnal beauty. dingy. One, Some of the cabins looked downright however, was in fine trim, recently repaired, and protected by a sign that made me think twicer "NO TRESPASSING — SURVIVORS WILL BE PROSECUTED^ �N. Weis OLD TODORA, WASHINGTON Indian trails generally followed the streams, and the white man often built his wagon roads on top of the trails. Consequently, where streams Joined, roads also met, and there towns sprang into being. Todora was established at the confluence of Cougar and Todora ^reeks, northeast of Wauconda. It mushroomed into existence shortly after I896 when the area was opened to mineral claims. By I898 there were twenty-five cabins strung out along the Inter-section. road, Aligned on both sides of the north-south there was a store, smithy, assay office, and post office. It appeared to be a growing town, but rumors concerning the nearby mines were circulating shortly after its post office was established. The suggestion was made to move the town north four miles where the mines were more promising. The town stayed, of course, but eight months after Todora received its post office, it was moved and given the name of Bodie. Later a post office opened twenty miles farther northeast, using the name Todora. The original Todora then took on its present designation, "Old Todora." Along Old Todora's main street are three of its original business houses and ai, number of cabins. �N. Weis the One of the cabins on the east side of.main street was A probably the residence and office of Postmaster Frederick Just north is the badly decayed structure Rosenfelt. that once housed the local assaye?s^ office. Its walls are sagging and its roof poles are nearly barren of shingles. On the west side of the street the blacksmith’s shop stands nearly roofless. and its gables enclosed with log walls are well joined, Adjacent and to the north, broad rough-hewn boards. is the Schmellng General Store, brothersI Its solid Carl and Herman. once operated by The roof was extended six feet to the front to provide shade for window-shoppers and inveterate whlttlers. Just west of Old Todora is a modern country home. I stopped in to ask about Old Todora, and was heartily; welcomed by the Atchisons. Over huge stacks of pancakes topped with buttered syrup, we discussed the deserted towns and mining camps in the area. After determining the nature of each building in Old Todora, Washington, I mentioned that my Bodie Mountain, Topographic (15 minute) map indicated a large mine three miles upstream on Cougar Creek. The Atchison brothers, S. G. and Charlie, its existence and elaborated. >5- confirmed Called the Sheridan �N. Weis Mine Gamp, it had a number of buildings including a That made it a ghost town in my mill and dormitory. book. I thanked the Atchisons and headed for the door. Before I could leave, Charlie added, "You might go on up a couple of miles and look over the old town of Sheridan, There’s a dozen buildings there, some made of logs — three stories high — and a hotel with dance hall on the second floor — balcony^tool " The map was quickly spread^ and the site located. Beside the first sharp switchback above the head of the creek were two empty squares, ting deserted buildings. Charlie was surprised the "It’s on the old Sheridan map showed even that much, Road, indica­ you know — used to go all the way to Republic, but it’s been blocked with trees for years." Mrs. Atchison volunteered, "Not too many people know about the place — last bunch in there punctured their oil pan. We had to go up and rescue Of course they had to walk all the way dovrn. their car. Amidst warnings of deep ruts and boulder-::^ strewn switchbacks, information, I thanked them for pancakes and then set off for Sheridan Camp and Sheridan Town, -6- �N. Weis SHERIDAN MINE CAMP, WASHINGTON The road was exactly as stated — terrible The first three quarters of a Ruts wery'a foot deep. mile wasn't bad, but after making the left turn to go the up East Pork of Cougar Greek, the road became a A Heavy trucks had been through here when challenge. the ground was wet and soft. Narrow ridges between ruts were now the roadway, and accurate navigation was a must. In two miles, a gate blocked the road, but here was the turnoff heading left up to the mine camp, A sort of halfway house was located at the -'jV junction. It was a handsome cabin of large logs, roofed with moss-grown thick-butt cedar shingles. Half a mile north of the halfway house cookhouse junction was the Sheridan Gamp^o^k and bunkhouse. Eleven logs high, for cooking, and steeply roofed, it offered room heatlng^and recreation, with sleeping quarters above. Behind the bunkhouse was a board and batten shed with an alr-clrculatlng c^ola on top. I speculated that it was either a meatjhouse or assay office, or perhaps the cooking was done here instead of in the big log building. One of the nice features of exploring an "unknown" site is that the only information available is "on the spot" guess work. -7- �N. Weis One thing is certain. The twelve>»by-“elghteen-foot vented building had been bu^t around a four-foot-’diameter stump, sawed flat at table height and full of chop marks I That meant it most likely had been a meat house or cook house. The asssy office theory was ruled out. Just up the hill a bit the old mill clings to the hillside, the roadway. extending down to and including half In fact the road splits to go either past or under the mill chutes. shape. The mill is in bad Much of its superstructure is gone, X / ■ / lron__work and machinery is missing. shouldn’t call it a mill, Perhaps I for its Inside timbering did not resemble most mills. It could have been a concentrator^or merely a fancy loader. was a square two-story building. equipment was inside, was evident. Near the "mill" Some of the original and the function of this structure Forge tables, with cinders and charcoal still in place, made it a smithy. littered one end of the building. portion, and its Numerous ore samples In a small^closed there was an abundance of crushed ore. An oven pedestal and roof vent were enough to deduce that an assayer carried out his work at this end of the building. -8- �N. Weis The road was narrow, and it took a while to find a place wide enough to turn about. For a I suspected that I had driven in on the ultimate one­ way road -- "in only." accomplished, Finally, a one-eighty I headed for Sheridan Town with high expectations. -9- �N. Weis SHERIDAN (TOWN), WASHINGTON From the "halfway house" through an unlocked gate, the road leads and continues upstream along the north bank of the East Pork of Cougar Creek. The roadway is narrow. area on either side of the mile and a half. There is no flat "straight" road for a The first turn is a sharp switch- back to the right. At this point a faint roadway leads straight ahead. The barely perceptible track was the main street of Sheridan. Looming on the right, and fairly hidden by trees, was a two-and-a-half-story "hotel," Each story was eight logs high, and the logs were fat — well over a foot in diameter. logs to the gable top. still standing! It was another eight Twenty-four logs high and Across the front of the lower floor was a long timbered opening designed to hold two double doors and several large windows. The lower foundation logs extended forward a dozen feet to support a wide boardwalk, now entirely rotted away. Close inspection Indlcatad that company offices may have been planned for the main floor, with living quarters above. Just up the main road a few yards was another log building of nearly equal size. -10- It looked �N. Weis like another "hotel," but more probably was built to house the laboring force. Centered, and behind these two massive log buildings was a third log structure. It was a low^ single-story outfit, with collapsed roof. low walls divided It Into stalls, Numerous spelling out Its It was a stable, and It was a big one — function. larger In floor space than either of the taller log buildings. The faint trail that led Into the trees from the switchback became more Indistinct with every step. I had gone perhaps one hundred yards beyond the two-anda-*half—story log "hotel" when I came across the collapsed remains of the real It had been gigantic — and plush. logs formed tall^ slngle-»story side walls. Squared Adz marks on the logs Indicated they had been flattened without the benefit of saws. jointed. The corners were beautifully lock'-'~^ Above the first floor had been a vaulted peaked roof, constructed of sawed rafters and shingled with heavy shakes. The entire upper floor — clear out to the useless eaves -- was floored smooth with expensive (for that era) tongue and groove boards. This was the fancy place the Atchison Jfrothers at Old Todora had told me about. -11- It had been Intact Just �N, Weis a few years before. The upper floor was used for dances, and had a walk-out veranda. Below the veranda was the usual boardwalk leading into.the lower floor, which was the hotel proper. The rest of the town was anticlimactic. hind the hotel was a large dug-out cooler. Be­ West and north of the hotel were six cabins in various states One of them had roof shakes nearly three everything feet long, and^was so well preserved that it could of decay. have been made liveable with a few hours* labor. Never had I been in a more deserted or more forgotten town, nor had-I ever seen ^uch magnificent log buildings. Just how they had survived was a -. mystery. The big log building at the switchback was a mystery by itself, appearance. Something was "wrong” with its It took a moment —— then it was obvious. There were no windows at the sides or on the upper floors. No sane man would live in a flammable building without an avenue of escape. to have windows. At first it seemed unexplainable. Then things began to add up. downstream, months. falling. A building like this had Old Todora, a few miles had ^eld its post office for only eight The reason was that the mines nearby were Gould it be that Sheridan Town failed -12- just �N. Weis as quickly, and that work on the big log building was stopped short, just before the windows were slated to be cut out and framed? Perhaps the reasoning Is In error. I hope It Is, In a way. for standing In the middle of this Im­ pressive ghost town, one begins to feel guilty about prying Into long-held secrets. Like a grand old lady, her modicum of privacy. -13- Sheridan Town deserves � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown </em>Washington&nbsp;Draft Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_DraftManuscript_Wash Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/191383177ab330a2342954e2f10ef2db.pdf 826ca70c34377a52738ec894ea7073ca PDF Text Text Part III IDAHO �N. Weis > “ ^he high country of Idaho is endowed with nature’s fulj/^t measure. Tall mountains, big trees, rushing waters^ and /^ep blue skies are combined in beautiful proportion, beauty is seldom found without a touch of adversity. Of adversities, logging trucks and narrow roads are two of Idaho’s most challenging. hazards are invariably encountered together. -1- The two Although Leesburg, Idaho �N, Weis roads are of noted solidarity* they appear to be thoroughly flexible when viewed through this observer’s phobia. The road shrinks to fractional width whenever a logging truck approaches. The narrow portion of the road seemingly travels ahead of the vehicle, accompanied by a shock wave of fear and despair. Even the boldest seek shelter, or lacking that will huddle precariously at road's edge. I had been in Idaho for less than an hour when a logging truck put me in the ditch. It was on the well-traveled Salmon River Road, north of Salmon The logger insisted on the and west of North Pork. middle of the road. That gave me an option on the ditch, which I quickly assumed. Later I learned that a logger had dropped his rig into the river a few days earlier. The driver had been over-courteous, and his right wheels, too close to the edge, broke down the fill at the river's edge. The truck flipped and rolled into the white waters of the Salmon River. Other drivers quite naturally decided thereafter to use the center half of the road. One of the foresters at the Indianola Ranger Station indicated that I was not the only victim. A number of tourists had reported similar encounters. ^2- Leesburg, Idaho �N. Weis The ranger advised, "Just pull over, close your eyes, and think thin." He also advised that the back road into Leesburg was presently used by loggers. I decided to take a longer but more relaxing route, Leesburg* is reached most pleasantly by going south of the town of Salmon for about five miles on U.S. Highway 93, then turning west on the Williams Creek Road. Fourteen miles up this steep, all-weather road is Williams Greek Summit. Beyond the ^ummlt, the road parallels Moccasin Creek, reaching downstream eight miles to its junction with Napias Creek, A right turn here leads you seven hard miles up Napias I Creek to Leesburg, The road is narrow and rocky, changing to a badly rutted dirt surface for the last few miles. 'Just past the crossing of Gamp Creek, the road angles to the right and enters a large grassy The main street meadow. ^Mainsj^eet — two ruts with grass between — stretches eastward std across the flat, flanked on the north by perhaps a dozen log structures. Fewery but more impressive buildings line the south side of the road. Ahead, the aspens close the road to a narrow path, and dark green pines stretch up the the slope, topping out at^skyline. A Leesburg, Idaho Idaho, for map Information, �The first building on the north side is a small, low^double-walled log cabin, probably used as a cooler or powder house. Toward the middle of town is a long, extensively sway^^backed log store, its low^wide walls bulging and bending as the collapsing roof spends its weight. Nearby a ridgepole slants nakedly, the few remaining roof boards clinging momentarily. Across the street, a low-ceilinged two-story log store stands roofless and in near ruin, its gable end leaning^ as if nodding in sleep. Two of the cabins along the overgrown street are occupied. Although often told, the story of Leesburg can withstand yet another try, especially in the light of some "new” Information uncovered at the Lemhi Museum in Salmon, Prospectors in northern Montana had heard the rumor of a stream of gold high up in the southwest hills. Five miners, following directions given them by friendly Indians, worked their way up the Nez Perce Indian Trail, over the ^ivide, across several drainages, to the high slopes overlooking the present Site of Leesburg. The sediments of the many tributary streams were panned, and on August 12, 1866, gold-rich gravels were found. The five miners named the stream "Napias," after the Indian word for Jgold.'^ -4- Leesburg, Idaho �N. Weis Word, leaked out, and by summer’s end three thousand miners had filed as many claims along seven miles of stream, A town sprang up, named for General Robert E. Lee, populated mainly by southerners. Not to be outdone, the northerners established Grantsville about a half mile up'Hstream on Naplas Creek, -.,—1 Grantsville has been erroneously located one mile west of Leesburg, placing it high on a timbered hillside, an unlikely home for gold-hungry placer miners. The two towns soon grew into one, and the entire town went by the name favored by the majority. In I870 there were more than one hundred businesses located on the main street of Leesburg, floors^-|| Most of the stores had dirt few of the finer establishments sported cowhide carpets. By 187^ the town was nearly deserted and the Chinese moved in to scour the sands for riches overP* looked. Five years later, the Chinese were massacred. The total number killed is not known, but one survived to report the tragic event. The Indians were blamed, but later evidence indicated it may have been the work of an outlaw gang. The gold was gone by 19^0, Even the last— C ditch hydraulijkers had given up. Sixteen million -5- Leesburg, Idaho �N. Weis dollars^ worth of gold had been panned and sluiced from the gravel bars of Naplas Creek. The population soon dropped to less than one hundred. In 19^^ It fell to two, then dropped from two to zero. In 1969 (Leesburg’s centennial year) two young bearded men chose to reoccupy the long-«deserted town. Squatter’s rights seem adequate, and their quasl-legal status bothers them little. They look and act as If they belong In Leesburg, and their presence Is a beneficial deter^nt to the eroslonary effects of eager souvenir hunters. -6- Leesburg, Idaho �N. Weis COBALT ( BLACKBIRD), IDAHO "Do not fall to visit Cobalt. old, but it sure is dead." It isn’t very- The same advice came from a number of people in Salmon. Notable among them was the curator of the town’s historical museum. Good maps are quite indispenslble here. The Forest Service roads are poorly and confusingly marked. The Leesburg and Blackbird Mountain, Idaho, 15 minute topographic maps are excellent help; however, the Salmon National Forest Map (free) would be an adequate although less detailed navigational aid. From the Leesburg turnoff,* at the junction of Moccasin and Naples jfreeks, a good gravel road continues downstream about three miles to the point where Panther Creek enters from the south. The left*hand road reaches up the west bank of Panther Greek three miles to a narrow flat, totally occupied by the newly deserted town of Cobalt. Cobalt, once called Blackbird, is in mint condition. Nothing has been moved and there have been no disastrous fires. More than one hundred buildings line the streets, standing white and clean. Except for padlocks and shutters, the town appears alive and healthy. Cobalt has been deserted since 1959, when the mine closed. “7“ V *See Leesburg, Idaho, Once there were 450 Cobalt, Idaho �N. Weis company employees and a population 2,000. 120 of more than •Wa—th^uBand, The school had ono-hundred I, twenty pupils, fe^»^teachers and 8 grades. A long three-story recreation hall stands Idly vacant, ready once again to provide entertainment. Next to the hall a long low general store sits empty. Its display window boarded over| and Its round metal IGA sign shot full of holes, none even close to dead center. Most of the buildings are covered with white asbestos shingles^ and trimmed with green-painted woodwork. The streets are still In fine shape. Occasional manhole covers Indicate a drainage system. How Incongruous — a ghost town with manhole coverst No doubt some would argue that a town must be old to be a ghost, but the cold fact Is, the town need only be dead. From that moment on, time serves only to age the remains^ and enhance the memory. The Blackbird Lode, with Its rich deposits of gold, was responsible for the birth and subsequent death of Cobalt, Located two miles up Panther Creek, then another four miles to the right up Blackbird Greek, the buildings at the mine fill the creek’s narrow canyon. The town of Blackbird was once located here. Some of the old log cabins still squat Cobalt, Idaho �N. Weis beside the stream. One in particular sports a set of over-long ridgepoles, as If a deluxe porch had been planned but never realized. g:00 It was aAght a.m. when I drove up the canyon to look over the old site. It was foggy, and I nearly drove through the locked gate blocking the road below the mine. A doorbell-type button offered a chance at access. Shortly, a young mining engineer responded to the signal, and Invited me in for a quick tour. He explained that the mine was Indeed inactive, but that a crew was drilling test holes, attempting to locate new leads. We talked for a while about the lost veins and new strikes made at the Blackbird. Gold was found here in 1893. In pursuit of the yellow vein, nickel and copper were found. In 1901 cobalt was found in quantity, but no market existed for the metal. Prom 1913 to 1921, thirty-five thousand dollar^ worth of gold, nickel^and copper was mined. Ore was hauled to Utah for smelting. The boom arrived in 1939, with a government contract for cobalt. The new town of Cobalt was built, and tons of cobalt ore were yanked out and sold at a guaranteed price of $2.30 per pound. million pounds had been mined. By 1959, fourteen The j^ovemment contract expired that year, thejmine closed, and Cobalt lost its uy. Cobalt, Idaho �N, Weis reason for existence. The town was quickly deserted. Later the mine was sold for its junk metal, but the new owner found some copper left and brought it to the surface in *63 and ’67, The mine was then resold to the Idaho Copper Mining Company, It is their engineers that are re-evaluating the residual deposits Metals worth in excess of fifty million dollars have been taken from the tunnels of the Blackbird, For one short moment in its history, it was the world’s leader in gold production, and gold was only a sideline to the production of cobalt. Should investigation reveal new deposits, the mine and town will arise again to full life, probably rechristened for whatever metal is found, "Nickel" has a nioe ring to it — but "gold" sounds a shade richer. 1»- Cobalt, Idaho �N. Weis YELLOW JACKET, IDAHO It was raining and the light was rapidly- fading. doubtful. The route to Yellow Jacket was long and A roadside cafe looked Inviting. Perhaps someone there would have information about the roads and the extent of the remains left at Yellow^^ket. "Yes. there's an old town there — and an old mine. They called It the YJ Mine." The waitress had heard others speak of the place and was happy to pass on the information. "Someone^the other day^sald the hotel burned down." This news, the rain, and the prospect of twenty-five miles of soupy roads was reason enough to consider a change in plans. Had it not been for the chance appearance of a passing fisherman, I would have passed up one of the finest and least known ghost towns In Idaho. As the gentleman entered the cafe, the waitress called to him, "Say — didn’t that hotel at Yellow Jacket burn down last year? "No, that's Just rumor — I was down there last week, and it's still there — all five stories Five?" my voice was unnaturally loud "Well," he answered "it's three stories In son of a gun, front and five behind. It's a long 8en:/of-a«-gun, but A they never quite finished it Guess it was never used -1h Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N. Weis There’s a crew in there now — assessing the old mine." An hour later I had gathered all the Informa­ tion available from the helpful fisherman, and even received permission from the cafe owner to camp overnight at a nearby deserted trailer park. By morning the skies cleared. The gravelly soil had absorbed much of the rain, and a brisk wind was quickly evaporating the remainder. In good shape. The roads were Upstream along Panther Creek, seven miles from the cafe at the Blackbird Road Junc^on, a narrow road branches to the right. Traveling generally west. It climbs along South Pork Creek, switchbacks over the south slope of Quartzite Mountain, repeats Its contortions on the down side, joins Shovel Creek and parallels its path downstream. Fifteen miles on this road - about an hour - brings you to the Yellow Jacket Hanger Station. Three miles father, and over sixty miles from the nearest city. Is the old town of Yellow Jacket. A giant sixty-stamp mill is first in view. ' Water, conducted downhill through a twenty-four**-inch— diameter conduit, with a one-hundred^fifty-foot head, provided plenty of power to lift the sixty stamps, each in turn. Inside the mill Is a complete smithy. -/A- Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N. Weis Nearby are a number of supply sheds, and beyond these are a few old residences, and there the grassy knoll — is the hotelI on It Is indeed three stories high, its upper floor made livable by eighteen dormers. In back — the land slopes down — the imposing wooden structure was just as described, five stories high I I stopped by an old cabin that seemed lately refurbished^! to ask permission to snoop about. One of the mining engineers, recently new to the site, volunteered some information. Placer gold was found in Yellow Jacket Creek by Long Wilson in’ 1^69, but good-sized nuggets. in to stake claims. Not just fine color, Many Leesburg miners moved Later that year, Nathan Smith found the mother lode far up the hill north of camp. It was free gold in quartz, requiring only pulverizing and panning. In 1893, materials for the thirty^stamp mill were packed in by mule train. stamps were added. Later, thirty more The mill is now in disrepair, but structurally sound and capable of reactivation. During boom years, I89O to I900, the popula­ tion of Yellow Jacket approached two hundred. After 1900, mining dropped off, becoming sporadic in the twenties. In 1932 mining resumed and the prospects �looked so good that construction on the hotel was commenced. Soon prospects faltered as the veins began In desperation, the early tailings / were remllled. Mining operatlon^Jrlumped further In to pinch out. the late thirties, and ceased entirely In 1942. About one million dollars In gold had been realized from the mine. Now Its tunnels and drifts are being core drilled In search of suspected deposits of silver, lead^and copper. Several miners and their families have found temporary quarters In two of the old cabins next to the hotel. Two of the miners’ kids volunteered to con­ duct a tour of the town. seven and eleven. They told me their ages were That sounded like a good dice score so I asked If they felt lucky. Their blank stares Indicated that I was totally misunderstood. First on the agenda was a visit with the pet rabbits. The older boy explained, "^hat speckled one Is named Mr. Bunny." The younger one added, "^nd the white one Is named Whitey," The third bunny was black, so I speculated aloud that his name was Blacky. "No," replied the younger one, "we call him Hoppy because of the way he jumps,"Hl allowed that the names were Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N. Weis fitting, and congratulated the two on their originality. Communications firmly established, we proceeded with the tour. Shortly west of the hotel is a badly dilapi­ dated log and clapboard building. Its function would still be a mystery, except for the metal Pelton wheel mounted on heavy timbers at the downhill end of the Water under great pressure was forced structure. against the metal cups of the Pelton wheel, giving it tremendous rotational speed. The power developed was geared down and fed to a small stamp mill. A five-»stamp mill ,once operated in Yellow Jacket, and this little shack must have housed the works. Circling back up the hill, the boys pointed out dozens of cabins scattered along the creek and strung out along the road that heads southwest out of town. Many have been used for hunting shacks. Some are too far gone for safe operation. A number of board shacks hidden deep in the shade offered a study in diverse methods of collapse. The boys dubbed them "squashes," "leans," and "bulgers." Everywhere there were wild snowshoe rabbits. The youngsters pelted away at them with whatever rocks were handy. I mentioned the fact that their pets were Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N. Weis close relatives. Their explanation was wholly rational — "We ain’t never hit one yet,” The circle completed, we entered the hotel for a detailed inspect^^n. The basement, or first floor, was about one/thirdjas long as the hotel, and contained the heating plant, showers, and rudimentary sanitary facilities. The next floor was about two-thirds the length of the hotel and was fitted out as a recrea­ tion hall. One old pool table is still there, barren of cloth, its gray slate surface still unbroken. kitchens are at the back. The One huge wood stove has two ovens, two warmers, and room for sixteen pans or twelve The boys claimed there were seventy-five big pots. rooms, with twenty-six more on the top floor that were unfinished. A window count indicated that the estimate was only slightly exaggerated. At the front of the hotel, a wooden ladder served as fire excape. The rear portion once had a longer ladder with protective hoops. For those lodgers in the center portion, there were knotted ropes tied to bedsteads. In a hurry, you could grab the top knot and leap out the window, then slide down from knot to knot. Care had to be taken not to grab the wrong end of the rope. In such an event, the unfortunate Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N, Weis victim would reach the ground and the end of the rope at the same horrible moment. The builder of the hotel must have had a similar moment of truth when he realized that the mine was petering out Just as he was finishing the top floor. Known to few, and visited by even fewer, the town of Yellow Jacket remains remote and unchanged. Little has been written about the site. Much of Its charm Is from facts unknown and questions unanswered. Yellow Jacket, Idaho �N. Weis • * Named in 1864 for two bay horses, the proud possessions of an itinerant miner, this tiny gold placer camp was destined to become famous for its hard-rock silver deposits. The streams in the area may have been named by the same unimaginative folk tJaix christened the camp — Mud Spring, John Gulch, Birch Creek, Wood Creek, and^of course. Bayhorse Creek, All drain east­ ward three miles to the Salmon River. Recently the -1- Bayhorse, Idaho �N. Weis Salmon has been given a second more romantic name. Called the "River of No Returnp' in song and movie, the new designation was quickly adopted by Idahoans. Claims were staked on the hillsides above the site of Bayhorse during the early 187O’s. Beginning in 1877 tunnels were dug at the Riverview, Bayhorse, Pacific, Ramshom, Skylark^and Keystone claims. The Ramshorn was the prime producer. Mills and smelters were built, and silver poured forth at a rate of nearly five hundred thousand dollars per year. By I898 ten million dollars in silver and lead had been mined, milled^and poured into Ingots, Another two and a half million dollars was realized when the mines were reactivated in the 1920*s. Bayhorse is located eleven miles south of Challis on U.^, Highway 93, and three and a half miles west on a good gravel road. inoperative. The mines are currently No current reassessments are being made, but the presence of a caretaker and the heavy metal doors on the company buildings attest to the possibility of future activity. The caretaker lives in what used to be the butcher shop. The next building to the west overhead. is the old saloon, with rooms East of the care­ taker’s home is the old rock commissary. Originally a company store, this building was put to many uses. -2- Bayhorse, Idaho �N, Weis serving as post office, newspaper office, and^lastly, a powder house. It was constructed in a craftsmanlike manner of hard green rook. Generally considered rare, the green rock was apparently common in Bayhorse, for most of the company buildings are of like color and construction. Farther east and across the road is a ramshackle shed totally occupied by a vintage Chevrolet. Although all of its tires are flat, the owner -has taken the precaution of preventing theft by wrapping numerous turns of clothesline wire about the car’s body, entrapping the hood, doors^and trunk lid. A large number of slide-rock dugouts are imbedded in the hillside. Some dugouts, built on level land, are head high and well covered with ^oil. Only the sloping entrances reveal their location/1 The caretaker wasn’t too happy to discuss the history of Bayhorse. It was Saturday, and many week'^end vacationers were on their way to the Bayhorse Lakes^located five miles west of town. A number of visitors had already interupted the old-timer’s A breakfast. He answered my knock, stood guardedly in the doorway, and reluctantly answered my questions. Behind me two station wagons pulled to a dusty halt. Bayho rs e, Idaho �N. Weis Doors flew open and Bayhorse was flooded with dogs, parents, and little people. The caretaker retreated^ closing the door firmly behind him. Shortly^^ he re­ appeared, carrying a box of groceries. He quietly loaded it aboard his pickup and took off. His dog, apparently used to this procedure, met the truck a block away, sized up the vehicle’s speed, and made it over the tailgate in one well-timed running leap. Just above town, past the Bayhorse mine and mill, and across the ^reek, are six large charcoal kilns. Wood from miles around was charred in these ovens. Starved of oxygen, the wood became charcoal, which in turn was fired to high temperature in a bellows—fed furnace. The final separation of silver from its concentrate depended upon such intense heat. Two miles above the kilns, the buildings of the old Ramshorn ;Mlne cling tenaciously to the steep hillside. The Ramshom had eight tunnels located halfway up the mountain slope. Above the Ramshorn, and two thousand feet above the creek, are the four tunnels of the Skylark Mine. Connecting the two mines and a loading station at creek level, was a highcapacity tramway. A few cables still cross the sky overhead, and surviving towers can be traced up to skyline. The lower tramway station at creek level -4- Bayhorse, Idaho �N. Weis was a combination terminal tower, loading bin^ and control house. Cast-iron pulley wheels permitted the endless cable to angle downward to the tension- weighted "turn around" wheel. have been gravity powered. The tramway seems to In fact it was perhaps overpowered by gravity at times. Braking the down­ ward movement of the bucket“laden cable was probably the system's primary speed control. There are three more high—mountain mines near the old town of Bayhorse, all accessible by four wheeler shoe leather. The Bayhorse, Idaho, 7J minute topographic map shows their locations clearly -- right down to the individual switchbacks leading to each site. Two days in Bayhorse were hardly long enough to soak up the scenery. Another three to explore, two more^perhaps^to test the trout, and I would have been almost willing to face civilization. -5- Bayhors e, Idaho �N. Weis BONANZA^CIT^ IDAHO The salmon were starting their run, and the "River of No Return" was lined with fishermen. Every campground was full, from Challis to Clayton to Sunbeam, The campgrounds located along the three-mile stretch of river below Sunbeam were particularly crowded. I stopped at a favored fishing hole^densely populated with anglers, to observe the methods used and perhaps sharein the excitement that comes with the hooking of a big fish. Just below the fishermen, the river was comparatively shallow. Called "Indian Riffles," it was a good place to watch for moving salmon. Occasionally an observer would shout and point to a big one rolling in the white water, and the expectations of the fishermen above would temporarily rise. "Fish on," the man hollered, and everyone his pulled li^thejLr line^ to give the hooked fish room to run. Advice was plentiful. constituted a crowd. action. The fishermen already Now more moved in to watch the Seldom hooked deeply, most salmon manage to throw the hook on their thrashing airborne excursions. But this angler was talented. -6- He "bent" the fish over Bonanza Idaho �N. Weis at its every attempt to break the surface. men moved in with large landing nets. Soon two The fisherman led the tired salmon, flat side up, into the closest net, and the fifteen-pound beauty was lifted safely to dry land. A cheer went up, and a dozen anxious fishermen, their hopes again raised, recast their lures into the water. I resumed my trek up the river, paralleling the course of the migrating salmon. There was more excitement in the campgrounds now. A salmon had been caught, the run was on — the word was spreadingI A few minutes later I stopped at the cafe in Sunbeam for a cup of coffee. As I entered, a dozen men hurriedly paid their bills and left. One of the few remaining customers turned to me and volunteered, "Did you hear about the twenty-five pounder they caught down at Indian Riffles?" Perhaps word of the gold strikes of a century ago had spread in the same way. Seemingly, ^word covered ground faster than a man could travel. discovered Gold was, in faot,^f»«»d. at this spot where the .Yankee Pork joins the Salmon? however, the richest depoi^ts were found a few miles upstream on Yankee Fork. -7- Bonanza ', Idaho �N. Weis Heaved to the surface long ago by some gigantic /gneous belch, veins of gold-bearing ore, exposed to the air, slowly softened and eroded. Finely divided particles of the rich yellow metal traveled for miles down the turbulent waters of the Yankee Pork. Excited miners found the color and followed the trail back upstream, noting carefully the amount of gold found in each pan. If suddenly the colors (specks of gold) were lessened, it meant only that exposed veins were nearby. Somewhere above, on the right or left bank, could be found the mother lode that had spawned the yellow trace. W. A. Norton found the first rich outcropping in 1875. up $11,500 * Named-the "Charles Dickens," the lode gave V; in gold during the first month. The richness of the miney and the promise of more deposfbs in the area were reason enough to build a town. A gently sloping spot on the west bank of Yankee Pork was selected. Just eight miles north of the present site of Sunbeam, the new town was centrally located among the more promising claims. First there was'"' just a store and saloon, then in I879 a newspaper, and by 1880 a population of flj^een hundred. -8- Bonanza (Gityl Idaho �N. Weis Bonanza City* / it was called. Soon a two-r story hotel and a dance hall were constructed. Bonanza's three main streets were quickly filled with buildings. In five years the peak was reached — and the death knell -wm sounded-|when a stamp mill was built at the General Custer Mine, two miles north, A new town sprang up at its side, and Bonanza shrank as the town of Custer swelled. It has been quiet in Bonanza for the past sixty years, except for the dredging operation of the forties and early fifties. Wandering up the stream, the mammoth machine scratched out nearly two million in gold from seven miles of the Yankee Pork's bed. The dredge is still there, and now both it and the town are quiet, A dozen buildings stand vacant, some quite sound and recently in repair. One old shack at the south end of town is covered with "roll" roofing. Long thin sheets of galvanized iron are haphazardly attached to the double log roof. Winds have picked up the loose ends of some of the metal strips and rolled them up in awkward curves, * Bed ^ prings lean against an outside wall, while inside, a low^wooden^ boxed-ln area is filled with staraw,, The walls are papered with old "photogravures," some dated 1922, -9- *See Custer for map information. Bonanza (Cit:^, Idaho �N. Weis In the center of town a number of buildings stand In a neat row, connected at their fronts by a rotting wooden boardwalk. One of these structures displays evidence of laborious repair, designed to prevent the unwanted ingress of winter's Icy blast. Where the plaster chinking was cracked and loose, flattened tin cans were tacked on in windproof over­ lapping rows. Across the street a stout but windowless home displays a copper—sheeted roof. Originally a simple log structure. It has been enlarged with clapboard additions. Slanted shed roofs extend In three directions, giving the old house a dignified appearance, however accidental. To the north, an imposing peak dominates the^kyllne. Named "Bald Mountain," Its barren^ rounded top gives It the appearance of age. It seems to look down, with a compassion born of like circum­ stance, upon the elderly homes and deserted streets of Bonanza City, -10- Bonanza (GitW, Idaho �N. Weis CUSTER, IDAHO In 1876, just one year after the discovery of the Charles Dickens Lode near the site of Bonanza, three prospectors, Baxter, Dodge^and McKein, located a vein of greater promise. Named the "General Custer," it lasted about as long, and expired with the same glory as its colorful namesake. No exploratory work was needed since the vein was long, thlckjand exposed. Enough ore was in sight to warrant construction of a mill. Four years of contested claims and litigation ensued. In 1879 a California combine bought up the primary claims, including the "General Custer" and the nearby "Unknown" and started construction of a mill. The metal wheels, shafts^and stamps were hauled in by paclT^rain. The thlrty'*stamp mill completed, processing of ore commenced in 1880, from Bonanza. Mill workers and miners moved in Some eVen moved entire homes up the two-mlle stretch of nearly level road. The first year, more than one million dollars was realized from the General Custer Mine. By 1886, Custer had grown to nearly thirty-five hundred, but the inevitable bad news was quietly spreading. The ore was reducing in grade, containing less gold per ton. -11- Custer, Idaho �N. Weis The owners (or creditors) of the General Custer and the Charles Dickens unloaded their properties on some willing British buyers, who in turn capitalized the operation with a stock issue. The new company lasted until 1892, its collapse spelling the end of the first lode-mining boom. Of the thirteen million dollars in gold and silver taken from the Yankee Fork fllnes, the General Custer had been responsible for seven million dollars. Three years later, a new vein was found near the old Custer tunnels. Dubbed the "Lucky Boy," it released another million dollar^ worth of gold in nine years. As the mine deepened, the cost of hoisting out the ore rose, and in 190^ the Lucky Boy was forced to close down. The same year a new find on Jordan Greek resulted in formation of the Sunbeam Company, and subsequent construction of a new mill. Its rich ores petered out during enlargement of facilities, and in 1911 the Sunbeam Company also failed. The town of Custer, already largely depopulated, quickly became a ghost. The old schoolhouse stands lonely in a small cleaj^g at the north edge of town, its metal-coated hip-/roof offering stubborn protection. cupola are gone. The bell and Scars above the door show their -12- Custer, Idaho �N, Weis earlier presence. The slate|3oards and school seats have been removed. In their place are the tools and treasures that marked the greatness of Custer's yesterday. The old schoolhouse Is now one of the finest mlnlng.camp museums In the country. There Is an abundance of old gold rockers, wheelbarrows, hand tools, skips (ore hoist buckets), along with a variety of early household appliances. The doctor's house and the old McKensle residence stand together, the lone remnants of a row of buildings that once crowded the main street of Custer, Its porch sagging and held static by temporary supports, the old doc's house shows signs of being used later as a community store. Lettering over the porch roof Is visible, but not readable. Apparently as an afterthought, a heater and stovepipe were added, the stovepipe extending through the transom above the old double doors. The stovepipe rises high above the ridge of the roof, and Is thoughtfully capped with an old pot, effectively shutting off one means of access favored by enterprising rodents. Nothing but an ore bln Is left at the site Qf the General Custer Mill, but nearby, an old deserted home shows a hint of finery. Fancied up with embossed galvanized sheets, and papered with -13- ¥ �N. Weis Intricately patterned oilcloth, It probably was once the home of a top company official, I would have liked to explore the hillsides near Custer and Bonanza, but the maps detailing the area had disappeared. It had been windy, and I had left the truck windows open. blown away. Assuredly, the maps had Three weeks later, and some six hundred miles removed from the site, I found them crumpled and creased, cowering In the crevasse of the front seat. Belated Inspection showed a number of locations I should have visited, such as The Lucky Boy Camp, about three air miles east of Bonanza. The camp has eleven tunnels, thirteen shafts, and sixteen buildings Indicated on the map. A half mile up Jordan Creek are the tunnel? of the Charles Dickens, and four miles f|irther, the buildings of the Sunbeam and Montana /Mines. All are clearly shown on the ?! minute Sunbeam and Custer, Idaho, topographic maps, along with numerous prospect sites and unidentified deserted buildings. The road past the Sunbeam Mine follows Jordan Creek, switchbacks over Loon Creek Summit, then runs down the west fork of Mayfield Creek to the old placer camps on Loon Creek. It was over this pass, known for Its deep and treacherous snows. Custer, Idaho �N, Weis that many prospectors traveled on their quest for gold on the Yankee Pork. Some day I will travel that path, with maps firmly in hand. Custer, Idaho �N. Weis SAWTOOTH CITY, IDAHO The old log building leans heavily to the side, relying gratefully upon the strength of a sturdy pine that has grown closely by its flank, A pole is wedged against the front of the aged structure. Downward is the only direction left to this final surviving remnant of Sawtooth City, The cabin was built about 1880, when the tree alongside was yet to be se^e^ Once a busy blacksmith's shop at the east end of^maln street, its double doors were originally wide enough to admit team and wagon. The door was narrowed to normal width at the convenience of some later resident, A few more cheerless ruins are sprinkled along the main thoroughfare, their logs slanting to a peak at resistant corners. are bleached and cracked. The logs Soft to the finger, they cannot last for long. \9 Sawtooth City* is just a few miles west of U.S, Highway 93, A well-signed road exits to the west about one mile south of the Alturas Lake Road, Heading up Beaver Creek, it is Joined in two miles by a road coming in from the left. Sawtooth City's cemetery is high on a barren north of the junction. The townsite is a mile or so farther up Beaver Creek. * *See Vienna for map information* Sawtooth City, Idaho �N, Weis Sawtooth was once a lively town, with a population approaching one thousand. In 1882 its two interjecting streets held twenty-five homes, three saloons, two eating houses, three stores, a livery, an assay office, a meat market, and of course^ the sturdy log smithy. In 1879, ruby silver had been spotted in quartz outcrops by Levi Smiley, Within two years nine rich veins of the same antlmonial silver had been found and claimed. One of the more active mines was the Pilgrim, with its 1^200—foot tunnel and ores running as rich as 5000 ounces■of silver per.ton. The Silver King, two miles up Beaver Creek, was the most productive and the most persistently active. It was a small town by Itself, complete with bunkhouse and mill. Still sporadically active, the Silver King has suffered through a number of ownerships, setback^ and disasters, A fire in 1891 destroyed its shaft work, hoist house, and air and water pumps. Although the Silver King endured, its limited production was not enough to keep Sawtooth City alive. Less than ten years after it was founded, the town was deserted, and the towering peaks of the Sawtooth Range assumed silent guardianship. Sawtooth City, Idaho �N. Weis VIENNA, IDAHO Just over the hill and up Smiley Canyon, the sprawling camp called "Vienna" was a short eight miles by stage from its sister community of Sawtooth City. Relations between the two towns were strained, and at times were near the feuding point. Each had its own stage line making dally runs between the two towns. Passengers sat lightly in their seats whenever The encounters were mostly verbal, rival coaches met. punctuated with an occasional whiplash aimed at the opposition’s horses. The two towns were remarkably similar. Each had its own mill, and a nearly eqixal number of mi nag, Sawtooth City had its Silver King Mine, and Vienna had its Vienna Mine. Both were discovered by the Smiley group that explored the area in 1879. Vienna developed a year or two behind Sawtooth, but grew to several times its size. In 1882 Vienna had three stores, fourteen saloons, six eateries, a small one-man furniture factory, and a newspaper with two hundred supporters. Flagged //the Vienna Reporter,^ it sold two hundred subscriptions for $1.50 each. Within five months the editor sold out to the /Ketchum Keystone, its prime rival. Like Sawtooth, Vienna’s life was short,, and by 1914 nearly all of its two hundred buildings had been moved or -tg- Vienna, Idaho �N. Weis Only a few log structures were left tom down. undisturbed. The gravel road to Vienna Is well surfaced, but difficult to locate. Driving south Highway 93, the first road to the right, short of Smiley Creek, leads crookedly to the Vienna Road. The turnoff is about four miles i'outh of the Alturas Lake Road. The Alturas Lake, Marshal Peak and Frenchman Greek, Idaho, minute topographic maps show the routes in to Sawtooth City and Vienna, and also Indicate the locations of the many mines in the area. The elght-mile drive to the site of Vienna is of slngularfbeauty. Lined with lodgepole pines for much of the way, the road frequently breaks out into small park like openings, often occupied by mule deer. Jagged tops of the Sawtooth Range break the horizon, closing in as the valley narrows. Vienna occupies the last wide spot, just beyond the second crossing of Smiley Creek. The surviving traces of Vienna are sprinkled downstream along the north bank. Hidden among the trees are numerous old remnants of civilization, much like those of Sawtooth City. Long dead, the two cities still retain their twinship, -Zf- Vienna, Idaho �N, Weis Some cabins are built of logs hewn on all four sides. Such fancy construction is seldom found in old mining camps. One log structure has been reduced to a rectangular outline, low on the ground, with a dooryframe projecting nearly vertical. A dead tree stands nearby, its whitened limbs gnarled and randomly twisted. Shortly upstream and adjacent to the road are the foundations of an old mill. One'half mile CL farther, the road branches. The left branch leads to the old Vienna Mine, The right fork goes a short distance and dead ends at a ford that has been Inundated by a mud flow. The area above is soupy from spring water, and has caused fine sucking mud and gravel to roll slowly downhill. hazardous. In this area, even walking is A few hundred yards above the flow are the remains of the Webfoot Mine,. Appropriately named, the most reliable footing was underground. number of structures. The mine has a A few are intact — an old smithy^ and a large structure of uncertain use. The large building was once two stories high, with a full basement underneath. Too collapsed to permit full exploration, it seemed from the outside to have been a dormitory. I could find no shafts or tunnels. Vienna, Idaho �N. Weis although the building's wreckage could easily have hidden them. At the uphill end was a lean-to, and next to it a small built-in outhouse with chimney^ style vapor vent. Approximately one-half mile uphill from the Webfoot is the old Vienna shaft. Presently^ it is being reworked by the Heinecke Company. They are under contract to cut a thlrteen-hundred-foot tunnel and run twenty-five hundred feet of side drifts. Should these workings uncover the expected veins, a new mill eK'l will be built and the ore reduced to concentrate, which will be' sent outrt?~be~^««fei^ed-. Tests have shown silver lead, zinc^, and gold to be present. Past activities of the Vienna have produced over one million dollars in silver and gold. With a little luck, the Vienna may exceed the Silver King of rival Sawtooth City. The towns no longer vie for leadership, but their two leading mines carry out the feud like a pair of boxers, dead on their feet +4 but still swinging. Vienna, Idaho �N. Weis * Greyer than t^^laska Klondike I than the California Rush of •491/ Richer The elghteen-square-.^ mile area called Boise Basin, surrounding the town of Idaho City, is said to have delivered two hundred fifty A niilllon dollars in gold. So state the members of the Idaho City Historical Foundation. Other historians have estimated a lesser amount, but all agree that square mile for square mile, the placers of the ^asin were the richest found in North America, -1- Idaho City, Idaho �N. Weis Located at the junction of Mores Creek and Slk Greek, and bounded on threc/sides by the gulches named Slaughterhouse, Walla Walla, and Warm Springs, the boom town of Idaho City stretched for nearly four miles along the gold-rich streams. Established in 1862^ and named Bannock, it grew to six thousand souls the first year. In 1864 the settlement territorial legislature incorporated the^tewn, as Idaho City. For twenty years it was the largest town in the territory. Once there were over ten thousand residents (some estimates run as high as thirty thousand) in the city, half of them Oriental, The lure of new-found gold on Loon Creek caused the town to shrink a bit in the 187O’s, but hard-rock mining and dredging sustained Idaho City ^tho-"town, until 1942, when gold production was curtailed by the pdvernment. In 1968, the sign at the edge of town read pop 188, Residents claim only one hundred^twenty-two live year round in Idaho City -- and most of those are forest rangers or loggers. A few old-timers, still actively mining, add to the town’s atmosphere. Hollow footsteps resound as bearded "hard rockers" saunter down the wooden boardp' walks of Main Street. The walks are so thoroughly -2- Idaho City, Idaho �used, especially around the old courthouse, that the thick planks have "been worn thin. High spots caused hy the resistance of nails and knots have left the walk bumpy to the point that strangers find it awkward to maintain a steady course. Forty-six saloons once sold the products of Idaho City's four breweries. fancy billiard rooms. Five of the saloons had Only one of the hard liquor dispensaries has survived. Originally called the "Miners' Exchange Saloon," it has been renamed, but continues to pedate the same reliable merchandise. Saloons are generally fruitful places to gather informa tlon. Olose-lipped old-timers are often more talkative under the influence of minor amounts of "Tongue oil." I entered the old saloon intending to quaff a short salute to the rich history of Idaho City, but the maps that I had brought in with me caused a delay in plans. Before I realized it, the maps were pulled from my grasp and spread all over the bar. Miners and loggers alike were pointing out places of interest. minute maps permits even The detail present in the the most remote shack or tunnel to be located. Idaho City, Idaho, The minute topographic map covers the area surrounding the town. I mentioned I was looking for ghost towns — especially the little-known sites. -3- Idaho City, Idaho �N. Weis "There, that’s the Comeback Mine. to go there. thing. You ought They got a bunkhouse — big two-story Used to be a bunch of people living there." Another miner chimed in. one of the tunnels up there. "Yeah, we’re workin’ Come on up anytime. If we’re not around, just flip the switch at the tunnel and we’ll see the lights flicker. Be glad to show you the place." The dozen helpful map enthusiasts concluded that I should visit the Bellshazzar, the Comeback, and the Golden Age ^amps. Of course, I was reminded, Idaho City and Placerville were too big and too interesting to be l^ored. Finally, after nearly an hour, the maps were folded, and the glorious past of Idaho City was dutifully honored. The morning’s early light shone brightly on the old Idaho World Building, where the territory's leading paper was published. A big black Labrador Retriever insisted on being in every picture I took. It was a quiet and peaceful scene. so. It wasn’t always In 1863 the paper reported: ^’Several parties' were found in the streets on Tuesday morning. J Some with fractured skulls? some with-bunged eyes and swollen -faces, indicating very clearly that there Idaho City,' Idaho �N. Weis had been a muss somewhere during the night. Blood was freely sprinkled about the town on woodpiles and sidewalks. As the puddles of blood were distributed over a large district, it was impossible to locate the fight Idaho City had problems concerning adequate law enforcement. The vigilante movement which spread througlijout the West is said to have originated here. Seldom did vigilantes apprehend a culprit without quickly deciding his guilt and applying the quick justice of the rope. For those whose guilt was less than strongly_suspect, there was a sturdy jail for temporary durance. Acclaimed the first territorial penitentiary, the convincingly stout building has easily survived to the present. Although moved from its initial site, it is otherwise little changed. The walls of the twenty—by-, twenty-four stronghold are constructed of squared logs, twelve inches on a side, and lined with one-inch boards nailed every three Inches in all directions, with old-^ fashioned square nails. Inside partitions, nearly as rugged, are built of four-inch timbers sandwiched be­ tween one-inch boards. Deeply carved over one of the cell doors are the words "PRIVET ROOM." Below this sign, statements of a more ribald nature stand for all -5- Idaho City, Idaho �N. Weis to read. One dirty ditty leaves little doubt concerning one prisoner's opinion of Judge Bear's moral character. In spite of the two disastrous fires that destroyed much of the original Idaho City, there are still dozens of old buildings that are worthy of Inspection, The Masonic Hall with Its white front and covered stairway Is one of the finest. Propped on both sides and through-bolted with twenty-four—foolfe rods, It appears crippled, but well braced. Built In 1865, It looks able to function for another century. Just west of the center of town, and up the to the ' hlll^north. Boot Hill Cemetery overlooks the modern airstrip used by local smoke jumpers. Far more bodies rest atop this hill than are ever found moving along the streets below. Many of the graves are enclosed with wooden fences, elaborately constructed. They now show the sad neglect of time and the unemotional en­ croachment of nature. Massive trees grow from forgotten graves, crowding headboards ruthlessly aside, yet — In return — creating beauty from the bitter soil of death. Life races on, and the log—truck drivers still wheel their rigs downhill as If the Reaper were close behind and gaining. One driver In Idaho City took offense at my suggestion that loggers by nature were Insane and -6- Idaho City, Idaho �N. Weis bent on self-destruction. With jaw muscles tight, he explained that it took three loads a day to make a living, and that too much slowing down wore the brake shoes out. "Besides that," he stated, "I enjoy canning that old semi down the road." Then, eyebrows lowered, he turned and glared at me with his good eye, while his off eye burned a hole in the ceiling. -7- Idaho City, Idaho �N, Weis PLACERVILLE, IDAHO Grassy rolling hills, bounded by heavy stands of pine, form an Idyllic setting for the quiet town of Placerville. On the west bank of a stream carrying the unlikely name of "Woof Creek," the site overlooks the rich placer beds of Ophir Creek and Mud Plat. The Placerville, Idaho, minute ajajp Indicates that the town was Incorporated as a square, one full mile on a side. At Its largest, with a population of five thousand, the town occupied only a fraction of Its assigned area, but Its boundaries Included several placer mines which may have alleviated the tax burden. Like a small midwestern town, Placerville was planned around a city park, or plaza. The park was surrounded by business places, with residences forming the perimeter. A shy old gentleman living just off the plaza was tickled to have someone to visit with. "It's pretty lonely here," he told me, "but that's the way I like It." We looked over the surviving business places, especially the old Magnolia Saloon, once the proudest of the town's three drinking parlors. Built In I9OO, the Magnolia had a full^wldth front porch with a -8- Placervllle, Idaho �N. Weis built-in well. Like a drinking fountain might function today, the well was a popular gathering spot on hot summer days. The second floor of the saloon was finished, but never used. The old-timer watched me write down notes as he talked. He asked me not to use his name, and declined to have his picture taken. Perhaps he had a past that was better forgotten. Across the street, the Boise Basin Mercantile stood empty and tightly shuttered. "See those metal doors and them shutters? That's all that saved the old store. Had a fire here in -- must have been thirty-one, burned a lot of the town. Big forest fira^^urned up the whole town of Quartzburg over west a inile." The store had a metal roofj^ and plastered walls. I speculated that everyone fled town during the fire. "No, In fact some men stayed in the old got klnda tense when the ca'trldges next to the wall started goln’ off.’!^ The brick butcheijshop next to the mercantile survived rather accidentally. The roof burned, but the building proper was saved due to the twelve-inch layer -9- Placervllle, Idaho �N. Weis of dirt that had been placed in the celling as insulation. One store is still in operation, and has been since 18?^, twelve years after the town was founded. One can find a little bit of most anything within its dim Interior. A number of fine old homes are scattered about town, some with gingerbread eaves, others with rock wall terraces, showing past pride and recent neglect. The Emmanuel Episcopal Church displays some of the early glory with its arched shingle-covered Close Inspection shows that the shingles were eaves. patterned? 'Ih-ifour subtle ways and tacked in rows to __ ... • —■ . . - .. form a design balanced equally on the right and left. A few new vacation homes are springing up. Impertinent A-frames in shiny colors Insult the quiet dignity of the unpainted derelicts that stand magnificent in the town of Placerville. -10- Placervllle, Idaho �N. Weis GOMBBACK MINING GAMP, IDAHO Tracking down old mining camps can be exciting, rewarding^and disgusting. The road leading to the Belshazzar was gated and locked. proclaimed the dangers of trespass. Bold signs The Mayflower Mine had been bought up and converted to vacation homes. The Richland never was much, and now was even less. The Gomeback Gamp was as different as it was hard to reach. Between Idaho Glty and Placerville, at a junction called New Gentervllle, a gravel road extends northward along Grimes Greek. Three miles from the junction is the town of Gentervllle, and five miles farther, are the few remaining buildings of Pioneervllle, the first town to spring up in Boise Basin. It was known for a time Hog’em,^'aft er the early settlers that hogged the best claims. Two miles farther north at the second gulch, a "road" branches to the right. Narrow, washed out, and over*** hung with brush,y the mlle-long trail to Gomeback is best suited to jeeps and horses. At the first switchback, a small flat area is occupied by a bachelor's shack, a family residence, machine shop, chicken house, and an old shed with an excavated grease pit. At the upHiill side, mine -11Gomeback Mining Gamp, Idaho �N, Weis dumps encroach upon the already Crowded flat. Above, at the second switchback, a tunnel entrance is [capped with a combination machine and tool shed. A long covered trackw;ay braced with logs extends several hundred feet to the end of the mine dump. Recalling the Invitation offered by the miners back in Idaho City, I began a search for the light switch I was to flick as a signal of my arrival. No switch was evident, and the tunnel didn't look recently used. High above was another dump. currently used tunnel was there. Perhaps the I walked up to the "third level" and found another tunnel which also api^ared Inactive. Next to it, however, was a dilapidated two-story bunkhouse with built-in cook*^ shack. Alongside was an old miner's shack, complete with barking dog. Above were more tunnels, but no switches, and no sign of life. Louis Truger, now living in Centerville, was a part owner of the Comeback from I931 until recently. He stated that over $679,000jBi in gold had been taken from the tunnels. During 1940 and 1941, an especially rich kidney, or pocket, was uncovered. It yielded nearly $200,000488 in gold. During the heyday at the Comeback, twenty-five Comeback Minine Camp, Idaho �N. Weis people stayed on the site, leaving only on weekends to "raise a little hell” In Idaho City. The mine was found In 192^ by a logger named Louis Palnlch, who spotted rich mineralization In the «311 exposed by an uprooted tree. He took a sample and planned — If It assayed rich — to come back. It was, and he did. He also named the mine. On my way down the hill I noticed the tire tracks I had made coming up. In places, they were within Inches of the steep drop-off. Playing It safe, I crowded the brush-covered "up" side, and promptly collapsed the right mirror and sheared off the radio antenna. I don’t plan to "Comeback." If you plan to visit the site, drive a narrow vehicle and take along the Ploneervllle, minute and Garden Valley, Idaho, 15 minute topographic maps. -13- Gomeback Mining Camp, ho �N. Weis GOLDEN AGS GAMP, IDAHO Placer gold was found along Grimes Greek in 1862. Most of the early miners chose to separate the fine gold laboriously from its attendant sand and gravel. Others, spurning the assurance of a small poke, gambled for higher stakes. Somewhere upstream would be the mother lode. In classic style, the placers played out as the hard-f'ock mines were discovered and developed. The Gomeback, Missouri, Oro, and the Golden Age mines all tapped residual lodes that had enriched Grimes Greek. A man named Wells found the richest ore, just four miles north of Ploneervllle. Named the Golden Age, the claim eventually became the property of a large Spokane outfit. The ore seemed to get richer with depth, and soon two mills, a dozen homes, two bunkhouses, a recreation hall, and a two-story hotel were built. Seventy-five men worked here during the boom years of the early 1900*s. A schoolhouse was constructed nearby. Named the "Diana School," it served all the kids of the mining camp. 'A small outhouse stands behind, and above its narrow door, an overlarge sign states*fl"MAIN SNTSANGS." The G-^jTden Valley, Idaho, 15 minute map shows the locations of both the school and mining camp. -14- Golden Age Gamp, Idaho �N. Weis An eight-one-year-old former miner named A Hawkins is now the caretaker. He and his wife live in one of the residences at the camp. We toured the empty camp, carefully inspecting the larger buildings. The second story of the hotel contained the main company offices, and a large dancehall. The men were paid three dollars a day, with one dollar per day deducted for room and board. Saturday was pay^^ay, and Saturday night was for dancing. The big bosses could sit in their offices and watch benevolently over their cavorting employees. The downstairs portion of the hotel contained a dining hall, a small company store, a few rooms and a large kitchen with built-in woodshed. A huge Arcadian range filled one end of the kitchen. A flfty-,gall^n drum was adapted as a side-arm heater, with coils extending into and around the old stove. For a while the mills turned out thirty-five hundred dollars in gold per day. The deep vein made removal of ore difficult, and when the shaft went below creek level, the water flooded in. The cost of lifting and processing the ore, combined with the added expense of pumping the water, more than equaled the value of the gold. The mine shut down. Before long, both mlills and some of the camp structures burned to the ground. Golden Age Camp, Idaho �N. Weis No one knows how much gold 1| left in the hill. It is under water. Butbas Hawkins stated, "Gold doesn’t dissolve, you know," -UGolden Age WMe Camp, Idaho � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown </em>Idaho Draft</p> </div> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"></div> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_DraftManuscript_Idaho Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/5460f7a7936d30b067b508ad44dd849a.pdf 4fb57b5f6ac6fb8d5fe01920348accfe PDF Text Text WYOMING , �N. Weis SOUTH PASS CITY, WYOMING Gold seekers settled on Willow Greek In 1867. The camp soon became a town, and the town became the largest in the State. Named South Pass Within eighteen months, its City, it grew quickly. What should have population exceeded two thousand. been a curly-haired, short-tempered saloon town, became^instead, a family community. Those miners with wives and children, seeking a safe home, chose this town rather than Atlantic City, located five miles east. The women were quick to organize and preserve this precious quality. Some say organiza­ tion was haistened by the several long meetings held during the Indian raids. Hostiles frequently threataned the town, driving off the stock and stealing whatever was left unguarded. During the raids, the women and children were locked in a cave/llke recess behind the wine celler owned by a local merchant. iron door. The celler was protected by a stout Many a decision was made in the darkness of this hideaway. Under less frightening circumstances, the women organized a club, held numerous meetings^and discussed women’s rights. Mrs. Esther Hobart Morris, -8- South Pass City, Wyoming �N. Weis who came to South Pass in 1869, was a strong advocate of women’s right to vote. That year, encouraged by the women club members, Mr. William Bright drafted a bill giving equal suffrage to women. was introduced and passed! The bill Shortly after, Mrs. Esther Hobart Morris was appointed j^ustice of the ^eace. Many heated cases were accorded a decision by the good lady. None of them w^e overruled by a higher court. However quiet. South Pass City was still a mining town. Its Main Street was crowded with false—fronted buildings, nearly every other one a saloon. Main Street was nearly a half mile long. The town had the first bank in the area, a well-* organized school system, a newspaper, and a regular stage service. The Carissa Lode, the richest deposit in the area, poured forth its wealth, and the town prospered. A few other mines in the area were producing, like the Franklin, the Shields, and the Jim Crow Hoosier Boy, but the Carissa was the big one, and when its vein pinched out, the life of the town began to flicker. By 1880, South Pass City Many buildings were moved has away, but each of those remaining ^laase a story to tell. was nearly deserted. -9- South Pass City, Wyoming �N. Weis The jail Is still in fine shape,the cell doors swinging freely. It is clearly evident why it was later called "the cooler." Even the town dog likes to sleep here on hot summer days. Next to the jail is the old hat shop, later converted to a saloon. The Smith Sherlock store has been recently converted to a museum. The town is undergoing a continuing process of restoration. South Pass City is a quiet place in the summer, and completely deserted each winter. A lonely graveyard overlooks < the town from the south. On the northern hill, the Carissa Mine patiently waits reactivation, A single caretaker watches over the massive investment. Perhaps a new and cheaper way to extract the gold will be found, and the giant will stir to life again. -10- South Pass City, Wyoming i-- �N. Weis THE DUNCAN, WYOMING Prom Atlantic City, an excellent gravel road winds steeply up Mill Hill, levels off and heads southeast. At the crest, one mile south of town, a dirt road branches to the right. Traveling this road westward, the Mary Ellen sine comes quickly into view. Then, within a mile of the turnoff, "The Duncan" becomes visible. Both mines are on the right side of the road, and are on the Atlantic City, Wyoming, 7| minute topographic map. The first rich strike was made here in 1911. In three years, forty thousand dollars'^worth of ore was removed. During those three years, fifteen hundred feet of underground tunnels and shafts were completed, and a Nissen stamp mill and amalgamator were installed. The outfit was capable of extracting o ■sfcsEty per^^ent of the gold. In 191^ the operation ran into financial trouble, and the mine closed down. Thirty-two years later, new owners gave it another try. A new ball mill, classifier, and several agitator tanks were obtained. Eight floatation cells and a concentrator, or shaker table, were installed. Just twelve tons of ore were processed that year. valued at a total of about two thousand dollars. -19- The Duncan, Wyoming �N, Weis In 1956, the mine underwent another hopeful spurt of activity, with three thousand tons shipped at about During its busiest years, twelve dollars per ton. "The Duncan" rivaled in size the towns of Atlantic City and Miners Delight. Several dozen cabins, a small store, and a two-story/dormitory occupied most of the level area at the top of the hill. The mine buildings cover the hillside for hundreds of feet, ending in another smattering of buildings. Now everything is shuttered and.locked, awaiting a rise in the price of gold. are vacant. The houses The dormitory, with its outside stairs, is quiet, and heavy boots no longer threaten the quick nap of the man on the "off shift." -20- The Duncan, Wyoming �N. Weis LSWISTON, WYOMING "Lewiston? Never heard of It I" What Lewiston? In Wyoming? But the entire population of Atlantic City knew about the town — all four of them. In fact, one of them used to live there I Good old Sam Vjestlc — and he promptly volunteered to ride along on .a visit to the town~slte. Was there anything left, as the map Indicated — or was It all gone, as some historians claimed? "Veil, dere’s a store, und a llffery, und some mines dere," volunteered Sam. We drove south out of Atlantic City, up Mill Hill, past The Duncan turnoff, and headed east on a good gravel road. About eight miles out of town, Sam called for an abrupt turn to the right. Here on the banks of Rock Creek, rested a monument - a bronze slab cemented to a mound of rock. Inscribed on the plaque Is a story of nearly unequaled tragedy. ^WILLIE'S HANDCART COMPANY Captain James C. Willie’s Handcart Company of Mormon Emigrants on the way to Utah, greatly exhausted by the deep snows of an early winter and suffering from lack of food and clothing had assembled here for -21- Lewiston, Wyoming �N. Weis reorganization by relief parties from Utah about the end of October 1865. Thirteen persons were frozen to death during a single night and were burled here in one grave. Two otAers died the next day and were buried nearby. Of the company of 40^ persons 77 perished before help arrived. The survivors reached Salt Lake November 9 1856.X The South Pass was indeed treacherous I It was quite clear,^w why Pacific Springs was called "Celebration City." About four miles fj|lrther east we took a fork to the left, forded Strawberry Creek, and drove into the town of Lewiston, The Radium Springs, Wyoming, 7i minute topographic map shows most of the important sites in fine detail. Part of this map is reproduced in the introduction. Lewiston isn’t very big — just two buildings with a street between. false front and all. On the left was the old store, On the right was the llver^’, its interlocking logs holding it firmly plumb with the world. The Store had five rooms and showed signs of frequent haphazard expansion. Its sod roof, supported by large split logs, had collapsed in a -22- Lewiston, Wyoming �N. Weis number of places. The most recent occupants had been sheep and cattle. Gattie enjoy scratching themselves by rubbing against door jambs, and once the door is knocked off, a building comes down quickly. The Lewiston Store will not stand for long. The livery looked like it would photograph best from the rear. The view through the finder showed that I was a bit too close. few feet and stopped. I b^ed up a Not far enough yet. I backed up a few feet more, focused the camera, and took the picture. Behind me I could hear the clatter of pebbles falling, bouncing, and fading into faint echoes. I had basked up to the very brink of a deep vertical mine shaft. I circled back another dozen feet and photographed the livery, with the site of my stupidity in the foreground. This town once had more than twenty-five buildings, including four saloons, which is a pretty low "sin percentage," as mining towns go. It had several mines right in town, the most famous of which was the Bullion Shaft. Pounded in 1879, Lewiston was the center of the "new discovery." Much salting and selling was carried out. -23- Each Lewiston, Wyoming �N. Weis "sucker" salted in turn, and made money selling to the next huyer. One-half mile south of town are the remains of the Hidden Hand mine. is the Iron Duke Shaft. Forty feet away I speculated that two shafts this close had to lead to the same vein. Sam Vjestic added "dey haf to lead to a good fight when da tunnels meet, toot Sam knew what he was talking about, for he spent several years hogging out the rock in order to form those shafts I One-half mile to the north is the Good Hope Mine. This building is in a most artistic state of disrepair. As its lower side walls collapsed, its stout inner structure guided the outer portions downward to rest sedately, with a dignified list to port. Like a crippled queen of the oceans, it rides the windswept plains, valiantly resisting the inevitable. A family of wildcats lives in the old relic. They have been seen standing on the peak of the gallows frame, and no doubt have found some o crevi/Se suitable for a den. More hazardous than the wildcats)^ is the horizontal tunnel running out from the building. In places the tunnel is within a foot or two of the surface. -24- Your weight Lewiston, Wyoming �N. Weis might collapse It, Your car most certainly would break through. It had been a long day, and we were tired. The return trip was hot, dryland dusty. As we neared Atlantic City, I suggested we stop for a cooling drink at Glessler's Saloon. lit up. "Yah, I haf a coke." Sam’s eyes Realizing a coke might be pretty tame stuff for a tough old miner like Sam, I suggested something with more substance. "Naw," replied Sam. "I swear off dat hard stuff ever since I get mad back In ^thirty-eight," -25Lewlston, Wyoming �N. Weis WYOMING A3BA 2 Thi-3-Uni-^ ■ft4Dntiq1'ns a.pproximately 3^^00-wmtg-^ WYOMING Union pacific was driving its rails west. The mountains of eastern Wyoming had been breached. West of Laramie, the land leveled out to plains and high desert, permitting more rapid progress, but the flat land was Indian land, and the Indians resented the intrusion. Port Steele was established in 1868 to protect the Overland Stage Line and the Union Pacific -1- Port Steele, Wyoming �railroad. The presence of four companies (about three hundred men) encouraged construction and safe^ guarded travelers. Located at the Overland Trail crossing of the North Platte River, the fort was ideally placed to carry out its protective function. Within forty­ eight hours of the arrival of troops, ruffians and crooks had set up shop a half mile to ^e south at a place called Brownsville. A typical railhead town, stores, eating houses, saloons^ and gambling joints fronted the street, and sporting houses were placed ^hind. The population of Brownsville reached fifteen hund^red within a week. The Army, claiming it was a bad influence, kicked the town off Government land. Brownsville, only weeks old, promptly moved three miles to the western boundary of the fort, and renamed itself "Benton," It became "the/one bad town on the U.f." Fort Steele was built around a small parade ground. There was no stockade^and none was needed. Records indicate that the soldiers never met the enemy in battle. Gravel walks surrounded the parade ground and fronted the buildings. officers,* row. The west side was Four two-story buildings each housed �N. Weis about twenty officers. The central building was the residence of the commanding officer. On the east side were enlisted men’s barracks, laundries, and a sawmill. The railroad passed by the south side, separating the fort from the ^ut^ler’s post and saloon. In 1886 the fort was abandoned. Eight years later the property was purchased by the Cosgriff Brothers for one hundred dollars. They converted the buildings to stores and residences. One of the officers’ quarters became a hotel and the powder house a granary. The saloon remained a saloon. much of the town. Later, fire destroyed The remaining buildings became the property of the Leo Sheep Company. The site of Fort Fred Steele (later the /Town of Fort Steele), is reached by traveling twelve miles east of Rawlins on Highway 80, then north two miles along the west bank of the Platte River. The fort, its parade ground still prominent, is just across the Union Pacific tracks. The Walcott, Wyoming, 15 minute topographic map is of notable help. Dated 1912, it shows much of the fort as it used to be. Many of the buildings Indicated on the map are now merely foundations or depressions in the ground. -3- Fort Steele, Wyoming �N. Weis Much of the old glory has faded — the enlisted men’s barracks are filled with barbed wire, salt, wool, and old sheep hides. The gable end of the building nearest the railroad tracks carries evidence of a number of uses. Several signs have been lettered on its frenteThe most prominent and probably the last:-/^ "Pt. Steele General Store." a sign; Below is "WATER TOUR AUTO HERS." One building stands on ^fflcei^*^row. In remarkably good shape, it is like two houses glued together — each the exact mirror Image of the other. A single partition separates the two stairways as they lead side by side to the bedrooms on the upper level. Behind the building are two "hallway" exten­ sions. Each leads to its own Indoor outhouse. The "privilege of rank" was particularly appreciated on frosty mornings, but the price paid was the ever­ present odor. privilege." Perhaps a better term would be "rank As the cesspools filled, the hallways were extended to reach freshly dug pits. Some old forts had hallways up to sixty feet long. The life of Port Steele was short — and so were its outhouse extensions. On the hill, just southwest of the old "fort become town," are the remains of acting Governor -im­ port Steele, Wyoming �N. Weis Chatterton’s home. inches thick. The poured walls are eighteen J Old-fashioned concrete, called grout, was made with burned lime and unwashed gravel. The joists and rafters were poured in place. The Richard's Toll Bridge, located near Port Steele, was in operation during the years of emigration. Built for ^55000, it took $^0,000 in toll the first season. Fording the North Platte River was often dangerous. The graveyard just south of the fort gives evidence of such hazard on several headstones. Glassing the riverbank, trying to spot the old bridge abutments, I noticed a timbered trestle, perhaps the remnant of a bridge approach. The caretaker at the nearby waterworks (for the town of Rawlins) supplied some brief answers. "No, it's not a bridge." Pressed for more information, the caretaker added, "Bunch of buildings over there. We call it "Timber Town." That was exciting news. My topographic map showed some buildings there, but I had been given to understand they had all been demolished. The remains of the old Jj^own ( of Benton were nearby, and on the Fort Steele side of the river. A hurried visit to that site, then the "bunch of buildings" would have to be looked into carefully. ---------------------5- Fort Steele, Wyoming K �N. Weis BSMTON, WYOMING Called T<^Tjnf’’ and ’’Outlaw To-vm,” preceded generally by unprintable expletiveJ; Benton was likely the wildest town ever to exist In Wyoming. There Is nothing left of the town, just one hell of a story and millions of broken bits of glass from bottles emptied and thrown, Benton was the Illegitimate child of the Union Pacific. Three miles west of the fort, It was beyond military control, yet close enough to dtract the fort’s several hundred troopers. It was the tent town railhead at the seven hundred mile marker, measured west from Omaha, It was born on July 1, 1868, when the Army kicked the town of Brownsville off their reservation. It died In September, 1868, at the age of three months. But what a summerI One hundred people were killed In three wild months. There were no trees, the ground was bare, and the alkali was six Inches deep underfoot. Stolen locomotive headlights Illuminated seductively decorated billboards. The North Star Saloon and the Desert Hotel were prominent Institutions of doubtful character. Other business houses carried signs bordered In red, and needed no explanation, for the street was their -6- Benton, Wyoming �N. Weis front parlor. Twenty-three saloons dispensed, beer, bitters^and bourbon. Five dance halls offered the same fare — but with added attractions. Three thousand people lived in Benton, and on weekends it neared five thousand. Lots sold for ($100(j|, and^main street was sold out. Water was scarce. Hauled from the Platte River, it sold for a dollar a barrel. One former resident recorded an "irregularity" concerning the delivery of water. A mule skinner had just hauled the water jin on a skidL Being thirsty, he adjourned to the nearest bar and tipped a few. He came out in time to see the mules •backed up to the first row of barrels, one animal responding to the call of nature. He sold the barrel and explained, "Hell, it was so damned muddy you couldn’t see the bottom anyway." -7- Benton, Wyoming �N. Weis WALCOTT, WYOMING Prom 1890 to 1910, Walcott was the busiest railroad loading point between Omaha, Nebraska, and Ogden, Utah. Mining machinery and building materials were hauled in — copper ore and cattle were sent out. There was a hotel on the north side of the tracks next to the depot. Two livery stables and a number of stores and saloons flanked the dirt road entering from the south. Several hundred people lived here during the mining boom, but as time passed, unfortunate things happened to Walcott, The copper mines and smelters of Encampment, to the south, went broke. town. A highway was built, bypassing the As a final insult, the Union Pacific depot was removed in 19^0. There are two Walcotts now. The "new highway' Walcott*'is seven miles east of the Port Steele turnoff. north. The "railroad Walcott" is one mile Both are shown on the Walcott, Wyoming, 15 minute topographic map. There are two fascinating points of Interest at the site of the railroad town. One is the old saloon, and the other is its caretaker, Slim Parkko. The saloon has a sign on its false front -18- Walcott, Wyoming �N. Weis that is a work of art. In fancy scroll and block letters it states: THE GLUB Saloon JOHN H. LEWIS The "S" is backwards in "saloon," but correct in "Lewis!" Perhaps it was intended to be the "Club Saloon," with a scrolly "C", but it looked like a "G" — and "Glub" had an appropriate sound — so "Glub" it became. If it brought in customers, Proprietor Lewis wasn’t about to change it. An old rusted tin sign on the saloon states: Gornone Cigar Company’s DRY CLIMATE A Cigar Built for the Altitude Across the tracks are a number of the old cabins of Walcott. Sheep Company. Now they are used by the Vivian Old wooden wagon wheels lean everywhere. Removed from sheep wagons, they have been replaced with rubber-tired wheels. On my way out of town I stopped to visit with one of the few surviving residents of Walcott. He lives in a well<*kept little house just behind the "Glub Saloon." A veteran sheep'^ms.n, he Introduced himself as "Slinf Parkko, and — like the saloon — he was most descriptively named. -1§- Walcott, Wyoming �N. Weis "Does that sign really read the "Glub**' ' Saloon," I asked^ Slim replied, "Yup." "How many people are living here now?" Slim looked across the tracks. "Them two and just me." "Is that little building up on the hill an old water tank?" "Yup," said Slim, looking a little tired from such continued effort. *• As I left" town, I looked back at the meager remains of this*onc.e busy freighting junction. The town was well suited to its leading citizen. Walcott— like Slim’s conversation— was "real sparse." -20Walcott, Wyoming � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown&nbsp;</em>Wyoming Draft</p> </div> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_DraftManuscript_Wyo Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/72bb042ac29acca22bfbdecdd9cc2403.pdf c8745db2349b772013032ad32c2ee9fa PDF Text Text �N. Weis MONTANA ABBA 1 (of-^> eo»t«tta&=Ap^»oaXBBa±eiy:=3±Qfi::dte=pia. JARDINE, MONTANA /y —From Gardner, at the north edge of Yellow­ stone Park, it is six miles by gravel road to the town of Jardine. miles. These are six of Montana’s prettiest The road angles up the north side of Yellow­ stone Canyon, crosses Eagle Creek, and immediately drops over a rise, bringing the green valley of Bear Creek into view. -1- Jardine, Montana �N. Weis Two and a half miles ahead lies the old mining town of Jardine, but here, beside the road is a scene of unusual beauty. A small pond, its deep waters lightly rippled by the breeze, nestles between the road and a curve of protecting trees. Toward the far shore, a weathered shack stands in deep water. A gangplank offers access, and inside are rusted control wheels, their axles extending deep below the water’s surface. The lake seems too peaceful — too natural * to be manj^de, but it is in fact the headwater pond of a hydro-electric plant. A three-mile ditch contours its way from the upper reaches of Boar Creek, bringing water gently to this point. Nine hundred feet below the pond, the water gushes forth with tremendous force. Conducted downhill by a twenty inchedlameter pipe, constricted to eleven inches at the exit point, the energy developed— nearly (4^ hors epower was sufficient to light the mining town of Jardine^ and to power both its mills, Jardine was a company town — enjoying periodic booms and suffering through the intervening busts. Each bust, however, was but a pause, awaiting a new strike or a new sot of Investors. -2- Jardine, Montana �N. Weis Joe Brown caused the first excitement when he discovered placer gold in Bear Creek. That was in 1865t and the excitement increased when gold in quartz was found deep within adjacent Mineral Hill. In 1884 a small stamp mill was built to replace the crude mule-drawn arrastra, but the rich veins ran out shortly, and operations ceased in 1886. Further prospecting brought new deposits to light. The mill was refurbished and enlarged, and operations resumed in I890. Three years later the panic of *93 caused another shutdown, Harry Bush arrived in 1898, He caused such vast changes that the town was named for him, but only momentarily. Three hotels, three mercantiles, three saloons, several houses of ill repute, one church and a school complemented the great number of company buildings. By 1899, the new mill was completed. the "Revenue," it held forty stamps. CalipH Each stamp weighed hundreds of pounds, and each in turn was lifted five inches and permitted to fall on the coarse gold-bearing ore. minute. Each stamp dropped ninety times per One of the few surviving residents described the scene this way.* -3- Jardine, Montana �N. Weis “With forty of them stamps going, the sound was more than noise. You could feel itI Pelt good, though — felt just like a paycheek on Saturday night." The severe pounding required massive rock foundations. Six hundred perch of stone were used, a perch being almost a cubic yard. The payroll ran nearly a quarter of a million dollars per year. The town had a post office, and the population of the valley was measured in the thousands. Mr. and Mrs. George M. Welcome were residents before and after the big boom. When George died, a handsome stone was placed at the head of his grave. Across the top, in large letters, is printed one word ~ -WELCOME." It is the first thing you see as you enter the cemetery. Some viewers are upset by the startling salutation, others are reassured, Ripley’s /^^,B©llove ^t or not Rlplajr" referred to Jardine as "the town where the cemetery says welcome." The town was named "Jardine" about 1900, after a popular company superintendent. For three place years the^tewn- enjoyed prosperity. By 1902 over a half mllllon'fin gold had been recovered. Other spurts of activity -A there were twelve in all —. resulted in a total take ofy2,2 million,gold^ between 1865 and 1926 ^^4- Jardlne, Montana �In 1926, arsenic ore was discovered in some of the tunnels. An addition was made to the lower The final product mill to process the new find. obtained was arsenic trioiide, a potent rat and bug killer, and a widely used paint pigment. The mill processed nearly two hundred tons per day, DDT Some people claim that Pf&aht killed the town At least the discovery of DfDfTj ruined the market for arsenic as an insectiside. The plant closed in 19^2, reopened briefly in 19^^ to supply arsenic to the military, then closed again in 194-5. A "mysterious fire destroyed the arsenic plant in 194-6, and the town' population went from few to almost none. Twelve families now live in Jardine, Half of these are outfitters, guiding hunting and fishing parties into the unspoiled mountaini* . to the north and east. Of the several hundred buildings, only a fraction remaliy. On the west side of the creek are a number of residences and an old store or two. The town layout is accurately shown on the Gardner, Montana, 15 minute topographic map, A dilapidated bridge permits adventurous access to a group of secluded shacks lying between the two forks of Bear ^reek. An old sign at the bridge is accidentally appropriate: -5- Jardlne, Montana �N. Weis M- T/?,A<3Tassing at your own risk- A windowless house displays a "WELCOME" sign over Its hlj^hot door. On the porch Is a placard that proclaims! "RESERVED." The east side was the company part of town. The two huge mills, an empty saw*Talll, and several dozen offices, cablnf^and a store remain standing. A few years ago, Richard and Jean Blankenship purchased the mining property. They found a number of buildings so far gone that they required destruction. Others are being repaired and put to use as guest houses. The Blankenships have hopes of Installing a ski tow. Slopes and snow are already there In full_ sixty-five abundance. The town Is at an elevation of aixty^-f^ive- hundred feet, and the hills on either side rise another two thousand feet. The blacksmith shop, at the mine adit, or tunnel^outh. Is in nearly perfect condition. an "improved" barrel stove. It had Fifty-gallon drums were commonly used as stoves, with a door In one endy and a stove'^ipe placed at the rear. was a double-decker. This stove, however, The stove'~plpe led immediately Into a second drum of equal size. The stovepipe was attached to the near end of this dru^ and extended upward through the roof. -6- Jardine, Montana �N. Weis Near the smithy was an outhouse in an equally good state of preservation. was uniquely simple, The seating arrangement A four-inch-diameter log smoothed by use — extended the full width of the structure. The twelve-foot width indicated a seating capacity of six men. The back rest was a three-inch diameter log that also spanned the full distance. A changing room, near the tunnel mouth, was complete with a twenty-four-foot shower. and benches were all there. The lockers One locker contained a dusty, rotted towel, I Evidence all about indicated a massive . -- her human effort — ^lature did not release willingly. riches No fortunes were made here, but there is gold in Mineral Hill, Reserves are valued — by one Investigator — at five million dollars. Most of the twenty tunnels in Mineral Hill have low-grade ore visibly in contact, Jardine is on the bust now, waiting for the next boom. In the meantime^ the most industrious effort being carried out on Bear Creek is the logging operation conducted by the resident beavers. And somehow, one must agree — that is the way it should be in Jardine, -7- Jardine, Montana �N. Weis CORWIN, MONTANA The Miner, Montana, 15 minute topographic map revealed a number of prospective ghost townsr Miner, Carbella, Sphinx, Cinnabar, Aldridge, and Electric. All had been bypassed by the highway, several had deserted schools indicated, and one town, named Electric, was at the end of a dead-»end road. Of these six possibilities, only two were worth visiting and photographing, but in the process of searching out these sites, I came across a third interesting remnant of early I900 vintage. Corwin(Springs)is located on the highway, but is nontheless deserted. be called a town. Perhaps it should not It was in reality a resort hotel, or spa, complete with hot mineral spring plunge, recreation parlor, and horse bams. Dr. P. E. Corwin built a seventy-two—room, three-»story hotel on the site, and proclaimed the mineral baths a definite aid to healthy living. Special trains left Livingston, Montana, each weeR end, carrying several hundred visitors and patients to the soothing comforts of Corwin Springs, The tracks paralleled Yellowstone River for many miles. Fishermen were given special treatment, A pull on the cord, and the train would stop, and three hundred -8- Corwin, Montana �N. Weis vacationers would wish the angler good luck. The fishermen needed only to flag down the next train for a ride on In to Corwin, or for a return trip to Livingston, The hotel burned to the ground on Thanks­ giving Day, 1917. The plunge Is still there, looking somewhat like a modern fort. Its parapets are empty, the doors are barred, and the pool Is deserted. The horse barns no longer cater to the dudes. There are no gentle equines here. Herds of domestic elk occupy the fields on either side. What a hand­ some steed an elk would make — and what a fantastic ride a dude would takeI 9- Corwln, Montana �N. Weis ALDRIDGE, MONTANA Sometimes nothing goes right. I turned left off Mol Heron Road, crossed the ereek, and stopped at a trailer house to ask for permission and directions to Aldridge. Two rather large dogs took issue with my presence. I rolled up my map, pretended it was a weapon, and bluffed my way through. Yes, I could drive up through the gate if I wished. I would have to walk the last mile — would be better to go on up the main road a mile and a half, then walk cross-country. The gate route sounded best to me, since it led past Aldridge Lake and the cemetery. At the gate I was confronted with a chain looped about the gate and the gate post. It was secured by a railroad spike. After ten minutes of work, I concluded there was no way to get it open, and that the owner had made sure no one could gain access. As I drove out, the dogs barked with a derisive note. Still confident, I pursued the second route, only to find that I had to ford Mol Heron Creek. was high — too high to wade. In an hour the light was failing and I had found no easy crossing. it began to rain. It Then I retreated in four-wheel drive. -10- Aldrldge, Montana �N. Weis Luckily, I had learned of two old-timers lA?k o t used to live in Aldridge, They had a vacation home in the area north of Corwin. It took only minutes to reach the highway and follow it north two miles to Cedar Creek, Rudy and Leo Planishek, brothers, seventy- two and sixty-eight years respectively, offered me their kindest hospitality. We spent a long evening discussing the ghost towns of Aldridge and Electric, Their cabin is on the south bank of Cedar Creek, about three hundred yards east of U,S, Highway 89, They have the finest garden in Montana, Terraced, fertilized, and babied, the vegetables have no choice but to grow, Rudy even lets the stream water warm up in the barrel before he sprays it over the crop something about not wanting to shook the tomatoes. Rudy, the oldest, starts to tell each story. About the time he has warmed up, Leo takes over. Rudy shows a noticeable disappointment, but is soon captured by Leo’s version of the story, and listens raptly to the end. Rudy jumps in with another, better story, only to have the ball stolen again. surely understand one another. The two gentlemen I asked how long they had lived together."Oh — just as long as we've been -11- Aldridge, Montana �N. Weis alive, about sixty-eight years — no, never married — both of us always did the same kind of work — coal mining mostly,* Aldridge was established In 1897, and Leo was bom there In 19OI. Rudy was four years old then, and the two youngsters grew up In one of the toughest coal towns In Montana, The town was divided Into "Happy Hollow," the residential area two partst for the workers, most of whom were single, and^ logically, "Downtown," which was five hundred feet down the hill below. The company kept plenty of men employed by promising to help them bring a bride over from Austria, For $150 you could mall order a woman, but you took One hundred and fifty dollars what you got, or forfeited your money, <as a A hundred days* wages, and the company was happy to put you on a withholding plan. Rudy and Leo have many stories to tell. One of them Involved the kids of Aldridge)^ and a portable whore house, A "traveling maiy with two tents and two women, set up shop at the lower edge of town. started each evening at dark, Leo added. Business "Like a drlve-in movie," The local women referred to the customers as "fence Jumpers," and deplored the situation greatly -12- Aldridge, Montana �N. Weis The kids got together and formed a plan to help solve the problem, A fifteen-gallon beer keg was stolen, filled with water, and aimed downhill at the two tents. It rolled straight and true, right up to the last rock In front of the tent. There It shattered The vigilantes would and slanted harmlessly by. have to try again! The coal mined at Aldridge was sent down hill two miles to the town of Electric, There It was made Into coke that was In turn used by the smelters to the north. An efficient tramway used the weight of the full buckets descending to pull the empty buckets back up the hill. was required. No power other than gravity A personnel-carrying cable car was also operated between the two towns, and was affectionately called the "Toonervllle Trolley," Rudy started work for the coal company In 1910» when he was thirteen years old. He worked for one month as a rock picker, and was looking forward to collecting his first pay. The mine closed Just before pay'day, and Rudy still has not received his moneyI The brothers were very disappointed that I had not [reached the old town^slte. I explained about the gate and the railroad spike, and then listened to the embarrassing tiruth. In the area. It Is a standard gate latch Niggle It just right and It pops open. -13- Aldrldge, Montana �N. Weis It was too late and too muddy to return. Leo said there was only a shack or two left, and loaned me a couple of old pictures of the town. Aldridge may be dead and nearly gone, but it is ever alive in the minds and words of the two fine gentlemen named "Planishek." -14- Aldrldge, Montana �N. Weis BLSGTBIC, MONTANA Founded by the Montana Coal and Coke Company in 1898, Electric was the downhill coking end of the two-town complex of Aldridge and Electric. Coal was originally shuttled dowifhlll to Electric by a wooden flume. Wet coal had to be dried before it could be burned in closed kilns to form coke. The drying process took too long and the flume was inclined to freeze up on cold days. Consequently, in 190?^ the tramway was built, "Old" Charlie Dickson was hired as tram greaser. He rode the tram ten hours a day, greasing the tower wheels on the fly. Each noon he would hop off the bucket onto a convenient tower, climb down and eat his lunch. Shortly, the tramway would shut down for the noon hour. The tram stopped a bit early one day and stranded Charlie over Hoppe Creek, a thousand feet above the water. They say Charlie spent the balance of the day in close contact with a bottle of rye whiskey. At Electric, the coal was loaded on small railroad oars and hauled by a dinky (a small locomotive) to the kilns. There were 25^ kiinr, each hemispherical in shape/ and about twelve feet in diameter. -15- Railroad Electrlc, Montana �N. Weis <30 tracks ran above and^longside each row of kilns. Brick layers, most of them Italians, would break open each oven. After cooling, "pullers" would hook out the coke, load It on the cars. brick up the oven again. The masons would then Another smaller hole would be broken in the top, six tons of coal poured in, and the oven bricked over to seal out the air. Heat from the former batch was enough t© ignite the new charge. Seventy-two hours later the conversion was complete, and the process was repeated. grades were given thirty-six hours. Cheaper The coke was shipped by rail to the massive smelters at Anaconda, Montana. Coke pullers were paid one dollar per oven. A good man could pull throe a day. This did very little for a family’s standard of living. much of the town was a near slum. Consequently, Dotted with sheet *- iron shacks, the working man's residential area was called "Tin Town," The business district was impressive by contrast. A massive company store and saloon proclaimed on its false front in large block letters» MONTANA COAL & COKE TRADING CO. A STORE WITH EVERYTHING IN IT -16- ) Electric, Montsuna �N. Weis Inside, canned goods reached from floor to ceiling. Minor competition came from the Pair & Square Grocery, but the lower prices were little inducement compared to the credit on wages offered by the ^ompany store. There were nearly five hundred workers during the boom years, and the population of Electric was close to two thousand. The town was originally named "Horr," but in 1904’, when an electric plant was Installed, the name was changed to •’Electric.’’ Electric Peak, located a few miles south, and named for its unique ability to attract lightning, may have influenced the naming of the town. In 1910 the mines at Aldridge ran into thin seams and low-grade coal. towns ceased. Company operations at both Aldridge died quickly, but Electric, on the traveled way, lasted considerably longer. Some buildings were moved out, others bunaed down and were never rebuilt, but the town remained a community gathering point until the school closed in 194-5. The town’^lte is now on the Charles and Annie Mikolich property, about two miles south of Corwin on the west side of the river. Of the several hundred original buildings, only the school, the Pair and Square Grocery, a bachelor's cabin, mule bam. -17- Electric, Montana �N. Weis and two strings of charcoal kilns survive. is now a garage. The store The bachelor’s cabin is decorated with antlers, and located in the middle of a corral. It serves as a convenient rubbing post for livestock. The mule bam now shelters riding horses. Sagebrush, as high as your head, covers much of the traces of yesterday’s endeavor. The red-,brlck kilns, stubbornly resisting the attack of time, make a fitting monument to the people who lived in the town of Electric, -18- Electrio, Montana �N. Weis MONTANA AREA 2 This Wit Oentains approximately '55jC10--Wa3?d«» PONY, MONTANA --- § beautiful church, built solidly of hand-trimmed stone blocks. Its steeple lifted a It was an Episcopal Church, sinner's eyes to heaven. built as a memorial to a loved one of that faith. The church had no debts, and parishioners could rest assured no collection plate pressures would be applied. There was just one problem. Very few Episcopalians lived in Pony, and few of them attended. -1 Eventually Pony, Montana �N. Weis the church was sold to the Odd Fellows, who promptly removed the steeple and printed "lOOP" over the door. The church stands In Pony today, as proud and dignified as an elder, watching his top hat blow down the hill. Pony's history Is full of strange stories and even stranger people. Gold was first located by a gent known mainly by his short stature, and his nickname, "Pony," He left town about the same time they named the town after him. Pony sits astride the confluence of Pony Greek and Willow Creek, on the eastern slopes of the Tobacco Root Range. Harrison, Montana, and Highway 28? lie six miles to the northeast. The Harrison, Montana, 15 minute topographic map shows Pony and a number of nearby sites. The setting Is beautiful, the road Is good, and the people are friendly. The original town — about two miles upstream — was called "Strawberry." An outcrop of gold-bearing quartz was found there.*- the vein widening to a generous ten feet at relatively shallow depth. The ore was rich enough to warrant "on the spot" processing. By 1875, two mills were operating two miles below the mine. A store was added and the people of Strawberry drifted In. -2- Pony, Montana^^^^^ �N. Weis In 1877, streets were laid out. Strawberry died as Pony sprang to life. The mines slowly released their riches, and Pony grew. It took twenty years to skim the cream, till only the low grade was left In view. The Boss Tweed and the Clipper mines had totaled more than two million'^In gold. Eventually the mines shut down and people began to leave, but Pony had one more good spurt leftI An eastern syndicate bought the Boss Tweed - Clipper property, and laid great plans for development. One resident claims the mines were shot?* gunned — salted with gold and fired Into the quartz. Whatever the reason. It was I900 and prt^erlty had arrived again. The new company built a massive three- story brick office building about one-half mile west o^^town o£ Pony Willow Creek, and began the construction of a one- hundred- stamp mill I The office Is still there — good as new — but Ino one seems to recall what happened to the mill. It was a great moment In Pony's history. townspeople built a #12,000 -fchool. with stores. The Main ^treet filled Pour fraternal orders vied for members. Three churches tried vainly to counteract the evils of eleven saloons. -3- Pony, Montana �N. Weis The bubble burst when ore tests revealed the truth. Not only was the ore very low grade, but it was of a type that required more than simple crushing and separating. to leave. The developers were quick The original min^owners moved back to town and continued a modest milling operation. By I9I8 the population had dwindled to three hundred, A few mines were still operating, their owners hopeful that the next blast would uncover a lost vein. The banker was still doing business — he would keep your money safe, but offered no interest. The last mine closed in 1922, Nearly a half a century has passed. only a few families live in Pony, site to visit. residents. Now It is a popular The tourists often outnumber the The Morris State Bank, standing alone at the southwest corner of the main intersection, is of particular interest. Two stories high, with full basement, the brick structure shows little sign of deterioration. INFORMATION PROSPECTS mines 9 Gilt lettering on the windows read^i COMMISSIONER NOTARY PUBLIC JAMES A, FLINT Spindle-back chairs and desks are still in place and visible through the windows. -4- Downstairs is a Pony, Montana �N. Weis tonsorial parlor, its bathtub dry and dusty. ’Half a block east, and aoross the street, are two more de­ serted buildings. butcher shop. The wooden structure was once a The cooler is open and empty of ice. A "teller cage" type room was apparently occupied by the bookkeeper. Beside the butcher shop is the Isdell Mercantile, a brick building with high arched windows. Inside, a horse~shoe balcony provides two stories of shelving. Scattered all about are receipts from the years 1910 to 1933. One shipping statement, dated November 11, 1910, was for "Superior Oak Hamess" that was shipped in from Marshal Wells, Duluth, Minnesota. Q - Father west, and across the street, are four more de­ serted buildings. First is the Schriner Building, with a large "Rex Flour" billboard painted on its front. Only the front wall remains standing. Next is the old Hoffer Hardware, and then the Rooming House-Saloon combination. Nearby is a two-story brick multi-purpose fraternal club building. Marshal William B, Landon was well known in the Pony area — not for his law enforcement, but for his strange passion for chiseling rock. He apparently became disenchanted with the neighboring town of Potosi. -5- Pony, Montana �N. Weis Selecting a large boulder beside the road about a mile out of Potosi, he chiseled on It In bold letterst "ONE MILE TO HELL" West of Pony, on the north side of the Strawberry Mill Road, is another of his masterpieces. The rock is opposite the stream, where the stream is closest to the road, and is between the town dump and the cattle guard. The rock is a flat piece of granite, about four by seven feet. On it he has inscribed some strange letters, unlike any in our alphabet — also a maltese cross, his initials, and the date 1921. He confided to friends that it was just a hoax, to make others think it was a secret treasure map. Like the jold lady -that liked blueberry muffins — and save^ up an entire attic full — the old marshal just likeil to carye rock. He even carved his own tombstone, and the town folk buried him beside it. Two ghosts are said to walk the town at night. If true, then the ghost of William B. Landon must assuredly be one of themi -6- Pony, Montana �N. Weis RED BLUFF, MONTANA The Norris, Montana, 15 minute topographic map shows Red Bluff as a town with cemetery, empty buildings, and nearby abandoned mines. The deserted mines were prime indication that Red Bluff would be Inspection showed that Red Bluff had a ghost town. long since passed through the "ghost" stage, and was now in its thiird "reincarnation," Prior to 1864, Red Bluff was a stage stop on the old Bozeman Cu^ff. Located on Hot Springs Greek, at the upper end of a narrow five-mlle canyon, it was a popular place to gulp a bracer before facing the rigors of the road. 1864 a large two-story stone building was built on the north side of the thoroughfare. The number of chimneys indicates that each room had a fire^ place or stove. The structure served as a boarding*" house for miners from 1870 to 1900 or so, then was converted to a residence. Later, it became a hotel. Now it holds the offices of Red Bluff Research Station of Montana State University. The town "died" in 1920, but in its prime it had a bank, many residences, and (reportedly) one thousand citizens. Now only the stone hotel, a mine -7- Red Bluff, Montana �N. Weis tunnel, a few old shaoks and the cemetery are left. The cemetery Is still In use, and well kept. The older section has some Interesting headstones» Joseph Waibank of Kelghly, England Died Age 60 Nov 10 1888 1/ O UIX lUcX T. Jemima X* XPlster X O w wX 1845-190^ Faithful to the End — and this tearful poem on the grave of a little girl Lj'X. . Ere Sin Could Harm or Sorrow Fade Death Came With Friendly Care The Opening Bud To Heaven Conveyed And Bade It Blossom There. Red Bluff had ten great years. From 1870 to 1880 the Boaz mine brought ^200,000 worth of silver and gold to the surface. The Josephine did as well. The Gold Cup, Waterlode, Helene, and Grubstake were all operating multiple shifts. Located two miles south of Red Bluff, the long dormant Boaz Mine was revived briefly In 1941 and 1948. Both times It failed to pay out. Here a flfty» ton cyanide mill once spewed forth Its Vlipcous yellow waste. A dam across a small stream provided still water, permitting the solids to settle out. The dam Is gone, but the solid yellow shelf of sediment remains. -8- Red Bluffjf, Montana �N. Weis At the mine proper, ajfjeautlfully square shaft, about eight feet on a side, extends five hundred feet down^ ward. Side drifts exit at the one hundred sixty—five, two hundred sixty-five, three hundred sixty-five and five hundred foot levels. Poorly mounted on their foundations, the buildings have taken on considerable list. Each has its own personality, the overall effect being that of an amusement park fun house. At the up^ hill end of the mine complex, a large machine shop stands, its walls gone, but the roof providing welcome shade for a dozen white-faced cattle. The mine was run by an engineer with commendable imagination. When electricity came in, the steam boiler was|converted to a hot-water heater, A four-place teeter-tottei^pivoted on a power pole, kept the kids happy. Perhaps it was originally a transformer support, but the curved grooves worn in the center pole could only have been caused by hours of play. Just down the hill adjoining the Boaz, are the shafts of the Peanuts Mine, Several buildings are there, one of them obviously a cookhouse. The stove is gone, but the chimney standsj and Just in front of the chimney, squarely above the stove location, is another Innovation quite ahead of its time. -9- A four- Red Blufff, Montana �N. Weis by-.four cupola, about six feet high, contains screenedIn louvres designed to permit the escape of heat. food must have been good. The Only a good cook deserved such deluxe facilities. -10- Sed Bluff/^, Montana �N. Weis VIRGINIA CITY, MONTANA The Judge agreed^ the place called Alder Creek should have an official name. After the wife of Jeff Davis? But "Varina?" It was 1864, and no northern Judge would certify such a name. He wrote out "Virginia" Instead, and "Virginia City" it became. In one year it was a full-blown town, with hotels, schools, fire department, newspaper, opera house, and hundreds of homes. Buildings were going up at the Incredible rate of one hundred each week, and the population reached the ten thousand mark. It became the capital city in I865. Three-fourths of a mile long, four streets wide — and nearly every lot sold I Money was abundant, and a multitude of crooks moved in to take their share. One bund red ninety murders occurred in seven months. Vigilantes caught up with and hung five suspects, using the conveniently exposed beams of a half-finished store. Another was hung in Nevada City, and a few more, including the ringleader, were dispatched in Bannack. As in an early silent Western, the sheriff of Bannack was found to be the mastermind. His name was "PinmTnar," so the gang, whose members had now fled — or were -11- Vlrginla City, Montana �N. Weis the "Plununer Gang.” dead., was finally given a name — A The Chinese laundry operators catered especially to the miners. Pant pockets were thoroughly scrubbed, and the wash water then panned. The gold recovered often exceeded the fee charged for washing. Oriental laborers moved in on the placers as quickly as the miners deserted them. Soon there were six hundred Chinese panning gold, happy to glean the trace of riches left by the first wave of gold seekers. By 1895, even the Chinese gave up, and the town shrank to six hundred. Pew people lived^^^ar round in A Virginia City after 1920. In 19^6, the town caught the attention of State Senator and millionaire ranchet* Charles Bovey. He made a hobby of restoring the town to its original glory. Some saloons, stores, cafes, and one hotel went back in business, making as few changes as possible, with a code of accurate reconstruction care­ fully Imposed. Some stores were restocked with their original merchandise. The stage office, barbershop, library, and livery were repaired and refurbished. By 1968, the entire town was one big functioning museum. -12- Virglnia City, Montana �N. Weis There was gold in Virginia City again. walked on two legs and was called "tourist." It Happily, the prices were not high and the sights were priceless. It was tnily an experience to walk down Wallace Street, especially in the quiet of early morning. Things changed in I968. Virginia City lost much of its charm when a modern store was built at the edge of town. In front of the store, a gigantic . plywood cowboy now shouts commercialism down the length W4 ''----- x. of luTii Street. The echoes fall painfully upon the ears of those who have tried so hard to preserve the spirit of 186^, -13- Virginia City, Montana �N. Weis NEVADA CITY. MONTANA Five hundred vigilantes gathered aroixnd John "The Hat" Dolan, and draped a noose about his neck. Four thousand citizens watched as the victim was raised, his feet resting precariously on a boaixi held unfirmly by his captors. Dolan admitted the crime, but asked for mercy, as he was drunk at the time. The board tilted, and "The Hat" died quickly. The crowd, sympathetic toward the victim, surged forward, but the sound of five hundred revolvers being cooked changed their collective mind. They retreated in haste. That was Nevada City, Montana, in 186^^. The same year, eighteen hundred citizens voted in the town’s first election. Bom of the same boom that spawned Virginia City, and located a short two miles to the west, Nevada City was destined to a lively but abr|evlated existence. Seventy million in gold was panned in the vicinity. The extraction took only four years, and when the gold was gone, most of the population drifted to richer deposits. Much of the town was left vacant. The remaining citizens used many of the unoccupied buildings for firewood. The Adelphi Hall, Masonic Temple, the hotel, and even the Star Bakery and Saloon -14- Nevada City, Montana �N, Weis went up in smoke. The latter had advertised* "An honest loaf ... and something to wash it down," Charles Bovey, who headed the restoration of Virginia City, also instigated the reconstruction of Nevada City. The aim here was quite different. buildings are original structures. Pew of the Some have been moved in, others have been built from scratch to resemble the original. The contents of these buildings are not intended to be authentic. One holds a collection of old mechanical bands. A quarter in the slot will give you all the noise you want. Although no train ever passed through the town, the collection of memopslAlla assembled here Includes a number of old steam engines, coaches, and mi Ted rolling stock. One of the few remaining two-story outhouses is attached to the rear of the hotel. not a working model. The outhouse is It is a rather crude reconstruc­ tion of the real thing. This type of annex was usually built with an offset so that deposits made at the upper level would pass behind the occupant at the ground level The first visit to the lower floor during multiple use was claimed to be a harrowing experience. -15- Nevada City, Montana �N. Weis RUBY, MONTANA The gold bars had been poured especially They fitted tightly into the pockets shallow. attached t© the heavy leather harness. Built like -------------- &r a double-breasted Sam Brown^belt, the should straps accepted and distributed the weight of the heavy metal. The suit vest was put on next, and tightly buttoned. A hide/-away gun was strapped on. After donning coat and hat, the messenger stepped into the sun, mounted his horse and rode out of the town of Ruby. The carrier was one of the owners of the Cbnrey Placer Mining Company. Millions of dollars in gold were delivered to the nearest bank by "gold vest courier" without a single rtfbbery attemptedI Nearly ten million dollars in gold dredged here. A drastic turnabout for a small community that began as a poor farm. The Gonrey Placer Mining Company was formed soonYafter geologist N, S. Shaler determined the extent of gold in the gravel beds of Alder Creek. He and Gordon McKay of Boston purchased the Conrey Ranch and proceeded to lay plans for deep dredging. The miners of 1864 had worked the area over, and later the Chinese reworked it. -16- Observers had little Ruby, Montana �hopes for the third effort, but it paid off handsomely. Harvard University shared in the profits when the McKay estate was settled. The brick building that was the poor-farm hospital became the company office. Most of the paupers’ shacks — one-room chinked lo|g structures with sod roofs — became quarters for employees. The power house, where twelve water-cooled transformers once hummed twenty-four hours a day, was later converted to a bam, A three-story, ten-room hotel-boardlng'v house was built, three saloons sprang up, and a butcher moved to town and opened shop. There were two general stores, a post office, dance hall, and a three-room schoolhouse. The population held steady at five hundred from I900 to 1922, Since that time, a number of fires have destroyed some buildings, but the mining office, hotel, stable, a pauper’s cabin, powerhouse, retort building, and several residences are standing quite undisturbed. The retort building, with its furnace and vault, is preserved intact. Ingot molds, lifting tongs, ovens, mercury bottles, overhead tracks, and even a burgler alarm button can still be found Inside, The walk-in vault, built of concrete walls thirty Inches thick, holds a mixed -17- Ruby, Montana �N. Weis bag of valuables. Just above the potatoes (it doesn’t freeze inside the vault), is a delicate weighing balance and a set of brass scale weights. One weight is marked -120UZ - TROY," and is a one-^pound weight measured in the Troy system. still there. The hideaway gun is Also the leather harness used to secure For bigger and bolder shipments, the hidden gold bars. a pair of saddle bags were employed, capable of holding a full—sized ingot on each side. The original equip­ ment and the old company buildings are owned and carefully preserved by Lowell Gilman. Lowell’s father was company superintendent when the effort was abandoned, Somewhere between eight and ten million dollars'* worth of gold and platinum were melted and poured into ingots. That represents nearly seven tons of precious metal. Standard ingots weighed sixty to eighty pounds and were a bit larger than a brick. Hideaway bars weighed about one-fourth as much, and were about the size of a bar of soap. The first dredge, or gold boat, was named the "Maggie A, Gibson." It operated for five years, gulping twenty cords of wood each day. The gravel reserves seemed endless, and a succession of dredges -18- Ruby, Montana �N. Weis wace built, each one larger and more voracious in appetite for gravel than its predecessor. Electric power was avilable in I906, and A new plans were drawn for a mammoth "all electrical" machine. It was to be larger than any other dredge in existence. Building a dredge was a complex operation. First, horses and drag lines were employed to dig a dry pond. Timbers were laid out at the deepest point, As soon as the joints and the planking bolted on. were packed with oakum, water was admitted to the pond. Complete with superstructure and machinery, the monster had a weight of 4,070,000 pounds. It required thirty-three car~ioads of lumber and fortytwo car'l.oads of machinery. It could pump twelve thousand gallons of water and dig three hundred^hirty cubic feet of gravel per minute. The buckets were linked into an endless chain, connected with link pins eight inches in diameter. feet deep. The dredge could dig fifty It wandered along in a zigzag manner, digging a swath three hundred feet wide, moving ten thousand cubic yards per day. It could make a profit on just ^cents'worth of gold per cubic yard I Eight men ran the dredge, while two others drilled test holes -19- Huby, Montana �N. Weis to determine the most profitable directionfbr the dredge to take. The dredges ate up, digested^and redeposited more than a square mile of land. The location and extent of operations are clearly shown on the Alder, Montana, minute topographic map. The dredged stream no longer knows its own bed. Each spring it finds a new path. Each dredge had carried its own pond with it as it slowly toured the basin, and the ponds that remain mark the scenes of their final efforts. Amid the cattails can be found the bone^ like remains of the long dead behemoths that laid this land in ugly waste. slow, but ever sure. Nature's retaliation is Wind/blown soil, trapped in the rocky windrows permits a few plants to gain a foothold. Quickly measured by nature’s clock, the banks of Alder Creek will again become green, and flowers will once more spark the meadows with color. -20- Ruby, Montana �t N. Weis MONTANA AREA 3 6of -9) Ooiitnlna auMriaxlrnfttel.r 32.Q0~W£H?'4g-. GABLE, MONTANA A '~'Ma^s generally a big help, but at Cable, the cartographic aid was a complete bust, I was using Z-" , the 1908 edition (revised^ 19'^9) of the Phillipsburg, Montana, 30 minute topographic map. It failed to show the new roads (that is to be expected), but it showed some roads that did not exist, and located others erroneously. Cable wasn’t hard to find, but attempts Cable, Montana �N. Weis to pass through to Southern Cross (another ghost town) resulted. In my becoming hopelessly confused. I was about to pass by the mill at Cable for the fourth time| when I decided to give up, concentrate on Cable, and perhaps find Southern Cross the next day via some other more understandable route, I grabbed my cameras, slammed the door and started walking up the deserted gravel road, kicking at loose rocks along the way. away with My frustrations lessened as I banged creasing vigor. The trajectories were improving and I was beginning to take rather loud vocal pride in my work. That’s when I looked up, A man was standing by the mine entrance — staring at me, I approached, considerably embarrassed, ”You lost? Saw you go by three times." "No," I answered, "but I sure can’t find Southern Cross," He was a kind man, hardly grinned at all. He gave me all the right instructions, but I was so red-faced and confused that nothing made sense. Although Cable is not one of my favorite sites, it does have an undeniable ghostliness. On the west side of Cable Creek there are three very old cabins, complete with split log steps — nicely -2- Cable, Montana �N. Weis smoothed and firmly placed. The cabins show a recent (1930 or so) renovation with interior paneling and modem fixtures. More recently, the Inevitable vandalism has taken its toll.'^Next to the cabins, on the downhill side, is a huge bam. A cupulo-birdhouse-”^ lightning rod combination rides the ridge. More acco- modations for birds — probably martins — are spread across the front of the barn. With perching shelves on the outside and boxed-in houses extending through to the inside, nothing^it seemed^was too good for the feathered friends. Outside of ^itronella and fly^ swatters, birds were the most effective means of mosquito control. *^Inside the barn, a flight of steps with a smoothly worn handrail leads to the hay-loft and grain blns. On the main floor are stalls for draft animals. The basement level has more stalls^ and provisions for other animals such as cows, pigs, goats^and chickens, , The huge mill is across the creek and up the hill a few hundred yards. In a shaky state of repair, it groans in the wind, shedding a few of its remaining shingles with each gust. of ore passed through this mill. -3- Thousands of tons Large mine dumps Cable, Montana �N. Weis Indicate extensive working underground. Gold at Gable was discovered quite by­ accident, A deep shaft was being dug to intercept a suspected vein at considerable depth. One comer of the shaft nicked a gold-rich quartz vein at very- shallow depth. Subsequent filing of claims failed to bring the expected stampede, due perhaps to a number of previous false alarms, A year later, in 1868, the forty-ton mill was built and the Atlantic Cable Lode began to pay off, A severe cave-ln caused a temporary shutdown in I869, A second strike in 1873 revived the failing community, but it, too, found the end of the vein. In I878, the town dwindled to a population A thlid strike brought in a boom that lasted z' from 1883 to 1891 and netted three million in gold, of one, after high-grading, A number of former employees — it has been reported — suddenly bought fine homes and fancy horses. Reopened in 1902, the mining efforts were expanded to three shifts in I906, then faded slowly. All work ceased in 19^0, Now, in 1969» the new owner has sent a mining engineer out to inspect and evaluate the remaining ore deposits. The engineer has found that all manner of Gable, Montana <r �N. Weis strange people visit the site. Including odd characters, carrying cameras, kick gravel and talk to themselves. -5- Cable, Montana �N. Weis RED LION, MONTANA Sometimes It Is fun to enter a ghost town with no prior knowledge. Then, after a careful Inspection, compare one’s findings with the reports of others. At Red Lion there Is no choice, since very little has been written on this community, A few bare facts are available. One of the two mills at the site was built In I890 and was horribly Inefficient, The Hanna tunnel was deep, and Its ores were rich In gold, Iron, and copper. A tramway, nearly a mile long, was built In I906, at which time two hundred men worked at the mine-mill complex. The camp Is about seven miles northeast of Georgetown, accessible by a well-signed gravel road and well Indicated on the same Phillipsburg map used to locate Gable. To the right of the road, where It crosses Flint Creek, there are a number of broken-'* down log shacks and a few rock foundations. Red Lion. This Is At first It looks like seven wasted miles, but close Inspection reveals some Intriguing details, A tunnel Is visible to the right (or south) of the cabins, and water pours from It. The flow Is considerable, causing Flint Creek — when joined -6- Red Lion, Montana �N. Weis to double in size. This Is probably the seven~hundred-*- foot-deep Hanna tunnel. A king-size pump must have been used to keep It de-watered. The cabins at the center of camp are largely collapsed. The ground is soggy all about, not con­ ducive to permanent construction. One building shows the remains of hearth and anvil bases, and was probably a blacksmith shop. Another seems to have been a dance hall or saloon, and a third building, equipped with shelves, was likely a mercantile. The mill and tramway are now merely leveled mounds of wood and bent metal. Just up Flint Creek from the mlll'^site is an old log cabin. Old as far as age is concerned, but brand-Jiew in design. Dozens of modem trl-level homes use the same floor plan. Sagging four ways from square, its corner lock joints feel the strain and slowly readjust. stout seldom collapse. Buildings this They just ease their way down like a tired old man making ready for bed. Near the tri-level cabin is a marvelous old two-story boardlng‘3iouse, its outside stairway connecting with an elevated boardwalk. Braced with timbers, the broad eaves still protect the walkways -7- Red Lion, Montana �N. Weis from rain and snow. The second floor was divided into bunk rooms and since there were no chimneys, one might assume they were xuiheated. At 7300 feet altitude, the winters can get mighty frosty. The kitchen downstairs was probably the winter social center, A thorough search of the buildings revealed no receipts, newspapers, or other records that might give further clues to the history of Red Lion. Somewhere there is an old-timer who knows all about the place and can string a hundred stories together in a way that would bring momentary life to this old ,,camp. -8- Red Lion, Montana �N, Weis TQWBR, MONTANA Roads emanate from Phillipsburg like the arms of a nervous octopus. The Phillipsburg, Montana, 30 minute topographic map is great for selecting sites to visit, but of little value in determining which road to take. If you can find the gravel road past the hospital and substation in southeast Phillipsburg, follow it south, then east, remaining on the main road for two miles, you might reach Tower, The steep winding road overlooks Phillipsburg for the first mile, then heads up the valley. Shortly you pass between a deserted mine and mill, probably the Speckled Trout, then head straight for a yellow mine dump. this poln^ the road splits. At The right-hand route curls around and climbs to the True Fissure mine. The left route takes you up the main street of Tower. Main Street is the only street in town. In moments you have passed several dozen cabins that make up the town of Tower, and are at the Chicago mine. Recently active, it remains complete with stage, cable, hoist, and bucket. On the left, heading back into town, is a fine old house that sports a three-sided angle bay window. Now weathered to a paintless gray, boards ~9- Tower, Montana �N. Weis warped and decayed, it still retains the suggestion of past beauty. ft Farther down the street is an old store, false-»frented and log-sided. Once used as a garage, it now lies open and deserted. It is very quiet here. Not a soul is in town, yet there are signs of occupancy, A sign on one door warns someone not to swipe anything since Another cabin has a he was seen the fird: time. number of dynamite fuses, already capped, hanging by the screen door. Behind one house is an old mine tunnel, fitted with a heavy wooden door. Cold air billows forth when it is opened, indicating that it might be used for cold storage. Tower never was a big town. Built originally to accommodate mill workers, it struggled along, imitating the boom and bust of nearby Phillipsburg. The first well-known mine was the "Speckled Trout," discovered in about 1870. A mill was built in 1875, and a boarding house constructed to accommodate its workers. Later, the Algor^uln Mine, rich in silver, was developed just south of the "Trout," Charlemagne Tower, for whom the town was named, was one of the prime investors in the early mines. -10- During World War I Tower, Montana �N, Weis manganese was found here. The military demand was quickly filled, and mining of manganese dropped off until other uses of the metal could be found. By 19^0, it was in demand once more, particularly as an ingredient necessary to the manufacture of Improved The True Fissure mine went back into dry cells. production and is still in operation. While I had walked through Tower observing its quiet scenery, deep below my feet there was Men of the True Fissure were mucking a activity. gooey gray mass of ore,|shoveling it into ore cars, and trundling the cars to the shaft for hoisting. I learned of the operation from the hoisting engineer. The shaft house is located high on the hill above town. Inside, the engineer sits with control levers and gigantic drums of cable in front of him. Through the window he could see the top of the shaft. On a two-<foot-diameter dial, he could read the stage location. At the moment, he was slowing the stage for a stop at the one-thousand-^ foot level. He could bring it close, but for exact matching of levels he relied on signals from below. The bell dinged, and he lowered the stage a few inches. Later, after another series of signals, he -11- �N. Weis started the stage up, with two tons of ore on board. At eight hundred feet per minute, the load was quickly topside, and being pushed to a point just over the bed of a dump truck. The unloader tripped each car in turn so that it spilled into the vehicle. ^Later I visited the smithy. He told me of his work, stressing the fact that the mine had a water problem requiring one thousand gallons a minute^be pumped out, day and night. That, along with occasional mechanical breakdowns, kept him busy. Tower is a different sort of ghost town — deserted, but with activity far below^ and high above on the hill. There is no noise except the periodic clang ojJ^ore cars being dumped. The modem mining of manganese is but a faint echo of yesterday’s exciting pursuit of silver and gold, -12- Tower, Montana �N. Weis GRANITE, MONTANA The Queen Cltyl World I The Silver Capital of the Each month a quarter million dollars'worth of silver was tom from the earth. The rich ores poured out of the Granite and Bi-Metallic shafts at an increasing rate. Thirty million in silver in ten years — then came the crasht August 1, 1893, was a sad day in Granite. Orders came that day to shut down the mine. Within hours the road to Phillipsburg was filled^ as thousands fled down the hill. Jobs might still be open in Philj(.ipsburg, and each man wanted to be first in line. Six hundred hardy souls remained behind to enjoy the hollow luxuries of Granite, the fastest dying ghost town in the west. There had been luxuries in Granite, for Granite had been a fancy town. The three-story Miners Union Hall would be quiet now, its springy maple dance floor no longer pulsing to the rhythm of happy feet. The staff of doctors would have few patients in the overlarge company hospital. A few shift bosses might use the heated plunge, but the laughter of hardworking men would not be there. The four church congregations were confronted by bewildered parsons. -13- The hotel and Grani t e, Montana �roller rink closed the first week. Eighteen saloons They closed not one by one — did little business. more like four by four. Nourished by a few retired miners and the skeleton crew at the mine, the town of Granite hybernated In hopes that rising silver prices might sometime warm It once again to life. The map used for Gable, Tower, and Red Lion, also covers the Granite area. confusing. Again the roads are Leave Phillipsburg as If heading for Tower, but make an abrupt right turn before passing the last five or six houses. The road crosses the railroad twice then forks to the right and proceeds upTilll. Although serpentine, the four-mlle road to Granite Is easily managed by ordinary passenger vehicle. On the right, as you enter Granite, there Is an old house surrounded by a rickety picket fence. Not long ago Its resident Installed a television set. The antenna still perches atop the roof — totally Incongruous with the structure beneath. In this house lived the "grand old lady of Granite," the last resident. She died In I968, A narrow gravel road to the left leads to the main part of town. On the right Is the two-story hospital. Its covered porch half gone, the chimney -1^- Granlte, Montana �N. Weis falling down, and the shingles all but gone. Shortly, a left turn leads to the old Miners Union Hall a magnificent remnant I It stands alone and lonely. Intact in front. In complete shambles at the rear. Vandals have broken the windows and stolen the fixtures. To the east are a number of old residences. walk-In coolers dug into the hill behind. A few have Some miners started with a rock-walled, sod-roofed dugout, and graduated later into "sawed board" homes, and used the sod house for storage. Most of the wooden structures are now gone, but many rock soddies remain. Pljrther up the hill and to the right are, in order, an old brick bank vault, the rock company house, and several broken-down "houses of ill fame," street was named "Silk Stocking Row." The The close proximity of the two enterprises would indicate that the company condoned and controlled this facet of evening entertainment. Granite was most thoroughly a "Company Town." Located just above, and overlooking town, are the extensive stone foundations of the old Granite Mill. Like hornets’ nests, coke ovens nestle in the rock lean foundations. Burned timbers^atand aslant, their fireblackened metal fittings standing out prominently. -15- Granlte, Montana �N. Weis A shiny corrugated metal building stands in the tiny basin where once the famous "Granite and Bi-Metallic" shafts poured forth their wealth. Inside, the hoist engineer waits for the signal to raise the stage. There are men below checking every stope and drift. The shaft has been cleared to eighteen hundred feet, and there are plans to go down another seven hundred feet. The new owners, Bi-Metallic of Heccla, are well acquainted with the mine’s past production, and are gambling that "there’s more where that came from." -16- Gran1te, Montana �N. Weis KIRKVILLE (CLARK), MONTANA Pew people visit Kirkville, I would have passed it by, had it not been for the cherished (and dog-eared by now) Phillipsburg, Montana, 30 minute topographic map. It clearly shows a double railroad spur, a number of buildings, and a flume — all indications of a community that was once a going concern. Situated one mile south of Philjtipsburg, the town of Kirkville is easily located — just follow the railroad tracks to the large twin chimneys. The road dead-ends at the vacant two-story brick office building of the Bi-Metallic Mining Company. The adjacent mill was built in 1888 to handle the ores from Granite. A two-mlle tramway brought ore down in quarter-ton lots and returned wood and coal to Granite. Originally a fifty-stamp mill, it was quickly enlarged to one hundred stamps capable of handling two hundred tons of ore per day. The mill was gigantic — eight levels, one hundred^fifty feet widej| and nearly four hundred feet long. It required five hundred employees to operate. The ores were crushed in beds of mercury — the stamps splashing the expensive amalgamating agent freely on*~'to -17- Kirkville, Montana �N. Weis the floor. Five hundred employees made quite a town. Bachelors lived in the many rooming houses. Families built residences just east of the mill. A number of workers lived in Phil^Jipsburg, but in spite of this, Kirkville was the third largest town in theTarea. Sometime after 1908, the town was renamed "Clark," but by then activities had largely ceased. In 1967 the mill burned to the ground. During the intervening years, most of the residences have burned or been moved, yet there is much left to see in Kirkville I ' " Beside the tracks are several large machine shops and warehouses full of ore cars, track, ore buckets, stages, and all manner of spare parts. Strung on down the line are the assay office and pouring room. Both are complete, minus only the smaller movable equipment. The pouring room has large kilns, ladles, scales, and a steel-doored walk-in vault with numerous hefty shelves. Heavy bars of silver once rested here, row upon valuable row. A few yards fftrther, at the burned-over mill, "second effort" mining is going on. operation. It is a two-man One man digs out the earth from under the -18- Kirkvllle , Montana �N. Weis old amalgamator stamps and dumps it into a hopper. The second man feeds the earth into a rotary washer where the coarse material drops out. The fine sediments zl^sag their way down a long wooden sluice, or ^ong ^om, leaving shiny droplets of mercury in each crevice. When mercury shows up at the bottom of the sluice, it is time to shut down and clean up. The sloppy tecnhlques of 1890 are paying off today. Across the tracks are the old carpenter and blacksmith shops, A long wooden flume runs behind the In front are extensive tailing ponds. buildings. Half buried in the sediments are an outhouse, collapsed shed, and several wagon wheels. As in an old travelogue, the setting sun casts a glow upon the face of the burned-over mill. Shortly the darkening skies were dimly relit as the moon rose, heavily shrouded with clouds. of 1890 seemed to return. The grandeur The mill looked whole again. The moon, the towering chimneys, the threatening skies, all combined to create a mood not easily shrugged. not welcome. Suddenly it seemed that visitors were Another moment, and the past must be forgotten — the present rejoined. -19- Kirkville 4 fff S>nk-. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown</em> Montana Draft Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_GhostTowns_DraftManuscript_Mont Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/2545d626185dbe2fc27d839a33f97abc.pdf 59131b5110b667f37852ab17fa3789a5 PDF Text Text Adventures in a Biplane Moxa Veie 35 am PHOTO DESCRIPTION (41 elidat) !• Laying out the fuselage halves. 2. **The Privilege of Flight** (a prixi^of this slide was sent with original inquiry.) 3. Close up of the finished plane. 4. **Flylng the Mail** Laramie, Wyoming to Medicine Bow, WyoaiAg. 5. Clouds rode the ridges and we squeesed below, a few miles north of Grand Junction, Colorado. 6. Altitude above ground changed from 50 feet to 1500 feet as we passed over the crests north of Grand Junction, Colorado. 7. Smog formed an impenetrable barrier ever the San Bernardino Valley. 8. Looking back to Death Valley. 9. Hoover Dam where only the lake is horisontal. 10. Meteor Crater, Arizona, from the horizontal. 11« Meteor Crater, Arizona, standing on a wing tip. 12. Sculptured mesa in Southern Utah. 13. Parked at Gila Bend, Arizona. �Adventures In a Biplane - Photo Description 14. Volcanic necks in Northern New Mexico. 15« Jerome( Arizona* ghost town on the side of a hill. 16. Red Buttes in Wyoming. 17. Open pit uranium mine, Wyoming. 18. ’‘The old and the new." Norm Weis Second Sweetheart* tied down at Mackinac Island* with taxi in foreground. 19. Mackinac Island car wash. 20. Grand Hotel* Mackinac Island. 21. Road hazards on Mackinac Island. 22. Parked under the wing of a Twin Otter at LaRonge* Saskatchewan. 23. Ed Relne* fishing partner for the day* holds up a nice Northern Pike. 24. Same Northern* fighting the plug he bit on. 25. Walting In line to fly sequence* Longmont* Colorado* Rocky Mountain Championship. Watching another pilot fly the sequence, 26. "Damn* he's good." (same contest.) 27. The competition, 28. Connie Day and Jay Weis leafing by Second Sweetheart* Reno* (same contest) Nevada* Reno National Championship Air Races. �Adventures in a Biplane - Photo Description 29. Nona Ifois Line up for the first race (same location). Photo by G. P. Kosak. 30. Twenty seconds to go. Tail holders have assumed position, (same location) Photo by G. F. Kosak. 31. We're off and the Sweetheart takes the lead (briefly), (same location) photo by G. F. Kosak. 32. Mounding pylon six in proper shape (same location) photo by G. F. Kosak. 33. Low and close on pylon six (same location) photo G. F. Kosak. 34. Fog bank in Northern Wisconsin, on the way to Oshkosh. 35. Camping out at Waupaca, Wisconsin, on the way to Oshkosh. 36. Sunrise in Waupaca, Wisconsin, on the way to Oshkosh. 37. Crowds at Oshkosh. 38. The Royal Canadian Air Force "Snowbirds" perform over the Starduster's nose at Oshkosh. 39. Wade Weis, author's son, helps dismount wing after forced landing in Utah. The plane had to be protected constantly Note the fractured propeller and sagging engine. 40. Wade, Jay, and the deputy sheriff remove the ramp used to roll the plane on to the flatbed. �Adventures in a Biplane 41. Photo Description Norm Weis SQpw shadow left behind In Central Utah, where plane was tied to the fence overnight. 120 Photos (9 slides) 42. Practicing for Reno. The tree makes a forgiving pylon. General shots of the completed plane. 450 46. We flew the canyons and waved at countless fishermen. THE FOLLOWING PICTURES ARE OF THE PLANE AFTER THE REBUILDING FOLLOWING THE FORCED LANDING IN UTAHi 47. The new, mere powerful engine gives Second Sweetheart a better up line. 48. Smoke bolls from the Starduster's new corvus oil Injection system, 49. Same 50. Knife edge flight - just like old Speed Holman. (note the checkerboard nose.) �OUTLINE Norm Weis 150 Buck Creek Road Casper, Wyoming ADVENTURES IN A BIPLANE OR THE SKY IS MINE STARDUSTER WHISKEY THE FREEDOM MACHINE NOVEMBER ONE NOVEMBER WHISKEY Chapter 7^00 Chapter 2. 25®® Chapter 3. First Flight Towing to airport - problems - taxi tests - an auspicious moment - in the air - nose heavy! high speed landing - aglow with the thrill! Tilting at a New Windmill Some pnilosophy - a need for adventure - plan to fly again - decision to build - choosing design - building, and more building. Testing Hands off flight achieved - spins - g tests hayfield landing - dog hair in the carburetor broken exhaust - back home. Airshow Anyone? Take off amid the cowpies -• teaching myself aerobatics - knife edge - straight up - straight down - hammerheads - barrel rolls - the sky goes crazy - low level waiver - airshow for faculty showing off - airshow for money? Chapter 5. Cutting the Umbilical The 5U mile rule - flying the perimeter - fun with the tower - 50 hour inspection - sudden freedom - big plans - coast to coast - border to border - flying old mail routes - old mail pilot stories. Checking the Countip^ for Leaks Poor start - turned back in Utah - through Zion intercepted by the Air Force - rolling wheels down Death Valley - no leaks - country in no danger of sinking - visit with the designer over Mexico - a salute - rolling home. �Norm Weis 150 Buck Creek Road Casper, Wyoming Chapter 1. gie--WQ r^d-’of-^Ae robane "-<}^petrl>i-on The Rocky Mountain Championships - the scoring - the fun - 7th of 20 - Midwest Championships - high winds 15th of 30 - roast pig - engine failure and death why they compete - an art form in three dimensions. To Saskatchewan Permit problems - new survival gear - Customs - "air­ show” at Regina - fishing on Lac LaRonge - help in Swift Current - home with the fish. A Gathering of Egos Park Rapids and the old pro - fog in Wisconsin Oshkosh, a gathering of egos - a ’’store built" crashes those marvelous Snow Birds. Chanter 10 Kitty Hawk the Hard Way Mackinac Isle - momentof terror memories - a tail wind home. strange airports - 2-^000 Chapter 11. choosing a crew - chanj trouble in the pilots’ with my conscience or speed - pylon practice elation. ^r^vXl at\Zaea^^*story time qualifying theplane - a look aroupd;. ^^\c|iapter Fly.!' THe Road ^ine Serious aerobatics - inverted spins on purpose torque rolls - spins on an up line - outside stuff diamond4 loops - clos call. 7^ . ...... Bad goof ih C^itornia - new prop - help in Mexicali wild race - airshow for pay - another bent prop LeGenerale - forced landing at Nephi - hauling NlNW home - rebuilding - a whole new ball game. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Starduster </em>Manuscript Outline Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1979 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Starduster_DraftManuscript_Outline Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/3c9803e2e69886f9ede015f1db98eba5.pdf 38dfc7be65e10b0ed73d6dfb0301e186 PDF Text Text Adventure* in a Biplane STARDUSTIR Norm Wki* �Adventure! in a BipAane Nona Wais For Bill Biadasali and for all othara who cherish the privilege of flight* With apaeial thanka to Mika Harbiaon Scott Jonaa Dick Raitx Joe Stewart �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis CHAPTER 1 FIRST FLIGHT A third quarter moon cast faint light on the little biplane perched incongruously on yThe moonlight bounced crescents from each rib-rise along the scalloped upper wing, and gave outline t?*propeller, tiosl and^ake o^fuselage. ^2 steps could span its wings and an arm stretch enfold its tail.~2^seeme^Sj^lke a large model airplane, perhaps capable of flight, but surely unable to carry a man ) jtloft«^<he image was deceptive»«fw‘’^is was a machine"'??***^ freedom, a machine that could ^SMU)«»XA4UwauBa&JMi4><arry 15^ - beyond the clouds, that would feel no tether of time jia^fetter of schedule^ and wiUi -bur a single oeggpmiL, iievea swifee the indignitv of iadeelsten* Three years of my life were'vested in 4ae-£ahsifi»' .^The invMstmewt"" ea* ggF* f Film RimTie^ ■fiw—aahj? its frame of wood and metal rode a thousand dreams^ fiiwwaBO-ef plaees ab ^M»d"RpoHrtfc,5l^On this day, the two of us would taste that freedom and find Smuk dreams. It would be the first excursion into the third dimension for the little plane. I had been before, perhaps a thousand hours. but never in such frisky company. This craft was far smaller 3 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis than anything I had flowland carried more horsepower per pound o£ total weight than any plane in my experience* Its^ sensitivi­ ties would tax my pilotage, perhaps exceed it lie weregr)!^^ recently renewed axKi readied for the effort. tricky Luscomb£an^ tuistered its obstinate rudder — ^^i!a&s/repeated takeoffs and landings with the controls trimme^^o full nose up and full nose down to prepare nyself fnr sny esadisien. I was > / ready, and'the 11rt1e»hiplasfc> was Tfsady* At IwasL 1 hoped the , dl** plane was^ready. My life would depend on its structural integrity and that integrity was of my own making. The east hmm Id iium* a teste of tlia wtrplane so much wa test ei aysetC. Dawn aaew a thin line along the eastern horizon as X fussed over the plane, feeling ef- its line and form, mentally checking each vital bolt, nu^and safetyg^ k sudden shaft of sunlight brought color to the red and t^ue trim. The white lettered ^^TABDUSTER'^’ra the nose ^Seed forth. The plane took on new charm and personality. She was a beauty I /x The deputy sheriff arrived on schedule, followed in short order by a few friends, all flying enthusiasts. The Star­ duster's tail wheel wgs quickly replaced with a trailer hitch, and the hitch attached to a pickup truck. In a thoroughly un­ dignified manner, the little biplane began its reluctant trip to the airport, tail high and backward. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis We threaded our way past darkened homes and along empty streets, then entered a little-used^ winding^field all lights flashing. Half a if wyr' dozen cars followed behind, sworn to stop any rear approach­ road. The deputy led, ing vehicle at the expense of own. gate leading to the main road was too narrow by a previously measured six inchecu ^e loose end-post removed and the Starduster unhitched and carefully eased through Some of the crew reinstalled the gate post. Others gently goewed* the Starduster's 800 pounds into position on the main road to recouple with the pickup. It was a straight route to the highway, and a short mile lather to the County Airport. The sun was up and warming the ground <s*the caravan came to a stop in front of the big pink hangar. Willing hands unhitched the plane and helped reinstall the tail wheel. The Starduster^assiimed a perky three-point stance, all signs of reluctance gone.^^c was eager for flight. A small crowd had gathere^ jadewe*ay"J"laiiL inspection^Mss merle ■ exuded conThis would be a bad time to overlook the obviouse Fuels ten gallons of 80/87. Drain cocks: Oil: dewatered and checked for sediment. to the mark, 7 quarts of 50 weight. �Adventures in a Biplane Controls! CowlI Chapter 1 Norm Weis free* solid and checked for nuts and safeties* all fasteners secured* Flying wiresI all eight tight and safetied at each end, and each one tuned to siiddle C. Chute: in place, all straps laid out for easy entrance. Auxilliary power unit! plugged in, ready for start up. ’ s^cZ Everything was ready. Z stepped to the wing walk, ma fra the seat* eased ny feet into position, Qn ran the control Stick cold up ny pant leg. Dsnnl X ghaakad nags, carb heat, throttle and nixture with gweet intsnsHy, gad discretely the stick. . ’'CLEARI” Several^answered, "Clear." The engine started on the third turn. With the power cord detached, Z taxied to the ramp, confident that all was checked and ready. The tower failed to answer my call. Either Z was not transmitting or was unable to received. taxied back and shut down. conference ensued. The lack of a clicking sound when the stick-mounted mike switch was de­ pressed indicated a break in the switch wire, and that wire was under the floorboards. Twenty minutes later Z located the break. had separated in the middle of a soldered connection. connections cannot stand vibration. The wire Such Z thought Z had corrected �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis all of my earlier mistakes, but this one had been overlooked. wondered if I had overlooked anything else. I A The thought was wpg- solderless coupling and squeezer were passed into the cockpit and the repair completed. The stick switch again sent a click to the earphones, and the tower responded quickly to a test call. The radio transmitted well and the reception seemed adequate. With the multitude of chute straps, shoulder straps. and seat belts again latched and tightened, I briefly checked the cockpit and instrument panel. "CLEAR!" Again the answer, "Clear. But^^he engine wouldn’t start. Floode throttle it still refused to start. After several shots of prime the engine still failed to fir^ weak. With half J^e battery was getting Faintly, through the padded helmet, I heard someone shout. "Turn your mags on. With that small oversight rectified, the engine roared to life. This was getting to be embarrassing. "Casper ground, this is Starduster One November .-/hiskey at hangar fwe. May I make some taxi tests on the ramp?" "Starduster One November VJhiskey. tive." That's affirma­ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis At slow speeds she handled beautifully. Not a sign of the rudder lag so common to larger taildraggers. No feel of being behind the motion, like an auto sliding in mud. Punch the left rudder, and you go left, quicker and further than expected. Right rudder the same. Thanks to the foresight of early airplane builders, every control movement was directionally appropriate. Push the stick forward and you literally push the nose down. Pull it back and the nose rises. you go forward. Push the throttle forward, All the motions come naturally, provided one ha^ no earlier bias. As a youngster I had tried to learn air­ craft control movements sitting on a sled with a hammer ui|^nded as a stick. It was difficult because I knew how to run a sled, and its control was o|nposite to that of an aircraft. Once X overcom^, I could practice every maneuver in ray twenty-five cent book, How to Fly. The rudder was comfortable now. was delightful. Its sensitivity X caught myself grinning foolishly. I swung the plane around for a 360 or two, then faced the control tower, still grinning. "Casper ground. I'd like to make a few runs down the ramp at medium speed, say^^miles an hour." "That's affirmative," Rudder control at the faster speed was positive, and a bit quicker, requiring new accommodation. The nose moved �Norm Weis Adventuees in a Biplane Chapter 1 back and forth in quick jerks, exactly imitating my over­ controlling foot movements. of it. the second run I had the hang I was able to taxi straight and true with the tail wheel clear of the ground. I requested permission to make a few highQspeed runs down the ramp and received another affirma­ tive. communications with ground control were broadcast from loudspeakers along the flight line. procedure. It was a standard There is no privacy on aviation frequencies. Pilots warming their engines or flying in the area could hear both sides of the conversation on their aircraft radios. onlookers gathered about the loud*^peakers. Knots of A plane about to taxi by pulled off to watch. With full throttle, the plane accelerated rapidly. I held mild forward pressure on the stick to bring the tail up. It rose slowly, stabilized, then rose drastically before I could back off. The propeller came within an inch of chewing the blacktop. On the second try the tail over-rose again, but I managed to catch it sooner. I assumetj^ the elevator control was simfjly more sensitive than expected, and that I would learn its 4#^ proper handling with practice, as I r..the rudder. That was a dangerous assumption. On the next run I let the speed build tc/j^ mph. As I caught the tail over-rise with back pressure,the plane �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane It felt good/i*^! coul^n^c became suddenly light on its wheels. As the plane slowed, I keyed the mike, "Boy, she help grinning. really wants to fly." Then I caught myself and added, "Gasper ground, would this be an auspicious moment to give her a try?" '*Starduster One November Whiskey. What kind of a moment did you have in mind?" 'I mean, are we free of airliner^ Are there any due in or out? 'Negative. Taxi to runway 3*7" wind T^,.?cknow] u- ' two miles down the taxi ramp to runway 34. -g' " as I zigaaggedQriy at 10 knots. -'r It was nearly I had time to . Other pilots ha'«/ tested other craft. Starduster Whiskey would not be greatly different. My test of I had studied the procedures at length and knew what to look for. t-bp-p -—-"-JI ; jmiuiJT?. '’TflBti T^ili!it3^ "" i'he name sonuOuG axoy , tt fit/ct, irerhaps I didn’t deserve to tease myself with the titl^ was no higtQjerformance jet. This There were no crash trucks at runway midpoint, no ejection seat, and my clothing was far from fireproof. Twey.*?- /f I were any kind of a test pilot,would have been smart enough to have seen to some of these precautions. t6 �Adv«ntur«s In a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Mels The test There was one big item in vty fav<^ though. pilot pits his skill against the possible imperfections of a thousand factory workers and hal^4^^^(undred aeronautical engineers. But the homebuilder is his own riveter, his own welder, his own fabric man and his own engine mechanic. He need not be con­ cerned with the unknown quality of others* work. His worry is strictly his own. AntiislpaLiuU ielLTlL&iS i Ims rin, wrHwqr Isteri shews how the plane would feel in the air. I speew- Mould it need a great angle of attack to achieve a cl7»mb^as the eld Fleet biplane did? Or would it be^as a friend described his first solo flight in a Fitts, 'pK^ike strapping on a pissed-dff bumble­ bee.** X hoped for the latter. I reached the threshold of runway 34 and with brakes locked, ran the engine to ^500 rpm. Left and right magnetos dropped the revolutions per minute by 50 each* normal. At full throttle, rpm^T^reached ^200, and dropped 150 with carburetor heat* again normal. green. Oil temperature and pressure were in the Controls were free. Trim was set at micCtravel. X switched to iMsf, tower frequency. "Casper Tower. Starduster One November Whiskey Experimental ready to go on "Stairduster One November Whiskey. on half^klle final." Hold for aircraft �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis X watched the Cessna 150 slide in for a landing* its occupants glancing frequently at Starduster Whiskey* Everybody loves a biplane, especially one on its maiden flight, "Starduster One November Whiskey. Cleared for take off." NOW! Tail is up. pressure. On the center line, ease into full throttle. Watch out for over-rise. Watch the rudder. the air speed. Stay on the center line. A quick glance shows she's off and climbing. Ease off the forward Speed now^9p< Check Back pressure and More back pressure and the climb steepens to an unbelievable angle. She's a hot one •• maybe not in the bumblebee class, but lively, very lively. climb at^^mph, gaining ^500 feet per minute. We A quick motion of the stick right axid left, and instantly the wings rock/30^ degrees each way. Sensitive! We reach 600 feet, pattern altitude, time for adegree turn left, then^ *3-right to exit the area. Two small moves with stick and rudder, and the turns are accomplished. The plane has reached an altitude of twelve hundred feet above the ground in less than a minute. thing X had hoped for. X can't stop grinning. She's every­ Quick, sensitive, superb climber/*and capable of any maneuver X might dare to try. No longer will X look up with envy at other aircraft flown by other pilots. now on the sky is mine! From �Chapter 1 Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis —*> But IS wrong ith throttle reduced to cruise, the S'tarduster wants to dive The hancs^off flight I had hoped for is not to be., sharply. tven with full nosa-up trim, strong back pressur^is reoulred to hold a level attitude. At reduced throttle, more back stick is needed, leaving precious little for maneuvering. I twist about to lool riding high the in the up position re alarming. i—mph, she sits and mushes and porpoises, it ''"here is no stall nd there should be. — , " . - - -- * 3 non id have »- iwu problem xdien the tail over-rose during taxi tests. 1 continue x\7ith stall tests, nower on, power off, in various attitudes, recording the results on a pad taped to my right leg. The figures arc not encouraging. be a bit of a problem. barely safe. 1,ending will Various glida speeds show that 90 is It feels much more controllable at ICO. 1 decide to make a wheal landing, approach hot and touch down at a speed between 100 and 110 raph. 'C.' sper Tox'jer, Starduster One November ^biiskey, five miles west for landing. ’ ’’Starduster 'Jhisk----------- runway m------ The sound coming through the earphones is overx-^helmed by the engine and slipstream. I duck my head deep in the cockpit to minimize 5*^- �Adventures in a Biplane the noise. "Say again?” Norm Weis Chapter 1 After three tries I am still unable to read their transmission. "Casper Tower. I’ll enter left down wind for I can’t read you. I have a nose-heavy condition. Hope you can clear the traffic.” I turn the radio off and concentrate on the landing. If I can^get her down without damage, it will be a simple matter to adjust the center of gravity and cure the nose-down tendency. Appaoaching at 130, carrying ^400 rpm, I reduce power only slightly as the ground nears. Three feet above the ground at 120, it is still necessary to hold hard back pressure to main­ tain level flight. The ground races by much too fast, but there is no alo^wr choice. I lower carefully, feeling for the ground. Lower. A tight squeal, and the wheels make contact. Quickly I relax some of the back pressure in order to maintain contact. The little biplane rolls down the runway at well over 100 mph. With throttle retarded, the speed deteriorates and the tail slowly lowers to three-point. The landing had been far easier than expected. had been exciting throughout. It almost pleasant, with positive control In spite of the weight and balance problem. Starduster Whiskey was a gentle, forgiving creature. The thrill of the flight was with me as I taxied in. The wide grin was back and could not be suppressed. I re­ called the magic of my first flight in a light plane, and the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 sharp freedomyjfelt on the* first solo. Norm Weis Something happens to feke- soul when you fly alone for the first timegp jSut to fly in a craft of your own making is an experience that t«i.M»..nuwac another order of magnitude. Twenty years of living without and three years of building and dreaming, had culminated in this euphoric moment. Bellerophon, having mastered Pegasus, could have felt no more. I taxied back along the ramp, aglow with pride, returning stares with a grin and a,wave, knowing well that every pilot on the line would i'iX his right am to fly this little sweetheart. �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis CHAPTER 2 TILTING AT A NEW WINDMILL When eae""is young, there is rtTC ahead, for life in that direction is endless. reason to look There is time enough for everything, and planning is unnecessa^. passions, joy and sadness arrive and depart liftCi ffetie eh^rx 1,4^ p* **1 Trail!.Llum Middle age brings a Uime of'cuurolidetion^a time be hold* ^n to the feiling: of youth and pointedly igniy the aging process. One Iseler luiead far enough to increase life insurance. ^catJuba every intention of living forever. ignored. At the age of fift]^ the future can no longer be Its finite nature is obvious. «K!K?numerlcaUy on the downhill side of life. flPlie alrsBiiue uf pews owe more than-* 100 yeats uld offBfS conviiiuiug piuoia But there is one ad- vantage! now life can be Judged with more certainty^ lint t, -.tfl in vlwed When I^ took a hard look ahead, I could see a dozen more years of teaching, a dozen summers* backpacking, fishing/^ and working on one project or another. change the emphasis. Retirement would simply The future looked pleasant and secure but devoid of any new adventure. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis My early years had been full of surprise and discovery. ^^ose years seemed more exciting than^my plans for the future. Somewhere 1 had given up old delights and taken -wp-more conservative pursuits. Like many of those around me, I had be- come a spectator rather than a participant. b . -It waB~~tima ta-graip life and bend it to toy purposetP t<^4fei«vigetetef tb~i^8^=nwcL, discovery. It was time to til^a new I inventoried tlw past, looking for the good thinge- pursuits worthy of repetitioi^ endeavors that circumstance had brought to an early en^ dreams that were never realised. As a youngster, I^^ipent almost every Saturday with ny beet buddy, messing around at the Omaha Municipal Airport. My mother deplored such excursions, explaining that a-i^^ old had no business being two miles away from home. that I countered pal's mom said he could gOg-ssid Ui used the sane excuse. Being the middle child of the family of five youngsters proved quite an advantage. Mother had trouble keeping track of the boys, spending most of her time monitoring the two younger sisters. My father, a young Methodist minister, was far too occupied with churchaaffairs to worry about his number three son. Only the most flagrant violation brought his guiding hand into play, but on those rare occasions, the guiding hand usually held a thick leather razorstrap*2 Xt was a good thing covered, or exploits were largely undis­ problems would have been compouxided, and my 11 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Horn Weis backside/would have been sore with a far greater frequency. When the first airlitier with a flush toilet arrived in Oaaha, ny buddy and Z were the first to flush it — right on the ran^-- after wsUuBi,gi3rsn. were thrown off the airport^ stealing coupons ths pwspew uee> st eeurse. 1M.ce the local grocer caught om the tops of Thoopson's Malted Milk cans. Bach coupon could be sent in for a large picture of an airplane. A dozen of them lined the walls of ny attic room. My buddy had fourteen. But mostly we did harmless things. On our visits to the airport we spent hours standing around airplanes looking wistful, hoping to be invited for a ride. It never worked. At best we were permitted to sweep floors and empty buckets of used oil behing the hangars* The two of us were consumed with a love of airplanes. We read everything available concerning flying macMiMSjP WHasew» yrsiry smtieapiMlnrijg ulsplemi byslmpe mitxmieww^The sound of an approaching plane would send us tearing outside for a look. could identify them all. a Stinson. J, Ab^mone:^ We If there was any doubt, we would call it None of our peers dared challenge otur vast kno^edge* When the big Air Show came to Omaha,/! Repression made it difficult, My five>cent^a-w«ek allowaxice^plus pin money from carrying grocerie^ did not add up to the price of a ticket. /A �Adventures in a Bipiane Chapter 2 Norm Weis Ify Buddy and I, along with several dozen other kids in like circumstance’, sneaked into the show by crawling under the woven wire fenae. Ws were ejects^ but Just as repeatedly sneaked Ws ^irnss bstirssn hangnrtn back in^ this Blissed a lot of the show running between access points, but the parts we saw were fantastic. A fellow Jumped out of a plane, way up high, wearing a black coverall with black webs between h^ legs and under his arms. He "flew" as he fell, doing flips and turns, then opened his parachute at the lest fBooMint. A big brown balloon full of hot smokey air drifted upward and a man fell out —• but h^to^had a parachute. The bag turned upside down and shot out a big cloud of black smoke. Then a shir^ two-winger took to the air and began doing things X had never seen before. I had never even read about. He even did some things His name,***^SpSBD UOlMAI^^as printed on the side of his airplane, and he could fly upside down Just as gsS^as right side up. He could loop, roll ^p^^er and fly ^<?*7id«ways, one right after the other. enthralled. When SJ^eSS Lindber2*as my personal hero. I watched, totally landed, he had cookietely replaced . Flying the Atlantic waS all right, but wliaL Utt fiptad did was something else. seme stunts. X ached wfcshMHtr dssliw to do the world would be complete if X could ever learn to �Adventures An a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weia fly like Speed Holman — maybe even get to where ny stunts were good enough to keep a whole crowd of people on the ground spelX^^ bowad^nritW their mnnths hengiwig upeir. were kicked out again when Speed flew his aeeond bunch of stunts. I didn't learn until later that he dove Into the ground upside down and was killed. too close to the ground. They said he just He was still my hero,. ay mind he Jias just as I saw him last — looping, rolling and flying sideways. Model building becamey^ar great passion^invoIwiag scale models of boats and trains and airplanes — ^iiostly air­ planes. 1 sweat dsHgha in following the flight of the simplest glider, especially when aaae with gentle kissing touch. lihi flirsiir^ Rubber-powered craft, weeks in the buildingt, often carried tb^ hopes to new extremely) as they briefly flew, then crashed. Ify first gas-powered model plane had a Mln^.pread ot nearly j^^e feet. It weighed so much mere than ay previous models that I doubted its ability to fly. It hung from the ceiling for weeks while I admired its uf0n#eeplng wing, its glossy red finish, piano wire landing gear and miniature balloon tires. One calm day, curiosity at a peak, Z launched it by hand into tall grass. It tracked straight and true without a trace of stall or turn. The time had come to risk powered flight. ^(^^wished that I were small enough to ride along. X knew the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 control movements by heart* Norm Weia If the plane dove, I could pull back on the stick and save It from a crash, or if it banked too steep^, I could give it help with a push to the side on the stick along with a quick jab on the rudder — If only I could ride along* I put two^yedroppersjfulp of gas in the tank and Started the little engine. Faced into the light breese, the wheels vibratt^f against plane traabled and surged in my hand^ the ground* 1 released it gently. The tail rose, and after a short run the plane lifted, tracing a gentle curve to the left. climbed and becamg small with height. neath, praying^it would run out of gas* It I ran, trying to stay uadeiS^ The buss of the engine stopped suddenly, and the plane began to glide, banking gently to the right. I stood, turning in slow circles, watching it feel its way through small bumps of rough air* It passed over the road, turned, and headed for a pile of rocks, caught an updraft, then turned full circle, closed with the ground, •Sham bounced and rolled free on^the road. Diere SaX^ssm many other modelsi seaplanes, float planes, biplanes, canards, boom tail8/“*and conventional aircraft* SocM failed to fly after repeated adjustments} others flew well, too well at times. One model landed in the open bed of a pickup traveling down the highway and was never seen again. Another caught in a thermal and flew unpowered for more than an hour before going out of sight* Later, iKssMT returned a mangled engine and landing gear, all tha^ survived the trip through his compickar* �Adventure® In a Biplane pureuitst Norm Weis Chapter 2 JTar B fen yffwv® my life«MM filled with other cano^J^f kayak|Hyand sailboat4^ But even while running with full spinnacker before a brisk wind, the sound of an engine overhead wouldynpull ay attention/*^**** In my twenties I embraced flying again, but this time with the real thing. added new dlmensioxu LsasaXag «te> fly full-sized aircraft The view from Inside an aircraft was totally different from the modeler's view of flight from the ground. InzTiHKf side an airplane thm motion seemed to disappear) ewiy-tha horizon moved, tilting right and left amd rising and falling.'^ At low notlceable>^^mid the track of the plane level through the air hensme more apparent. Mild aerobatics put the hemisplwres of the sky and **S^^»*^^*^ earth in wild alternation. In time X we® able Be *'ae>^* the airC plane fly as if X were observing frcsn a distance, and^equattgAt with the view fr(»n inside. joy. Flying small aircraft became a great The aerobatics, mild as they were, proved to be as exciting as X had dreamed. Loops and spins were exhilarating. X wanted badly to learn more demanding maneuvers, bpt the little Aeronca tandem was not stressed for more. The dream oJ^ aerobatics ’'like old Speed Holman" was still unrealized. In fact It seemed as impossible as it had a dozen years befor^z** C— Flying^wM expensive, and the amount of time X could buy on ^y highschool teacher's pay was limited. A Later, tdien X �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis received pay for flying, the expense problem disappeared, but so did much of the fun. Flying became a job, especially when It was confined to simple point-to-point transportation. After teen years ofi fiyAwg, I shelved my loj^ook and took up more pressing matters, occasionally wondering what had happened to the old thrill of flight. Now, twenty-some years later X realized that flying was too rare a privilege to be abandoned. The thrill must be re-experienced, but this time the flying would be strictly for fun — 8eat-of“ the-panta f lylng^wlth a minimum of Instruments and a maximum of maneuverability. I wanted a craft that would give ma the freedom to hop from patch to patch, take m^places I wished to see, even roll Inverted and turn th^j?^rld up^de down. The thought of such freedom brought the. lihstil ef flikht soaring bac'^ ^Mid again. drernn of derobatics came alive . new desire was hardly compatible with my financial condition. A plane to fill my wants would cost $20,000, and I could barely muster a tenth of that figure. I searched the flying magazines,^advertls^g publicationaz fil'd aircraft sales lists for a solution. the thousands of planes offered for sale, none fitted both my need and ability to pay. While reading the ads, I noticed a number of homebuilt aircraft for sale. I wasn't Interested In purchasing one, but the idea of building my own plane surfaced as a possible solution. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis Several years earlier X had visited a man mHo was building an airplane in his garage. He had been for three years and ejtpected to finish in three more. I had dis­ missed any thought of undertaking such a long term project, but now my thinking was different, and Bill Bourret’s-pefieot"de­ served a closer look. Bill was a big happy sort, tickled to show the Intricacies of his plane and describe the problems encountered in its construction. His three place Stita Playmate was sitting on its tricycle landing gear awaiting construeti ^^^^e folding wings, .^^/workmanship was outstanding^^*! uMnSewei&f X could equal dae quality in a ar** tH W urnmy^rtt similar project time. ^%ill claimed that some home builders had finished projects in two or three years.* ife dug out a dozen copies of Sport Aviation that carried stories proving the point. He loaded me up with reading material and ruined tny sleep for a week. Plans for more than emX.tnmd«ed aircraft were avail­ able to the home builder, but one aircraft stood out. Its elllp- tlcal wings and gently curved fuselagc^leassd the eye and crowded imagination, ' It was called the Stolp Adams Starduster, all nine­ teen feet of it. It was small for maneuverability, single place so I would never be tempted to fly passengers for hire, fully aerobatic forfnifill ny long held dream/*^d an open cockpit �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 biplane just for the hell of it. for a dream-chasing machine. Nocm Weis "Starduster'* -« what a name The decision was made; I had found my new windmill lU- The passions of building and flying would both be It would be a lon^ painful endeavor* but what satisfied. challenge was ever easy? Ify wife. Jay, understood my desire to fulfill an old dream|^an^ in the doin^ spice up a life that had lost some of its excitement. ^hr She heartily endorsed the plan. had a weakness for flying machines ever since I courted her by airplane. Time would be no real problem. My job at the local college would let me spend all my vacations, including the three — month summer lajj^fon the construction. However, salary aghfet no great help to^S^new ^jO£«^^Jay and I figured our finances could handle the car for a few years. than $3,000, , if we put off^a new I expected the plane ae cost a bit more We could scrape up about $^500 and could scrounge perhaps $500 a year for the t^^e or so years of construction. z/ wouldn't be doing much traveling, hunting or fishing,«aMd vasyaisy formerly spent on those Wfert's would^o toward the plane. It was an appropriate moment for Jay to undertake a little hors^ trading, I could build my plane if she could have a three-speed bicycle, and when the plane was done, my next project would have to be the construction of her ofter^promised and evei^postponad greenhouse. �^ntux*** in a Biplane Kona Welt Chapter 2 The next morning X ordered a set of plans for $25*00 and set out, checkbook in hand, in search of a suitable engine. There were five hangars spaced along the halfi«mile flight line at the Natrona County International Airport, and in one of them X found exactly what X wanted; a 125 h.p. Lycoming Stacked next to the engine was a pile of partsf land­ 0«290-D. ing gear,*Xent fuselage,^mangled propeller/amd a set of uncovers- ed wings. The owners had hoped to rebuild the airccaft, but the cost of labor added up to more than the restored aircraft was worth. X offered $800.00 for the works. The owners countered with $900.00, and we settled for the mid-point. It took a week to sort the wreck into two stacks. The one containing the engine, wheels and instruments repre­ sented those items that would become a part of the new plane. The other stack was salvage and Junk. The Junk went to the Juzd^ZVard in exchange for a five*dollar bill that was quickly converted to a sheet of 4 x 8 partical board which would become the work bench for Jiggly the steel tubing fuselage. An air parts trade^namsd *^Duff^tn Denve^. took the wings and some land­ gear parts in trade for a carburetor heat box, heel brakes, air filter, an old rusted throttle quadrant and nearly a hundred dollars in cash. Thlf money <ras in turn converted into an assortment of steel tubing. �atur«» in a Biplane Chapter 2 None Weil When the plane arrived Z set to the chore of adding up the quantities of sheet-steel* straight grained spruce and aviation-grade plywood tha^would W needjAk 9 three aimail orders to different supply houses that specialised in aircraft materials* t]£-began a program of study on the twenty or so sheets of plaziF. Some of the drawings were baffling* and required hours of study. number of dimensional discrepancies^M^peavedr Most corrections to be made in the plans were obvious* but others required new sketches* perspectives and three-view drawings to determine the solution. The landing-gear detail ^fcJ**^* was particularly confusing^ I mocked up a rough mode^ and X found that if the parts made according to plan^there would be too little propeller clearance. Zf redesigned the gear to provide the clearance Z wanted, gmeb the way Z had designed model aircraft. With the fuselage pattern laid out full sise on the two-foot by sixteen-foot work bench* steel tubing could be cut to leng^* fitted in place and tack-welded. h Next, the fuselage sidesuieimubemt to Join at the ^il» while jBSOgJMkiqp parallel in the forward section^ wmL a multitude of cross mndjerseiowe fitted and tack-welded in place. The first of a number of problems became painfully Im I obvious am Z exssdned mymneroiwe attempts to weld steel tubing. The welds were patchy and lacked penetration* the result of /li. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Moxa Weis too little heat^ <Sut whenever Z got the metal hot enougtva would 13urcv|through the tubing wal^accooipanlw^*^^ howl a« the flame entered the tube. sound. y I learned to hate that Luckily my mistakes were made on small pieces of spare tublxi^^ I mauiLd not dare tackle the final welds on the fuselage until the art of welding^jsae-eMeaeeedK advice of ea^rt^w^ sough^ of^red and accepted, but still Much help was wdlds were shamefully Ixsspy. blamed the torch, then the regulators/^ finally the goggles* ,2.^ ft«. •*«<toggles worn over bifocal glasses were an unsatisfactory comblnatlot^^ They^habltually steamdd over at each critical moment. Xn desperation I took the welding goggles to the local optometrist and asked that correcting lenses be ground so that X might see without glasses* X became an Instant expert* The puddle of molten metal, clearly visible for the first time, seemed to crawl along under perfect control, growing with the addition of welding rod, melting ahead, solidifying behind, just the book said it should* For practice, I welded up every broken Item X could find: a metal ehalr, the boat trailer, the truck bumper, the Ironing board, then finally the fuselage of airplane* 1 J.' �Adventures in a Biplane NoraurtJela Chapter 2 I had developed a bad habit* After completing a weld, 1 would unconsciously point the torch away while. I studied the weld. The smell of something burning wen* the first indication that 1 had set a fire behind me. The curtains, the broom handle/^d comers of two sheets of plans all went Up in flames, '^new piece of equipment war~inetarled a fire extlngulrt&erl It took ten weeks to build the fuselage, and another month to bend and weld the tail surfaces, A few weeks later, the specially lengthene<bgear was finished and bolted In place* JThe elastic loops called Shock-cords >MLe WlfesLied Into position. Each gear coul<^pivot outward, the cord stretching, acting as a shock absorber* Upside down, the fuselage and/|gdar looked like a spavined dinosaur* side up. It looked beautiful* there. Kight Ths pwimlss nf flighb waf I climbed Into the space that woulc^ become the cock­ pit and let sqt Imagination take over. If a scarf had been handy Z could have whipped it about ay neck. On the third "Vroom, Vroom,” my wife opened the garage door to check the new sound. She caught me jessing the Imaginary throttle of an equaUy Imaginary engine on a wingless plane* 1 blushed; she grinned. ^st people are unable to comprehend why anyone would want to build bls own alrplan*. under.banding» they 2^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Wais are quick to condemn the effort as foolish. anire nags remargks-like nnmn ysu< won’t catch rae riding in it,” OT ”I believe in keeping one foot on the ground." One un­ believer went so far as to ask if he could take an insurance policy on ray life. CAoae friends were inclined to be under- standing, andy^follow pilots were at once encouraging anc^en- vious. * colleagues at the small collage where I teach quickly split into two groups! those xdio figured I could build and fiy the plana, and those who knew I would never fly it because they . sure as hell wouldn’t. As the airplane progressed^ new material need^ total cost of the aircraft wMuae.-uiseewwTC^ and the foeer above tne^$3,000 off orders for seat belts, t shoulder harness, windshield, fiberglass turtleback, cowl, hun­ dreds of bolts, machine screwsy^^d tubing for the engine molint. The engine mount is considered a most critical item in a small aircraft. This network of steel tubing connect/ t<^ air franw! is subject to extreme vibration and ^sub­ sequent cracking due to metal fatigue. highest quality eewld be allowed, Only welds of the 4</1 Mjr welding had Jtee &fi« by the time the fuselage and gear were finished. Thfi pi"wk was serRMii'hni short of perfection, but to delay construction of the engine mount would bring no improve- mant. an elaborate jig attached to the 30 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis front of the fuselage, I carefully fitted the chrome moly­ bdenum tubing in place, cleaning the tubing inside and out to prevent weld contamination. The Jig was built intentionally "crooked" to allow the engine to point and down a degree and a half. the righty/t^ degree^ The right thrust was to help counteract the effect of torque — the tendency of a plane to turn to the left 4ue fee the propeller turoMg' to the right; lAfcle the down thrust was to help minimise fchX nose-up tendency when the throttle W opened wide. I buT'WWSfg When all members of ths engine piount had been tackwelded in place, --- iifrt yjo 1/141/1 v-p u:. .Ai.« ®ich cluster ws thewetighly heated / of dry lime.* ^feiB l tm And inmediately immersed^ in a box acted as an insulator, permitting It slow cooling of the * weld! * preventtfat embrittlement. .ZT' *** I ruined the entire mount^etrtehe final weld. The nearly completed mount was in the vise, and I was welding on a last "finger plati^' or reinforcing layer of sheet meta^ tubing bent sharply as the weight of the mount took ad­ vantage of heat-softened metal. ten bucks worth of tubing wasted. 1 was sick — four days and I could repair the mount, but to install a repaired part on a brand new aircraft was ^sc^ppe^t?ie^ount * intolerable?^^ and ordered more tubing. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Nona Weis The most frustrating thing about building an air­ plane is the^duplication and repetition. Hardly anything comes Eithex;i a ar ah in the plans, or part doesn't fit out right on the first try. » am an improvement could be ^^Ktfe<-by doing 4t over, right, th.n «6ccy over Its fl-r TjI? **** y is rabiiitiK ^Xne prospect of test flying an aircraft with known flaws becomes less acceptable as the time for testing approaches. Fear keeps the airplane builder honest. Sumner vacation had arrived and the tubing for the second engine mount had not. Rather than sit and wait. I loaded the engine into the pickup and headed for Park Rapids, Minnesota, and the welcome assistance of an old friend. Bill Riedesel was a friend by choice, ay|boss by necessity/^nd a cousin by chance. From 1941 to 1955, Billy hired me during the summers as a mechanic's helper and part-time pilot. We worked well together, thinking ahead to each other's needs, generally offering or accepting needed tools or parts without question or request. Occasionally the mechanical work was interupted by the opportunity to fly cross country. On noi^assenger flights, I was permitted to build time for my commercial license. It was a good life, full of excitement and new experience. 3Z �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis When Bill learned that 1 planned to build my own plane, he promptly offered to supervise the work on the engine, whether it be a partial or major overhaul, The extent of re­ quired work could only be determined as the engine was dis- assemble J. As it turned out, the engine was full of surprises I The little Lycoming had figured in at least three serious accidents. The crankshaft had been replaced and the entire engine, overhauled several times. however, wt the main housing The reel surprise, behind the^ccessory case at the rear of A part-of the cas4**^d been broken ou^ ^^^me small engine par^had obviously come loosei, and been bhrewn lihrirngh of the four bolts holding the gear wheel to the back of the camshaft were <euMUea-*a missing X(m safety washers had-never 1t>Mn bent along side the bolts to prevent their loosening. Us found part of one bolt in the oil screen. The other am/ eitheJ^ completely chewed up or thrown out through the hole in the accessory case. moving K£.t^T 4-ha-angiaa-Jima completely disassembled, aHT'‘tsiniiJ| Inipanlmi and shippe^^ff to Minneapolis for magnafluxing, a sur^^ira test for small cracks invisible to the naked eye. yn»ere was time^to kill while waiting for replacement parts. I flew and fished and swapped stories with Bill Riedesel. -31- �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 2 They call it hangar flying whenever two or more pilots talk 2^pl ewes end She libs. Such conversations are usually marked by noisy sound effects and much am waving Xmth and accuracy are seldom encountered. "Remember the time the student pilot ran into bad weather?" "Yup he was taught to make a one-eighty, but the weather was so bad he made two of them Just to be surel" "And his buddy, no less smart, claimed there was no point in turning back 'cause the clouds ware goin* to beat hell the other way.*" "How about the time 1 saved the cub that was headed for the Junk pile?'' It was an unwritten law that if one of us "greased in" an airplane especially a crippled airplane, to a perfect landing, the other would never admi^^liaving noticed. The Junk*pile incident began when a customer brought in a J-3 Cub with the complaint that the engine had developed a bad tendency to quit. The owner swore that he hadn't been using car gas, our first di^^sis. We checked tthe Cub over, and Bill gave it a test flight. The wind was brisk, and the Cub leaped off the ground quickly, hummed smoothly as Bill climbed to The engine or 3y- �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis Then there was a dudden silence. I watched Bill glide in to a flawless three-point dead stick landing. As we pushdd the plane back to the hangar to work on the engin^Bill asked if I had seen the landing. "Gos^ Bill, I missed it -- what happened — you didn’t bend anything, I hope.” /^■^iV^ime we were sure we had found the trouble^ The primer had been left in the unlocked position, a common cause for engine failure. With the problem corrected, I suggested^it was my turn to fly the plane. The wind had come up a bit and I looked forward to a quick take-off. "Bet I can get her off in a hundred feet.” studied the wind, looked at my skinny 12o’ Bill pound frame/and took me up on the bet -- the loser to buy pop and peanuts all around. We paced off T^qAui^?ed feet^3/ along the ramp facing into the wind, aAgued a bit over the distance and marked the spot with an old hunk of two by four. Bill swung the prop^.*—- the engine caught immediately. I checked the magnetos and other vital signs, taxied to the starting point and ran the engine to full throttle with the brakes locked. The tail rose and I let her go. rolled rapidly toward the two by four. The Cub Twenty feet short of the mark, I asked the plane to fly with a firm pull on the stick. She was ready, and with the help of a gust of �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 2 wind we cleared the board by a foot or two. I settled the Cub into a steep climb, nose pointing thirty degrees above the horizon. Just as I crossed the east-west runway, the engine quit! bfy God, it was quiet! speed dribbled to^^ e m.p.h. ai hfy f I popped the stick forward in self** defense, trying to regain flying speed. I tried to turn in line with the runway, but my meager hundred feet of altitude faded rapidly, forcing me to straighten and prepare to land. It was apparent that the little Cub was going to quit flying right in the middle of the airport bone pile, the junkyard of airplane parts. It would be handy anyway. .The wreckage would be well placed.^Mypickii^ up on an incidentic re-solo days. An instructor had once ruined a would-be perfect landing by shoving the stick hard forward just as the plane was about to touch. TheJ|gear had flexed and bounced the trainer<20>’teet in the air. the ground • A dozen feet short of the a foot off I jammed the stick forward. The wheels hit the ground, the landing gear spread and rebounded. bounced^ . The plane sailed up and over the junk pile and floated to a safe landing on an intersecting runway. *||^one showed up to offer congratulations, let alone help push the plane, I chocked the wheels with pieces of junk and cranked away �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis until the engine fired, then taxied to the hangar, fcarkeda Bill was Just hanging up the and walked Into the office. phone. "That was the owner of the Cub. Says he loaned It to a friend and the friend put some car gas In It. In fact o* explains a lot doesn't It? Ethyl, Everything go all right?" (J-uuklll^ back twenty-five years to that in^dent. It was surpriXpg how differently each of us recalLra the details. 1 Insisted the two»by»four had been^/nundred feet Bill held out for IQtl yards. most embarasslng moment Then he had the time I remind me of my &ided his best airplane In a ripe wheat field. "That three»foot>m t has probably shrunk to tall grass, too, I suppose." I had no answer smiled and then twisted theNmlfe. three "Took you to clean that plane — looked like iKthreshlng machine — amazing how much that tall grass can mess up a plane." - - Within a week the required engine parts had arrived The power plant went together nicely, ^arts for the engine Increased the projected cost of the plane by anobherZd^^ I figured the completed aircraft would �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 cost about $3^00.00. That was higher than.planned, but.every spent repairing the engine was an investment in peace o£ mind. I drove the long miles home, confident that the little Lycoming would be a reliable trouble"free source of power. I hadn't been home more than a few minutes when received an emfSuel.phone call. The operator said it was collect call from Oklahoma^and gave the name of I caller didn' t know amwe«*-bHJtha^Beaa«rfMU^as about to refuse the call when the man mentioned the word '^tarduster.* I accepted "I'm with the Federal Aviation Administration, and I'm calling about the registration number you applied for three months ago — you didn't really want that big f^e^digit number, did you?” • I answered.to the effect that it was the number on the wreck I had bought. "Well, that doesn't mean you have to use that number on your little Starduster probably wouldn't have room for it on the fuselage anyway.” The situation was puzzling "» here was a )2»ovem- ment employee calling me collect to offer advice on my plane. "How would you like November One November Whiskey?” "Why would I want that number?” I countered, still confused. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 2 ”It*s your initials. Norm Weis You know, N.W. I just checked and number one for those initials is available. -- ------- cours^ if you want that old number "No, no! Of I’ll take the^NlNW^and thanks — sorry I'm so slow to catch on. Guess I'd^^et^r learn the new phonetic alphabet." amazed at 1 thanked him again for his help, the initiative the gentleman bad taken on my behalf. There is a certain brotherhood between those who love airplanes. It surfaces quickly when a little homebuilt biplane is involved. Enthusiasm renewed, 1 attacked the project with vigor, anxious to complete the plane. If the reaction of the man in Oklahoma was typical, then I was in for some real fun flying the little plane ab^^^^e country. More than a year had slipped by, and the plane was less than half done. The fuselage was structurally cooqplete A/J and the engin^ mounted. The control stick was in place and connected to the elevator^ ^ut a hundred other chores remained^^or^work on the wings could start, hfy slow progress was due mainly to my own finicky nature, but some of the blame fell on the continuous flow of visitors. Some of the visitors were welcome. Fellow pilots and homebuilders were often of help when an extra pair of �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis hands was needed, but the majority of the visitors were pestiferous. Some thought they were doing me a big favor by stopping by. Invariably they would ask if I were really going to fly it, and wasn't that dangerous. X always resisted the tow/tation to quote Thoreau's statement about people living lives of quiet desperation, never daring to take a change. I learned to dread the inevitable question, ’’Can you gen kbt out of the garage?" That query was invariably followed by the old story of the boat in the basement. One charming lady was very disappointed in the airplane's limited capacity. "Aren't you goixig to take anyone else along?" "Nope. Only has one seat." "But X wanted to fly to Denver with you." "Guess we can't do it," X answered. "OJe yes we can," she replied, her face suddenly bright with inspiration. "We'll Just make two trips!" Space became critical in the double garage when^ plywood sheets i>ems laid out on saw horses in order to assemble the upper wing. The garage hadn't held a car for a year and a half, and Jay now referred to it as the "shop." In cold weather, after her car failed to start, she pronounced I inflection. The upper wing wee-19 feet long — big for a "two* car shop," but alarmingly small for an airplane. Even bwith �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis thn rnriXiHBaCTBB that a second, albeit smallei^ set of wings would be added, ^the lifting surface seemed inadequate, ^ay rT|gn-|ii-in«e difficult to believ^che craft would fly. iSii'wr Both our minds were put at ease a few weeks later in Boulder, Colorado. We were visiting relatives for Christmas and had driven out to see what was happening at the local airport. As we parked, a young man appeared, pushing a tiny yellow biplane or^o the ramp. His name was Clark Everest, and yes, he was going to fly the plane. I paced the wing-span -- feet less than the wing of my Starduster. seveji^^n feet -- Jay and I watched Clark go through the ritual of checking the plane inside and out. In a few minutes he cQihbed in and. with the help of a line hand, started the engine and taxied out. jtfis plane, a Pitts S-lA, was smaller than mine in almost every respect; iA power. Clark’s plane had 180 horses, where^mine would have but 12f'^making my Starduster a much gentler creature^ X was careful to point out. Clark poured the cobs to the engine and came snort­ ing down the aninway. The little plane lifted just like a big craft, then climbed steeply, unlike any other craft, big or little. Jay was impressed and reassured- I was anxious to get home and get back to work on the wings — they would look big enough now. �.nir«i In a Biplane Chapter 2 Nexa Vela An old hand at airplane building once clalned that It took him a month to build the fuselage, a month to build the tall surfaces, another month to build the wlnge, then three more years to finish the airplane, I was beginning to find out what he meant. JUdLth the wing^ finished, the real work began* The upper wing had to be carefully aligned with the fuselagSL, using the flat garage celling.as a reference plane. With the wing -r tenuously supported by 1 x 2 scaffolding and brace wires,*the. struts^onneetilfi4^%selage be Ileted bask welde^^to pleeew^ <The Iswer-iHeos wsr^then temporarily bolted oiy amd»(jx>th wlngpnsAretuxiy measured?for proper align­ ment and perpendicularity with the center line of the fuselage. The garage became a maze of wooden braced plumb lines and level wires. Visitors were banned whll^the laborious process of building the Interplane mesibers, or 1-struts y. was uMeeSeksni Shaped like a slanted capital ’’I’’, the struts keep the wings separated and properly aligned. Flying wlre^rought complete rigidity to the4t<wAr alxfmssMrv Crisscrossed between the wings, they provided the strength of a bridge truss. 1 could rock the entire plane by moving one wing tip up and down without a sign of flex or play. The wires were hand made of stainless steel, round and threaded at the ends, but otherwise flattened to a streamlined shape. .f th. .l^t xlr.. h«l . h^akln, .tr»,th ««»»d to �Adventures in a Biplane thousands of pounds. Chapter 2 Nona Weis The care evident In their manufacture was also evident In their price — the el^t wires came to more than » three"hundred dsllaee» The vires, a new propeller^'^l^ an order sent off for a parachute^brought ray projected cost to $^00.00. An Insurance dividend and the spring tax refund arrived opportunely. The air frame was finally complete. nut, bolt and instrument was in place. Every wire, I called John Montebello of the local Federal Aviation Administration office and requested an inspection. Among other things, John was In charge of home- bullts and accident Investigation —• a combination I considered unfortunate. The Inspection revealed some shortcomings. The fuel line was too short and could break with vibration.'^ The" u-f- g mr*'”rfid H"* -md tho strhorqiicnt JMeo Ulfis tmb pleasant ■■ I readllji egeeed te wspXaes eha Some bolts J y were faced the wrong way/* ^e main bolt on the tall wheel was upside down. The rule was that all bolts should face down or to the rear. I explained that4^ wouldn't go In right side up. John picked up a wrench, removed thebbolt and slipped It In from the top with no trouble at all. Two weeks e«e I had spent half an hour trying unsuccessfully to do the same thing. John pointed out a few other bolts that could be reversed, ^s criticisms were valid, but damn it, everyone of them hurt I John signed off the airframe, passing out compli­ ments on the welding and wood work, but stipulating the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis changes in bolts and fuel line. Now the plane could be dis"> assembled, covered with fabric, doped/Imd decorated, then reassembled for the last time. Two and a half years had passed during construction of the air framea My colleagues at the college were tiring of asking about my progress. Those of a more acid nature con** tinued to barb me with"ain*t that plane done yet?" the'bin't" was intentional. Sale. I assumed One wag posted a notice! Airplane parts, whole bunch, cheap. "For See Norm Weis." With encouragement like that, failure, or even delajr was un­ thinkable. Covering an aircraft is a job dreaded by most builders, but for me it was frosting on the cake. During the years I had worked with Bill Riedesel, recovering aircraft had been my favorite job. Watching the skeletal framework take on solidity of form was satisfying. Lines that were already pleas­ ing became planes and curves that felt good to the hand and brought joy to the eye. The cover went on easily — first the^^^lage bottom, then the two sides. After the glue was thoroughly dried, I gingerly applied a warm iron to the slack fabric, moving over the entire surface repeatedly. The Dacron lost its wrinkles and tightened smoothly, drawing straight lines �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis between longitudinal members and curving sweetly to join turtleback to vertical tail fin. Covering the wings would be easier; I approached the job with anticipation. Loose fabric laid out on the top wing brought to mind part of Ovid’s tale of Icarus and Daedalus 7 *^'^rowe of fethers one by one, beginning with the And overmatching still eche quill with shorty one of longer sort.,,.Then fastened he with Flax the middle quilles, and joyned in the lowest sort with Ufuc /•* t ribs of the Starduster’s wing^were ^^^aried length •- some short, some of a longer sort. They/lay row on row^overmatched by a layer of fabric,^sewn through with cord well rubbed with wax. The airplane builder would call the waxed cord Jjiit npe.ujJU'ij. Once^both sides of the wings shrunk^to proper tautnessC flat ribbons 4M»ZZa£d,-«n top and /tit bottom of each rib^ 4haa-ii«U»atJb4Mhixig,^palJjBd-avas3^uJjach — SA» The stitchin^^passed completely through the wing and securely knotted before the next stitch laid. Without the stitching, the fabric could lift on the upper surface, dis­ torting the airfoil, causing loss of lift, and eventually, loss of the entire cover. �7- Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane CJiapter 2 . ' tape fwwarad^very ribstitch line, every seam and every wear point.^^^dded in wet dope, each tape l«tie!!?*^had to be sanded and recoated several times. Once the tapes were firm and smooth^ the entire fabric surface gi vifwa numerous coats of dope, a quick drying resilijmt fori of lacquer TiHwb wwiit- imiii carefully sand^ywith fine grit Slowly the pinked edges of the reinforcing tape disappeared beneath the finish. id th the garage as clean and dust-free as possible, even to water sprayed on the floo^ L—e- fuselage, tail surfaces and wxngs viia'ife' their final coat of color. Of all the color schemes my friends and I could devise, a scalloped red and white seemed to fit the plane's gracefulunes most appropriately. The plane would appear white from top or side and red from below. When rolled it would flash each rotation . , «»/rA "ft* with a change of color. 4^blue slash across the fuselage, a large NINW on each side, the required "Experimental” in two inch letters over the the job was done. ■ii uii d.Liiil bit , -n-l Additional trim could be installed later, after testing had proved^no major alterations would be needed. The start of another school year was only two weeks away^’^/he thought of fielding the same old questions with the same old answers gave me reason to plan the test flight before the first day of the new semester. 1 called John Montebello �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 to arrange for final inspection. Norm Weis He could make it, but it would have to be August 25^ and the semester started the 26th. It would be a close race. ******XA ^^el flow tests, had in5>ortarifc. Up^***^ andy^the center of Should the C.G. be too far to the rear, the plane would be unstable in a stall* and to spin in a flat level attitude from which it mig recover, ^^o far for- warc^ end the plane would be reluc to stall, would tend to porpoise and be difficult, even dangerous to haddle at lower speeds.’;Fhe plans gave no clue as to the location of the center of gravity. I called Lou Stolp, the designer, and asked for pertinent data. We-4Mhd-^Ui>ee«tflrsech~the~mtte«—e£-.gxsaacix^-«iid^ nigny ethe*"*teeBW—ew*eggtj?eT*"cat'taT—h»fcMgaJdaaa:—than nntnO)-! fumiH aaai ■■■ a M With bathroom scales borrowed from four neighbors, and the help of a few flying-type friends, the plane was rolled into position for weighing.^*^^gach front whe^.jaeeeed»on a cross pad connecting the tops of two scales/* ^jSe tail wheeljat on a single scale raised on a platform high enough to achieve With a little algebraic manipulation, level flight position. the location of the C.G. It uae> right I thought it belonge4|* John Montebello couldn't find anything wrong dur­ ing final inspection. He even grinned a bit when he saw the �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Wale tag that read "No It won’t" hanging from the one bolt Installed upside down, John liked the way the plane had turned out. He laid on the eompllments, then twisted the good words into a safety lesson. "You be darned careful now. We don’t want taxy- thing to happen to this nice little airplane* do we?" After the papers were signed* we stood and talked about the procedures and hasards of test flying a new aircraft. If It hadn’t been so late In the afternoon* I would have asked him to help escort the plane to the airport for an insediate test flight. That evening I rolled the little plane out of the garage* backing and filling to clear the foot door* then positioned it on the driveway and tied it down with three stout ropes. A little over ^cee years of spare time/*a^ every bit of spare money I could roxmd up sat there on the driveway. What had started out to be a $3*000.00 plane had escalated to $5,800.00* requring a bit of cooperation from the local bank. I could have shaved perhaps a thousand or so from the total* but It would have meant going second class on important items. New that the test flight was only Iwigs^way* I was that X had chosen the best materials. I Allred conflden^j^ aircraft was sound. 0Uc&leep was Impossible. I reviewed the last few months* wondedng if I had prepared ourself as well as Z had prepared the plane, It had taken two and a half hours of dual instruction in a Piper Cherokee 140 to bring old. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 2 Norm Weis skills up to the level required to pass a flight review. Four additional hours of dual in a two-place Luscomb^brought my rudder coordination back t^ sharpness. Luscombes are naturally nasty on the rudder, probably due to the inordinately forward position of the main^gear. Pilots of such aircraft have to be continually on their toes -- literally on their toes. Quick, short anticipatory jabs with the feet are needed to keep a straight course. From midnight to th^e a.m, I flew airplanes, crashed airplanes, repaired airplanes, then flew and crashed them again. If I forced my mind away from the prospect of flight testing, a plan view of the elevator control system wouldJ^stretch'across Jis' ' * my closed eyes and I would inventory every nut and bolt. Finally I gave up, dressed, brewed coffee and stepped into the warm August night. I sat on the stoop and sipped from the cup, admiring the moonlight on the Starduster's wings, feeling a strange mixture of fear and anticipation. Four hours later, the test flight behind me, still glowing with the pride of accomplishment, I confronted my colleagues at the college, waiting, just waiting for someone to ask, "How's the work on the plane coming?" The few close friends I confided in had spread the word. Everyone seemed to know about the test flight. ^9’ 1 �Adventures in a Biplane It was frustrating. Chapter 2 Norm Weis Finally one instructor, a very predic­ table type, made my day by asking, ”Say, did you ever finish that plane you were working on?” And I replied with great satisfaction, "Why yes, as a matter of fact I took it up for a spin just this morning, ' �j^idventures in a Biplane Norm Weis CHAPTER 3 TESTING The aircraft log book held one lonely entry: Date: Hours: Pilot: Remarks: 8-26-75 .4 N. Weis First test, nose heavy, poor radio reception. The nose-heavy condition was serious. l j J A bad mis­ take hori bnawiiimndn, in determining the proper location of the center of gravity. A double check on the weight and balance calculations revealed no mathematical error. The C. 6. was precisely 4.6 inches ahead of the leading edge of the lower wing, right where it should have been according to the last phone conversation with Lou Stolp, the designer. But when I reviewed the notes of earlier calls and found a second, more rearward set of center of gravity figures, it became obvious that Lou Stolp and I had discussed two different aircraft. Lou had designed a two-place version of the Starduster at a later date, and since I failed to identify my plane on the last phone call, he naturally assumed I was building his most recent design. The 6. G. of ray aircraft should have been at the leading edge of the lower wing, nearly inches bShind its present location. The solution was obvious/ ^ve the C. G. to the �z^-civentures din a Ciplane Norm Weis Chapter 3 rear by removing weight up front or adding it to the tail. Calculations showed that the addition of a pound battery in the tail section would not suffice 4 *w» a generator up front to complete the electrical system. That Wh* the engine would always have to be hant^cranked, but there was an advantage: ^Leaving out the starter, generator, and battery would save more than fifty pounds and result in increased performance. was late afternoon and the wind was calm rolled the plane out of the hangar for was no crowd of curious on hand. >. econd flight. There Just one friend stood by as I climbed in the cockpi t?»anuZran the stick I quickly drafted o crank the prop. While the engine v the plane and mentally prepared myself for a nevj, haps unexpected feel on the controls. The starter was LJW^’pound chunk of lead xjwb bolted to the tail spring ^e leading edge of the horizajgtal stabilizer bit lowered within half an inch Of 'lake-Ioff was the same mind-bending thrill. Tall up, acce2rating, whee1s off and climbing -- climbing steeply. In minute! we were a mile above the ground. Irimmed out, the little plane flew hands off I flew with both arms out in the slipstream and wiggled the palms alternately up and down. I could bank it right and left with the air pressure on my hands If I �dventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 leaned fonvar<^ the plane dove gently. pulled up my knees, she climbed, fortless. Norm Weis If I leaned back and khat a kitten! Flying was ef­ Think a turn to the left and before the thought could end, the path of flight curved sharply. Imagine a spiral climb and the next instant you are looking down from new heights^^ cue wing tip small circles a fading earth. ■■?ome moves the plane seemed to by glfsel^ - /^rely did I feel that I was in complete com­ tnand*»that I moved the levers and the machine responded. climbed and banked and soared^ topped the clouds and them with our fleeting shadoxj^ moved from winf^^^^ver to wing over, climbing easily to each swooping apex to stand breathless on a wing tip, then dive, level and rise to yet another weight­ less falling turn. Finally, !_ retarded the throttle, and rudder to point the way baci< to the airport. the Starduster obliged, kicked the ’.’ith some reluctance i£ sliced down the invisiblb path and let the ground meet us with contact. Clearl;^ the little plane was built for aerobatics. She held promise of a thousand moves I had never dared try. Try them I would, but first the plane must be thoroughly tested, and before the testing could start, the problem with the radio had to be solved. As a physicist, it was embarrassing^to admit fail­ ure with a simple thing like a transmitter and receiver, but as 1 explained to would-be helpers, electromagnetic radiation �Adventures in a Biplane wasn’t my speciality. Chapter 3 Norm Weis After trying three locations for the antenna, and half a dozen different headsets and mikes, I gave up and rewired the external circuitiy. I have no idea what portion of the wiring had been fault^®^^e sudden improvement in reception uc v’Il i.> without question for fear the ques­ tioning would cause a sudden return of the problem. Radios work best^ if the operator has faith^ -y^radio^^sense a suspicious mind an^react ^iMCFTChe^M^ There were many tests to be made before the plane could be considered safe in ^^1 categ^^es. Fuel starvation trials headed the list, The^A^^g^ 1 on fuel tank in the Star­ duster’s nose owed its adequate capacity in part to its deep, belly-shaped bottom, which rode only^^^inches above the car­ buretor when the plane was in level flight. In a steep climb. the tank bottom rode at an even lower level — so low that the last three or four gallons of gas could not be trusted to flow by gravity to the carburetor. A curved, hollow blastZtube facing forward on the gas cap permitted air to be forced into the tank to pressurize the fuel and minimize the possibility of fuel starvation. I had installed a ball check valve in the blast^^be to prevent wholesale loss of fuel when the aircraft was inverted. To test the adequacy of the fuel system, 1 climbed ’normally” to 12,000 feet over the airport, then proceeded to climb as steeply as possible at full throttle. By holding the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Nortn Weis plane on the edge of a stall, the altitude and attitude could be held constant. Periodically I leveled the plane and checked the fuel gauge. gallons remaining, the With only engine continued to run flawlessly, I decided to try a steeper angle of climb, but a dive to speed would be required. I hadn’t mentioned such plans to the tower, so I called and asked permission. They answered with a question. ’What is your present altitude?” ’’Eleven thousand five hundred.” Our control zone tops out at twelve thousand feet.” ’’Okay, I'll climb to thirteen and terminate above twelve.” Diving sharply from 13,000 feet the speed increas­ ed rapidly. The air speed needle wound to the right like a clock gone crazy. At 150 I eased back on the stick and held on as the nose passed horizontal and reached steeply upward I held the angle until the speed faded. The blas|^tube had done its job; ^he engine had run smoothly with no sign of fuel shortage. The accelerometer, or g meter, read a positive two and a hal^ frame and the Starduster's airframe had felt a load -^^JxUp^times our normal weight. My body had exerted a force of 400 pounds against the seat, and the wings had supported nearly 3,000 pounds. The plane was designed �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis to tUce up to 10 g’s, but I suspected that ray body was somewhat less tolerant* I dove again, planning a three g pull up. speed reached X gave the stick a firm pull. sagged and the seat compressed. When the My innards My head felt heavy, then suddenZ^ light as the plane climbed almost vertically. g meter read an even four g*s. throughout. The The engine had operated smoothly I decided there was no problem with the fuel system and directed my attention to the establishment of a "do not exceed speed" and a maximum personal g tolerance. There was a possibility that something might go wrong as dive speeds were increased* The first sign of trouble would probably show up in the form of bibration, and the most likely spot would be the ailerons. If an aileron began to vibrate 1 would have little time to back off on the speed before the aileron would break up. If the aileron went, chances were the wings would go shortly after. connected the radio plugs and stuffed them down 1 dis­ shirt front, tightened the chute straps, unhooked ray second seat belt and rehearsed the procedure for bailing out. 'racial pains^taken during the construction of the cockpit now paid great dividends in peace of min/. I had moved the instrument panel forward two inches and shifted the top of the backrest �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 rearward three inches. As a result, I could exit the plane Norm Weis in an emergency by placing my feet flat on the floor, and after releasing the single lever on the seat belt and shoulder harness, catapult myself straight up and out. Most biplanssrequired a straight-legged exit by brute force of the arms on^cockpit coaming sides or wing mounted hand grips. Once out of the aircraft, there would be no counting, simply a clawing search for the D ring, and that longest of waits for the canopy to deploy. With power on this time, I dove until the speed reached 165, then pulled back firmly on the stick. sagged as the g forces set in. lower in the body cavity. My I could feel the viscera crowd The meter read 5%. I gave the wings a quick visual check as the plane zoomed back to 13,000 feet, realizing I had neglected to watch the ailerons for flutter. I let the speed build to 170 on the next dive and held it there for a quick check on the ailerons, then pulled up abjcuptly -- 5 g’s again. I wondered about the effects of heavy g forces as I regained altitude. Test pilots had been known to suffer from severe hemorrhoids -- even complete rectal inversion. I decided to tighten up the belly and yell on the next pull up. I yelled as the g’s grew and then faded. left aileron okay. The meter read 6. Down again -- 175 -- right aileron okay — I holding down the mike switch �Adventures in a Biplane on the stick. Chapter 3 Norm V'eis If the mike jack had been plugged in, I v/ould have broken the eardrums of everyone in the tower. J.he speed climbed to 178 on the next dive. ailerons showed no sign of teibration. The I gave the stick a brutal pull and yelled ray way through a record ^f»g's, then clirabed to bleed off the airspeed. The engine coughed, fluttered then came back to life as I headed doxTn ivt reduced throttle, conserving the little gas renu'iining. I turned in tight circles, remeiining over the airport, reconnecting earphone and mike jacks, and loosening chute straps that suddenly felt uncomfortably tight. The landing was uneventful. Once in the liangar, I removed all the inspection plates in order to give the plane a thorough going over. had moved or loosened. Nothing The flying wires still strummed middle C, and the wings iC-ralc! be rocked from the tip without a sign of flex. bystander observing the seemingly rough treatment given the plane asked the reason for all the Wiggling and shaking. I explained how g forces had put a heavy strain on the plane making tl^ough inspection necessary. He looked at the accelerometer, still read ■ng*** g s, then straightened up and uttered a classic boy, if it's that hard on the plane, think what it does to your asteroids! Spinning an airplane is simple. In a .iper �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm V’eis Cub or an old Aeronca Champ, the maneuver can even be enjoyable, but spinning the Starduster was something else. I had spen^ several evenings studying find memorizing the (National A^^utics and Space Administration) spin—recovery techniques. recommended full abrupt, opposite rudder, followed by an equally abrupt forward movement with the stick, in case normal neutralization of the control^failed to break the ' plane's spin. *^J^tfeilization of the controls was a procedure to be used only in testing. If ebtrvy e■ eurr-i?.■ within one turn. the plane could be considered normal. In protracted spins, neutralization recovery might requite two revolutions. ®TEe power or ailerons. * . ( lW ?^e application of either could cause the nose to rise, locking the plane into flat of the C.G. too far to the rear Could have the same result^ /<1ie G. G. problems^ al ready experienced contributed little to my peace of mind. If the spin went flat I promised recovery before bailing out. myself two tries at the The plane entered the first spin nicely. With the controls iimnedlately neutralized, the spin terminated in the expected ha If-turn. ' ...I t the two turn spins brought my education to a new level. The Starduster had a two wstage entry} nice and easy fee's— turn, then ran id as hell the second. the secrond rum in al 1*^the opposite rudder and forward stick I could �nturai In a Biplane fine. Chapter 3 Norm Well Xpinning at that frightening rateynearly one turn per aecon(i|.^/lniply neutralising the controls required more cool than I could ■uster.^X cliisbed back to tAAh s had a little conference with myself. ehemeewd and X didn't really want to find out what surprise the plane slight have in store during . the third fourth turns, but if X chickened out now, all hopes o^^eXbatics would have to be abandoned. X would never know the thrill of performing bsfsrr u csusdi Any hope of-* filling Just like *Speed Hohaasg wsuW be gone fui gOTU. X pulled on the carburetor heat, slowed to a stall, kicked hard right rudder and held full back stick, scared but detersdned to try for three turns. The plane again spun slowly /•* 4o the first turn then whipped ints rapid Bsbabisn sn the second^ <»t rotation held constant for turn number recovery, again with frantic full opposite controls, was aocoM*i<>hed in the expected half-turn. Greatly relieved, X climbed back and tried three turns to the lef^ /dien 4ee^ turns right and four turns left.^J^ cool was returning. X tried several more four turn spins, determined^to recover with con­ trols neutralised instead of Jammed full opposite. impossible. X tried counting out loud — ” was 2-3-NEUTRALXZEI” but each time adrenalin rose and X shoved in full opposite con­ trols. <I'^isd aggtu, Vn» my Stnmsrh Ruttewsd a warning - X called it quits at 5 turns left and 5 right with full opposite �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis On several occasion^the tower operator had asked me if I cared to make a low approach. Each time I had refused because I did not know what a low approach was, and hated to broadcast my ignoranne by asking. A fellow pilotfexplainedjlater that it was simply a low-level pass. If that was the case, I could certainly oblige. Apparently they wanted an old-fashioned buzz job, and that^^'^as something I understood. On my next takeoff I keyed the mike and asked if they still wanted me to make a low approach. The man in the tower gave an affirmative, and I explained that I would climb to 400 feet, make a \ , and dive dovm to pass between the tower and the runway at eye level. ’’Affirmative on your plan." The plane was twenty feet off the ground traveling at 160 mpl^as the tower passed by my rocking wings. "Very pretty. Starduster Whiskey, now look out for the Citabria on final for runway two-five." "I have him — I’ll make a climbing turn out. Still at full throttle, I bent the plane around the end hangar, climbing steeply, feeling a new with the men in the tower. Later, one of them told me that my "low approach^ was a bit unusual, and that I really should have avoided the steep turn, and maybe should have cleared that hangar by a few more feet, but he grinned as he said it. �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 3 About a mile from my home in the sul55Srbs, a long flat hayfield offered a tempting opportunity for a convenient '■'backyard landing. I had eyed it carefully each time I flew out on the now almost routine test flightr^^ riel Loose, who grew several crops of hay on the irrigated land each season, was agreeable to letting me land on the field between cuttings, pointing out that the small irrigation dikes fortunately ran lengthwise along the ^00—foot strip. We^toured the field by car, running the length several times at 50 mph to check for bumps. The next day I informed the tower of ny plans, since the field was within their control zone, then proceeded to "drag” the field, flying slowly along the ground noting trees along the ddge and the telephone lines at the north end. On the second pass I rolled the Starduster's wheels yards or so, then took off and went around again. l^ndjSLd Ffy antics had drawn a small crowd. Mel drove out to watch, and several cars stopped on the road. Later I found out one of them was an official On the third pass I rolled the wheels on at the south end, slowed to a stop mid way in the field,/*^d waited for Mel to drive alongside in his truck. VJe for a while about how smooth the field was and how the irrigation dikes were of no real hazard. I told Mel.I would taxi to �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis the telephone line^ then turn and take off do5vr^vind to the south. Being a pilot himself, he agreed it was the best choice. I asked if he wanted to drive alongside on tak^pff and compare speeds. He agreed and I taxied to the north end, Mel following in the truck. The people on the road, including the man from the saw a different picture. They saw an irate rancher drive out and demand the removal of the plane from his land. Then they saw the rancher chase the plane to the north end, where the plane evaded the truck with a sharp turn, and then — believe it or not — the rancher, madder than hell by now, chased that guy in the plane right off his land! On takeoff it must have looked that way, since the Starduster immediately left Mel behind. I held the plane down a bit longer than needed, and in the process drifted over one of the irrigation dikes. The prop chewed away at the earth, throwing up a cloud of dust that added a bit of drama to the occasion. A few days later, after inspecting the prop for damage, 1 had a chance to put the worried officials at ease, explaining that I had permission to land on the ”Mel Loose Hayfield International Airport" at any time, provided the irrigation water was turned off and the crop was short. �hrr-i^- in Ilii . Chapter 3 Adventures in a Biplane I.LjLin;!. tt-,-^^ Norm Weis r-,^—. .it■ IGwould be eye-popping negative g s^ fchip' "feimc-. I decided to break in slowly, starting with zero g’s. The weightlessness of zero gravity is delightful. Most youngsters love it the first time they are tossed in the air. Divers and trampolinists enjoy it briefly as they round out their trajectories.*^ an airplane the effects of zero g can be or extended to properly. seconds if the controls are handled The speed must be increased with a gentle dive, then the plane put in a climb and carefully rounded out with forward pressure on the stick. If done correctly, the plane r<4rrt can be floxvn across the crown^in a perfectly weightless con­ dition. A pen placed on the dash can be "lifted” a few inches and floated at eye level, then gently replaced as boredo. on cross- Years country trips by playing a little game with my cap. Placed. on the dash, upside down and bill facing to the rear, it could be lifted with careful application of forward stick. Once Z ' above the dash, by advancing the throttle^ij^ could fly iry head, airplane and all, forward, under the the bill to forehead, tip^i«»g the cap^*-^ the top of my head. cig i nnaZ Ty t-.h/a 'iri ’iirn>ii Wi'i ■! , i| i.—and thc plane �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis end«4 up in a steep^ heartajZdive. ^|/^/lying at zero g's is not all fu^, PiTt and grit tend to rise from hiding places in the floorboards /hevi Larger objects float from floor to skylight. At various times I have plucked long»lost items from, mi<^^airi^pens^^.^unglasses, a pockel^'knife, and on one memorable occasion, eighty-five cents in change. The situation changes when you shift from zero g to a negative two. ^’^yeballs rise to the top of ^^e^ead 4 crowded by rising cheeks that threaten to close ^2^yelids from the bottom. ent ire body strains against the seatbelt gpj.te of and shoulder^hayess, the most tighi-rn-inn the threat of being ^nd iinrnmf^rtnbiM. 2n an open cockpit, consequently deplaned is real, It'^ even worse in the Starduster because the engine quitM instantly when the plane * negative. The prop.continues to windmill, but the sudden loss of noise and thrust j.<iib upsetting. On top of that^ the gasoline rising to the top of the tank spurt^ out of the blast-tube before the ball chec^cM<4/seat.^^H^lf a cup of gas washoe over the wind­ shield and quickly evaporates, leaving a short-lived trail of moisture condensed from the sudden cooling, t** ------- Ml i'^»-i... fpo-I^iij I if Ji I KI Aa JtJ umiiiil HH'Tyij TTL -.'^i __ lor uho �Adventures In a Biplane rnnmant- any, "7 * - Chapter 3 Norm Weis *»*»*• , - ■ «« >ni^m’i «iw 1 » LU Llm JluUUUlfsit U< UJUgUtlTfl g*l. Uncomfortable or otherwise« the plane had to be tested negative* I climbedy and at 110 miles per hour "pushed over" until the g meter read a minus three and a half. was well past my personal preference. That 1 called it quits and decided quite unprofessionally that any further tests in that direction would have to arrive by accident. The'^iaeemfovb of negative g’s madi^positive . ..... maneuvers! even spins, enjoyable by contrast. 1 M^d-oaee more^to recover from a ^((iF*tum spin with single neutraliza­ tion. shouting at cQrsel^ again. "1—2-3-Neutralize," and X managed this time to stop control movement at neutral position- Wa- the spin went onj finally^*—• j^^SB^iBUgJLana straightened. r Xe«y -T**! that lifsstT. X wondered how much worse an inverted spin would be, and in particular, how much slower the recovery might be. stomach to my throat. The thought raised my If anyone had told m^that within a year X would be spinning the plane inverted, X would^have jJit cJ eiuiw^ he was crazy. The structural tests were now completed. entered an endorsement in the aircraft lo^jooki X ‘ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis At 25.1 hours total time this aircraft is considered to be free of adverse characteristics and capable of handling 'aerobatic maneuvers it! and •A week xater, whil^^igntseeing over the rugged canyon-cut7 soutnem foot of the Bi^ Horn Mountains, the en­ gine^ /tutte'j I headed eas C^^*r^lat grounc!^•Checking tl^ fuel level and engine instruments. Everything appeared normal, but ths engine continued to hiccup every few seconds. Twenty wor^some minutes later I entered the airport control zone on a high pattern, allowing for possible engine failure, then slipped sharply to a landing. The carburetor was wet with gasoline and still dripping. open. Obviously something was holding the float valve That meant the cowling, air-box, assorted engine con­ trols and the carburetor itself had to be removed to get at the trouble. hair Finally the culprit was founds a lodged along side the float valve. inch dog In the sediment XVs****^ bowl iSi* two more hairs waiting their opportunity to add a little excitement to the next excursion over the mountains. I dismantled and purged the fuel system from tank to firewall, but fno further dog hairszw^e founcll >^ie hair had found its way into the tank when I blev; it dry with a vacuum cleaner after pressure testing the tank with water. I should^have letM^ ,3'*xhe water flush out with the first fill of gasoline. PerfeqA^X �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis iiMWMi* tends to compound the simple. I took off the next day with the power plant again running smoothly. Twenty miles out, the engine suddenly took on a nex^louder sound. I thought my ears had simply popped, but that easy explanation evaporated when the cockpit**fteate^ up. . I dropped ouickly to fifty feet, looking for a landing sitefeeling the metal surfaces by my right and left legs. The right side was hot — too hot to keep my hand in firm con­ tact. ’ Probably an exhaust stack had broken. If^Vtie plane ***»/ f ire^ there would be no time to i itwir' ■ <’lying low the worst thing I could do. VJith throttle wide open, I climbed back to a height that would permit use of the parachute. I slowed down and punched in some right rudder, hoping the re- rulting slip might direct the excess heat overboard through the right cowl opening, away from the combustible fabric. The temperature of the panel by my right leg stablized, but the ugly smell of burning paint began to drift through the cockpit. Traffic was heavy at the airport. turn would take time. Landing in I thought about declaring an emergency, considered the possible pos^Vaortem pape^^ork/^nd opted for an extended base in number position, as requested by the tower. The stack had indeed broken off, and the metal flank behind the firewall was scorched brown. I considered /***64‘4 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 3 Norm Weis the needed repair to the exhaust stack and the paint job, re­ calling a dozen other improvements I. wanted to makei^stiffer trim springs, gear*leg covers, wheel pants, an oil#*breather extension, wing fairings/and an oil cooler to bring down the engine oil temperature, ^old weather was setting in, and flying would become uncomfortably cold. add«i^a cockpit heater to my list of changes. A few days later, with the exhaust stack tempo­ rarily repaired, I landed the plane at Mel’s"Hayfield Inter­ national" and taxied down the ranch road to the outskirts of <^U»*x/*‘*** the housing developmen*-^ A raft of kids was on hand to push the plane the remaining few blocks. The little sweetheart was home again; a bit tired and worn from testing, but just as pretty as she had been three months before when she had stood in that same spot, bathed in moonlight. Jay wtood beside me, and we viewed the little Starduster with matching pride. Her delight in the little plane continually surprised me. At that moment the name for the plane became obvious; "Second Sweetheart." Sweet­ heart because she was, and "Second Sweetheart" to let Jay know she still held top priority. �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis CHAPTER 4* AIRSHOW ANYONE? It was good to have the plane home again. The garage became a shop once more as the Starduster's graceful Again it became a joy to open the wings filled its width. doorway connecting house to garage and be confronted with the promise of adventure. Now that the plane 4lis/proven^in flight, f doubt. were The return to mechanical work wasj satisfying. Fly* ing the plane, however exciting and challenging, lacked the feel of accomplishment that follows the creation of something of particular beauty or utility. Building and flying one's own airplane involves a ^MW$ate combination of satisfactions. I rsgrsStrep that I had not discovered the combination earlier. The winter passed easily and the little Starduster blossomed. Wheel pants and gear—leg covers gave the plane a Jia*d6iel»> look that promised added speed. New metal wing fair­ ings connected wing to fuselage, covering a multitude of air resisting protuberances. Wingwalks glued to each wing root offered slip**free access to the cockpit, but created frictional drag that probably negated the streamlining effect of the wing J IM. a d < ✓ Some changes and isyweRRemeghey although unapparent, added greatly to the plane's performance or to ay comfort. 7^ �Adventures in a Biplane th exhaust stacks Chapter 4 Norm Weis reworked and strengthened sleeve ambient air to be warmed and on the right stack ducted to the front of the cockpit. Several old-time pilots scoffed at the idea of a heater in an open cockpit, explainin^the wash of air past the cockpit would pull out the warm air before it could be felt. But the experts were wrong. The heater later proved able to maintain reasonable comfort even with the outside air temperature at the freezing level. After much consultation with the local radio repairmaiy^ the earphones in/Hy helmet with stereo headphones rewired for monjp^aural operation, and wired to the speaker outlet of the radio. The impedance of the new perfectly matched that of the speaker circuity ^at had been marginal reception now became a threat to the eaiOirums. With the volume turned up, the empty helmet sounded like a P.A. systei^*^^hand placed in the helmet was bombarded with puffs of air from both sides. I considered limiting the travel on the volume knob, but decided against it when a friend suggested it might offer a bit of poetic justice to a would-be thief. J’^^^^fack trim to accent the meeting of the basic red and white along the fuselage,and.the vertical fin �Adventures In a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 4 averted a stylized heart crossed by old-fashioned letters that read **^^OND SWEETHEARTf*^^ith those letters, the plane was christened and declared cooqplete* The confinement of wtater sparked plans for summer travel. Some provision had to be made for protecting the plane In strange territory. A snap-on cockpit cover made of coated from rain and prying hands. nylon would offer Emer­ gency tii-down anchors and generous lengths of rope were In­ stalled under the sea^ along with an emergency kit containing signal mirror, flares/^^d smoke bombs. War^t Chinook winds brought a taste of spring In early Marc^ snow sialeed from Mel's hayfield airstrip revealing numerous cow-pies the size of fat hub caps. JEhe Aze larger specimens were elearned from the take-off patch^and ^>fche entire lengjj>/€hecke(p£or gopher holes. ’T^*-***^ M X ^X*small, camera-laden crew gathered the next momlngy4IB*'Second Sweetheart was rolled out of the garage and trundled down the road to the hayfield. The air was crisp and frost covered the ground. The engine started easily, and I taxied down the strip, dodging the occasional frozen cow-pie. After checking the engine, I called the tower, two miles to the north, carefully holding the volume at a minimum. They answered Immediately with In­ formation on wind velocity and altimeter setting. I Informed them of ny plan to take off and make a few passes down the 72 �Adventures in a Biplane Chep^i^r d ____________ iari)? fi ifild fox rjuo r blitia squared the plane away and Norm Weis opened the throttle. The tail rose quickly, anc^ with the nose lowered I plotted my course down the field, missing the largest of the remaining cow-pies. I was still dodging when the wheels met a small rise and we left the ground. climb was phenomenal. stronger than ever. In the cold dense air the The old thrill of flight was back, I succumbed immedidhfely to the temptation and laid a wing down for a slipping^diving pass down the field, terminating with a sharp nearly vertical pull up. Another pass, and I rolled the wheels on the ground, carefully missing the cow-pies, recalling the quip a friend made earlier about going up when the chips were down. Photographs completed, I settled into respectable straight and level flight, and called the tower for clearance to land. On final approach, half a mile short of the runway, my pride in the little airplane surged to a peak. I keyed the mike and asked the tower if I could make a low approach. The response was distinctly cool, ” h — Starduster Wliiskey -- Ah, what is the occasion?” ’’Oh, ^*^'d just like to show off the finished product. You might call it a low pass for therapeutic purposes. There was a long paus^ ^^e operator no doubt re­ calling my earlier "low approach” that turned into a buzz job. 75 �entures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis "Starduster Whiskey, affirmative on that low approach -- confine fvs your path to runway maintain normal speedy ond follow standard patteriu^ ^They had my number —• there would be no more grass patch hi-Jinks at this airport, ^^flew down the runway at 120 mph, 100 feet off the ground, climbed to proper altitude/^^d executed a very correct rectangular pattern, landec^/^^d taxied to the ramp full of rebellious thoughts. How much fun it would have been to fly by the tower at eye level, upside down, then key the mike and drawl out, "is my gear up?*A jSsuisLfnB, wliau I mT~timgsT Tnpt to fly- jpr”*nTlrl-Ui Liiiili ri".' *2^ -m lrp'‘Tr rni 1 hsri 1? 'y*iL Llm first I’d have to learn to fly upside down, ^^propriately, aerobatics was the next challenge on the agenda. Finally, more than £a«ey years after watching Speed Holman fly aerobatics at the Omaha Air Show, my chance to try the same moves had arrived. For several months X had been reading various books on aerobatics. Xnvariably^the introduction made it clear that good instruction was the first requisite. Bu^my single-seat aircraft did not lend itself readily to dual instructlon. Xfcnteuld be hsmdiew to teach myself aerobatics even if k meant doing it the hard way. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Nora Weis YT*......... . iluriTH the jesting-"phise *" |l^£e**edge flight, or flying on the side, was the first new maneuver X wanted to learn^ fawrite aerobatic book laid out the control moveiBents in precise terms. 1 suHOorised them one evening and set out the next morning to try ray hand. Three thousand feet above the ground, I rolled Second Sweetheart to the left until the wings stood perpendicular to the horizon. Xanediately things began to happen » the nose dropped and the plane entered a steep diving turn. X recovered and flew back to altitude, •O*I mentally going over author^Kaeehnec^s instructions once again. On the second try I applied more top rudder to keep the nose up. The plane responded properly for a moment, then began bucking about before dropping into the same steep 7r �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 4 time with an entry speed of The little 140 mph. flew straight away, nose slightly high, wings perpendicular to the ground. At 160 mph it was even better — she would hang on to the altitude nicely until the speed dropped to 120 th^^buck and bounce around, warning me it was time to level out before ou^ - ■ •' '' L-jry. control mouemen involved. rudder started the r At the onset. left 1, then opposite or ‘top” rudder; had to besfed j f orwa At the same time and er (right rudder strongly to keep the nose up. pressure on the stick was nt a turn to the Recovery was simply leaning the stick to the righ nd easing off on necessary to a matte stalled ■ '* the top rudder. Once knife-edge right and left were perfected, it was time to try inverted flight and rolls. The book claimed it was simply a matter of holding the stick hard to the left, into knife-edge position and right on past, then eas the rudder as the wings leveled with the horizon, upside down.of course. Once inverted, some forwara^pressure would be required to hold the nose up. I might liave succeeded on my first try if so many �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis things hac^n^t happened in such rapid sequence. As the plane approached the inverted position, the usual cup of fuel spilled from the filler cap. As the gasoline spilled over the windshield, negative g’s took up the slack in the seat belt. My body shifted downward out of the plane an inch or two, and the top of my head felt the hard buffet of the slip stream. Ther^ the^engine quit^ since the plane did not have an 11ll II it I The propeller continued to windmill and inverted fuel system. the engine would restart when upright. was frightening. i , the total effect The adrenalin flowed, and I reacted with Ji * shameful panic, throwing in full opposite aileron, and back on the stick. was a mistake. Using aileron was proper, but the back stick*^ In seconds we were headed straight down, the engine again running, screaming to high rpm’s as the speed built to 150, then 160. I yanked the throttle back and pulled out of the dive gradually. The speed built to 175 and the g meter wound past the 6 mark. I gave the situation a bit of thought as I climbed back to altitude. Forward pressure and continued use of aileron would have let the roll continue to completion. With the seat belts and shoulder harness tightened. I tried again. This time the spilling gasoline was no surprise. The negative g's were briefly uncomfortable, but soon lessened as the roll continued to the opposite knife-edge, then to upright �Chapter 4 Adventures in a Biplane position. Norm Weis The nose had wobbled all over the horizon, but the roll was accomplished. Now it would be simply a matter of per­ fecting the technique. It took half a hundred tries to purge my system of all the wrong ways to roll an airplane. Finally, with the cause of each mistake recognized, I could roll the plane to the left without flaw, keeping the nose pointed steadily at t-w point on the horizon. learn. but a sure way to Trial and error is a hard Hrininrirrw, -it- nanniimn; i .i i ur»—Mlili ii P tn mo have learned faster, but I was under a double handicap — a slow learner taught by an inexperienced, often bewildered instructor. Once accomplished and perfected, each new maneuver add^to the feeling of freedom fnii -21 i -'■□x. jkiw* It’s a special feel that can never be felt by those limited to ground travel. Ill that 1parallel ''_2r Tn * Pko clOSOSt is with a young driver newly turned loose with a sports car fresh from the dealer’s showroom. The acceleration is heady and the cornering ability impressive^nllBWiH the new found mobility is^two dimensional. But now imagine a new feature — one that permits the driver to control the shape of the road ahead. A turn to the right banks the road, and the car changes direction without tendency to skid. Rapid create wide, perfectly banked S turns/that fit perfectly beneath �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis the car’s wheels. Jgofc back on the steering wheel and the It road tilts upward and stretches into the ? -^h-7-r upfiride down if you wish, an^^^ck to level^ the road^ always in place, curving and sweeping in tune with your every move.^^'^/^e that road invisible, change the steering wheel to stick and xuddei^and increase the sensitivity to the point of response, and you are in the cockpit of Second Sweetheart, ing the caprioles of a modem Pegasus. . It sta^s with the airplane pointed straight upj^ the^ as the airspeed approached zero, the nose drops sideways like a hammer strike* “TH ^BB"Kontinues rotating until > is pointed straight down. the wings all the while in the same geometric plane, like the arms of a youngster doing a r.artyTheol omehow convince mvself that s eights •e jus wo hammerheads put to VJhat I tho was straight lazy- I was wrong. climb. straight down simply^-s/eap dive. J*io fly truly straight up is difficult, and to fly precisely, vertically downward is alarming. fly straight up, one must first gain a little extra speed — 150 or so -- then pull up firmly and look.to the side. Whe^^the wings stand'Vertical you are heading straight up/ A glance to the opposite wing to check for equal spacing right and left,^/^!! ensure a �Adventures in a Biplane straight Chapter 4 non-leaning path of flight. On my first try, airspeed dribbled away plane fell back down in a tail- both wings ■L Norm Weis slide — a move that puts fantastic forces on the elevator and I hung on to the controls firmly as the reverse air rudder. flow tried to slap the control surfaces full travel. The stick moved back forcibly and the plane,whipped quickly to the nose»-down position. After an oscillation or two we were headed Nothing was visible ahead but straight down. Good grief! solid ground! The air speed needle wound rapidly to the passed the 100 mark right On the next try the top. J—: t-ihhi} back as- the stick. threw in full left arudder at The plane wobbled over and headed down crooked and partially inverted. Three tri^ later it becameeevident that the right wing, traveling faster on the outside of the curve, ^*#*/*^ was still giving lift. I tried^a little right aileron with the left rudder -- bette^— more aileron — better yet. Forty or so hammerheads later, the maneuver predictable, but hardly perfected. The secret was to detect the approach of zero speed* and lay into the controls so.that the wings were half way around whuw all the, speed was gone. Done properly, the controls at the ape:^werej full left rudder, full right alleron/^id almost full forward on the stick. go �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis UU41 a th3e foot piece of yam tied ■ to the left strut, the maneuver became a cinch* Whei^peed^^^^*lorate«^, the ordinarily straight yam would whip about* After one good Xh A* V whip* it was time to feed in the controls -- full left rudder, stick in the^comexieruntil the plane was straight down. JIhe yam agiHin. assumed a straight position, again perpendicular to the horizon. Wash syas again.4e<mimmd» the nose cmild bn bold on a point on the ground for a nice straight-down line« than tsans t-bT airgf-Tiriil inHrmt‘‘-r "imit fcr'crcpa.i‘ opirBTi New maneuvers seemed to start with apprehension, then move through alternate periods of pride and fright, followed eventually confidence. confidence, and sometimes blase over- That was the case with the hammerhead. I began to think there was nothing to it. But there was one more way of fouling up the maneuver that X hadn't yet blundered upon. For some reason, perhaps it was simply curiosity, I fed in full control movement while still going up at about 60 mph. The sky went crazy! Completely disoriented, X watched the sky and ground trade places over the nose. Air rushed in from the side, then from behind, and the stick ^cane alive in my hand. X fought it, but it went full travel forward and the plane whipped into a new node. all X could see was ground* We were rotating, and Having been in broken maneuvers 2/ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis before where I just held on until the plane settled into some­ thing I understood, such as a dive or spin, I wasn't greatly However, I didn't recognize this movement. worried. It felt like a spin, but no sky was visible — just brown ground. After three or four turns I decided t had better do something besides just wait it out.^"—' J ‘ "■■*1 suspicion that I was in an inverted spin quickly blossomed into fear. Luckily I had memorized the recovery from the dreaded maneuver, even rehearsed ityi^ maliiia fchu uuL-L.. lull. ^ania proof. Throttle back, full opposite rudder, wait a bit for the rotation to stop, now full BACK stick -- point her for the ground! Ah, straight down — wait fox speed — now The altimeter read 1000 feet above the ground as pull out. I leveled out. Damned fool! Next time you want to experiment, do it way up there where a parachute might do you some good! A person can learn a lot from his mistakes. The secret is to survive the first mistake and never repeat it^^ r-.-i 1 1^111- n -i^y I anii! bnwJJia -1, c— ’ Learning aerobatics is the same as learning anything else «•«* but the penalty for failure is greater. " "y' at^^Oatic piloLt ''L- . passin^*4^rough on hrs way to a cont^«€^^stened to about the higT>><^ed liararfleMreS^ As I reached \ jf ?2. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm /eis olsal hananerhead, he began to smile, then nod his head in/a know­ ing manner. \ \ "Have you ever done a Lomcevak?" "Nope." "Oh yes you have." / / / He went on to\explain how to do a Lomcevak (Lumonevak) on purQ pose. Had I entered on a 45 degree up line about 30 miles an hour faster, it would have been more spectacular but would probably have ended thk same way -- spinnmg down inverted. His first bout with an inerted spin canfe when he fell out of In a mild panic h^mistakenly applied power the top of a loop. and the spin flattened. The contro^ went slack and ineffective. At the last moment he backed off \ne throttle and recovered at a few hundred feet. The t-shirt/he\ears at aerobatic contests sums up his feelings, for on i/ is printed in large black letters, "INVERTED FLAT SPIn/DIRTY YOUR^UIT OF THE LOOMS." Only one thir^ is worse, claimeX another experienced pilot, and that is findi/g one’s self pointed straight down at red line speed. Havi^ experienced both problems\l figured I would be pretty saf^in the future. That sophomoricVassumption would put me into /several more close scrapes and finally convince me that I would/never know enough about aerobatics to do\it in complete safeW. But sophomoric as I was, I felt it was tKsje to show oth^s just how damned good I was. \ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis FAA regulations demand that aerobatics be con** ducted ^500 feet above the ground, off the airways/'^d away from populated areas. Aerobatics are defined as any abrupt change in direction, generally considered to be climbs or dives beyond and banks more than OccasionalIjr turbulent air may cause one to exceed such limits a handy excuse. ly^developed the same bad habits displayed by most pilots a few hours after solo$ sho^j^ff, my wings I was a complete and utter I never passed anyone on the ground without wagging was it^ld^^each way. For two people I would add a rule bending hammerhead and top off with a slipping turn down alongside to accept their accolades. Three or more specta­ tors constituted a crowd and 1 pulled out the stops. At 1^00 feet over the ground 1 would treat the folks to loops, hanaaerheads, rolls/*^d a few things 1 still wasn't sure of. gnnf geneiirnlly hrniipht e sehuvri LBrrea’SCTT and The fliat'aiuulF ehe show would ewd-^ My particular weakness was schoolbuses. I could not pass one without swinging down at eye level, a few feet off the ground at a very legal 500 feet to the side, then put^^e Sweetheart in a climbing degree" banked knife-edge that rode on the brink of illegality. Occasionally I fractured the regulations badly, but always by "accident," or "due to turbu­ lence.” The latter was, of course, an act of God, and the former simply the result of soooething the devil made me do. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis 'eated nets As a youngster* plane that passed overhead* change in attitude* never failed to watch every air Most aircraft traveled past without 1 could never figure out vhy a pilot of a machine that could go up and down and all about would ever settle for straight and level flight. capabilities? ing? Didn't he know his Didn't he know 1 was down here watching and wait* And didn't he know that thousands of other kids were look­ ing up* aching to see the plane do what it was built to do* a roll* or a loop/*or at least a dip of the wing? On one memorable occasion a passing plane suddenly dove* then looped — an^ looped again. Z ran the two miles to the airport and found^the plane had Just taken off* The mechanics told me all about it — how it had almost 100 horsepower* olio struts and could do almost any stunt* even spinsI Since that time Z Jisiie I fflniii each sedate passage of an aircraft as a personal affront. Z might forgive airline pilots and even the pilots of chartered aircraft* but for the pilot of an aerobatic aiircraft to pass over strAA^t and level is an insult to every envious youngster below* That's why Z perform for every schoolbus Z see* J'^huprolls in some aiimlant back Qar*^e stich>^tomp the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis* about — then reverse everything when the horizon, looks proper again* Xn the Starduster the horizon whl you to hal^ Its rotation at exactly o just getting ”wltH It" as the time There Is a narrow o It* rtunlty f After hours and and defies aro turn. The plane Is neutrallaatl perfection. approaches I se dom found snap rolls X finally fettled for rs o an early recovery and h up with aileron. The snap roll is really just a spin horizontal line retlcally, the plane could be Into a with the nose d^e^plng until a But not Dustff Whiskey* p and It would 8p/.n along* inventlonal spin ^as asstimed She spln8\pne and three/quarters turns pauses, ^(Uffets and idtlps over Into dire on* spin In t|(e opposite A spectacular move* but one dlsl/ke repeating, e It always feels accidental The little biplane had assumed several personal1 ties with names to match. Quite naturally she was the "Sweet- heart*' whan she was delightful, but she became "Duster Whiskey" when beWstlal* Officially she was "Starduster NINW," but on �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis the radio her name was 'Starduster One November Whiskey.” After the first call, the name is generally shortened to ’’November Whiskey ’ by the tower, but I always acknowledged the transmissions x^ith ’Duster Vliiskey on their toes. with to c u til i. u "'“"“TTC t - - L"U i j □ t -rid keep Occasionally a controller would counter Dusty i.hiskers. Second Sweetheart was not a part of the registration number/^id therefore not permitted in the communications^. dk-l“ though 1 often would have preferred to call her that^particularly after a satisfying session of aerobatics. She was especially deserving of the name when she forgave the mistakes made dur­ ing a sloppy landing caused by a fuzzy brain in a head still swimming from snaps and rolls. ' There are four basic types of rolls one can do in an aircraft. Besides the snap rolls and slow rolls^ there are the barrel rolls and falling aileron rolls. The aileron rolls are the easiest and can be accomplished in most any aircraft. The plane is aimed upward at about^5iydegrees, stabilized on a straight if climbing line, then the stickyipushed full travel to the side. No forward or back pressure is used. The plane rolls and falls along a curve ending up in level flight as the wings again reach the horizontal. At a tendency to pull back on the controls xszhile passing through the uncertainty of inversion, but they^suclden dive and increase in speed tenc<* to discourage a second similar mistake. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis The barrel roll is not quite as simple* Books by Kerschner and Cole disagree on the nature of this seemingly rudimentary maneuver. The problem is that the roll looks vastly different when viewed from the inside and the outside. The ground observer sees the plane flying a horizontal spiral with the plane's idieels rolling along the inside of an invisible barrel, hence the name. about a point. The pilot sees the nose rotatjl^C'idely Cole stresses nose positio^^’^*Iter8chner|^deals uatian baeeaws I solicited the advice of local pilots, but found /** Uzt none with recent experience with barrel rolls. This did mart stem the flow of advice* however* and well-meante et»— iLTTd fiul uiil untuiiiiHili sne adiHuiUigV. I lgf*1 I (<ould take my plane up and try out each vagrant i.^*^4After many altitude-losing, speed-gaining abor­ tive rolls t^^he truth became evident* position didn't go hand in hand. Nose position and true Nose position led by 90 degrees The craft was at its highest point when it was half'^ay through the roll in the Inverted position, quite contrary to^majority opinion of those idio frequently fly the local hangar. perfectedyi^ the barrel roll became pr favoritir. Once The g's remained positive throughout, ranging from plus two or three at start and , mfr end to a plus 1/4 or so at the top. I could do them endlessly �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis with my eyes shut or glued to the altimeter to check the rise and fall in altitude. In reality the barrel roll is nothing but a loop stretched sideways. If you compare a loop to the coil of a spring ^^hen the barrel roll is a coil on the same spring that has been overstretched. I have passed over the loop intentionally, be­ cause it has always been easy for me. It’s simply a matter of diving to a speed 2C^^^*or so over cruise speed, then hauling back on the stick until the world turns upside down and then right side up agair^ —* .'i!, l.-.c-LLt lu.'*? .1. LL.-T*. The path is far from circular, but it’s easy to correct r-- that problem by slacking off on control pressures at the top of the loop and round it out. at build agai 3 or 4, Properly done, the g’s should o a 3 or 4. ■: at tAe , then oop should end at the original spaed and altitude Most pilots will tell you that altitude can be exchanged for speed, and speed exchanged for altitude. statement is generally true. you that a little ITie Those same pilots will tell 1'1 i Iwi lar speed brings added safety^ But quite the opposite is true when it comes to entering a maneuver called the split S, A fellow pilot and friend was killed recovering from a split S. It is possible that he entered it with extra speed, assuming the speed gave 1^ S'? �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 4 him a margin of safety./The split S is a simple move. Just • Mt roll^ inverted and pull back on the stick for half a loop ««d <>**’ the plane is again upright and flying in the opposite direction. It was a favorite move of World War I pilots. Entered at cruise speed, 120 mph, a split S in Second Sweetheart results in a loss of about 500 feet, /ntered at 150, Duster IThiskey uses up ^100 feet before straight and level can be achieved! It is much mm-e enjoyable to begin by aiming the plane upwards on a angle, then rol^r^side down and complete the loop with no loss of altitude. Repeat the maneuver and you have a Cuban 8, a favorite of airshow pilots. Once the basic moves are learned, it is a simple matter to put them together to form new, seemingly difficult maneuvers. Half a loop plus half a roll forms an Immelman, and four loops with a quarter roll on the down sweep of each makes a cloverleaf, e.. th At ><inn'do ow mifeawde? 5^r»P<-V>ni-.-i,n,ia1 ,1y rlnnni'wi^ II ■*^0 I'M Utf' "TOTO , ISTJWIJLU! luup ■difficult maneMVe-ra wnnl nnM« 1 ini>.i|«M |.|4.|... r. — The International Aerobatic Club, the official organ of the serious aerobatic pilor. The I.A.C sponsors a number of contests each year, separating pilots into iwfer categories ranging from Sportsman to Unlimited. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis For some time I had been toying with the idea of entering competition to see how my self-taught skills measured <*** up to the tutored variety. To get an inside view of.competition, I drove the 300 miles to Boulder, Colorado, home of the nearest Aooni chapter of the organization. The fellows were helpful, drawing out the maneuvers required for Sportsman competition, explaining the ’’box” and the scoring system. me to enter the Rocky Mountain They also invited erobatic Championships to be months away. held nearby on Memorial Day, just Fired with new purpose, I hurried home, bought 200 pounds of lime and drove out to my favorite practice area in hopes of talking the local rancher into letting me lay out an aerobatic box in his pasture. He was a tall gangly sort, with a handshake like a steel vise. "So you’re the fella that’s been doin’ the fancy flying up there!’ , . MS t't It sounded Iwwe I w»6 in for some^heavy. You know you cost me a whole afternoon’s work — had half a dozen neighbors over to help me out and here you come a flyin’ over -- couldn’t get a lick of work out of them — just sat there and watched. ' His name was John Steinle, and he was tickled to have me lay out the comers of the box -- even asked me to swing over the ranch each time to waggle a hello. We discussed �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis soma of my practice maneuvers and I quickly learned that his slow drawling manner hid a quick eye and sharp judgment. He told me my loops wobbled on top, my “fast” rolls never came out straight^^^d that he didn't like it when 1 flew straight down. I answered that those "fast" rolls were called snaps, but that he was right on ever^count. For the next few weeks, John made a practice of calling me an hour or so after a practice session and giving me the benefit of his advice. His comments were always helpful and welcome -- as welcome as was his greeting each time I flew past the ranch at ground level. He always heard me coming and would be outside wildly waving his Stetson. Once I surprised him on the corral fence -- he stood up on the rails and waved his hat anyway. The aerobatic box was ^300 ieert by ^600 feet. A small outhouse stood at one comer, a gravel pit at another. I marked the two remaining comers with lime and traced a dashed white line down the middle. ^500 feet above the ground The bottom of the invisible box was the top was ^00 feet. The actual elevation of the ground was about ^400 feet, and in order to make net altitude calculations easier, I made it a practice to pass by at ground level and set the altimeter at an even 5000 feet*. and a< sum sr* waggle ub Jeha en She way'by» The;;j>eafeg»was^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis top limits would then be 6500 and 8600 feet on the altimeter. /O Putting 4Nn» maneuvers together without pause was not easy, but I finally was able to struggle through the Sports­ man sequence without a major goof. Eventually I could even do all 4^ and stay within the confines of the box. Full of confi­ dence, I filled out my entry form for the Boulder contest.,, and stumbled across a few unexpected regulations in the process. In order to perform at an aerobatic contest, it was necessary to have a paid-up $300,000 liability policy, membership in the and a current low-level waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration. X tackled the last item first. The accommodating folk at the District Office of the FAA set the time and place for the waiver flight. I had only a week to practice before demonstrating my capabilities over the east-west runway of a little-used airport north of town. The maneuvers X chose and the altitude X wished to use ecM my optionC The FAA representatives would judge sy compe­ tence to repeat the seme maneuvers in front of a crowd. X chose to do the Sportsmen routine at poo feet, breaking frequently to climb for altitude. X staggered out of the Xmmlmann, and ovej£rotated on the spin. The final snap roll was crooked as hell, so X just held the wings crooked, swung about in a turn and bored in for a low-altitude knife-edge followed by a point roll, then a hammerhead to reverse �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis dlrectloxyfollowed by a dive to ground level and a climbing aileron roll finale. 1 swung around* slipped Into a landing on the dirt strip* taxied over to the FAA officials and Inquired If there was anything else they wanted me to demonstrate. were all smiles and coaq>llment8. They Later, when the waiver was being filled out, I asked for sosie helpful criticisms. The observers had noted jtr flaw In the Immelmann but thought every** thing else was fine. It was their first experience^with a low altitude walvex^^gi^didn't learn much from each other, but we enjoyed the exercise. Within a week I was Invited to put on an air show. Having the only aerobatic biplane Inside a 100 mile radius may have had something to do with It. Then again, It ma^^l|ave been because I worked so cheap. Vp Lu tills puink 1^didn't fee^ny talents warranted a fee. This Invitation, however, was Ideal. The faculty members of the college where I teach were holding an afternoon picnic and wanted me to entertain the group. Of the hundred or so that were expected to attend, only three or four were pilots Of those, only one had done any aerobatics, and he was an understanding frl^d. The picnic was to be held at the Casper Boat Club), on Alcova Lake, a site not conducive to low-level aerobatics. The Club was on the south side of a narrow bay baziked on each side by 500-foot-high hills. I decided to play �Adventures of a Biplane Chapter 4 Norm Weis it cool and stay ^500 feet above the water except for a low— level nor^erobatic pass or two. At precisely 2:30, I swung down over the lake at high speed, flew the length of the narrow bay, a few feet off the water, set the altimeter at an even ^000 feet, then zoomed up well clear of the hills. Sportsman sequence. At :^00 feet I flew throggh the It was old stuff by now and slightly I climbed a bit higher and tossed out two rolls of boring. toilet paper which promptly unrolled to form long vertical ribbons. A split S put me through the bottom string, and a hammerhead reverse let me approach the top one on a climbing line. I rolled my way through the paper. I was tempted to dive straight down through the remainder, but feared that I might accidentally clog the air intake. Down below, the loudspeaker proclaimed that the toilet paper was not only bio­ degradable, but it was used, probably by the pilot. After one last pass at the toilet paper, pretty well bunched up by now, I swung down for a final fly-by. the road above. I could see cars stopped on People were standing by their cars looking at the plane several hundred feet below. The Sweetheart climbed nicely, speed dribbling off to a comfortable 100 as I leveled with the hill to my right. bright idea. Suddenly I was smitten with a I eased over the hill in a crippled altitude, then retarded the throttle as much as I dared, pulling the �Adventures In a Biplane old disappearing act. Chapter 4 Norm Weis Z gilded silently down the valley, out over the lake, and turned toward the Boat Club. Therewith throttle opened wide, I tore past the Boat Club again. I thought it was a great act —•> better than the one Bob Hoover does at Reno. Then 1 realize<^my wife was In the crowds The fun I had wasn't worth the scathe she got or the hell I caught! Requests for al^hows poured In,—ikoth of them arrived the sane day. The first offer was from students of the fourth-grade class In one of the Casper schools. The class had been studying a unit on aviation and wished to top It off with the real thing, With great regret I turned down the offer, since aerobatics over town were prohiblted/and an alternate site could not be foun<h^ *** The second offer was from a^^mall townlnear that would pay gas money and a few extra bucks for a demonstration. Z accepted ehweffem immediately, -'My debut as a performer was something less than spectacular^ only get better. bu^ things could Bhme day Z would fly for a crowd —• a big �Norm Veit Adventure! in a Biplane CIOTING W lABXLICAl. Chester 5 Of the many regulations laid down by the Federal Aeronautics Administration, relatively few apply to homebuilt aircraft. However, one of j^te Bei» caused me great frustration. rule states that foi^ fifty hours, a hcmiebuilt cre£t may not fly Biore than fifty miles from home base. Beaty hours ihad alesady ■been logged while testing the plane and learning basic aerobatics.^ Those efforts were made close to home, amd» the fifty mile umbilical had never been a problem. with suimr approaching, X had the urge to go �Adventure* in a Biplane place*. Hora Vela Chapter 5 a dog on a JBeJdan^ly ths uwh^iinal piilled tightiw chain, X paced the perimeter, learning more than 1 really wanted to know about the terrain within the circle. Ten hours doesn't sound like ouch, but at 120 mph it meant }200 miles of wandering •• always within the limit* of my^/ederally regulated playpen. I looked at cows and sagebrush, creeks and lakes, and waved at countless fishermen. 1 flew up smooth slopes and *— down ahe precipitous canyons, Utub syawd UPC Upuu ths flas*. X la sene if the h^nts o£ eagle* and fsund' the place;^ antelope play. l^*^^serving wil^jlife. ties paesieulurly ■fmsolisirtMJir especially from a height of a dozen feet or s^ a J^actions to the passage of what must have seemed a big noisy bird^ were varied and at sAraes^*^zing antelope reactf*with total confusion. An entire herd w4r41 Jun^ and run outward like a starburst s I ll>~—I liiw II fl Ki...V win atIsen fee his C Flying over undulating ground, the planebe heard by antelope long before it^X^be aeen* They are a Biost inquisitive animal, and the sound puzslesF them. On sever* id occasions I bagr approached a rise to find an antelope stand* ing on it* hind legs, peeking over the rise to spot the source of the mysterious sound. -------- �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Noma Wais One early morning I happened upon ew-buck antelope fighting on the flat top of a broad mesa. Their heads seemed glued together as Uiey took turns pushing each other about* They had been at it for a while* if the radiating scuff marks were any sign* I circled above and watched the proceedings* Finally* when the action slowed* Z dropped quietly down to ground level* then opened the throttle wide as I passed over­ head. Looking back* Z could see two dust trails extending in precisely opposite directions. Each animal thought the other had won* Bird watching is fascinating sport* axid Z admit to the hobby without sh^e. JKewomme^ X prefer to do my watching from an aircraft^*^*s triclqr business*^ Seme birds treat aw Their reesttemejjBaep^wtdel'ji. Bussards are generally docile* and interpret the plane's presence as one more bird in coc^etition for the food below* At times I have joined their spiral at high altitude* then left abruptly to lower and circle about another spot, try­ ing to lure theoAS^^/lggsw gaen>»* only briefly. It seldom works* and then The bussard is a very smart bird. Qeese are spooky and quite intolerant. Flying in a slow aircraft* it is ilways sporting to attempt to join up �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 at the tail end of the vee. Norm Weis The tail-^nd Charlie lets you approach Just so close before squawking out a warning. Some*-* times the lead goose fails to respond, the signals from the rear overwhelmed by the engine noisebut the message is relayed eventually and the vee breaks away, generally diving toward the ground and safety, Eagles flap their wings with great majesty. would have delighted in a study of their movement. Da Vinci The main por­ tion of the wing is always half a beat ahead of the tip, giving the wings a rubbery look, with elbows still rising as tips begin their descent. But the eagle is not to be trusted. There are many eagles, both bald and golden, in Wyoming, and I’ve learned to leave every one of them alone. Where a hawk might veer j.way when approached, an eagle is more likely to close in belligerently After all, he knows he’s the biggest bird in this part of the worldtherefore has no reason to faa^ The first few times I pulled alongside an eagle, I - wi thought his sudden approach was accidental,’ i began to keep track of their behavior carefully and found that while a few *Su2a •ee^ most are inclined to close in, and or few 4*0*1 C. are instantly angry and aggressive. ^serving wild life, fascinating as it was, ev«ti- tually nacsme boring.; The confinement caused by ny d4»ey>mile /aa �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Ko rm Wais txahllical took the edge frriTTt even thn rrnglluBfr erivrwlwrr,^^dio conversations with traffic contfccllers in the local tower became the high point of most flights. Each controller seemed to broadcast his own attitude It was like studying a new form of by implication or infXecticn, sedentary/?ut vocal wild life. One of the fellows could be called the drawler, or perhaps the gargler. the mike close to his lips. Ha always spoke with His voice could put you at ease in an emergency, or perhaps sound asleep on final approach* Occa­ sionally ha sounded J^ke he wXs running down/^^d needed re­ winding. X pegged him as a talk friendly sort. �/adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis Some controllers are brusque and all business. One broke in abruptfy^as^I slowed after a landing, jai. such hiskey, go to ground.** (rapid»-fire.) '’One November It took a few moments to figure out that he meant Casper ground, I should switch to the ground control freouency. (slovz, cool drawl.) this is Starduster 'ihiskey.- ■hat did it cost to make fhat olane?' (staccato.) i/e •' ansvzered, one syllable ''omething over time. . - - Probably v/orth it, ---- —- it- like all one word. One communicator seemed to have a(biU>"i^ against experimental aircraft. -e always made me feel as if i intruding upon his private air space. He was on duty one late afternoon as I approached for a landing. but he was ’hue5^/^ raffic was light, On the third call he acknowledged existence cleared me to lanozand went on to more serious matters. iestem flight five cleared to take off. homebuilt Traffic one mile south lower, ihstern five, '^■hat make is the homebuilt £respect^? ’ ’’Don’t know. Just a ’’ ould you ask the pilot?' I broke in, volunteering, '’Starduster �AdvQiituxQS in a iiiplaae Chapter 5 Norm Weia There was a long pause before the controller replied. ’'Well, his call letters are Starduster One November Whiskey guest it's a Starduster fismal]^tne/ij," ’'Casper Tover, Western five* I have him in sight «• it’s a pretty bird.” On subsequent transmissions, tke uuiitYenTer^cdhtittned Jit *i«eu1*i rtiB einil isssw* fteeettiOT»» X (aiiwii). made it a practice to j^gggaiMbiwMMieetegb* using werieMMS* tenu OMeii as CUSTOM-BUILT, SPORT PLANE, TWO-WINGEs/and finally PRZTTT kii ybr got the message. After that it was a biVplane or experimenta^ ^nly a trace of snear). One fim-loving operator gave the following instructions to a pilot, obviousl|c a straxiger, approaching for a landing} ’’Your clearance was for runway 21 «« you are approaching runway 3. Be advised that you will have a 40-knot tail-wind; however, you may land on runway 3 If you wish.” Notliing like creating a little excitement with a wild down£wind landing on a dull day. Low-level approaches to busy airports are generally discouraged* Mn^Tever, there are exceptions. When a new radar system was installed at the local airport, the newly trained operators frequently asked arriving pilots to take part in a mock radar approach, X always refuse*^ oatpl/iaed later that since the plane lacked any blind flight instruments, X would never be able to penetrate an overcast anyway. However,^ X just �Adventures in a Biplane Kona Weis Chapter 5 might, come limping in under an overcast, glued to the ground, and unable to find the alrpor^ ^ould bhiy help me in such a cae«^ John Chase, traffic controller, radar operator,/and transplanted Okee, figured he could find me on the scope and lead me itrno matter what my height. After all, he could spot passing trains on his radar scope, and he Jmow. 1 couldn*t fly any lowe^« reflections. I^*aoubted^h« could find my blip ^aong the ground We discussed the problma through half a dozen cups of coffee. . John happened to be on duty a few days later as X T**** an approach to lend under clear blue skies with 60 miles visibility, ‘*Say there, Duster Whiskey, when do you want to try that low»-levei radar approach?" "How about right now?" X answered. "But X can see where you are," came the drawling reply, "Give me ten minutes," X countered, opening the throttle and heading for the hills southwest of town. Over the hills I dropped low, out of sight where the radar couldn't follow, then cut hard left for a few miles, caught the Platte River and headed downstream, back toward town, ewattwy feet over the water, "Casper tower. Starduster Qne November Whiskey — �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Mom Well I*m having trouble finding the airport* Thia imaginary ceiling Can you help?" has ise pinned down lew, and X can't see a thing* "Duster Whiskey* We don't have you on the scope. Can you describe the terrain?" "Well, there's some water now and then, seam trees, end a house Just went by*" I stayed low, hidden behind the in­ tervening hills, making John's work as difficult as Z could* The hills flattened, and X could see the tower* That meant the radar could see me* "Duster Whiskey, we have a blip* Give us a slow count to five and back." John was sharp* He had Flight Service all set to put their direction finder on me. Seconds after X finished sy count, John was back on the horn, very natter of fact* "We have a positive identification* Make a left turn to JSe?* X tried, but my compass swung all about* Besides, X was busy dodging houses axMi a radio tower* "Now take a right to degrees." 1 hade a sloppy stab at it, explaining sy^ problem with the compass* John shifted gears, giving me instructions to bear right, then hold heading. His eyes were glued to the tube as he gave final directions. "Bear right more. is Just ahead* Hold your heading. , Runway -Mr Be ready to turn left and land." (OS' �Adventures In a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 5 At twenty feet above the ^ound, all 1 could see ahead was a grass-covered slope. 'Kothl^In sight yet, John. You sure there's a runway around here?” "You'll see It just above the next rise," he answered, and I knew he had moved from the tube to visual, satisfied that he and the radar had performed their proper fuxiction. And there It was, runway 21, right on the numbers. 1 passed over In a turn, swung back, straightened/^and landed. After parking, I climbed the long steps up to the tower and offered my congratulations.. nw ■ si.a«.i ■..I. *** ■■■■ little paper work with the Feds ^ssd one more inspection, and we would be FREEI Z stopped by the local CADO to ask John Montebello for an Immediate inspection. (GADO — that's Gensral Aviation �Adventures in a Biplane District Office. Chapter 5 Norm Weis /viator types are heavily into abbreviationsja^ and W combo Lu(^-ly my stujJ^<*was intarruptd by John’s call to come on back the next day for final inspection, but In the meantime/ he suggest­ ed we get the paperwork out of the vzay. keep up with all the forms reculred. I could never quite John, being the cooperative sort, always kept me up to date and legal. e finally worked our way dovm to the last paper, the Operations limitations, khat one surprised ms. 1 had been flying as if there were no limitations, and novz v/e vzere going to establish wham the plane could or could not do. somewhat negoti^j^ble. maneuvers. 'ihe matter was John wanted to list all the separate I claimed the list would be too long. He vzainted to try anyway, but on the twenty-second maneuver, he ran out of space, gave up and agreed to a simple statement to the effect t07 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis that NliW was allowed all maneuvers except vertical tums^aai^ L . Urr 1 LtLmwu.X...W£i s he inspection the next morning was routine simpler than the pape::^work. much John wanted to know all about the broken exhaust; and the dog hair in the carburator. Is checked vital items with great care, then signed the iirtsorthiness Certi­ (how there'^3 a term that should be abbreviated ficate. The day vzas young, and it was time to taste my new It freedom. I had been planning a particular trip for weeks. wasn't a long jaunt,i but it a-as beyond the old il*mile limit by 30 miles -- enough to stretch the umbilical and snap it properly. The Schiffers and ihsir two children live on a ranch tucked away at the mouth of a deep canyon. The hills rise hun­ dreds of feet on either side of a small flat meadow that fronts the canyon like ahe flare of a trumpet. ;i ~ frequently over the Qosted _on ,■ " 0 I had fished the area iti-p and ms/Tn-jn.-.^casionally Casper for some of their fish (fried; and a check on the plane's progress. They had yet to see the plane fly. I’rom half a mile away I could see Tony walking across the yard. I bored in full throttle and roared overhead at 500 feet. On the turn around I could see Ilaryy the kids, the hired hand^>/*and his youngster^,X^l tumble out to watch. I passed over on knife-edge at^l500 feet, then hammerheaded a �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm v/cis and came over again in a slow roll. A few loops and snaps later, I sidled in at half throttle and minimum altitude/^nd threw out half a dozen candy bars, each with a 6-foot ribbon attached. 'On the return pass I could see the kids clustered about the point of confectioner}' impact. They were looking up, waving the ribbons. I waved back with the wings, waggled the rudder and pointed my ireedora riachine ’ nose for home, feeltnt.good j-nstde. Thoughts of distant travel y world was expanding. ly unfamiliar maps. blossomed into lines drawn on exci recently been intrigued with Steinbeck's laving I'ravels with Charle I couldn’t wait to lay out my own plan for trav ■econd Tliere Steinbeck had driven^ the perimete^-, 1 would fly A A* the heart of^nerica, from coast to coast and border to border. Sweetheart. I would fit; in an aerobatic contest or two, a fishing trip to Northern Saskatchewan/^and maybe a week at ths big airplane extravaganza at Oshljcosh, Wisconsin. Perhaps I could touch the ^^st ^oast at Kitty; Hawk, where the ’..'rights flew. Along the vzay I could trace the paths the old-time mail pilots flew, and maybe make a detour to Death Valley and roll my wheels along its dusty f loo ^J^^?ould be no frantic ef^njct for record, and no .ach jaunt wo for f^be planned loosely to allox-z wAAt.her and change of whi those many dreams, long on the shelf, could now �Chapter 5 Adventures in a Biplane With : econd Sweetheart I could ful- be dusted off and polished. rixl them axl. Norm Weis ijut fxrsty^^ shal<.e-/do\vn cruise was in order. ... «**•< xouth we.s the direction to treveh ^^spring would, b"'' greening the lent^ ---Bh red ‘W.ves and friends in boulder and Colorado Springs, the route of the shakc^dovn cruise was obv'ous. My chute was due for repaci:; so a brief stop along the way at r'U Cheyenne was j.n order* 7 h -a; to t.oulder for an overnight with tw di.stance, dsss anci orothei"”-.n—j.at’ day I could hop the short ' miles. ihe next miles on south to Colorado Springs for an ovemighe with ioike a.nd Suzy herb:,son, long-time backpacking friends, ihe trip back would require one fuel stop at bararaie, the mic0)oint on the route to Casper. ' eather permitting, the miles and five hours’flying time trip would cover jusi over spread over three days -- a lo .surely jaunt. A westerly wind a7as blowing ^knots, gusting to the mom..ng of m^ departure, iiio line ha.ncs held dovzn the vzings as I taxied to runwa.y 21 and facac. ?i_nto the vzind. the wing-xze.Ikers trotted alongside and Second Sweetheart into the then •'hand launched** air even teen minuter s t. Douglas, Wyoming, headed due east at 12, '09 feet a ground speed in excess of 180 mph. sailed over traveling The air was cold at that altitude, but that was the altitude where ■ asper Flight ervice claimed the strongest tail wind would be found. U£> �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 The cockpit heater was full on. Norm Weis My feet were warm, but cold air washed over my left shoulder and curled behind m.y neck. scarves After a lifetime of assuminf^the old-time pilots wore an affectation, T abruptly realizec^it v’as a jap?on^a.ay. I stuffed my handkerchief under the helmet and hunkered ray neck down. Laramie Peak, more than IP,10^ feet high, passed off the right wing as we slovzly changed course to the south. ■ .he\-ennG was faintly visible 10 miles ahead, and Second '"'X'/eetheart vfas running smooth and free. alone. The sky was cloudless and we were £ had forgotten how pleasant crosscountry' flying could be No road to follow, no hass. no press The little plane provided the ultimate 2scrn« from anf u/er compounding life on the surface. Thirty miles out we began the long slope doxvn to the runways of Cheyenne liunicipal iiroort, quartering a bit to cancel the effects of the vest wind^ 'I'^ne ciarey was waiting at the iir National Guard Hangar. We trundled the Sweetheart inside and tucked her under the wing of a gigantic airborne troop carrier. sonnel gathered around. Uniformed per­ She would be in good hands while we drove to Duane’s home for the chute repacking. Stretched out, the chute was nearly fifty feet long. It had been satisfying to pull the ripcord and have the loaded m �Adventure* in a Biplane Norm Wei* Chapter 5 spring tire the pilot chute, out •« proof that Dwane*« earlier peek Job wa* flwrleeeo C^Within half an hour the chute was inspected* re­ folded* cocked like a set trap/^iuid carefully crsasesd back into its corse^like case* Shortly* we were back at the hangar* and with the willing help of fjyoad.ng*s Air National Guard* the plane was rolled out and started up. Takeoff was spectacularly short against the brisk westerly. Climbing out steeply* I waggled a thank^ you to the fellows now lined up across the cavernous mouth of the huge hangar. Along the row* uncountable hands waved back. SBwWr-a-J'Oy' 'to' . The wind died at the Colorado-Wyoming border. We stayed low* dodging the small towns that became more frequent as we sped south along the east shoulder of the Kooky Mountains. Visibility dropped to a few miles as we encountered the northern drift of Denver's smog. Xt surrounded us like a brown sickness* reducing the sun to dirty orange. Ten mile* from Boulder* I tuned the radio to 122.8* the frequency common to uncontrolled airport*. Th* apparently eo^ty sky became filled with pilots crowding the airwave* with intentions to land here* take off ther*/*^ otherwise approach or overfly some particular point. for me to state my plans* so X There was no pause big enough drove in at ground level* spotted the planes in Boulder's traffic pattern* climbed quickly to fill an empty slot/mod followed the leader a landing. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis While waiting for relatives to arrive, I was accosted by a chunky red-tu7—fellow, obviously a pilot type, who wanted to know if the plane ought not to be hangared rather than tied J* .e had his own private hangar,^sort of a 'foam dome that just happened to have a space that needed filling. We traded nsmes*-»his was Mike liyer^then trundled the plane doxm the tax:i^way to the open door of the hangar and into some pretty fancy company. There was a |^itts single place on the right^^^ (kyer’s plane), and a scaled down Sucker on the left/*this wife’s plane), along with two other single-place aircraft parked at each side of the door, iecond Sweetheart was to visit that hangar fre­ quently over the next few years. It was bright and blue the next morning. smog had yet to spread. The Denver My sister and brother-in-law, Jess and Ed Kellenberger, helped ease the plane out of the closely packed hangar. Jess admired the plane and ran her hands over the smooth hH fabric^*^ ji.d, with unlit cigar tucked at one side of his mouth. expressed doubts as to the plane's safety^ Soon off, climbing steeply, waving back to Jess, who was no doubt telling Ed he should have more confidence in his in-laws. Between Boulder and Colorado Springs lies a hazard called the Denver Terminal Control Area. Shaped like an inverted wedding cake smacked down on stapleton International Airport, it offers a haven of control to airliners and other business types, but is pure hell for those flying sport aircraft with //3 �Chapter 5 Adventures in a Biplane minimal radio facilities. Norm Weis It is legal, but a bit tricky to fly the 700»-foot—hlgh gap between the ground and the middle layer of the cake. path. The ground rises frequently, threatening to block the Just west of ' enver that possibility comes perilously close to fact. However, if one’s mental attitude is oroper, it can be fun snuggling up to the foothills of the .ockies, flying the valleys between ridges, detouring around small suburbs/and carefully dodging all the towers with their invisible wires. The cake layer ended just past ..astie .lock, a dozen or so miles south of Denver. Z ’.Tas legal to rise to higher altitude, which was'fortunate, s nee the ground ahead rose almost 'Q ^^^d feet. The higl^.tree-covered area was called the Black TammaEt, and \T7as just north of my destination, Colorado Springs. The lone runx'zay of the Clack Tore st Glider Tort seemed to be jammed up against the southern border of the forest. The runway sloped strongly downhill to the south. .Che slope was not detectable from the air, but luckily a friend had briefed me on the situation. It sceias^ever} one lands to the north, uphill. and takes off south, doxmhill. making sure that i circled the field several times. wasn’t interfering with glider operations, then curved in and landed north, uphill, and of necessity, dovzn ’ dropped by. f — f kittle bipes seldom. A. small crowd gathered around the planed /ne �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis youngster asked to sit in the cockpit, then several more followed in turn, lifted in and out by grinning fathers. Each disappeared down in the depths of the seat, head below the level of the coam­ ing, eyes on a level with the grip on the stick. By the time Mike and Susy Harbison showed up, every youngster within two miles had "flown** Second Sweetheart. * TWri^rbison home is a friendly ccwnfortabTFpIace. | We spent an. eyening rehashing old times, and speculating on / the future|/\e planned the upcomirjg sunmer’s backpack and / slowly jSduced the world's s^^ly oc^in. su^ested we J buiM4>ackpacks foz\^ur dogd^wd let them pack their own chxx^ KfA —■— some of ours. Susy raises Labs, and for years had tried to sell Jay and me one of her pups. Finally, in frustration, she gave us one of her prise pups — one of the smaller ones. ago, and **^ue^^*^w weighed eighty pounds. That was two years Mike's favorite Lab of, the several around the house was a gentle giant named "war.' y Iff they eaasieJ part uf Uw loaiS, Mike had taken Bear along on a recent backpack and was strong on the advantages of four-legged companionship* ^wever, there could be problems — like the one Bear created in the mountains just west of town. I It seems old Bear^spotted a troop of boj^couts coming down the trail and took off to investigate. Mike tried �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis to call him back, hollering "Bear, Bear I" The Jcouts, hearing Mike yelly/'s^ glimpsing the black form through the underbrush, quickly took to the trees, passing on the warning, "bear, bear I" Even the scoutmaster scrambled to safety. In seconds, "Bea^*!^ the friendly Lab, had treed the entire troop! The sky was overcast the following morning. The sun squeezed a few rays through a crack in the eastern clouds and lit the face of the front range briefly. Sparse patches of blue appeared as I auddered laj way iwilli tis ds. battltf^agaJA ""—I tuned in eft layer. empered. affie In Denver Tower as I passed under the was brisk, and the controllei^were short rder, one pilot was told to have his radio Irepaired, anothe go around agal nd a third poor soul, a ! bit slow to de8cd was told to "get Ith^/lt that thing at 7500 eti" clear as you can't land 8 light, andwe smog out of it and in thi passed over Moulder,^till headed\north, Over Fort Collins^ the clouds lifted, somewhat, revealing clear passage over the low pass between thelLaramie and Snowy Ranges. We angled left a bit, heading for the pass and the Town of Laramie .... beyondJ .. — Laramie showed up on schedule, exactly an hour and a half out of Colorado Springs. After a brief contact over the radio, we curled in for a landing and a bit of fuel. She took �Chapter 5 adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis 9.3 gallons, yielding an average miles to the gallon -- cheaper than driving the car! The usuei.1 small crowd had gathered about the plane as it was fueled. 1 stood at the fringe and listened to the comments, swelling immodestly with pride. It’s a strange feeling. All the attention is directed to the plane, and none to its builder. -uc then the plane is beautiful, and <.’m borderline ugly. ven -then I shoulder m\ way to the cockpit with a polite ■’excuse un^^I’m only tolerated. .leluctantly I’m permitted access, and begrudged a share of credit, things change wtien i climb in and strap up. ,iow we are one. Starduster One November hen . talk on the radio I'm hi skeg . ucomc cUi airplai'n:'. nf ;-qv like this I'd rather be an airplane — K- times ~ espectaily s. little red and white biplane! The same win<-2 that helped me at the trip’s onset^,,^^^ now blew from the nose, re.-jucing the ground speed to less than 100 mph. - lowered to a. few feet off the ground to take advantage of the sraall reduction in head wind due to ground friction. effect also offered an advantage. Cround The air seems to compress be­ tween wing and ground, increasing lift and permitting some fo’rward stick to be applied,to offset the tendency to climb., result is extrci speed. '.-.he net Theoretically, ground effect shows up only when the plane is within one wing span/of the ground. 1/9 �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 5 Mens Wils Um near, X would swear that It can be felt as high as^ feet One has to remain owl»eyed for hasards • for the added speed. particularly naxOsade hasards like power lines. Constant sur­ veillance right axid left Is required to spot the poles support Ing wires that way becooe visible too late. 41 though erst low for X suspect X Whatever. ason, eac lar reasons us safe and X like the feel of speedf end ^^■s^ sieplawsr tha 4eei cooMS onl^at lew altitude Kt 100 feet you cm feel It at 50 feet It beeosies thrilling) and at 10 er 20 feet th^ground three iitay» to escape a ^nsiidobw collislont up. Xn a car* rlj^ht, leftZl^ ** ""iy wf - up Is Ssntid. .flying (^^eet e stopr- above the ground at 130 mph In an aircraft Is safer thorny^ 50 mph on the highway^ pwewldsdl one peflf.il> jirtentlnni The Union Pacific tracks moved over to Join our path. Ws flew by rail for a while* navigating by ’’iron compass.'* bed weather, traveling by rail can becosM a necessity. Xn Old-time //0 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Nona Weis nail pilots frequently flew the tracks* always keeping to the right to prevent a head-on collision with the fellow pilot fly­ ing the return route* Stories about the early aixnail service had been in the news for the past few nonths. Xt was the 56th anniversary of Wsstem Air Express* a forerunner of Western Airlines* Ainaail flying had actually begun seven years earlier along the Eastern routes. Of the^^?pilots originally hired* only nine were alive six years later* They called it the "Suicide Club," and Lindbergh was one of its surviving sMs^bers* The job paid $1*000 a month* a fantastic wage for^the tines When o Laramie to / .t*» » th. Ut A««U. UM. enne route* caq>leting the coast to coast run* .1 V' t cut down the transcontinental\ mail en routs time from 24 days "'x 30 hours. Bougies M-2 Biplan wi^e mnployS^* with 415 horsepowsr^liberty engines *^three open kpits* end a noise level that * according tp_ one pilotr^ would ruin ywirlSiXfl^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis In spite of the available space, ^ompany rules for­ bade passengers. Will Rogers promptly broke the rule and set a precedent by mailing himself-- even licked the stamps and plastered them all over himself. I flew along the right side of the tracks; the same tracks the old-timers flew fifty years ago. Our cruising speeds were about the same, and no doubt they also dropped down to near wheel-rolling height to offset the headwinds. Even Second Sweetheart’s color was proper, since all six of the original mailplanes that flew this route were painted red and white. We flew the mail past Bosler, over the siding called Lookout, around Rock River, and headed for Medicine Bow, tilting to knife-edge occasionally for a better view of antelope, rising when power lines demanded, waving dutifully at each train we met. Finally, over Medicine Bow, it was time to end the reverie and head north for Casper. Shirley Mountain passed on the left, and the Laramie Range sidled in on the right. Flat ground was below, so we continued at low level, still fighting the wind. No power lines here--just fences/*and windmills, cattle and thousands of antelope Thirty miles out of Casper, we overtook an old beatf^ up Aeronca plowing along at 80 mph. familiar. iced. The TE on the tail looked We moved in at reduced speed and waited to be not- ShurL , the pilot the expected double^ake, then �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis broke out in Stan Laurel type surprise. ewsagh; Jl was an old rancher-pilot friend-- a fellow named Bob Palmer questionable rancher, but accomplished He signalled 2-2-9” with his fingers, and I turned to 122.9, the plane frequency. plane»-to His transmission arrived loud and clear. "Hi-yah, Nit Wit.” ^e never dignified me or the plane with "November WhiskeyThe insult, however friendly, was meant to include his evaluation of my and^ at the same time, exercise some of the words in his private phonetic alphabet. "F-L” was fruit loop, ”C_C” was Canadian Club, ”R_T” became Rat Trap and ”R_S” was unprintable. dp91 gngfi ?no- -. — inL puL ftAiaota of ralffLiLf's The NINW on Second Sweetheart's fuselage had always meant "Number One Nit Wit” to Palmer. "Hello Plumber. How's your conduct?" n r i n n 11L Mi ypro- true friend ever called Palmer by his right name--he would have been insulted. "Impeccably," he replied. "I see that two-winged excuse for an airplane is still chewing up perfectly good air." "Yeah, and chewing it about ^5^miles faster than some slow«-flying antique air knockers I've met." Before he could answer, I pushed in full throttle and moved ahead in a long slow aileron roll. parting shot. As the wings leveled, I keyed in a "Eat your heart out^Plumber." �. dventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis Shortlj^we began the decent into Casper. Ikiddy Mountain slid by a few hundred feet below as I made contact with the tower. The trip vjas nearly over. Everything about the shake doim cruise had been enjoyable --- not a single problem had arisen 1 ~ L . .1*1 fuel up and head out on a longer journey, but v.nere \7Gre plans to be ma.de and duties to be performed. /he last weeks of the semester must be finished uo, �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 6 The morning sun paled as lowering clouds enveloped Second "weethea.rt in shadovz. 'he cockpit became suddenly cold. A tug on the heat control brought the temperature back to reason­ able comfort, but did little to improve the .a.ominous view ahead. A solid layer of grav rode above, rasd .— indistinct horizon. -.A.,—to an Casper, nov? fifty miles behind, still en­ joyed the sun on this uncertain day, the '’'’nd of ; ay Small^ 'd , ___ i ________ - . ceiling^ fe-i.L . oon they mnlt • n’b'-d t? form a new stratC^ forcing JW C. diifcia. j'i-jjn^'to dror^ to ground level. The bottom of the cloud layer was^yfdO feet above sea level, but the ground itself was '^OTO feet and rising, claiming more and more of my S^'O feet of airsnacc. The Tuzzard Lanch materialized just over thiy^nose. A gentle bank, and the buildings passed to the left,, only slightly below. A ranch hand on horseback leaned back, one hand on the horse’s rump. >n.s head sizivelffi^as I passed. Thcad, the approach to the pass betvzeen the Ferris and Seminoe Xo’J’^tains was cut short ^w/b^e ground rose to make contact with clouds. a discretionary' SJ" ylu-y. The lone rider s*>‘<» It was time for * waved, and I knew his thoughts — what’s that dammed fool up to, flying in this weather? I wiggled yzing-"SpitO' of tlis-jinoul'fe', fev -I appi'EclaLitd hig noti oe .^**F.[f I failed to shovz �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis up at my destination, he might.contribute a clue to my whereabouts. Rock Springs, Wyoming was thexdestination listed on my flight plan. The intended route was- by way of Ferris, an old town that I wanted to view from overhead.*^ With the pass blocked, the side trip to Ferris was* cancelled. be unreachable. Perhaps Rock Springs might also With thousands of miles ahead, I was in trouble in the first hundred. I'fc--?m9-eR-«nfaBpress4r<^e-4jegiiuiing. I wondered if ny plari^to fly from coast to coast and border to border — realistic. Flying in the sharp wedge between cloud and rising ground would ordinarily be unsettling, but this was familiar territory. Soon the Sweetwater River appeared, and shortly the rounddd top of the pioneer landmark/^dependence Rock/^ssed below. A left turn. and I was above the highway heading south. The ceiling had risen to a luxurious 800 feety^i^^e west edge of Ferris Mountain curved behind. The clouds ahead were alive and changing^ ^Xurbulent air^^»^»^eneath. Brighter skies to the left invited a change in destination. On the third call, Rawlins Flight Service answered. "Skymaster - ah, ah — one - ah - Whiskey, say your position again." "Rawlins Radio, this is ST^RW^TER One November Whiskey, five south Lamont. What is your weather?" "Ah, Skymaster One November Whiskey, we have lyOOO feet and lies, rain in western quadrant." "Okay, I’ll come on in. Looks bad over toward Rock �I 'T'^ 1^3^/eeji ^*-6 Lt P'^c^C^ — l-f <s <ff' ^.u^ts'-^/' r <— * h^ ■b — "^Pf>fx:^ -tP^ ■ ■ *■ «fl5^ /ic lilSiil&’Wii iW- �Adventures in a Biplane Springs. Norm Weis Chapter 5 Change my flight plan to your destination, please, and —------------- ------ — ah — that' s STARDUSTT'T. as in biplane." Twenty minutes later, with a second radio contact, I received the altimeter setting, wind direction/’^d a caution, "We have had antelope on the runway. Be advised of the hazard." Twenty: or so antelope stood beside the approach end The of the runway, well-behaved and undisturbed by the intrusion. left wheel touched gently, and immediately the right. Tail high. Second Sweetheart rolled straight and true down the blacktop run­ way. A left turn and the engine wound to a stop as the plane coasted to position beside the gas pump. on the ramp. There wasn’t a soul There never is when you greaSBit in. The flight had lasted exactly one hour and had con­ sumed 6.4 gallons of gas. to the gallon. It figured out to be nearly 20 miles The tank held 22.5 gallons. hour, I could stay up for nearly 3^ hours. At 6.4 gallons per At 120 mph, the little biplane could go an impressive 400 miles, a range in excess of my kidney capacity Theyjf light service reporte^ the weather to the west was deteriorating. Rock Springs had rain in all quadrants. To the south. Grand Junction, Colored^had unlimited ceilings with scattered clouds. South was the only choice. The Sierra Madres of ^uthern Wyoming occupied the left horizon. Scattered showers stretched out along the intended f �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis path, a minor irritation to be endured in pursuit of "sunny” Grand Junction — but there was more enduring than planned. The scattered showers merged to a general, inescapable light rain. Threads of water streamed across the fabric of Second Sweetheart's wings and trailed off in spray on each aileron. Rivulets formed on the windshield and crawled up to be blown away in the prop wash. A few drops curled inward to run down the inside surface of the windshield and drop on my hand hold­ ing the stick. About one drop every twenty seconds — not bad for an open cockpit, I figured. ———■ I dropped >fco 200 feet and took a compass course southwest to ihterc^ipt the highway south. A quick bit of map work showed anx^^ir^ercept distance of yO mMfes, or 15 minutes. Sure is nj.^ to cnnsse at 120. The Iz^hway showed up on time, aad—elie drip on my hanoXslowed t^nalf rate. A sure sign of ------- - improving weather. Over Craig, Colorado, the rain ceased and the sun showed faintly through the thinning overcast. I passed over a statioiji^wgon going the same direction but at half the speed, gave a few quick wiggles of the rudder/^'^d zoomed to a dizzying 300 feet. Suddenly it was bright. Sunshine warmed my shoulder. The open cockpit let me feel its full effect. It was more than a fair trade/^casional raindrops for undiluted, heartwarming sunshine. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis Hills rose on my right and left. and our cruise altitude rose to match. washed air was defined. . They grew in size, Visibility in the rain- Mountain crests/70jmiles away were sharply A deep canyon joined our path, opened up and offered a gentle, everwwidening approach to the single runway just east of Meeker, Colorado. VTiile refuej-WHf at Meeker, a pilot who had just arrived from Grand Junction offered a disappointing description of the weather. He had come up the Colorado River Canyon V.F.R. (visual fight rules) and had nearly given up and refiled I.F.R. (instrument flight rules) several times. He had squeaked under several thunderstorms that had since matured behind him, closing the canyon. I waited an hour for the storms^o clear, then headed toward the canyon, full of determination, miles south of town, the mouth of the canyon was obscured by a white curtain of rain. The route southwest, over high lands cut by deep canyons, seemed to be the safer path. than^O^iles. The straight line distance was less I headed across the rough country counting on zO/ninutes of worry before the ground would lower and flatten. The sky was a cold electric blue, shot with thousands of small puffy clouds. To my right, the clouds diminished and became widely scattered, offering escape routey. aread ahead, clouds threatened the heights I had to clear. Dodging right and �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis left, pursuing the open path, I wa^^ble to squeeze over the^</^*^^ from ridge to valley^ovwgat sudden changes ridges. I In altitude, height above the ground we«tld44^«/*' /lying level, Chang A** Rapidly from 50 feet to 1,500 feet. Faint stirrings of the gut marked the return of issy Inslplent fear of heights -** a fear Utttfe le so strong that waleee the thought of mountain '"''^mHrF,** '^euffc for n^rhtmnrrn ground Is ple^ureabl-e. Oddly, aliitfude over reasonable/ j^er rough countiy only defense Is greater altitude, nnfrhy wa an Increased glide distance In case of engine failure. But here tha£^p^u!o^*^a8 denied. The clouds hung tenaciously, «to"^aeet a few hxmdred feet over the canyon rims. J Twenty minutes later,>the hoped-for flat country hadyifailed to appeal^ Mere ridges stretched'out Tka cnry*»/»«- 5TffUlfirf irctg ?bvlftMF^y *•" muMi- te-±hf horiiow, my ii.i.li — inr>r/.r.»r4m.«iy hoTding to the right, toward the lesser cloud cover, xhe compass xcadlng confirmed the susplclox /f kick of the rudder, .4Mftd-£he noseyswun^ to a new more souther 1; heading^*^en minutes later the flats of what had to be the Grand River Vai ley 4rer!r^e low. four-lane highway reach4ft^n from the left and Swashed below, ^ar the ^ghway, a railroad axid river sewpeiHH^t^ their way southwest In nearly perfect syn' chrony. wag nn My detou^ put me well north of Grand Junction. •, There "them Miiyway. * �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis According to the air map, the highway below would turn vjest and lead me directly to the small airport at Green River, Utah. feet too ing H-i a i F-; mnv<a^ -Fnll—nf rp sadete.*A slight side pressure on the stick and we were standing on a wing tip, then rolling and slicing down inverted. The plane stood momentarily on the opposite wing, then continuedy^nd rolled level in a mild dive. Slight back pressure had kept the g’s positive, and the luggage had remained on the floorboards. The speed reached 160 mph and the wires began to sing. sound and feel were intoxicating. The Up we went, climbing sharply, then rolling slowly, the nose dropping, leveling again at normal cruise, then up and around again. the second roll, or the third. Second Sweetheart I can’t recall instigating Like a bird given freedom, cut ne\^ unexpected lines through the sky. I felt like a passenger — a delighted surprised passenger privi­ leged to be in company with such a rare spirit. about g’s, negative or positive. The luggage rose off the floor and lodged under the crook of my knee. my left hand. She cared little I held it in place with Lty right was still on the stick, but only passively. �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 6 I felt out her moves as Second Sweetheart curved through one more wide, weightless, falling roll. The altitude was gone. flight and normal relationship. We returned to normal I was still the pilot, right Now let’s settle down before I get into trouble with the T.A.A. little vegetation below. reds, tans, and a mix of wa col beautiful at nset, but now it was noon the Utah landscape a hostile look The earth was SixmsX' It would be Ahead, a double line of trees drew a green curve* p>n thQ- broTim lawdt The trees lined both banks of the river called ^Green. The small towns of Green River and Elgin occupied opposite banks. Green River, the larger of the two, was much like a miniature railroad layout. Main Street, the airport, the highwaythe railroad were crowded into unnecessarily close quarters. Main Street seemed to meld, lose its buildings/“^d become the east-west runway. The tracks of the railroad moved over and closely paralleled the air strip. As if on order, ,a train approached as I patterned for a landing. The engineer waved from the cab as I taxied back. I raised an arm and returned the salute. Ah, the joys of an open cockpit. The east end of the strip was connected to the hangar area by a curving^down-sloping ramp. I cut the engine and coasted quietly down the hundred yards or so to the gas pump. The usual small crowd gathered as I unbuckled, ASir(3q �''dventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 6 I could see lips moving but could not catch the words. It's awkward being half deaf from the noise of the engine while confronted with a of rapid-fire questions. I faked it a little, since the questions always seemed to follow the same pattern. "It's a Starduster. Nope, it's not a Pitts. About My hearing began its return as I dismounted and attached the pitot tube cover. A man confronted me with an astonished look. "You serious? It lands at Sorry, I'm a little deaf right now. it CRUISES 4 stalls about (toCy He looked relieved. Two youngsters, on tiptoe, leaned into the cockpit from opposite sides. One was explaining features to the other. Their heads bbbbed in and out. a small controversy developed. One of them looked in my direction. aint' it? "That is too a parachute, He says it's just seat cushions." The last comment was directed face to face across the cockpit. f-iy explanation that it served both purposes made them both feel like experts. They continued their inspection, the conversation less one*-sided now. A car skidded to a stop. Half a dozen teenagers piled out and trotted over to the plane. what is it, a Pitts?" Boy, sure is purdy — �Adventures in a Biplane ’’Nope, Norm Weis Chapter 6 and I point my eyes toward the cow^ where it says "STARDUSTER" in large white letters. "It's a Starduster.’ Boy, single place, huh?" Yup.” "Well, one thing sure. You ain't never gonna get hijacked." The oil was checked and the tanks filled. cided to for^o lunch and continue on my way. I de­ It was only 12:30 and Las Vegas was just gwo gas stops away. Ten minutes later I was not so positive about the destination. The horizon had again filled with thunderstorms. It appeared that a route Virga hung from their flat undersides. could be found between the hairy extensions of rain. I aimed the nose toward the area of least rain, but lightning immediately flashed from cloud to ground dead ahead. new heading straight west put me on a course for Richfield, but more storm cells blocked the path. The lightning found new intensity as To the north, storms formed a solid black trc’ I made the third Z-jywy of the day and headed the sky darkened. ominous wall. back for Green River. That line of thunderstorms could wr^^ its havoc without me. Every ^ilot'?I^^^^^perienc^)has found his own severe storm. For most, it is the last, for to survive is to learn never to re-enter arena. My violent lesson was dealt me one summer day back in the late forties. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis I was flying charter out of Park Rapids, Minnesota, headed for Minneapolis. The local beauty queen and a business­ man were in the rear seat of the three-place Super Cruiser. tahEOff was a precursor of events to come. The A suitcase placed in front of the stici^ j iggled back on tak<^off and caught against a metal floorboard plate. plac^ /The i , - LX'.--" breaking position. suitcase^ locked firmly in The suitcase . wp q i 1 n its rearward, ground oxiuiuuLi au/mpLiy. I could not free the Forward speed deteriorated and a stall was immiment. I cranked in all ^e nose down trim available, and the speed held at a sha^y It held long enough for me to jam the suitcase forward with both feet. nothing. If the passengers noticed, they said The businessman was enjoying his seat beside the queen, and she was busy being thrilled by her first flight. Midway in the flight I was forced down to 500 feet in order to pass under a ragged line of clouds, the sort of line often seen under maturing thunderstorms. But here there was no apparent storm, nothing to spavm such a line. We passed be­ neath the clouds and experienced only mild turbulence. With passengers delivered and the plane refueled, I headed back along the same route. Minneapolis radio claimed the weather was fair, and furthermore,J: there should be a tail wind at 6,000 feet. The tail wind wasn't there-*1 sat back and resigned myself to a slow return flight, wondering if that 133 �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 6 line of clouds would still be hanging over the lakes near Brainerd. The line had moved and grown darker, but it still looked innocent. It had been safe an hour and a half before, and izould surely still be passably now, and there was lovrto the ground some vertical motion^ ftppnrnnt-" I proceeded beneath with a confidence bom of ignorance. .. / , All hell broke loosed^^vere turbulence tfe»ow me aboutA I took a quick yank on the seat belt and reduced throttle to ease the strain on the aircraft. At an indicated 70 mph, the bumps were still severe and seemed to be worsening. The seat belt bit into my hips on each rapid drop, and my chin sagged to my chest on the returns. side. At times the plane was rolled on its Full opposite control seemed to have no effect. The Cruiser would recover eventually from each half roll only to whip violently in the opposite direction. The trees belo\^7 were waving like grain, and the wings of the poor old Cruiser were flexing up and down, pivoting on the stmt attach points, mhving nearly a foot at the tips. strong regret, secondary. with a rush. I knew the plane was lost and felt ^e fact that I was lost with it seemed quite I continued to fight the controls. Heavy rain came The windshield became a blur, and water flowed through the cockpit in small rivers. ground bfegsL-T”!..!— 1 -Lcuit. Visual contact with the I dropped lower, fighting to maintain /3^ �dventures in a Biplane control. Chapter 6 Norm Weis Suddenly the air smoothe<i.*’ I realized I *ircn ■malv.ijljh; .—^go.-co o.nH grew vo —__—,,;. ikui 'tirge.i tn.. iondw ^ut the trees formed a solid, frustrating barrier. I was^^lying in a I gree crab. bnd pn imr.nn!-.r My air speed was .e rtrndy and ,ifrftft"G£ feuc'Eiulunofc now must have been roughly the same velocity, in the trees field, and another. a plowed The second field was in line with the wind, and long enough for a landing. I headed for it. There was no mistaking the wind direction, for it was kiting the plane side­ ways. All I needed was to turn into it and set down on that inviting smooth brown surface, much too fast. I touched and rolled, but I was A fence loomed ahead. I jammed throttl€^arid went around for another try, slower this time. 'Ihe plane touched, slowed/'*^nd came to a stop. The ground was soft and had a slippery liquid feel. The wind was still blowing dangerously, well over the minimum flying speed of the Cruiser. I held half throttle, and with brakes hard on, flew it tattxough each gust, tail high and stationary, locked in contact with the ground. Occasionally a wing would lift and a wheel threaten to leave the ground, retiuiring quick stick movements to hold position. M ten minutes the wind slackened. air speed indicator. I thought to look at the It would now be acting as an anemometer. lowly the rain eased, the wind �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis diminished/ and the tail lowered to the ground <>Now I could look around. cultivated field. I had landed in a freshly- Small green shoots of wheats oa. pe-fhaps cjll» lay flat, battered to the ground by wind and rain. It was going to be difficult to take off fromsea of mud. I was too close to the fence to risk a straigh^^away departure, and the wind was still too strong to taxi. If I timed it right, I taxi to the down wind end of the field as the wind let up, then get off quickly before it died out altogether. I gambled on a turn to a downwind heading, pray­ ing that careful manipulation of the aileron would hold the wind ward wing from rising. The wing lifted alarmingly, but finally we were around, facing dowii wind, stick liard forward. It took half throttle to move in the mud in spite of the following wind. At the far end of the field I turned for take off, taking the same precautions with the ailerons. as the plane faced into the wind. speed. Wide open, we slowly gained Mud flew from the wheels and clattered on the wing under surfaces. I eased back on the stick. then sagged and slowed. wheels. The tail rose She lifted slightly, A bump, and some mud dropped from the The plane lifted, then touched again. stick forward, bouncing hard. I jammed the Mud flew off the wheels and we �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter bounced clear of the ground. She was flying, staggering with stick full back, but slowly gaining speed. A fence, a gravel road, and a second fence were immediately ahead. We cleared the first fence, bounced on the road<'*'^d were finally airborne. a farnChouse to the left. A man stood in the open door. There was I slanted my wing toward him, hoping he could not read the large niimbers printed there. The wind lessened, then died completely as I flew the remainIng miles to Park Rapids. behind. Tall clouds formed a half circle The trees below were unmoving in the newly calmed air.^^ It was as if nothing had happened. boss had been worried. I was an hour late and the I explained the delay, playing it down as much as possible, not ready to admit to the full fright I had ex­ perienced. "Sure glad you weren’t on the ground at Minneapolis. Just heard over the rddio that a cyclone hit." My God. I had flown through a A dry land It had grown to size and died, with Park Rapids all the while within its calm eye. "Wiped out more than a hundred aircraft — Sure glad / to see you." A ejipfained the mess tdie i/tud had made o£ the plauLT Thia bnco undcrfftnn—He liad bi storm the year baforo. Thirty years had not erased the memory nor dimmed the lesson of that storm. The prospect of a similar encounter hastened �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis my retreat from the wall of thunder storms in ^ntral Utah. At mic^aoxning the next day the skies were clear, the wind was calm/ and I was lost. Escalante should be right there. The map on my knee showed the location clearly, and my watch said I had traveled long enough to have covered the distance. But there was nothing below except dry washes and eroded hills. Not even a road to follow or use as an emergency landing strip! The map had not agreed with the land since Hanksville The Bouller Mountains were luldnLt poss somewh] be lost. Escalante was ysimply misplaced. There had been a reflection off to the right a few miles back, tucked away in a notch at the foot of the mountains, but that had to be the small town of Boulder. Escalante, on the map at least, was on a flat in front of the slopes, with a river running through it heading east, cutting across my course. There had been no sign of a river, so 1 continued, confident even though the gas gauge was bouncing on the short side of the half way makk. Twenty minutes later there was still no river. recognizable had appeared below. Nothing The gas level had dropped to the qxiarter mark and the engine was sounding rough. The little Lycom­ ing didn't take kindly to the economy measures of lean mixture and low r^p.m.'s. I bent Starduster Whiskey around and took a course back to that small reflection in the notch. available, and it was time to start grabbing. It was the only straw �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis Starduster Whiskey's gas gauge is like the small tube that stands alongQside most large coffee urns. Such gauges are very accurate and quite foolproof as long as no one shakes the Bumpy air was sending the gas level up and down from ona**-^^ um. quarter to less than empty. Whatever happened to that three hour range I had relied on? I had been airborne just two hours and the tank was nearly dry! I must have failed to fill the tank at Green River. Perhaps the gas spit back prematurely and the tank was assumed full. The gas in the tube leveled momentarily at the top of the letter "E" as I turned toward drcid □.lirrtrL motmtain»»>ifch feha iraflee The reflection grew to a building. The buildings multiplsed and resolved into a town, complete with an airport that had "ESCALANTE" painted on its runway in large orange letters! approached high and straight in. The 22^ gallon tank took 21 gallons to fill. x?) I 2^ is 120 miles from Escalante to St. George, measured along a straight line, welcome. short leg with plenty of gas reserve was The air was warm, and I climbed to a comfortable 10,000 <hhe mimdaTiA. —Ea-nm 10. )00 feet, the p^nk riiffc of Pryo "vlTrcyed from the ground k dig- . �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter yatuieri The ail njnnn-,x.n«- and I ratfcMiLiLi.i.1 apmaid hn tbn *ihe mountains on the right lost their sharpness and sank into the flattening earth. pied seemingly flat valleys. was the exception. Small streams occu­ The /ast ?^rk of the Virgin River It flowed nearly straight west at this point to pass eventually through the southern portion of Zioiy , I followed the river to the ^ark border, then swung north over the mountains to intercept the ^rth Jf^rk of the Virgin River as it began its spectacular descent through the^^rk’s most impressive canyon. From 12,000 feet, Zion was simply a bad case of ero- sion. From 10,000 it was a canyon, and at 8,000 it was a CANYON! We lowered, and the canyon walls rose and enclosed us. Water flowed straight toward the plane from breaks in the wall, then droppeddin lat^y fronds to the canyon floor. move. I circled, then regretted the People below were viewing the same beauty and would not appreciate our presence. I headed down the canyon, camera in hand. Biplanes are not built for aerial photography. is always a wing in the way. able. There No clear view to the ground is avail­ I spent a lot of time on wing tip, holding course with rudder in wild knife-edged slips. Air poured through the cockpit from the wrong direction, and the altitude slipped away. I tried shooting through the windshield, over the windshield, and even clicked off a few exposures with the camera over my head aiming backward. Perhaps inverted, shooting down, which would be up, �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter would be the best. Norm Weis In a biplane, the ways to waste film are limitless. St. George unicorn answered on the first call. There was no traffic, and the wind was calm. The strip occupied the flat top of a mesa at the edge of town. I entered high on the downwind leg, passed over the business district and curved sharply down in a slipping turn, straightened and flared over the numbers. Eight gallons of gas, a quart of oil, two cups of coffeeL<v-*^ and we were in the air again. Soon the rough country southwest of St. George gave way to the broad valleys of the Virgin River, only to change again as desert took over the land. A dozen or so miles out of Las Vegas, the highway curved past a small.dry lake. A small group of partially collapsed build­ ings huddled at the lake's perimeter. I swung down to investigate, and at an altitude of 300 feet the United States Air Force caught up with me. ^JTko delta-shaped shadows, sharply defined, raced over the ground directly below. aircraft responsible. jets. I swiveled ny head to locate the two From their shape and speed, they had to be I resented the unfairness of the matchy their 600 mph against my 120| their radar against my bifocaled eyesight. I checked qqt own shadow and found it to be less distinct than that of the jets. Those rascals had passed between me and the grovind! J had been skylighted all the while. game. Well! Two could play that I promptly lowered to six feet off the dry lake. ’’Get /w �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter under that!" I yelled. I scanned the skies waiting for their return pass, figuring to let them close in, then make a tight They wouldn't have a chance of following. 6 g avoiding turn. They would be out there five miles, skidding, trying to warp their big machines around for another pass. They didn't know it yet, but the little biplane and I could carry out formidable eva­ We hdd the moves, and no modem day Red Baron was sive action. sights. going to get ■^mehow tbpy spngpd tbnt- T bnH fn-i- bUry failed bn tw«»v^ u jueuiiG yagb.^ I rose to twenty feet and took a quick look at oy map. 1 had trespassed five miles inside the Nellis Air Force Base Alert Are^ fact^ those long blacktop strips three miles off had to be the runways of Nellis. grief! Good Two more jets were rolling down the xrunway headed in my direction. Were these guys serious? would take more than four. where we were going. Four against one! Well, it An entire squadron couldn't catch us banked the Sweetheart hard to the left and ducked behind a low knob. A moment later, clear of the knob, I stole a quick look toward Nellis. The two jets were closing, their knife-edged wings parallel and low to the ground. I headed down the nearest dry wash full-bore, banking at each bend, wing tips within feet of the sides, the entire aircraft frequently be­ low ground level. 1 scooted for the boundairy and the shores of Lake Mead, telling myself it was all in fun, yet feeling melon patch fear chase up my spine. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm ' feis I climbed to -m Luucreaiiu feet over Lake Mead, well out of the alert area, and reconsidered the encounter. The first pass was obviously intentional^*^ ^robabl)^ two bored jet jockeys out to scare the guy in the little red biplane, ^^e scramble of a second pair a<*^' have'been coincidental, ..—Ik-vs-’' a both been the practice intercept target for the day. sides of the dry lake air battle learned a lesson. They learned that a jet can’t catch a little biplane at the bottom of a crooked dry wash, and I learned to stay the hell out of their area noover Dam, viewed from above, as frightening. The web of power lines and metal towers seemed/to reach out to snare the unwary Notting was horizontal. cannon sides were T hills, the dam, the 11 near the vertic Lake Mead with its flat blu2 surface offered\the only exception I flew west from the dam fo lowing the shorelin A large crowd\liXed the beach. shallow water, some pointed t ir stems. utward, exhaust plumes rising from Vhite w^Kes sud<\nly reached out from the shore a d curved to align^fent as a doze boats raced toward a bouy s id around, and/Tieaded straight for razily, corrected, then flipped over he next. One of them tiltdd [oflowing boats bent away and thfeir wakes died as the race came boat se Numerous boats sat i o a halt. A rescue out To save the day. Second Sweetheart and I roared around the course full bore at 500 feet. Three laps and the race was won /^3 �Chapter 6 Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis t®nptj^Z><<i to add a vic^ry ro"■ ■***‘ It was cool and calm at the Boulder City Airport when I arose the next morning. I rolled up my sleeping bag, stuffed it in the baggage compartment behind the headrest, untied the wings/and checked the tail rope to see that it was still tied securely. Two shots of prime, a dozen dry pulls on y the prop/*^3.nd she was ready. ■ e»iyn< I <»</ /ft /iffJ Ceg> on‘boti-^ 1 stood between wing and pro^/*^^ one downward stroke the engine fired and settled into a confident chucke. If there had been a crovjaround, I’d probably have climbed in the cockpit, run the stick up my pant leg, strapped inyA^d attempted to taxi away with the tail stillv^ J/**f securely tied down. Ml***?/ But there was no one about, 1.untied the tail, climbed in and ran the stick up my paftlleg. It was surprisingly hilly west of Las Vegas. The ground climbed rapidly, but in the cool air/*^cond Sweetheart’s rate of climb, nearly 2,000 feet per minute, let us top the Spring Mountains effortlessly. r>f- *>J-0 00 0w« the Pahrump Vail ay. t.hc. gmuLid' high---------------------------------V 11,^ X continued west, threading the gap in the Nopahs, cutting across desolate country to a patch of green that had to be the town of Shoshone. gasoline. There was an airport at this town, but reportedly no straight down the runway regardless. I was filin^||^|(5^ man’s flight plan. I passed down the strip at ground level, then rose normally at the north end, passed over �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 5 Norm Weis Shoshone’s small business district, made a turn in the intended . t direction, then flew a straight course out. i nad not filed an official flight plan^ and had no ' intention of doing so. ‘ -Fri'ilnT.T o p-j ec u p i Li. I igjdp att-rarki.".no onhictf. ma. denie^ too many pleasure^ ? t 'L. . ii.n.md it> "‘’‘-'■-c'yc too mrny j,r fo file a flight plan would have I could not tolerate the loss of free­ dom. ^J^iat doesn’t mean that second Sweetheart and I were unprepared. In the otherwise empty wing tank compartments were three gallons of water, two days’ worth of dry food, a floppy hat, pack sack, compass, matchesa couple of paperback books. Beside me, in small compartments on either side of the seat, were the miniature smoke bombs, flares/*^d an unbreakable signaling mirror. The last was most important, and I was well checked out Many pilots, I suspected, carried such an item with on its use. little idea of its use effectiveness. It was a simple matter of looking through the hole in the middle and turning the mirror until the sun’s reflection struck your outstretched finger while that finger was held in line with a would-be rescuer. Five minutes west of Shoshone, I intercepted a black­ top road as it topped a low pass overlooking the south end of Death Valley. It meandered down and I followed, imitating each turn in an exercise efi coordination. I broke abruptly into the open. it 'The Monument. ’ The hills fell away, and Death Valley! The locals call Flat, hot, lonesome and seemingly endless^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis it stretched north, disappearing in waves of heat. I wanted to travel its full eighty-mile length and return by way of the paralleling f:^anamint Valley, but the added distance would press on my fuel reserve. I headed north up the center of the Valley, searching for its lowest point, cruising at an altitude of ten feet. altitude was unnecessary, for I could land anyvdiere. road beneath me offered a temptation. More The gravel I Carrying 1800 eased down, the wheels touched briefly and a cloud of dust boiled behind. Again, and I turned to admire the rooster tail. pickup was parked alongside the road ahead. little deviation, I continued with filing another flight plan, FAA regulations in the process. ? and bending the I rolled the wheels again and slowed a bit, considering a full stop landing, then decided to settle for a touch and go. Just ahead the road divided. read ’’Ballarat. ’ A sign on the left fork Only short messages on such small signs could be assimilated at this speed. The map had this spot marked at -225, or 225 feet below sea level. Fifteen miles ahead was the lowest point in the continent, 282 feet below the sea. The / I felew e-looe I'-iliww for wet spots. If the country were to spring a leak, it would show up somexvhere nearby. I'l nnj ""hi hbn At the low point, I^v* rippr-, g ‘ ■?p. water — jUSt �AdventiiYet In a Biplane Chapter 6 more barren eedinentary slopes* None Weis I happily concluded.the .the country was sound and in no danger of sinking* The fuel gauge bounced a warning* ria and headed /outhwest, n X climbed ever the v* '*~**'*T^iiwn^***’ f a snail ridge* It looked beautiful •« its beauty i hope of fuel for Sec< told ne there was available* yi could either. t for the tank truck due Inyokern was 30 ailes west but the Chine Lake Air Base and its surrounding restricted area 35 minutes* worth of gas — more if a head wind developed* I had started with full taziks and had been airborne for 2*3 hours* X 45 jainutes* should have *7 or *8 hours left — aboutf45 X climbed out at 2150 rpm, fuel mixture leaned to the uaxlaMB* Ten miles ou^ the fuel level still rode above the **!•** X had been this route before* "Inyokern Unicom* Starduster One November Whiskey, ten southeast* answer. Nay X have an advisory?" No X gave the transmitter a few taps* "Inyokern Unicom, Starduster Whiskey* do you read?" "Starduster Whiskey* this is Oh Five One* Can X help?" "OH Five One* Duster Whiskey here* for an airport^directive and a little fuel*" X*m Just looking �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis I refueled there ’’Starduster Whiskey, Oh Five One. earlier. They didn’t answer then either.” "Thanks. Where are you talking from?” "I’m over the Monument, about eighty northeast of you. Just wanted you to know your problem Your transmission is good. is not in your equipment.” Nice guy. 1 wondered what Oh Five One looked like. I would like to meet him. rode She ”E” as the wheels con­ The fuel level tacted the runway at Inyokern. ^Shortlj^we were fat with gas and coffee and in the air again, gp”*-** iBM-rked fay occasion*'' r‘^iim<nsii-r- The peak north of Carlock was listed on the map as ^244 feet. Since I had failed to set nqr altimeter at the last stop, I pulled alongside, leveled the peak with the horizony^nd adjusted the altimeter to ^244. ,F |I 11 T J-...: ■<— r A quick stop at Mojave, and 1 was off again* lodging restricted area No. R-2515 surrounding Edwards Air Force Bas^ e~axrpa wee restrirred at all alticud«i> all"tiie Llme> unleee»^B<» wsien was arantejUMt.. the 1nr«l-Hfty'~(TlIiSt"Ser^cn fltabion)^ ptChL Jury 111 fsPt'* t*' "nsrrsr mgr call and I hob tmnptsd dewn-flHd'mL across.—Tha thnught of my blip showing mi gone frfhEar;) ptltrt’f ?r-biTaffd radar datieiTed ms. I flav arniTn^ ♦•hii TsstilLtaii skirted the iniind shoulder bf the San Gabriel Mountains* then headed straight for Redlands* California. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis The sky over^San Bernardino Valley was a sea of white; solid, fluffy, beautiful, impenetrable white. Somewhere beneath was Redlands Airport and Lou Stolp, the designer of the Starduster I circled over Arrowhead Lake in flawless sunshine, aircraft. frustrated at my inability to drop through the overcast. I very much wanted to meet Lou Stolp and ask a few questions about the Starduster named ’Second Sweetheart ,*'**our mutual creation. The man at Hisperia Air i'ark served a good sandwich, 'You just fly down the highway. and was full of confidence. all do it. of 'em. Look out for those wires, though. Never see the wires. We Two or three sets Look for the towers. I called the area Flight Service on the telephone. They were helpful, but annoyed with questions about a phenomenon that was for them a daily, monotonous occurence. on the gauges. Just drop through uw feet and several miles underneath. We have I disilaimed ownership of any such gauges. \>/hat aircraft are you flying?” At the mention of the name *^arduster,***the agent suddenly became friendly. Tell you what you do. one thirty; then head down the highway. ing by then. Wait until Smog ought to be lift­ Look out for the transmission lines though. At one thirty I was off to do battle with the smog and the local utility company. mess and disappeared. The highway ahead dove into the With the map on my knee and my finger inch­ ing along, tracking my progress, I penetrated the smog. The world shrank to a hemisphere two miles in diameter|J)t4^moved with me. 1^3 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter revealing its secrets grudgingly. Norm Weis Faint images became towers and I climbed until the view below lost clarity in the haze. The world became smaller, a mir^scule circle of dim visibility, moving at equal speed, remaining precisely below. The road descended. followed, and the visibility improved. The world grew to a huge six mile diameter. I At 1,200 feet over the surface I followed a railroad south, -took a left at the first airport and paralleled a four—lane highway east, M‘K*opped lower and worried a lot a^A I passed^throug^the approach to Norton Air Force Base’s longest runway. b^rfiked Sweetheart constantly \roin^ide to side to in- crease the sl\e of our image. From th^zdTrnnt or side the little bip^MTO is difficttl^to spot. past the Norton approach I M gave tny full attention to the terrain passing under the left wing^ Redlands east-west runway emerged on schedule, and after a brief iirn i D»'L the Intuit a I curved in on close pattern and landed. From the grin on his face, as broad as the biplane grin that afflicts me when I strap up, I knew the man approach­ ing was Lou Stolp. ’’Nice landing.” ’’Thanks. It’s a nice airplane.” He inspected the plane as it was fueled. missing from the right wheel pant. and we’ll fix her up.” standable. A bolt was ’’Push her over to the shop His grin was still there. It was under­ He had designed the aircraft some twenty years ago. /S'O �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter^ built several, and later sold them. Norm Weis It pleased him to look at Second Sweetheart, and his pleasure was my compliment. ’’Nice paint job. ”Yup. Enamel?” Dulux and T.L.Cj’ He was still grinning. Later we sat in his office at the airport/"^d I asked him about cruise speeds, stall speeds and Second Sweetheart was normal, but perhaps spin characteristics. a bit slow. He suggested a little work on the propeller pitch, or perhaps a double check on the tachometer. It might be fooling me into cruising at low Lou didn't like the idea of aerobatics and gently tried to discourage me. My explanation of the strengthening put into the plane brought no endorsement. "You know, every friend I've ever had that went into aerobatics is now dead." His feelings on the subject were personal.. The air­ craft was airworthy enough, Lou explained; it was the pilotage that was dangerous. learned. We talked of aamy things. I listened and I I complained about the smog, and extolled the virtues of looming withlits [GOytnile visibility. Lou explained that the smog lifted a bit each afternoon then socked in each morning. I wanted to head east to the desert, If I would have to leave soo^ or wait until noon the following day. 'I said a prematur^ goodbye and headed out. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter^ Norm Weis The absence or smog Uiude the dtiuert below seem a radise It was rm even at 10,000 feet. laborato type ermometer taped to the\caban and fuselage read 28 degre ing upper abundant gent f co ewall. diluted the wa The Sweet d from the rt was pdrring, cruising at 2 was a grand improvement. I was re open, and a h that radia temperature 180*, all gauges in the green.( -long, strut connect- Celsius. Both cockpit><ents ortable. wash of a The fo 0 rpm, oil The higher cruise The engine was smoother and its pitch I couldn’t tell if the tachometer was off or the more intent. engine simply smoother at the new setting. the result. Either way, I liked The needle of the air-speed indicator had found a new home 7 mph to the right of the old one, an improvement that might raise hob with my quick time and distance calculations. Figured by the old method, using a speed of 120 mph. constantly find myself arriving ahead of time -- not a disappoint­ ing prospect. Thermal, California showed up ahead of schedule. We landed at 4:04, just twenty-nine minutes after leaving Redlands, 68 miles behind. That was more than 132 mph! Tie-downs secure, I patted Second Sweetheart with new affection and headed for the Flight Service Station. fie|ure^the map^flufa eifehawt The multi­ tude of restricted, warning and alert ares on the map overlapped and compounded themselves into a mess rnnlH resolve. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis Reading the fine print pertaining to each area merely tangled the matter further. It appeared^there was no easy, legal way to get from Thermal to Imperial A cnlj map Jlffuiud I'i'did LllLuu. .. My fine print u. j a later vc.-..-cL?n. Other pilots gathered about, and one tall fellow volunteered that he always took the slot between the two restricted areas, (Military Operations Area) straight to through the In5>erial. with I figured I would do the same and squared the details The tall gent and I walked out the door together, diverging somewhat as we headed for our respective aircraft. ’’That a Pitts?” ’’Nope -- Starduster.” ’’You’re Starduster WHiskey!” plane, not me. He was looking at the ”I talked to you up near Inyokern." I glanced at the numbers on his plane and succumbed to like protocol. ’’You’re Oh Five One. Appreciated your help.” I .cyiT>U Glad to meet you. ' g his face, but I can describe OhTl^vej/one in detail. Visibility over the Salton Sea was unlimited in all directions but one, straight ahead. billowed like blowing dust^ It looked like smog, but At .five thewoand feet over the ground I could taste its grit between my teeth. what now recognized as a sandstorm. I rose to 6,500 to clear The extremely fine sand on low flats southwest of the Salton Sea must make such storms a �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis common occur^nce. ^rom my vantage point above the disturbance, I could make out the runway at Imperial, ennld see them. T miles ahead^ i— tallf tn Tmpo-ri aL reported winds of tower crt~knots. ^'^J?tirty knots is nearly forty miles an hour^^^e wind direction and the runwjry heading I could imagine the guys in the tower elbowing were each other with a "Watch this, thirty knots plumb crosswind, and that idiot’s gonna try to land!" Their communication with me showed no anticipation, only cooperation as they made sure I understood the perpendicular- ity of the wind by giving me permission to land in either direction on the lone runway. I lined Starduster Whiskey up on final approach, holding thirty degrees left heading to keep from being blown away. Over the threshold I dropped a wing and swung the nose in line with the stiip. We drifted. rudder, and we still drifted. The wing was at such an angle now More aileron, more that itr dould be two feet underground by the time the upTwind wheel touched. "Thank you. Imperial. I guess we’ll go on to Calexico." Customs officials at Calexico did not recommend that I continue flight into Mexico. They mentioned certain special forms for experimental aircraft but had none available. Of course, they carefully stated, I could fly on if I wante^^to discuss the matter with Mexican officials in Mexicali. A IS-th �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis dozen pilots had warned me about flying a homebuilt into Mexico. ' '' v?rrn.'i,"~:;?3 " ' ' 1 ,i.,, j.*" 'f At Redlands^I heard that a local pilo’^——-t his homebuilt into Mexico, filled out the required forms/*and with their well wishes, fltfu^outh for a little fishing. He landed at the same airport on his return, as had been requested, to find that a slight problem had developed. The local authorities had found that aircraft licensed in the .^experimental category could not legally be flown in Mexican ai:£^space. His plane was confiscated. That was five years ago, and the Mexican authorities still have the plane, ^.<*-'****^ Other sto/les were similar. One pilot was offered his aircrafTS^k/^ a ridiculous price. \Anoth^ sneaked to ? the airporh-aila stole his own airplane, therihad problems with I S^erican customs upon re-entry. ------- ~ Rather than snarl Second Sweetheart in red tape, I decided to skirt the border and head for Arizona, At least that was my intention Borders ar usually disappointing. cTi^fqX^nt — perhaps pink o land to loo las. the other as Calexico ch a demarcation exists. e side, Amazin The solid tan; Mexico vias a checkerboard of green line was unmistakable. One expects the ale blue on ust east of ed^ Statesjwas nd brown. The �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 6 Norm Weis Five miles away and well into Mexican ai^^space, the runways at General Toboada International Airport offered a blatant, welcome. border I headed toward the airport, violating the wondering how close Discretion overcame desire, and I settled for a mild demonstration of disappointment. Firewalled, I nosed doxm until the speed reached 150 mph, then lifted in a high wide barrel roll. At the top, completely inverted I looked down on Mexico and offered a snappy middle-fingered sa­ lute, the international sign of recognition. A brijfk tail wind hustled us on our vzay. iuma radio reported a strong tail wind two thousand feet higher. e climbed and sailed even faster, racing the sun to Gila Bend. The sun was touching the horizon as we passed over toxas. Time and our lowering altitude cooperated to sink the sun completely. We approached the runway flying into a rising sky of red and orange and yellow. "n rollout, a tall Sugauro Cactus moved into position, then another. and perfect. The picture was complete TTiis was Arizona. It had been a long day of flying} from Las Vegas to Death Valley, California, the Mexican borde:^ and finally to Gila Bend, Arizona. I considered ^j/^rogress. With the Pacific Coast reached, the country checked for leaks, and Mexican air space ovei^^flovm, ■—vn ........ ~ " / W;,us �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 6 / 3^^^ J hdti, Bij^^.^rr*the 'way home I would pass through a small town in Colorado where the Rocky Mountain National Aerobatic Championships would be held. My mind shifted from cross country touring to barrel rolls and hammerheads. The next morning I packed the luggage away with 4 W / 4** extra care tba to piTLcLlee lq foati mano.uvoro alon^ T ■^--- —diagram of the Sportsman’s Sequence on the instrument panel. flew ^rth and ^st, rolling, snapping, looping and occasionally reversing with half a cuban /rt-rimght NuiLli, llylhg along the Mountaj .asbem tl^ for the comfort of familia ground and old Z? < X*- �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Wait tfPPTn HP AFiitnririTTKWhTmnN CHAPTER 7 For a chang<iKthe air was smooth as I slipped beneath the upside Mown cake of the Denver g«0;As difficult route was old stuff now. passed on eehedule* J The once », j q-* I put may the maps and relaxed, recall­ ing the pleasant banter of the previous evening with Mike and Suzy Herbison at Colorado Springs, now^^^iles behind. They surprised me with their intention to drive up and watch the wee^T^nd aerobatic competition. i t The HiH liy WUUHUILLR AAfdbALlC CtUimpluushlpj were tifl bp hcil^ot Longmont, a scant dozen miles from Boulder, my next stop. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis I sem planned to base my operations out of Boulder for the week In order to share Mike Ryer's foara~dome hangar and Sister Jess'^ gourmet cooking. e warm welcome that ays awaited my visits with Je er was due -law Ed* s weight problem to brothe imposed let, I d in on a ’ wife- always looked forward to the sumptous f High over the Boulder Airport* an aircraft was going through an aerobatic routine* no doubt practicing for the up­ coming contest. I patterned below* landed/^*”^d wandered over to a shady spot to watch the show. X found myself standing next to Mike Ryer, who promptly gave me the benefit of his jud^^oent on each maneuver. The sequence I watched didn't look much like the stuff I had practiced! even though Mike said it was the same the Sportsman's routine* My knowledge of contest**type aerobatics was so slim that I could not tell if the gent above waggon it or if 1 had been practicing it all wrong. Mike did his best to explain the techniques* but without watching me perform* there was little he could do to help* Others were waiting their turn to practice* so I sat back and watched* The pilot of the aircraft landed and walked over to join the group. His name was Robby Robinson, ears old^^nd a teacher at the local high school, lid hit it itff. He sai^^^lt^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Ueie aerobatics were lousy> but he loved every minute of it* ■cffliTfreved* that they looked okay to me, but that I one to judge, since I had the same problem. I was a poor We watched several routines, especially Mike Ryer's complex sequence. Robby and I offered sage advice froiysophomoric stores of knowledge. b^ind- led tlw blAmd. When Carl Bratfisch joined us, the conversation im­ proved. He answered questions for both of us. His background in the Air Force gave him a bit of an edge, especially when it came to an appreciation of the precision of a maneuver. Carl was a colonel in the Air Force, based at Colorado Springs, but had just recently taken up serious aerobatics W CZ^The three of us, all ’’Sportsman,” would be com­ peting against one another the next day. Robby and I figured 1^4 Carl would beat us both, leaving us to battle it out for last place. Late in the afternoon myewifu. Jay, arrived. Hav­ ing driven the 250 miles from Casper in a ground-born vehicle, she was peopsn and^ready to retire to the Kellenbergersr. For dinner, Jess fixed trout in almond butter sauce and served it with wild rice, togathev'eMieh June peas ^il</pearl onions. Us ate and we talked. Conversation began with recent developments within t&o �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis our families, and slowly turned to memories of the good old days. id Jeas if she recalled her first flight, ing of the times I used to help her commute to her summer ob as waitress at a Minnesota fish ery well, especially the looks resort. She recalled it h the faces of the rich folk s she climbed out of the fright blue float plane, waitress apron ap and all. But s Otten - her V ix years o sidered was also remembered something I had first trip off the ground , the youngest of the family. pest to be tolerated only if ieded this particular day bl ing, and my buddy and I b kite. It was a bi S for- " was five or generally con- er help was needed. twenty mile an hour wind was re trying to launch our latest 6ne -- 3' x 3’ x 6 feet We had a earner taped on the fronjxtiser, and a trip line stretched out two hundred She t of clothesline. An earlier model ng the broken the lighter-vjSlght twine -- this time we were taking no chances. It took two^ people to hold the line, and one to hold the kite. That’s where Jess came in. We gave r careful instructions as to vdiere to grab and how tohold it on a slant. to tell her to let go! We forgot Just as we brought the line tight, a gust took Jess and the'“kite ten feet in the air. The rope pulled so hard, it stumbled us forward, then slipped through our hands The kite fell and broke, but Jess landed unharmed. We didn* Ibl �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weii tpMT'tha folKn other i------------ aQiLnth»x-mem»c4e8>^We visited until well patt midnlgjit.^^ Mike Byer and I took off together at^MU the next morning* Mike went on to the contest site, while I found a quiet spot to practice. While talking with the fellows, I realised that I had practiced two of the maneuvers in reverse* An hour later, the corrected moves began to feel natural, and I headed for Longmont* There were a dosen aerobatic planes already parked on the ramp, and several more land^ made my way to the registration trailer to pay my^lO*©© fee and have my papers checked* Proof of liability insurance was require^ as well as membership in the EAA (Experimental Aviation Association)/"az^ the lAC (International Aerobatic Club)* The airworthiness cer» tlficate and operations limitations were checke^and the plane and parachute inspected* The Inspectors were intrigued by my second seat belt* Such a belt is common, in fact required In all competing aircraft, but they had never seen one that utilised velcro Instead of the standard metal buckle. "Are yuu positive this will take ^negative g’s?" one of the Inspectors asked. I replied that we had lifted three grown men with the belt before it was installed* "Well, we want to be sure — don't want the same thing happening to you that got Speed Holman**' �Adventures la a Biplane Chapter 7 Ha suddenly had ay interest, Kona Weis ”What exactly did happen to HoAoan?" "His belt let go as he tried to pull up froa an inverted dive^^*je fel^hal^ay out of the cockpit. All he had to hand on to was the stick. Ever since his death, aerobatic pilots hove worn a seeend seat bel^” explained the inspector Since that conversation, Z*we rhsughfr about ny boyhood hero every tJ^ Z strap in. aoaxing amount of debris iwo- found* in the bellies of the various aircraft, each Item capable of interfering with control noveswnts rould ^sul? in a fatal acclden^. < ,11^ - ------------------------------- jiBfikiftB ifsrr^^nrr* eeveeal plsnesi A tost jwsfcsweHc uuueig'was sehrtewed frea . ths bslly of a Pecatiaon. Second Sweetheart was clean. 1 had carried out ny own inspection earlier, and in private embarrassment had retrieved a screwdriver that had been missing for three weeksl Z seershed out ny new friends, Carl and Robby, looked over the competition. the Sportsmen Contest. We In all, twenty people had entered Among the group were two regional cham­ pions, a few airline pilots, two flight instructors/^kdA an airshow pilot. It would be rough company, hmverr-emeM-mesa. >tar-of us competing for the first tisw. t6>3 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis One of the airline pilots, Jim MciUnstry, a Western Airlines^ptain/o^inarily flStil in a more advanced categorj^ plane* <eday he was competing in Sportsman with a borrowed He had wiped out his Pitts at a recent air show when debris lodged in his elevator control as he exited a loop* The plane destroyed itself as it impacted at a sharp angle on the runway* Pieces flew in all directions, but McKinstry crawled out unharmed, a tribute to shoulder harness and sound aircraft design* The planes on the ramp varied greatly in else and number of wings* There were hilig-winged T-Crafts, Bellanca Citabrias and Decathlons, and five kinds of biplane^ which included one Steen Skybolt, a dosen red Pitts/'uid one wildly decorated Aaroduster, a second cousin to the Starduster. Parked along side Second Sweetheart was a light green plane of strik­ ing similarity. It was the two-place version called the ^rduster Too,***the design that caused all the confusion on my plane's center of gravity. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis All the planes had one thing in common. On each Instrument panel was a white envelope**sized card that displayed a strange assortment of symbols. Aresti symbols they are called, named for Count Aresti, the man that developed short­ hand aerobatic notation. The circles, arrows, triangles, lines and dotted lines that crowded each card represented up to ten minutes' worth of aerobatics. I had rCws n pmW In Vhy S^wtheart. but it was panic pitl'pd^as only, since 1 was coUfldeiiL Llrnt X had my----- •sequence laemerised.— At the pilots' meeting, we learned the location.^ , t of the aerobatic box^*comers and the center cross were laid out with white panels^A»4he" heii was hhe sums-sige as frhn nnp T^ad Into uul at hsmsi. to the altitude and its debilita­ ting effect on lift, the top of the box was open. Sequences could begin as high as desired. To eliminate the possibility of two planes in the box at once (end it happens at almost every contest), we were to be held on the ground until the man above started his routine. Then we could climb up and enter as the man ahead vacated. Those with radios would get a double check on frequency 122.9. Xt would be a four^category meet. fly once, with the^top third All Sportsoien would entitled to repeat. Those in the Intermediate category would all fly two sequence^ �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm ;*jei« X^e Advanced group would fly three end the Uni 1mlteds would per* form four times. The last two categories would have to fly an ’’unknown" sequence cooked up In great secrecy by the judges. All told, there wore more than forty pilots flying nearly as many airplanes. Zt was to be a busy weekend. It and sounded like fun. Most of the pilots joked abo«*t while they waited their turn. appeared to be quite serious. However, some "Doe" Carothers, dentist from Lincoln. Nebraska, took a small model plane from his klt/*i^ "flew" It through his unlimited sequences. His concentration was total^ ^8 eyes followb^the model as he moved It through an Imaginary box was even more Intense. his sequence,-hl He closed his eyes and. walked through Is net- Ithe wings, flying ^i**'^**^** ver.^1 recognised the sportsman's routine^* I Mneu* "isybs I should join those doing the aerobatic dance* fiMsm rejected the Idea, flgurln^he dance was for top hands only. Zt would be too embarrassing to be seen dancing the routine on the ground. <13Xri«t.r blow the whole thing In the air. Wteu Jotm flulshethiits giuuud»bortrT>rftetice'^ 1 wandteri wished him luetes—Its wns a bit shocked be given wii £t ar ■ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis t||St-XfimpaiUsit-ws--m--dessMd«aasl^iusUMM<sHnrv:"~Bnc'*not-4e9Mi^«« -jf IS** The MnXimiteds flew first. I stood by the P.A. snAOuneert Lloyd Wittenberg, another Western Airlines jZ^aptain^^ His descriptions of the maneuvers were of greet help, and he was happy to answer questions between routines. polished sy techniques. Mentally Z X would float over the top of each loop to make it round and hold straight lines equal on either side of sy rolls. X£ I csbm out crooked, 1 would ho 14 the crook until I entered the next maneuver. ‘'Never make an obvious correction/* said Lloyd, ''except in the interests of safety." day^^jrad friend$ Mike and Suzy Harbison, arrived before the Unlimiteds were finished. Mika asked about the competition, and Suz^told ma I had to win. Jay wished me the best. X explainel^it was all in fun, but there was a small seed of stage fright germinating in my mid-section, do well and not embarrass ay supporters. Robby, and*^JaoBiit X wanted to outscore’ X wanted to beat Carl Bratfisch too/ even— fly M Stainiy tKS, i wanted to ♦•We*. /«.»my X was caught up in the competition/^ahd was getting serious, even to the extent of .findwag a secluded comer bo walk throughsequence a few times. The engine warmed as X sat on the rasp awaiting ay turn. Overhead, Morrissey finished a flawless performance. �Adventures in a Biplane Bratfisch was next. Norm Weis Chapter 7 He started out well — much too well. hop.<l h. wouw blow . .o far. Now it's ny turn. as X climb to 9,000. I My stomach chases butterflies With the required wing-wag* X enter the box at 140 mph, level* barrel rollj^'^a^ level again (crisp and nice)* then pull up to a^^degree climb* hold it* then roll to inverted (not bad* but X wish X had a faster roll rate)* now hold it* keep climbing inverted — a bit longer* since the speed is dropping — now ease back on the stick and come around* -amd back to level (not bad). Dive for speed - a quick look • 150 nph* then a nice even slow roll — oops* keep the name up (eh* oh* scooped it out the last quarter). Now up and over in a ^i)loop* hold that^^^degree down line while inverted* then roll upright* hold the line and level up (perfect). X missed the outhouse and gravel pit markers od my own practice area* but pleased to note on each down/line that X 4lds| still centered over the big "X" in the center of the box. Next the loop — float her over — and pass through my prop wash at the bottom (beautiful). Now gain speed for a half loop and half roll (staggered out of that one). Now slow up for a^^/^tum spin. Do it to the right. Here's where you had it reversed. Now straight down* out of the spin (not bad)* pull up level* now straight up for a hammerhead. left to check wing on horison* now wait* wait* as the speed dies on top* kick left rudder* put the stick in Look �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis the comer — nothing happens — what's wrong? back down. whip. We're sliding I lock up the stick and rudder and wait for the Now we're pointed down (sure zeroed that maneuver). There vb^ chance to beat Carl —• and Robby to<^ most likely. Back to business (hal£}ieartedly) 27(6^ bank, hold the altitude now, straight through the box, back on the throttle, wait for 115 raph. Now -** full throttle, and snap her. Dammit! degrees off bank to the left! crooked —• I'm I straightened- the wings smartly, then cuss myself for not flying out of the box on the slant. Wittenberg would be shaking his head at that mistake. Back on the ground I quickly recounted my mistakes before anyone else could tell me about them. Carl listened Carefully, nodding his head. Then Just as I switched over to' nqr good moves, he volunteered some pointers on my loop, spin/^*^ and barrel roll, the ones I thought were perfect. Shot down by the Air Force! Robby made me feel better. He forgot a couple of maneuvers and fell out of several more, but he enjoyed it. was OQT problem. That I took it serioue^mnd forgot it was all supposed to be fun. From all the talk, and from the routines I had ob­ served, I figured on placing ^^h or^l^h out of When the scores were posted, I found I had placed^th, behind Morrissey, �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis 3588 points; McKinstry, 3370; Powell, 3329; Massegee, 3325; and Bratfisch, 3325. I scored 3066 —• in the top one third — and 5«as qualified for the fly-off! My confidence returned and my ego re^nflated. Damn — that wasn’t bad for a guy that taught himself aero­ batics. Besides that, mine was the only plane whose engine wouldn’t run inverted. in aerobatics. Maybe there was hope for future success Now I was hooked -- and «ow 1 was very serious. We adjourned to town for lunch. Mike brought a round of ale and toasted cy success in tomorrow’s fly-fiff. After a leisurely visit, we returned to the field to be met with instructions to roll the planes out and start up. Bad weather was forecast, and the fly-off had been moved up. We were due in the air right now! I have a rule about drinking and flying. I like to keep them separated by at least {^^hours. There is an old addage, most often quoted in its aboirted form! "Don’t smoke within twelve hours, or drink within twenty feet of any airplane It It looked Mee several of us were about to break the rule. The contestant overhead was messing things up properly, falling out of his loop and flying out of the box. The next pilot crossed the deadline between the box and the crowd. That’s a "no,^no", and brings an automatic zero score. There is only one other way to zero out, and that is to violate. /70 �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis the 1500 foot minimum height — the bottom of the box. I missed Bratfisch's flight as I climbed to alti- asmawd he did well. ■ mind went blank. Hal^ay through my routine, ny I couldn’t remember the next move. I wagged out of the box (it’s legal), consulted my 4re8ti card and re­ entered for the^nd half. Outside of the break/^he routine was good, except for the hammerhead, which was described as a sen45^orque roll by Announcer Wittenberg. After landing, I filled up with gas. competition was over. t«. ij-qs q For me the mu»e 1 UULlltl lahar. Rough air moved in as the last two contestants flew. see them bounce about. It wasn’t a fair fly-off and those who suffered filed a verbal protest. to let it stand. You could Those who had done well wanted I didn’t care, figuring I’d finish^h or^h anyway. Finally the decision came down. We would re-fly the fly-off on Stmday — weather permitting. The scores on the disallowed flights were posted anyway. Unbelievably, I found that I had zeroed the loopI fact I plumb left it out. In Strangely, several othersy^had left out a move or two. Even Gagl-Dratflsuli-1l£l uul bus I And AFJ z** I-6wasn’t the beer, since Carl never touched the stuff. It seems that one must be mentally prepared if he is to do well. /?/ �Adventures in a Biplane Ch^ter 7 Nona Weis Since Z wu new serious about the business e£ aerobatics* it was only reasonable to learn HK>re about the method of seering* Five Judges evaluated each maneuver on a scale of 0 to 10, The high and low scores or^thrown out* much like the scoring of Olympic diving. There ^io^even a ^^ilffi^ulty or "K‘* factor* calculated in afterwards* For exsople* 9 points on a maneuver with K 20/wuld be 180 points. surprised to find that the.highest K ■nsSMaysriiaiH I was tnd thsssfuiu Hit iniuisuiusii was the hammerhead* the one l*coSl'Z to practice that maneuver* and bum off some excess gasoline at the same time* X rolled the plane out and began a walk-around inspection, X {■eAllred ^lalnteaace witehi nne-wnna rule; the meet started, No practicing was allowed once Xn fact, the planes were Ijffcerally impounded for the duration of the contest. There was no way to drain the extra fuel, said, at ^pounds per gallon, that meant I would be haulingunwanted pounds around, X wondered if the extra weight would help or hinder the hammerhead. that maneuver bothered me. The problem with Either X was doing sosiething awfully wrong* or the plane was somehow at fault, 1 asked for advice* but no one had a solution to my problem. The thunderstorms blew past during the night and the morning's bright blue skies and siaooth air were welcome. The fly-off of the top^ in the Sportsman's category went /7Z �Adventures in a Biplane quickly, Chapter 7 Norm Weis bfy first maneuver was good. I was relaxed of/Zth could not be worsened even if I zeroed the routine 457degree climbing roll did not go well. heavy. The plane was too After five maneuvers, I broke my sequence to climb for more altitude. Immediately, the radio man on the ground called for the next man to enter the box. I keyed in a frantic warn­ ing, ”^tay out, stay out - I’m only half done I” There was no reply, so I proceeded, eagle-eyed for an intruder. Surprisingly, However, I accidentally flew out of the hammerhead went well. the end of the box (that cost 150 points) and finished up 300 feet below the minimum height, :X^iat could zero the whole flight the Judges caught (4^. ■fisTT'an hour later the scores were posted. ' Judges had called ma for ’’going out the bottom' flight. ed. The and zeroed ny They were correct, of course, and 1 got what I deserv­ However, seventh out of twenty was better than the last place finish I had feared. Maybe I could have done better had I taken some dual^from an experienced competitor. The two4u>ur flight home the next morning offered time to think and plan. There was a contest to be held<.a ewHseh latea on the Fourth of July at Council Bluffs, Just across the river from Omaha. It would be bigger and tougher, but I was smarter now, and I would have almost a month to practice. If I could solve the hammerhead, I would be very competitive. /73 �Adventure* In a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis Maybe if I climbed with a slight lean to the left, the plane I checked around for traffic and gave would fall over better. it a try. Usually I laid the left wing on the horizon as I headed up, so this time I lowered the wing so that it was cen­ tered on the horizon. complete control. Amazingly, we swung over Ind down under I tried again, this time checking the right wing's position on the horizon, and was shocked to see that it was also centered. Good grief I All ray other ’’straight up lines*' had been leaning to the right. fused to fall left. No wonder the plane re­ Why hadn't other pilots seen it? did, but were Just being kind. Probably did I ever get such a bad habit? Suddenly it became clear. Pitts a few months back. on top of the horizon. X had flown a two-place Xhe wing position for straight up was When I climbed back iti^the Starduster, I carried the sight picture with me. X resolved in fche- fuSwst ^Iways/Q check both right and left wings to )^sure a vertical track. Well now! Competition was going to be a bit more in­ teresting in the future. Casper was fifty miles ahead. X kicked rudder and changed heading a bit to put uqS on a line with my private prac­ tice area, the one with the outhouse and gravel pit. to be ready for Council Bluffs. -159- X planned �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis The month raced by, and the hammerheads became easy. Even the snap rolls, entered faster and with less elevator, became predictable. Improved. My altitude conservation also On a cool day, with minimum fuel, I could complete the sequence without a break to climb. Rancher Steinle called frequently. He was re­ lieved to see me practicing agaln^^i* thought I’d done myself in somsriduire. 1 listened to his criticism carefully, even though he professed ignorance concerning aerobatics. He was the only coach I had. By the end of June, I was more than ready. I de­ cided to leave for Council Bluffs a few days early, and perhaps practice along the way. 1 packed air mattress, tent and sleeeJ ing bag, plus a few cans of sardines and a handful of aandy bars. By the time the sun was high enough to warm the cockpit, we were halfway to Ogallala, Nebraska, riding a tall wind for all it was worth. By noon we had refueled at Grand Island and were on our way again. put down at Council Bluffs. Just over an hour later, we The contest was still two days off, but the ramp held a sprinkling of aerobatic craft. Apparently other pilots planned to do a bit of practicing too. After registering, I flew on east to Perry, Iowa, for an overnight with relatives. Q. have relatives and friends con­ veniently placed all over the country! ^*^e next morning, I �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis practiced the routine a few times in the quiet air above the runways at Perry, then flew on west, practicing along the way. The ranq> at Council Bluffs was crowded with aero­ batic aircraft — twice the number that I had seen at Longmont. ^KidaMt. *reir ahimdant Itt ondly ^tiT welcome was genuine^ A 250 pound pig^had been rotating over a charcoal fire since early BrcnlnQ, carved up and serve^with beans, potato chips and beer.ldMW/^^^'^^vC**^ atmosphere was friendly and relaxed. serious. Tomorrow it would get tirer. 7***^ At eight the next morning, 67 pilots gathered Thirty of those pilots were entered in .flbewtr fov a briefing. the Sportsman category. here to do it again. Everyone ahat beat me at Longmont was In addition, a national champion had showqrt- up, along with a dozen more experienced competitors from all over the midwest. Xhnt wwe I could find just one other tyro/7artiJ*^ friendly nemesis, Carl Bratfisch. Ny flight was scheduled near the end of the group. While waiting, X listened in on the Judges* comments, try­ ing to figure out how they wanted each maneuver done. I didn't see things the way they did — but then they weren't agreeing with each other either. Rancher Steinle's jud^'^faient looked pretty good by comparison. Several times during one flight I heard a judge on the left say '*p>o steep," while the one on the 2 --4*^ �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 7 right sai(^*’^blt shallow.” Norm Weis The judges differed widely on the barrel roll, with one judge giving tens,/a^ others scored threes . and fours. still uncertain just what they wanted to see. and how to fly properly crooked so It would look right from their view point. Flying for score was like painting a picture blindfolded, while five obstinate critics studied the work with magnifying glasses. When It 8«ne my turn to fly, everything seemed to go just right — all except the hammerhead. safe, and skidded It over the top. I played It too When the scores were posted, Carl had 3355 points and I had 3204. We ranked 11th and 15th out of 30.^“Either of us qualified for the fly-off. Eight pilots scored better than 3400 points, with Morrissey, the winner at Longmont, topping out with 3753. As at Longmont, I was at once disappointed, yet encouraged. There was no question but I could score In excess of 3600, given more experience with the business of flying for score. ""*■ '** ght s mors, enj nyahl a. 4.ihi-w.iwii ■ni» ■ I Carl. Bsatflseb and I stretched out on our backs and watched the flights. The quality of pilotage in the more advanced categories was impressive. were unbelievable. gf Other Some of the moves Outside loops were common, and so were �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 7 Norm Weis square andsided loops. There were snaps going up, down/^^ and at the tops of loops. Unlimited |>ilot8 experienced up to 5 negative g*s bottoming out of outside square loops, then felt hard positive g's in subsequent pull-ups. The abrupt change «6r*-*^^»*w** 4*^ I .f cewid put the pilot to "sleep", the plane flyout of the box, wings aslant and uncontrolled. The "sleep" and generally brief. rare Usually the pilot recoverj? before ser­ ious loss of altitude. When done properly, aerobatics is an art form — an aerial ballet — a three dimensional dance deserving of the finest symphonic accompaniment. Even when less than per­ fect, aerobatic flight is rare freedom axid rarer privilege. But for every privilege there is a price. After I left the contest site, one of the contestants ,hisrt<an engine 0^ fail ^sile^climbisig out. He tried hard to save his plane, but stretched his glide too far. the ground and burned. The aircraft stalled, spun to The price was paid quickly. , � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Starduster</em> Draft Manuscript Ch. 1-7 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1979 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Starduster_DraftManuscript_1Thru7 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/31c85624106ecbc01ba1e185fe824869.pdf eb558e8245a1d21feb57ba6039845873 PDF Text Text Adventures in a Biplane Nona Weis OF' S^KATCHEWAN Chapter 8 Flying Second Sweetheart to Canada would have been far easier had I remained ignorant of the special rules concerning experimental aircraft. While^building the plane, some kind soul had mentioned that homebuilts were not allowed to cross national borders without special permission^ The rule is little known. ^nd Infrequently ejierctsed.^ It took^hree phone callj and four letters to locate the proper Canadian agency^Two more letters finally had a list of the required papers to /7P �Adventures in a Biplane be submitted. Chapter 8 Norm Weis It was a good thing I started the procedure during the idle days of winter. Three months later, a statement of authorization arrived along with a pamphlet containing rules pertaining to Canadian flying, and special rules for flight into the sparsely populated areas 80J)am My trip WUlJ take me one hundjiiil mil lb hi Him 'JpVlllgad**^arl;—ef SaskahekawnnT /' Mnajr.-af «-hp rftgulat-lnna made sens?, bll*’ * fOW- c^uld nolZ_bfLJii:ajJja£lj£-J3te c^aoi t*y due taJLh££tardiLat^ gmall cargo X vzas required to !>.>.•.« carry five pounds of dry food, cooking gear, matches, compass, knife/*and mosquito net. list went onZ inches or axe These items sounded fine, but the poimds or more, with a handle of thirty feet of snare wire, four trawls (whatever they were), two fishing lines with assorted hooks and a fishj^et of not more thanInch mesh. Since my intention was to go fishing, I had two fishing rods along, packed in a special compartment in the rear fuselag^.0^Alsu fBMiKa small kit of lures. I added one hatchet. some wire/^nd the net portion of a landing net. The four (^4<* trawls were left out since I could find no one that knew what nghj^rthe list made no mention of flares smoke bombs or signal mirror. in NINW. These were standard equipment �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis My letter of authorisation specifically prohibited aerobatic flight. Sieti uae a disappointi^tai, but -eeeti fifaMk that particular rule was frequently repealed. My Cgnadian authorisation* good for only seven days* began the day I returned from the contest at Council Bluffy ^jffiat evening I checked the plane over* serviced the engine* charged the radio batteryy^nd stowed my gear. The equipment <w»ld fill all the normal compartments* making it necessary to carry clothes and cameras in separate containers The total load was a bit more than on the trip to the \*4st ^ast* but there would be no mountains to on the floorboards. _ ...» . I Clear* and lift would improve^ v found denser air the low elevations of ^rthem Saskatchewan. At 7 A.M. I said goo^^e to Jay and took off, headed north. odbyes seemed more frequent tliaftwritius for Jay;— "nugd «^he plane Second ay wsni |ntBTLaJn4ng some dmihs ikunLiiiTHng-1i«i >/**'hmighr r«1»Hir. yar>v^Tlg. An hour later we refueled at Sheridan* took off without delay* and headed for Montana, Below our track* num­ erous coal mining operations scarred the laxidscape. over a number of ugly* unreclaimed pits. We flew I wondered where the beautiful grass-covered reclamation projects were that the big energy companies continually bragged about on the T.V. conmercials. /?/ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis mtana, fifty miles shqjpc ofA the bor­ der, I visited witythe Qustoms man while filjxtg the required flight plan to cross th/ border to Regina,y^skatchew<m. No i Inspection wa^requiree to exit the cowatry, but he went through \ a list of D^ms that vpuld be checker on the other slide. I \ answered/’no” to boozel bacon, apd marijuana, but volunteered that l/had fishing rodA. a hprldy-dandy hatchet, and the ever vitM rabbit snaring wire on board. He thought that was hilarious and had to have a tour of the plane to sea where everything was packed >acked. As the border eased ing to the Canadian rules of flight: below, I think' Eastward flight was to be at odd thousands of feet in altitude, and westward was to be even thousands, both without the added 500 feet required in the United States. No VFR (visual flight rules) flights were to be made over clouds — from now on I had to stay underneath even the most sparsely scattered clouds. Radio frequency of 122.2 was to be monitored continuously "when practicable^ according to the manual. mA mAanh With a limited life battery, ’’practicable” ti*- on* fTZ. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis Presently we crossed the boundary of the control area surrounding Regina* I tw^d^he radio to 122.2, turned the volme up high and gava^Sien, a call. watts was aspa* rently inadequate^* Five minutes later^^^^nd ten miles closer, I tried again^ and received an answer immediately. After asking ny altitude, Regina radio informed me of approaching traffic at 12 o'clock (head on), but 1,000 feet bilow. I was their buaiaeas^likB RtTlWiSSe cautioned to maintain altitude, I reported crossing the east«west highway Just south of the airport as requested, and was promptly given clear- anas to land* On rol^jout, I we^esoed directions to Customs, ths tower man obliged, then asked if the plane Ira^aerobatic. I answered in the affirmative. After some delay, he asked if I did imieh, aerobatics in the plane. 1 answered again in the affirmative, figuring he was Just being friendly. sat in the coc t, waiting for tlie Cust come out and U. S. Customs ag angry If yo eave go law-abid taxi ane. citla After five m I noticed Everyprie got out and we ins id e agent in charge said it^^s coffee time, and could I wsat? ent 8 gei/vexy es of trying to ther V. S/filaxui I foil d of 60 or so We both had coffee Fifteen minutes later, the agent peeked out of the window at �Adventures in a Biplane fflfl InrV, Chapter 8 inH pniwli.ij t-hw Norm Weis tiA, gI4.ghfc flu wj . / The oil was low my and required I asked for a quart weight. In short ordery| flight plan of to 50 Prince * was back at the plane looking for petrol. Albert •TV Thera was no tank truck available, so I gave the bloody wind­ screw a twirl, climbed in and taxied around the corner to the pump. no - a blue fired ques organized t ime the plane was surrounded by uniformed lad boy scout troo^ pf wouldpilots. three at a time until au rview. They ity shBflsd up and The questionp^wer^.Jcnowledgeable — how does/ihe handle on rolls; does she stall clean; what’s the consumption on the engine? All they had was 100 grade. Quite a discussion ensued. Finally we all understood that 100 grade was Canadian for 50 weight American. With the windscreen freshly cleaned, one of the hands volunteered a twirl, and I proceeded to taxi out, proud of my Il tv® wwt knowledge of the Canadian language. When I called for clearance to the runway, the tower operator avoided answering, questions about aerobatics. instead hwgan aiikiiig more I pulled on the parking brake and answered. ”Yes, the plane handles aerobatics nicely, and yes, I did a whole bunch Just the other day.” I7H- �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Nona Weis ’’Would you put a show on for us?” *ti^3“)'l’d sure like to, but ray authorization to enter the country prohibits aerobatics. ” ”T^ell, we can give you our permission.” ’’Can you override the prohibition?” There was a long pause, then a deeper voice came over the radio: ”We will override that.” jAen preoeeJed Ltrmini airshow at busy Regina Airport, while two jetliners loaded passengers on the ramp below. I peeled dovm between runway 30 and the tower at 500 feet and 160 mph, t)ut her on knife edge, held it, Xhen leveled, pulled y J ‘tVe up sharply Zand rolled. On fche-jutJiTd re 11 the cameras floated off the floor boards and threateaoA X trapped<-Vi n-nn hand and COmpIp^-pH— tbpm ggaiMfit- t-hp insEruwent paAol tn* wn th* w«-havy^t-h»RR ri»'ni-«iiii.,.i cut tn g - the radio ’’Beautiful, he Bring r, voice ”it ***P . beautifulI” hewan landscape the sun as seem toXsh roads elevators our CO ft at Intervals raa th ” prin^d o different. were ecially clean. th bright yell and/red grain the side, the eq wn has two or three ings/holding hockey rinks and c lin The towns an ena-size ild- lanes4^.„AxiJ-evcevwh&ie ulgrT �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Nont Weis re is wheat* »ii«| and mitev of wheat* fssHi the shield country* tdie pre-cambrian roe inally makes cul tivation impossible. As Z approached Pr Albert* Z could see the southern edge of the shield* SKltaassive^rea marked by numerous lakes* red and brown outerbps of rock* and nse forests of rather scrubby treofZ*^ Valuable minerals had be about the shiel built towns found sprinkled n the past 50 years* causing roadb^to to be born. Once the roads were built ckly beeasM fishing resorts. Zn spite of the the j^rime transportation in the shield country* or sparsely populated area of the province* was the float-equipped airplane On the ground at Prince Albert* the first three people I met asked ise to put on an air show. The folk/at Regina radio had probatty passed the word up the line. clined* refueled* filed and took off. ' I de­ flight note for LaRonge* climbed in But the ”schoolbus syndrome" prevailed* On take* off Z held the Sweetheart down for speed* then climbed almost vertically* half*-hamaierheaded^^'*and banked steeply to assume a c course to LaRonge. Signs of civilisation dribbled away to a two-lane black top road thatfchanged) eventually to gravel. cars* and Z clung to the road like a child to a Zt was lonely country. There were few magdcst A forced laxiding away from the road �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis would be disastrous, since it would be nearly impossible to move across the Rivers, lakes and bogs interlaced with occasional ridge^ike highlands called ’’eskers^’ formers veri- table maze. We sailed along over a progression of quiet lakes, remaining always within gliding distance of the road. Soon sinre them fortyjjat the extremes, the Eake was surrounded by trees and a mesh of connecting waterways. was peppered with islands. dangerous. northern half iSb southern half was open and From ground level you could not see the far shore. LaRonge Town SH- tight up against the west•iftore on a solid slab of granite. I could see several float planes taking off and landing, and several dozen more tied to the docks. The land port, a mile to the south, was quiet*4*<**^j^ the radio service was shut down. After clearing the area for traffic, 1 circled overhead searching for the wind sock. Fail­ ing that, I took direction from the float planes and landed to the northeast. had to be closed, or uld be launched deserted. A turn ,af ter>^upper arri exp mse. The radio ck was open, but on the cojnter stated^the operator 1 left no tly searc ould re» o the effect that NlNW had and would be at the Dalyn Fishi �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8^ Norm Weis The^cami^was operated by a young and friendly couple, Dave and Linda Longpre* Dave, a bush pilot until he bought the camp, had hopes of expanding the operation by adding a number of fly-in camps, and in the process-^get back into In fac^he had a lake he wanted to check out, active flying. had arranged for the use of an^^ horse Cub on floats/^fl^ 4 like to go alongT**"^**^ Shortly after breakfast the next morning, we loaded up with on^ rod and three luresx^d gas to the brim of both tanks. Dave faced her into the wind and opened the throttle. Soon we were plowing watei^ ar.u4 4...4..Q ** 1 ■ r "* ? J * ”_nn tilw gathered slowly, and the wings took part of the load. Speed Stick left, and one float cleared the water..a,Speed iaeeeased by etr four t^ph whno m, i-qm nm a sharp tug laeice off and climbing. then with Dave was an acoomplished pilot — probably had more time on floats, which Canddians call skis, than he had on wheels. It was a pleasure to look out of the window and <u>/Zo/ watch the floats pass over ^"Irrcnr as we headed for the remote lake. The sight brought back pleasant memories. Jieaewiee of my first solo flight in a seaplane^** serf of s t-yffurself been tirnntj fira yr*-* th*^ ny^ �I Adventures in a Biplane Cha Nona Weis boss and pal, Bill Riedesel, made a most unusual bargain with a yhmig adventurous type named Tom Croswell, Tra wanted floats put on\his Cub and was short of money after l^ing out cash for the Edo Hoats. Bill volunteered his and uptime to make the conversion, yf we could fly the plane, fuimishing the fuel, of course. Tom a^eed, and in three days tlM land plane became a seaplane, comple^ with extra fin, wat^ rudders, canoe paddles, / and life preservers^ the Park Rapids (Minnesota) * airport to the nearest winter. The haul would be expensive. but Tom (adventurous) had \ s He figured two pickup trucks and a long rope would\suffice« The rope would catch each float at the back of/^e ^tep on a fitting called the skeg, / \ but would release as flying speed was reached. It worked/ but it was dangerous I We had three volunteers in the back of each pickup\to hold the rope ends, and on the shouted/count of "three”, th^drivers accelerated along the grassy ^runway. At twenty mph the rope slipped from the right float/and the plane skidded wildly^ try, Tom s red into the air, using full travel on every con­ trol he could find. He staggered over the righthand pickup so low, we du^ed the floats. length amy. On the second The prop chewed air a scant arm's We never tried that method again. \ We drove to the lake and met an ecstatic �•*’X- Adventures in a Biplane Crossweli. Chapter Nom Wsis Z turned out he had never flown on fiMts before» and he loi^ it« and would we like to try it tantJ ^ill went first* While I retumed/to tend the airport. An hour\ater Bill showed up as thrilled as Tom was* and "It went Just like the book said," he explained. "Just opm up and hog back to/get her plowing* then pop her forward on tk\step, lean a flo^ out and ease back!" Z had it and rehearsed it once morses Z sat In the cockpit "sailing" the plane to the downwind em of t^ lake. Z faced her into the wind* checked mags and opeb^her up, careful to begin step one by applying some back pressu^. by the floats. Water boiled, then hissed Just as Z waf read^to pop her forward on the step, the hissing stopped* _.mii Z reallaed we were flying. 1 was still on step / \ Danmitl 120 pounds and eheat^ the minimum fuel made the Cub a real perfomr. Zt wasn’t until Z had received a seaplane rating and started\hauling passengers that Z learned steps two, three and four. \ But whatever the nature of the takeoff* float flying was a ne^ kind of thrill. On calm water, thk usual bounce and roll of Wheels was replaced with absolute siMothness. Planf end water parted and rejoined without a nenceable change. Only the onset of a quiet hiss let you know a perfect landijigghad been made. Flying from smooth water was like dancing the starring role in Swan Lake. / �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis My daydrearaiag. ended as Dave eased the throttle and glided down to an effortless landing on the smooth waters of the reweSe lake. Fishing was slow, and the first three trout threw the hook, I [jiilLitcd uliL Llie dull trsMoi me KAiigKf fiwnw chores, paddling and casting. ahftp.. a We traded WejjaxieefeetWrTBBtllSTTnr e' tt^waSe»"iwiddey on the fleaL LU ChUlTCBTauL Lhe^effoofee .Riit nt liw»S> Fishing from a floatplane is rnddllnr. Vg awkwardl* Everything is in the way, and the uaderfootlng is slippery. The fish were there — .fchee^i what Dave wanted to know, so we taxied about the lake looking for a cabin site. Several sandy beaches offered ideal location^ ^J/^ather began to move in, aad» discretion dictated a hasty departure. The winds were squalling from the wrong direction, irfrp. and eirtwo drooped hff^^y. 1 * > <-g ■» ■ 4xi£JU-aaiXiAg>'e*MMBadde*-Xo->ge<r y “**-*--■ g, n.«t. —r? on t-h^------- j]axt>J;aka«a££Ma£X£aQ£x«.JEieieUi)K9 we clawed our vay into the air and headed home, dodging the low scud^^ C_J^We won, but just barely. rolled in. fog. The wind died and the We flew^through light rain, dodging patches of haterj we heard-several eteries ef ether hush pllntdfc (9f �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Nona Vais that had been forced to land and wait for improved visibility. One of theml^ a lone female passenger of interesting propor­ That pilot was the last to axrrive the next day. tions on boaroV bush out of LaRonge, like most other flying, is mostly routine, but sometimes frightening a^ occasionally humorous. Dave told a friend that had be^ practicing water pick-up and fire-drop te^miques. Many of t^ float planes based in the area can be quickly convert^' to fire fighting configuration. Ssiall, hollow, upside down periscopes let the pilot fill two water tanks by skimming/along on the step with'\ / out really landing, then proceed\to ^he fire and drop the load* Dave’s friend was checking out a tank Installation, and had returned to the dock to complain of 'a release lever that only It took a second, heavier yank to / empty the remainder. Before he could mention the problem, he / was drawn into a scheme cooked up by a group of pilots and half moptied the load. mechanics hoping to get k^ck at a new hand, a fellow nssMMi / Joe, who had recently j^rpetrated a number of practical Jokes. Everything was plann^ carefully. Joe, airport. proposed victim, had Just left for the The gai^ would drive over and wait for the pilot to fly innocently by, then they would ask Joe to walk across the runway topick up some tie-down ropes. The pilot, �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 8 Nora Wale r VROuld time his pass and give Joe a wet right in the middle of the runway Well* Joe Xtarted across* and the pilot him. led aw only a floatplane/ihat surely Joe looked* Idn't land on the runway He continued •*>> atMi so did Uie lane — straight toward him. oe got suspicious* lane was a few hundred feet awe When the Joe jjegan to run, then re- \ / versed his field — reversed again* and finally resigned himself to his worst suspicions. The ws^r casX|bM down* knocking Joe 'let and soaking him clear toXis Jocky sl^ts. mt to look and enjoy the/lretribution. The gang ran They cavorted about the victim* pointing and Ijellering and rolling with laughter, as the pilot banked fpZa return pass, his hand on the lever that had delivered only half a load. They were in a tight knot, laughing and dancing and waving congratulations to the pilot >verhead as the remaining 500 gallons of water cascaded down*. , laBonge was still socked in with fog the next morn** ingy* 1 wandered about the town soaking up the frontier atmes-— pherp, e< an "end of ths road tewm” The single main street wsndewed^lewg parallel to the shore, graveled in spots* but puee solid granite most of the way. Fishing camps and charter air services crowded the lake side of the road. and a few residences stood opposite. Stores* cafes Sewers and septic tanks were all but precluded by the solid rock that underlaid the 193 �Adventure* In a Biplane ae^R^ Chapter 8 Norn Weie zJfiere was only one flush s£^ in town* am^ Indians from hundreds of miles around made special trips^ to flush it. Oufcheuees were the- nesm.—Brand new pre fabrlcaLed— tpeyefced ■■ui... and ona >dne litpior sev 1 "licens varied 'client to Cree trap formed in side ore did booming **ta]ce out" business presdses" offered libation to a greatly Well-heeled fly-ii\fisherme pay day, end on ont of the "premises awaitit rank ale next day, long lines open hours. Once in< native Indians would order six or eight beers de­ livered to the table, and enjoy the visible prospect as they sipped the afternoon away. ____________ The whole town smelled of fish. For the sport J* x***- the boats returned, people gathered at the docks to view the z -/fyU and pick up a tip or two. Each boat carried a large washtub or box of equivilent sise. NP-mawtageaBS^aiBSad* In June and September the boats usuaUy returned with overflowing boxes, happy fishemen^/and grinning, usually toothless, guides* But now, in July, the big fish were scarce and the boxes sq^u^ngJ^ fiUed? The urge to go fishing — really fishing — heoa * �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis ipBtetfi'tmd guidri returned as 1 watched a box holding a dozen *‘******y-rr-*—emptied ity^the cleaning house four pounders was eaoqpad neaabyX^d mas looking for someone to go shares on a day's fishing. Ed^wma a retired Saskatchewan wheat farmer/ avid fisherman* rhsmpifm ski Junysr* and oaai 6*?lw&e charactezg ftnt fslilnm mseSr. We made a dealy Ed's outboard motor and knowledge of hot fishing spots^matche^ny boat rental and gasoline. Ws headed out early the next morning* dodging reefs and bowely siibmergeifc rocks along the way. An hour late Jie seepped Se ewell s« sme-ei Bd'e fa^rity^speiaSs Ed took a couple of sights on nearby islands/*’If I don't resMSsber wrong* this is the spot.” j We trolled with wire lines^amd heavy luwes* beunen as Ed was complaining that "they don't want to hook today*” a nice one put a horseshoe bend in his stiff trolling rod. Soon we had a fine eight-pound lake trout thrashing in the fish box* and moments later a six-pounder Joined ”"iL gireb you----- plenty of t the particular to vis I was intrigued rds toget th s accent and med that in " and "trout*** rhymed perfectly. In �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Nont Weis t Canadian on and headed north to try casting for N er^^ke, calle^ ^Jacks" by the locals, Fishing was the next four with a save er and a six pounder and four pounders for on sone urs. I ftnally^-^jmtrib?ted alternated e, and when the fish box looked respectable, we tiours and thirty miles The weather was lousy the next morning. Fog re­ duced the world to a silent white hemisphere. The fish caught the day before were all filleted and frosen. Ed had donated kCf Ince his freeser at home was already ful The twenty-odd pounds of pure, boneless fillets would fit nicely ix/^me of Second Sweetheart's unused wing compartments. I stomped about town, yi-eifeing every charter sevvice and^l sh fame headquarters, touching base frequently with Dave and Linda Longpre to swap stories and listen to weather reports. The outlook was bad. When low ceilings gather over the shield country, they usually stay £while, up to a week, according to some of the long-time pilots It was relaxing for the hush pilots — a time to rest and let the mechanics catch up. time was running out for me. If 1 couldn't reach the United States in the next three days, my permit would expire emoon, t rained all bight/and andered about But rting a newly rain fell with �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 8 The rains stopped in late afternoon, but the A new low-pressure weather forecast remained discouraging, system was to move in the next for another week. and dominate the area There was.a chance for a few hours of mar- ginal flying weather the next morning^ I packed uph-and made arrangements to pick’^the fish^^ at 6 A.M. ;?here vas a noticeable thinning of the overcast as 1 walked to the local hotel J:ha next wming for an early breakfast. An hour later, a patch of blue passed over^as Dave helped me load up the Stardustei^^*^fe^ it socked in again. We waited at the radio shack, looking west for lighter skies, as if wishing would make it so. Perhaps the wishing did it. a thousand feet. i The ceilingX*^ose to I quickly filed my flight note and took off. The overcast lovzered some as I approached the mild highlands hal:^3‘’ay to Prince AlbertZ^ squeezed through with a hundred feet to spare. If it got worse, I would have to land on the road below, or head back. Itjasa brighter ahead, so ^^con­ tinued. ^Twenty miles out of Prince Albert, the weather went below VFR minimumSy'^ ;&t was too late to turn back. My gas would not reach. I called Prince Albert radio and explained my predicament. They could refuse permission to land, or they �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Nona Weis could bend the rules and let me sneak in. Never underestimate the Canadians. special way 5t^handl#*^uch problems. They fiaS^a I was asked to orbit a dozen miles north o£ the airport while they cleared the area of aircraft so that X would be the only blip on the nearby Saskatoon ladar. There was only one other plane in the air* and in a few moments, irwas on the ground, and X was cleared landf«*jfe Now X had to find the airport. The am* hundred^ —foot ceilings and quarter-mile visibility made task challmging. X^found the town of Prince Albert, then the river going east. Around the first big bend, 1 turned left and came in the back door to the airport. No sweat! landing under minimums in a pinch was all right, but X would have to wait for 800-foot ceilings before departing. X drank coffee and loafed about the grounds until noon, when the men at Flight Service said another window was arriving that would let me get off for points south — at least to Saskatoon. X filed for Swift Current, 225 miles south, figuring to land at Saskatoon if the weather worsened. We left as the window arrived, pointing upstream and south-southwest along the Saskatchewan River. brightened. ahead. Soon the skies Five large white birds with black wiT^tips j^gijwred As we closed, the' large yellow bills*Q^^he pelicans^bo*» nans swtdsati. We were alieost even with their formation when the �Adventures In a Biplane Cliapter 8 Nom Weis left wingman noticed us/''*^?h<!y evacuated in unison^and banked Saskatoon showeci clearly a point or so to Star- board. Like most Saskatchex^fin cities, it looked bright and clean, even under dark skies. I reported my progress to Saskatoon radio, received a eatisfactory weather report and continued on course for Swift. Current. ood off both wings, and we flew the wide corridor, feeling t occasicnal warmth of brief sunshine. Twenty miles \u^/bf Swift Current\ t skies were suddenly clear. hat’s what. ohC weatherman termed a similar ’’Severe clea relief from overcast conditic:•ns. Swift Current Flight Service a ramind nr thal^U. S. Customs XTOuld be clo3ed,^«4«M< •*LnTnn GuiirTiijr >JfherG would be a ^25/00 fee to open the office at Glasgow, Montana. ^^ere was too little time to make it all I hac to overnight gomex4iere, I ^igur^ the 'vrsy hcm.Q/^^d it might as well be^Swift Cuirent. I had one day left to reach the U. S, without violating ny permit. During the night , the edge of the overcast drifted south instead of east as expe cted. passing up breakfast, I hurred to the airport; few ijftekclia <eB peawwes cn the ■— wa!3i»— It was still bright to the south, but closing down rapidly from the north. Some of the scud looked familiar. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis The ceiling^ went below minimus^ as Z taxied out to tlM end of the runway. 1 had to receive clearance before takeoff. Swift Current Flight Service knei^lTwas headed for the brighter skies to the south* and to delay me now would hold me up several days. ceiling. They cleared me in spite of the low Nice folkf these Canadiaxui. For fifty sdles we dodged clouds and powe^ines. JBiea ^iuddenly it was clear again^*^ rose to^comfortable altitude* ^nd fep crossgf ths<, invisible line* the 49th Parallel* that separates those who say "troot" from those who say "trout.” Montana* asked the quired questions the plane. on before releasi Haljf^ realised that I had failed to cancel jd gow did not answer* but after four calls* the pilot of a Twin Otter* flying nearby volunteered to relay my reque The homing instinct came on strong as the Big Hom Mountains showed a faint line ahead. Individual peaks stood out as we approached Sheridan on the Wyoming border. was nearly 100 degrees. The full tanks and the extra weight of the fish packed in the wing made the taktf£bff fnora Sheridan Airport less than spectacular. We staggered out and climbed �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 8 slowly into coole^ smoother air. There is time aplenty to dream and fehinlnwhen the air is smooth and the course is known. Each sight below sparks a different thought. This was the favorite country o^Jim Bridger some 100 years ago. "Old Gabe(^ as they called him, used to call Big Homs, his "Shining Mountain^^ and he would tell lies about "seein* clear through * em." H^Zlaimed they "magnified rock chucks to look big as Ue al'se^laii all the mountains in the territory "was jes* little hills" when he got there, and that they had "growed some since." a special storyConcerning passing below was reclaimed. t liked to be a/small alkali lake before it The e was oil ep above it, and an outc face, "Old Gabe o:: coal below 1 e to a newspaper ioaan from rold his fines e\3ast who believed it and printed t as truth. "This ••Old Gabe ce is going to famous soma day* said '* Sooner or later someone is go in* to open up that oil seep and let her run into that there alkali lake, t tunnel in and torch off the c whole d boil the e down into the biggest batch of soap you ever aoi �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 8 Norm Weis Fifty miles ahead, Casper Mountain showed its rounded outline. We were nearly home. 1 studied the mountain carefully. It didn't lookwhit bigger than the day we left. I had kind^^oped it might have "growed some^ jTZ**^.** 2.^2 �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 9 The grand gathering at Oshkosh, the yearly bash of the Experimental Aircraft Association, was scheduled for the last week in August. That gave me ten days to relax, in­ spect and tend to Second Sweetheart’s minor ailments, as well as gather maps and lay out the longest trip of the sunner. Oshkosh was a mere 900 miles away,ya shorter- trip by TjtBnncrpj t-han the jmmt- t-n ^gut-Osh^osh■ would stop on the way to the east coast. be an extended Once^the Atlantic shore - �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis my border^to-border and coast—to-eoast goals would have been accomplished. It took(ij)sectional charts to cover the proposed route. I planned to visit Park Rapids, Minnesota; Oshkosh, Wis­ consin; Chicago, Illinois; Goochland, Virginia; Kitty Hawk, North Carolina; and Muscatine, Iowa. The trip would last about two weeks, requiring an amount of gear, mostly clothing, that overtaxed the plane’s capacity. I sacrificed the chute and replaced it with two changes of cloth^s^ then up three more changes to be It was the wrong season to leave cool mailed ahead to Oshkosh. Vtyoming and head for hotter and more humid areas. sweat a lot, I expected to , The sun rode low on the cowl as we headed east, looking for the dark^SSd^of the Black Hills. They rose/*^nd sharpened on schedule. We passed over the^^wn of Custer and skirted the southern end of the mountains. Mrff*Rushmore, a few under s^^^t^s of rain. miles to the north, was Rapid Cdity, visible over the nose, was momentarily free of precipita­ tion. We gassed up quickly and were off again. The best tail­ wind was at 9,600 feely^^/^e rose to ride with the helping wind and enjoy the cooler air. at—F" Qi-yrpnnf The deoeenfc to-Abeideeii, SuuLtrPakuta, feet, wuuVI Tifi nri rnr popping UHJiinlenee. To minimize the effect^ I began a gradual let^down eighty miles �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Vais We landed under sunny skies dotted with a fresh crop of out. budding cumulus clouds. North and ^^ast of Aberdeen, we nicked a comer of North Dakota, crossed the north flowing Red River/^^and entered the State of Minnesota. The air felt cooler immediately. The clouds were older here, sporting flat bottoms and slow boil­ ing tops. The land^ below changed from crops and deciduous trees to *Xai;ee and pines. I put the maps away and enjoyed the familiar outlines of the lakes passing below. Mature thunderstorms stood with an^vLl^hg^^ hoadsthreaded OUr Hoop ranynn. nnf- nf y/tay tyhlt-e lightning shoot bright jagged lines from the virga that bottomed each storm cell. Sounds of thunder were lost in the^engine and the view from the cockpit weis "remini bo ent of a scene from an old silent movie. The air began to roughen, Gratefully we sloped down over the trees and slipped sharply to the grass runway at Bill Riedesel's little airport south of Park Rapids, Minneso- ta. We had traveled 650 miles in^^^^hours — what a freedom machine( Bill stood by the hangar, all smiles, as I taxied up. His help in majoring the engine two years earlier jaow^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 hroughte- full' satisfaction. Norm Weis He ran his hands over the curves *•<*"« Vnr.w4r.g thnt of the Sfcarrtnwhft^.in Gfppyflr^nt-^nn. all skills viaart to bwlld she plawe hadiJaaat learned ^i^Jhis direction. nf r,uz^p Two of Bill's art asked Bill to-call whenane passing out ^)^^jizo«de. One of the men, a Starduster loo builder, paid the ultimate compliment by dlaimin^he was going straight home s^ take a piss-elm branch to his half-built plane The second gentleman was more concerned with performance "How quick^'^oes she get off?" "I don't really know — probably six, eight hundred feet at this altitude." and offered to bet He both of us know- ing .all he wanted was to see the plane fly We didn't measure it, but with the luggage out and a firm breeze on the nose, she got off in grand fashion. I hung her on max climb at^^^per, then put on an impromptu air- show. i-n Tt-»n idisn alftni*; lOOpod SUd aK«..T,^a V^.>p« Awo gtiy rolled, hammerheaded and snapped, slipped and '* »- XI... trU.. knn^or fA-,. ^nin.»h.i.. - surf tw-H 11 ■ At eljght the next morning, I climbed in the cockpit,''ocmfnrtable jgith Ginny Riedesel s enllnasy nospitallty. 2^)6 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis Sfi^efully avoiding the stick with my leg, I settled in and moved kll the right levers as Bill gave the prop a twirl or two. has a way with engines. He ) One hand in his pocket, the other gently pulling through against compression, his head cocked, listening tor the right sound from the carburetor. ’’Switch on,” and thJ nvor ornAnthly AU1' »r pnVL O^'Wpnhhv, Once airborne, I picked out a lake on the desired track ahead, took a compass reading/^nd relaxed, letting the Sweetheart handle the business of flying while I took in the sights. ToV>-.e f.yoAA Smoke^tw a saw mill rose, kewfrwest, rose some more, then leaned hard east. I matched altitude with the east leg and watched the ground^peed climb. Just south of Duluth, and barely short of Wisconsin, •fly J;&7way was blocked by a solid bank of Arh^te. Ta -f-ly above HiFas €n1 ly — the gas tank would probably go dry before I found a holei**^t tried^»«2e«neerfch, and the world dissolved in white, forcing me into an uncomfortably low one-eighty. nearest airport^a lonely grass strip near ^5<mdetoone, Mliiuesutn';—Tlie suck hung litnjT: n bear up fuul pump and set the parking brakooi Ar* kfaded sign read ’’Sandstone Municipal Airport - phone for gas QT taxi. Inside the adjacent shack, chewed over stuff* chair, and rinizonnt-o o f-rnm ,0 well «<gpi»nr.g epfo, a �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis note was pinned to the space heate^: ’’Don’t light fire — bird's nest in smoke pipe.' fcsid weathered-twtn»engine Aera-Commander nPiaiocks were boltad to^^h^^do^, and sat on two fl an ki aid someLhlnK’TKbew Marijuana, no J»n I bcLi? do foe away. for a look. ■ j qq «4,.. imj atr-tmp«-»d tn win tha An hour later, I fired up the plane and went up The path was still blocked. Another hour, another try, and this time the fog was breaking up into patchefi. headed east, zigzagging to remain over open ground. We At Rice Lake, Wisconsin, the fog closed in again, but we needed to land there for gas anyway. Navy man ran thw waath«>r station at ^^Ti* ^°V<ui Illi* prognosis was u6iuiiul» and as it tumed-^^f also oulfw arriivfM A» ^nd _ t-U.. The land-changed from lakes to meadow, /•* 'de then to mixed crop and dairy land. Jifead winds 4eMai«^ and we headed southeast. our speed suffered. It took nearly two hours to cover the 150 miles .^osaWMbee laitet To Waupaca. A twin«engined aircraft was departing Waupaca as we entered the pattern. I tuned in Unicom frequency just in time to hear the pilot of the twin ask: '’W^io’ s-bbafc up there �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis tn that little biplane?” ”It*s me, Norm Weis, from Casper, Vtyomtng.” ’’Sorry I missed you,” came the reply. Waupaca was delightful. Nice pilots’ lounge, hot coffee, new tie-downs (at no charge)^and a cafe across the street. Oshkosh was a twenty-minute hop away, in early the next momxng I could pop uthe convention traffic^ set in* t Jhe- tent f ai S nie elyi along side Second Sweetheart’s right wing. I Inflated the air matteess and fluffed up the sleeping bag. The seat and back cushions made an excellent pillow. I laid out canteen, flashlight and reading material, locked the camera in the baggage compartmentretired to the shade of a large cottonwood tree across the street^and nuxV tn the rafiei beer was cold and the trunk of the tree met cty back in all the right ^la^es. A mild breeze the air rnnled as the ^wened. It would be a good night for sleeping. well the gear^wwo ro 11 a 3 aiid a t the horizon by the time aA4r The engine startea the first try, and «affre* .a.rfhawt wainuLip», I was off to see the elephant « the grant extravaganza called Oshkosh. Traffic was light — only a dozen planes flew the pattern over Oshkosh. Lacking the proper frequency, I joined the no radio group and landed the first go ’round. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis A pickup truck full of ground handlers met and directed me to Uta parking spot. I dug out the tie­ down stakes and laboriously screwed them into the hard ground, then tied the plane’s wings and tail securely. At the registration booth I filled out the forms that entered Second Sweetheart in the judging for the best homebuilt. I signed a statement attesting to the fact that I had done at least 5(^of the building (actually 98^, then paid my fees and headed back to unload the plane. car was parked alongside the Starduster . '’’^u’ll have to move it. You’re in\thex^ong row!” They hilped roll the plane next row, th^nCleft as I began shifting the tle-downaz Ins ip lent blist^frs gc^ and burst before the job was dpne. Another blplajre was directed to my old spot by_^ the crow that had asked me to move A ------- Planes were everyvdiere -- landing, departing, form­ ing up in display lines, filling camping spots, settling in for the week-long air show. Within a few days there would be more than 420 homebuilts, 150 antiques, 140 war birds, two dozen rotor-craft/*and a handful of creations that defied classifica­ tion. In all, there would be ^260 on display, and 300,000 people would view them. They arrived by car and by plane, and they stayed at the campgroun<^ oeb-tw the motels, or the /University dorms. influx. The 50,000 citizens of Oshkosh were overwhelmed by the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis The entire vest side of the airport was filled with planes. Thousands of store-built craft crowded the park­ ing areas and created a havoc in the air that challenged the traffic controllers. More than 70,000 arrivals and departures could be expected during the week, making Oshkosh temporarily the busiest airport in the world,.t^r far. Airline pilots had been known to pass up their scheduled stops at Oshkosh because of the confusion. Planes formed long lines in the air awaiting their turn to land. Controllers had no time for such niceties as numbers and letters. It wa^’^d lovz-winger, you’re next — stretch your glide and land at the far end; yellow bipe, pour it on, stay close to the red low-wing; blue Cessna, you’re long, go around; silver Beech, put it down now, right now, then get off the runway to the left! up. Come on folks, close it Red Cessna, stay right and put it on the numbers* BEECH, GET OFF THAT RUNIMYl BLUE Everyone, taxi on the grass only.” And on it would go for an entire week. And that was just the runway for store-bought aircraft. A separate runway was reserved for experiraentals and such. At times that runway was even busier. I wandered about, getting in the spirit of things, The letters *^E^^^.^^ere everywhere; on signs, on every air­ plane, on caps and patch-covered jackets. I saw them on pins and t-shirts, even earTVings and coffee cups, all offered for t-h �Adventure* iu * Biplane sale* Chapter 9 Norm Wei* Two dollar film was selling for $3.95, and there were fees to camp, fees to enter the ground, and fees to enter the display area/'-^ndj of course^ a fee to Join the K7A?X^^^fbeg£^*^ to resent the fact that Z had to pay a fee to display a plane that others had to pay a fee to see. Yet, the Hicpevli^SataA Aircraft AsioeilaMsa Is a nonprofit organisation, loyalty within the group Is fantastic. I seemed to ha the only one possessing doubts. questions were met with amazement. My hesitant Nd one. It seeam^ had ever heard a disparaging word used In connection with the E.A.A. Apparently I was out of step^- * maybe It was tht "yilgtifi. For would-be airplane builders, Itrwaa a grand place to gather vital Information. see lota of planes. run loose. For xmiookeve. It was a to For^^M^ It was a place to let the kids For It was a place to learn a skill) even take part In some construction at one of the do-it-yourself workshops. For the buslnesqj^o^k. It was a place to aeidt-Hietr pmdiifrt as hawk their wares. �Adventures in a Biplane sopagatelyi Chapter 9 Norm Weis 1 wivorf ip block]! f buji HrilBLlBijiL Out on the ramp/nmerous aircraft were on display with owners or agents on hand to dispense information as to cost of construction, perforrnance/and of plans. the availability Selling plans .jawk big business. Of cours^ it’s nearly impossible to design your own craft, and plans are vital and well worth the money — especially If they represent a craft designed by an aeronautical englnee^^^* meet ef them-are> CZ^^^lTBut few people realize that 1,000 sets of $150 plans add^ up to $150,000, and that’s big business. Only one buyer in sixty ever completes his plane, so the sale of plans is a matter of selling dreams, and I can’t knock that — for dreams are aare at any price. A^'^ark, I caught a bus for town and settled into ny dorm room at the University. It was sweltering. it was still hot^^^^eep was impossible. At midnight VThile those lucky fiUDi Llie “Ouiitlj" slept comfortably, the group from cooler places sat in the lobby, watched television and sweated. More homebuilt craft arrived the next morning, and the competition escalated, ffnr ii iilihH I thought the Sweetheart was the finest carnmp^c on display^** trundled in. a wildly painted Pitts Its finish was like a mirror. The three colors of paint met so smoothly that the Joints defied detection, even by fingertip. 2-/3 �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Whin Down the line, a trio of BD4*s*^arked and new ropes were strung along stanchions. One proud owner stretched nearly 100 feet of white plastic chain about his plane, set up large Information easels/^li^ relaxed on a matching white chaise Joua^. KIs airplane was flawless — metallic paint Job In subdued tones of green} dark ^lexiglas^4*^s^P<^ upholstery,^/ and desert scenes air-brushed neatly along^c^ter lines of^^e* lags and wheel pants* Before all the contesting aircraft had arrived, I had reduced vxy Taaik from a hopeful first or second, to twelfth or below — and they only went three or four deep on the prizes* However, tl^e^^ms always an award for the best S tardus ter > and there ly^had a chance > although seven or eight Stardusters had already arrived, wen-another Starduster showed up, sporting a military paint^J^ that rivaled mine In workmanship,^became Instantly 3ieentfuU imw wandered over to visit with the "ptleb aid owner. j x He We a decent sortX^^ small-stalked like a couple of banty roosters^^ur plea­ sant words^qulte^^poslte tJefrinx thoughts, Down the line, the builders of two blue and yellow biplanes were going through the same routine* Their discussion waifiaec to argument when' It eame-Se the question of cruise speedy then cooled as they both watched a thlrd^blue and yellow biplane taxi up with a young woman at the controls* of egos, and mine It was a gathering �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Nona Weis was second to none. Of the twenty or so biplanes, I figured the Sweet­ ♦•h-rAugb heart was the finest, but tdeenrl was ownex% light green Starduster Tyfio^came close^'^Y^m eyes. sure the owner eyed my plane Uhe ^valuateten,, but there no rivalry here, for old Doug Pfundhelle^ was too buoy har friendly. His family^nH fwteiwhj a few blocks away in the drive-in campground^ <Hri pnt camped got along wall wlbh Norwegian^^limlip— hospitality is exceptional. Doug htmg a sign on his plane, "Please do not touch or caress," and it worked. our planes. However, we both stayed close to The hordes of visitors, although mostly well manner- ed, were known to flop ailerons, climb in cockpits, bump and bend worst of all, lean over to look in^he cockpit while babes in arms kicked hell out of the fabric. If it wasn't babies, it was neck-strapped cameras that banged and rebounded. We all developed baby rash and camera Now I understood why so many owners had brought rope and stanchions along. At times I vay worries over tourist damage tjjxnedie^edbBsfc and walked over to the workshop area to listen particularly interesting seminar, or take part in a work­ shop. But always I returned quickly to take care of the plane. Then too, I didn't want to miss the judging team as it made the �Adventures in a Biplane rounds. Chapter 9 Norm Weis Some of the owners stuck around until dark, hoping to add a swaying word or two. We all assume^T^J^tlw judges^probably a team of half a dozen experts** would look each plane over carefully* top, bottom, inside, outside, even lift the cowl. There was much discussion about the great number of ^^omebuilts'^hat ha^^been built by professionals. One past winner had claimed his 5^^ but it turned out he had hired his welding, bought his fittings, had a friend build the ribs, hireo^tne plan^eeieeaMi^ and farmed out the upholstery and paint job. He did fly it to the contest. I began to under­ stand how the unbelievable paint jobs and upholstery I had seen on some of the "top twelve" had been achieved. Thousands of visitors wandered through the display area each day. Most of them asked the same questions! much did ^xost? from Casper? Do you really fly it? "How Did you fly it here How many hours did it take?they ooh^and alf^n admiration^ST^wch a long trip, as if each hour were perilous. The job of plane tending became easier when 1 blew up the air mattress and stretched it under the shade of the right wing. I lay there for hours, fielding questions, occa­ sionally reading/^nd always hearing the click of cameras held by^iSSc Kteo thought a comical sight. �Adventure3 lu a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Wais The week long fly-in Is a good experience for the flying huff, the sl^tseer and the would-be hooMbullder. I envied them as I stood by the plane, my freedom restricted and opportunities to look and learn severely limited.—Oshkosh experience would have been far more pleasan^^^ 1 had made an^) ebservey<gi7a mistake to display a plane /^rller on the first trip. Air shows were held at the end of each day, and they were the beet feature of the convention. Performers vied for a chance to show their skills, and they did it/freal <yhere- was such' a spirit in the ergsnlteMnn and such respect for itw"'' feisndoTii Paul Pobaragipy^ ♦•hat me one evee esked’ a fee of ths XaAiiAi ^^^^al hours a d^^ ^r the entire week, the air shews went oiy^ and seldom was an act repeated* were outstanding, Most efiethe acts tw of them were quite similar to the type of show that 1 had put on for the college faculty* Perhaps I wasn't so far from professional quality air show work as Z had thought. One performer made his briefly* It was a quirk of the plane that he had discovered quite by accident. biplane stand on its tail Itaesolved to experiment with the Starduster and see if it had any unusual moves within its makeup* could invent a new maneuver* . Perhaps Z y Wednesday rolled around and there haJ bssiri rg. sign of the judges, Worse, my clean clothes had not coma* �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Bainy weather Jee^ arrived» but that wee we leone. Nem Well Ute IneleuiBinr* weeiih^ would hold down the visitors and temper the heat. Between rain showers, a young pilot at the south end of the field had been Making short flights in his powered, tailess glider. He would fire up the engine, hoist the rigr'v^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis and run into the wind, retracting his feet as rtwr-flying speed was obtained, then climb laboriously for altitude. I watched him execute steeper and steeper win^^vers, marveling at the stability. Every tailess model airplane X had ever built flew only briefly before *^/er1^a aede atmtlaa ts fclf rotating reel in an old push-mower. A few flights later, the pi^t e< tlis LuilesM overdid his aerobatics and :&4r^ver on his back. Immediately the wings began to roll over jind swsr» like the reel I had been thinking about. He fell as he rolled, and passed behind a large hangar, still rolling. I hurried Xks line to find the pilot and machine both intact. On the way down he had been shifting his weight back and forth to no effect, but after shutting (t0ib^the power and shifting weight once more, the plane stabilized a few feet over the ground. E.A.A. officials were on hand, as well as an ambulance or tw^ d pilot was grounded for the duration of the meet. Skies cleared the next day and the crowds increased. Long lines formed lor every necessity. X stood in line for coffee, &Mr hot dogs, 4Sow a drink at the fountain^er a chance to use the outhouse. voiced the sentiment! Someone deep in one of the lines ’’Oshkosh is a nice place to live, but I wouldn’t want to visit.” Six of us missed the bus to the airport the next 2 �Adv«ntura« in a Biplane Chapter 9 morning, so we shipped in 6^. cab. Norm Weis As we ■pprosched- the aiv 4Mpa,H.<ng. port, we aaiBfa ftn» pd st s steep aagle i peiliups UlJETty W8g*«r» strife ths ground and flii^i^ owsr. Although we were still several blocks from ths terminal, we could clearly see two people scramble from the ^*p^S^mid run, then stop and stare^as^lipilled fuel, ignited jjpMot. fnllftwed ths trail to t^ ‘^irplum brightly. Qm-aAspdiiM flared Later we learned that the plane^^rried three people, and sadly, one of them did not get out in time. It surprised sm that there weren't more accidents, especially on the runway reserved for the experimental^ ^^The "fly-by” pattern above the runway was always crowded. Sometimes thirty or forty aircraft made endless circles, some landing, some taking off to enter the circuit. To fly the circuit, pilots were required to attend one of the many briefings held each day. The ^leflngs were put on by volunteer people, and If it wasn't such serious business, the proceedings would have been hilarious, J>n , g ... Hl**;* P‘"J||1 II oeated meseewa nanatflijlifr Iipatumtly “‘Ti“ The thrust of each briefing was to the effect that certain hours were for slow planes, other hours foiPmedlum speed/'and 4rtins«for the fast planes. There would be NO racing, NO Abrupt �Adventure* In a Biplane Chapter 9 pull ups, and MO turns below 200 feet. Norm Weis All takeoffs and Ings would be handled by the slgnalswn on the runway u ZtAi -(-ea fy direction o£ flight on the circuit we sfcatsd, thsn .<0^ Il colored card of a certain shape as proof of atten­ dance, and permission to fly the circuit* But as soon as pilots climbed into their planes, the rules were forgotten* As If by common consent, wst pilots sttde soomlng cllstb* and showy low-level approaches* there were lots of informal races every day* And races — The colored cards given out at briefing were seldom asked for at the runway, and slow, aedluBi and fast aircraft were J^ifsant^ In the pattern together* The word was out* The judging was finished I The winners would be announced later that day. No one along the biplane lines had seen the judge^^^Wm a pilot from the next row said they had driven by one day In the^j^^ — rolled dow the^windows and looked — at some plane^^ they t even stop^^ the carl Well, none of us expected to be In the running for the sweepstakes, but there was still the prise for the best biplane. �-J. 4 Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Then the ecx£ fell! Norm Weis The donor for Chert:' trophy That meant all our waxing and polishing, hadn't coma through. waiting and hoping, had been in vain. The biplane pilots propped up their crippled egos and turned their attentions to the trip home. For me it was The best part of ray trip was still aheacL^ But there easy. Car nwM*. mnffi nl-r aHnw^ thia atiH m« t-A pain of H4AAppA4A*r«^*- TJie performers, the most "Spectacular, , was a group called the Canadian Snow le flight of niAe, often shi/^ting to f soloists. leath. r Thei^ Tu^br JetsTwere red I They trails whpie smoke and Lights on. I They wer^f antas tic. \ Formations not between xti^eu^rs, but in the mid­ formation chafed to wiw goose to diamona :om loop to /roll to bomb b^st. / They were \ They truly flew^e HIGH FLIGHT that John Billcspie Mageeu Jr. captured in verSe shortly before he was kille(L--ert: age 1 ieKoy^ Canadian Air Force! �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter**silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed, and Joined the tum­ bling mirth Of sun-split clouds — and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung High in the simlit silence. Hov’ring there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung Ify eager craft through footless halls of air* Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed^sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. The above poem is often published without copyright �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 10 It was a relief to be alone and free of crowds. We were a mile above the ground, cruising north, paralleling the spur of Lake Michigan^^^alled ’^^en Bay^T*****Plans to head for Chicago, then southeast toward Kitty Hawk, had been changed by the persist&it rain-filled low-pressure system that occupied ^xxthem Wisconsin and most of Illinois and Ohio. I had always wanted to visit Mackinac Island anpmyy (they call it ”Mackinaw”), and the weather was an easy excuse. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis The entire Island was an historic landmark. Located a scant fifty miles from the Canadian border, between mppee and* im<re>"MlqhlganH fche Island commanded the strait between Lakes Huron and Michigan. Although no cars were allowed on the Xsland^ ■in oidex bo preserve ies hi st eric sspee^ access by air was permitted. It would be a nice place to wind down after suffering the crowds of Oshkosh. We hopped our way along the west< shSre, then curved along the north shore of Lake Michigan, enjoying the sun and the solitude, shopping every two hours or so^r gas, coffee and a leg stretch, \ X Car¥ crawled along ths'Uiighway below, their destiny dictated by the whuM of a strip^f concrete. I watched their struggles to pass and>gain tM edge, and felt vastly superior as we sped by at twice the/speed. The desire to fly must be within most of us, but the'^ear of leaving the ground in many of us has happily left/the skyto just a few of us. The air was pleasantly rough as we climbed to pass over the open wi^r that separated Island. mainland from Mackinac Measui4ng am a half, pfing two two miles miles by by one one am^^a half, the the southern southern <end of the Isl. was filled with stores, hotises, a hotel and rock- walled fort. The north end was traversed by. a single 3500 foot runway. \ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis ere no hangars, just one bui g wit wdre ti in js. adid, restrooms down, so ntended EM ephone. en planes a spot and sunk tie-down stake ctiiirlrrE ooil- t , . Cmara/n hnndy I began the one—mile walk to town*. ■ A*i4**-r**itJ‘ • lait.Wfin niHrWy overtaken by a stoutly wheeled dray, pulled by a team of horses. I bummed a ride on the tailgate, dangled my feet and enjoyed the view. The road was deeply shaded in tall It was marvelously quiet. pine ' WU llhl'daded tttfe L. 1iiiinfL!i. o -pr.illcu muffttJ Llm ulijp JLidU^ll lab»r. orses, drpt^ings were a with king-siz push carts. of days w ” were no ons and bicycles were everyv^ere. ev ere, but so were the street cleaners ong-ha died dust pans, Any smel ng gone. that rema Bi and twor d was pleasa led y remiyiiscent iding was made inteeesting by the apples” that escaped the sweepers. Amazingly, there ies! Main Street ran parallel to the south shore of the Island, and was face<^both sides with small shops and cafes. The side streets of town were steep and it was common to see a string of bicycles catching free^ride/behind horse-drawn vehicle^ Qjl I uiuiimin Illi Illi iiiiiii.u£ij jiaok.i curlo^ Z2-C �Adventures tn a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Wets the ramparts of Fort Mackinac, high on a promontory at the east The Fort is intact and weafehithe climb and the edge of town. <92.00 fee for a chance to wander about the halls and to view the Straits from highf^rapets. Semawhate-'Sliattailj ' atSwftbsd, but On the opposite side of the town, the impressive Grand Hotel effuis a tastir olsgmntitn ’ Built in 1878, with fancy woods and loving care, the building has remained in marvelous repair and full working order* More than 800 feet long, and fronted all the way with a column supported three-story porch, the magnificent struc­ ture dominates the Island's west overlook. ThaLjml9UBa4xizuJiaBg£sJJ3 fira aprlaklar jysbsmi. Itenjrlg^-eye doors, and a reinforcement . Just inside the main entrance was a sign, "Ties and coats are required after 6 p.m.**>,^ AnA ba lew frhet-r-" lytked to bjrpass the ” nn r;*****^ rig^^" a"sho^^ t-ls"* pl eye** *‘hi Cl rtnF’for^^le. The lobby wa^eeply carpeted. Adjacent oms and cocl^t^r^loimges obviously catered to^ tlaa^11 heele felt out of place. \ On the front porch, a four year oM lasB'^s lost and c tie ^^Immediately one of the hotel officials, in black tails, to �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Nona Weis . An elderly woman was trundled oi^ the front door to a waiting ambulai^, one of the two vehicles allowed on the Island, The lady was ito formal attire./Several long-tailed official types hovered ab^t with sme/ling salts and worried looks. The scene shouted ar^uen/s. A problem developa^ whfeh the lady refused to let the long-haired unshaven, dut^gar^-clad man with the sththoscope come near her. She refi/ed to acceM the fact that the young ”hippie” was an M.D.y/and stoutly clawed she’d ’’rather die.” A compromise was reached. The officialXwould load her through the rear door/^ the ambulance, and the "iHppie” M.D. would enter via fene front passenger door. Once irvSthe privacy of the vehicle, and safely out of sight, she woulc^et the ”hippie” ’e't. doq^r^ndj^^^neg^i&l^^ Feeling the need of a little class ntyselfAl dined ( s&fd out in the finest place in town that did not require then took a.taxi to the airport. mrme, eaueh lilte the dra> , except J Mini II vr ; a'l'VSTSSI h»w1 'iinly skinini.agy bnrs^pnwer It d. a twcK-way uudip! was labdin the T-pn-ifi- ev en and women a h piled 0 and ran over to hold the knew h way around ould tell ard unif s One of thtem obvijXusly y the viay h 2-Z^ �Chapter 10 Adventures in a Biplane taxi — by the horse Norm Weis brVdle! The lM<fi ay The crewmen remaning tried to explain the situation to ma. Sure, it was ^vacation, but it was a trainWig flight too. Yes, it took a lorn of fuel/ but the pilots ha^to fly a certain num­ ber of hotws each mon:h to remain curr^t. Why didn’t they fly ke another Gua^ Base? They explained tracted few/volunteers, 1 lold gaZ; ay the hotel, I 8uffered‘~*-eoTCPu- sion jbf standards. I hold nold t' thjroi their presence made me proud to •ayer. pitched ray tent beside Second Sweetheart as the sun spread color over the western sky. With flashlight and book, I read myself to sleep — the first good sleep in a week. oJ- coffee brought me awake. th^<*S^ter was fiXy»g*1nsLeakfast. The crevz in iZcleaned up in the opera­ ions building^then wandered over to the ’copter to visit a it and a cup before firing up the plane and flying south for a proper breakfast. J ' -------------- - —------- - ' At Jackson, Michigan, I learned that a low-pressure area covered most of the Appalachians, and that Hurricane Belle on the coast^^as holding the weather system in place. I de­ cided to head south and skirt the west edge of the overcast. Marysville, Ohio was as far as I could go. I was �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis stuck there for three days vihile Hurricane Belle made a slow curve to the northeast, then finally headed out to sea. The air was clear and the sky was cloudless as we departed Marysville. A few miles south, smog covered the city of Chilliclothe like a poisonous blanket. dirty brown and Beyond, the sky turned plumes rrsr ^hi hrrrlrgn f”^J of red and black smoke compounded the problem. At Ashland, the visibility dropped to two miles, requiring special radar clear­ ance and a ^^ve minute wait in order to land. The poor visibility had me a bit spooked, and I sought advice concerning the best passage through the Appalachians. "Just head up the canyon," the man said. you can see to the next bend. "Keep going as long as That's the way we all do it. Of course, if you had the instruments, you'd be better off on top." Jfllihiiisgitm^KyiVThorinlnn, T pointsd thr ntnr^iiii^rqn nopdj;o the east, foliowing the highway to Cha^aaton, \ virginiaX Charl^West radio cleared BM,-tHrough their/control \ area and wisKW me well as I neadetTup the canyon, aiining for y Tteaweke on the other side of the «ounteata-»-----------" The overcast sat like a lid on the canyon rim, and we flew the open notch, following the bends out of necessity. It was nervous work, and 1 disliked it intensely. My hand ached from gripping the stick, and time crawled. My disgust turned to stage one fear when a half- �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Nona Weis bridge loomed out of the mist half a mile ahead. Con­ struction work meant guy wires* and that meant I had to go over* not under, even if the space below looked ample* I climbed to test the ceiling, figuring on a quick hammerhead turn if things The clouds rodeubJMiM«ML feet above the rim. went bad. I turned south, crowded between the clouds and the town of Fayette ville below. e The ai t was* in f d high" ction way. th a bend to tXe rig circle two win and npP^oached from 'the south. the lose/end of the runway After contacting the hill sl^pe right I gutt Two men tarr ng cracks^at ved away at the la moment realized we were/on a bad down it OU brakes* maki hour 40 pe ged the the bend to/the back up slope. thin, and more than e could talk your leg off frie lea ed wan d weat about know. Fina the new bri In fi fteen minutes I than 1 reall West , I got the conv sation turned to the , and what the remainder of the canyon was like "That bridge is gonna be the wor s highest and 23/ �Adventures In ay^ip^/fene the world' this Chapter 10 p — the vdiole wo arch brid longe bad. er 8 n G 8 wors of the :^anyon is okay — Aot like own is wh say, d you kn this thos books in e scXools, and th lots o£ times e part you a through —’ e they first^/started banning coal mi rs’ unions - II r came from j\n>n Norm Weis 4|f white-knuckled nqr way through Llw iBUia'liulci eS< any on, carefully following our slow progress on the map. At Hinton, we turned south, and with great relief followed the flat eastern shore of Bluestone Lake. Then, with lifting ceilings,‘•t^erflew the narrows at Pearisburg and took a straight line for Roanoke, Virginia. The blacktop ramp at Roanoke felt particularly solid and reassuring. 1 dawdled over several cups of coffee before calling Dan and Ruth Steck, old friends now living in Goochland, Virginia. We agreed to meet in Charlottesville, 100 miles northwest of Roanoke and forty-five minutes away over comfortable terrain. Riding in an automobile was a welcome change. I spent the evening and the next day touring the various construc­ tion projects Dan had going, and generally relaxing, waiting for* the smo^ to clear. Dan and Ruth finally convinced me that the haze was normal, so I made plans to fly to Kitty Hawk the next day. Dan had locaged a small private strip just norgh of 2-32 �Chapter 10 Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Goochland, and taed**secured permission for me to land on my re­ turn from the coast. S* The smog enclosed us as we climbed out of Charlottes ­ ville. It was M*~~a thin brown version of the white stuff I 4^^ encountered over Los Angele^ formed a Tarwfirstaele around the plane, growing and shrinking, but always affording a few miles of visibility. We climbed, and the sky above became blue, but the ground visible below closed down like the dlaphaam of a camera. AU»uwu Duwl fUflUiCl AVdUlid usi** We flew the bewA past Richmond, dropped In at Chesterfield County Airport for fuel, then headed southeast, carefully tracking progress on the map while keeping an eye on the bottom of the bowl. There Is one advantage to smog flying. Other alrI, craft stand out as black sllouettes, with no chance to hide In A the camouflage of mottled ground. The possibility of a raltPair collision Is minimized. At Suffolk I filled up for the 240-mlle/round trip flight to Kitty Hawk. The Great Dismal Swamp occuplled the land under a shorty straight-line course. Common sense dictated a track south along the railroad, then down the wide Chowan River< and east along the edge of Albermarle Sound to the long cape that stood off the coast. Detours aroimd restricted areas and the Coast Guard Port at Elizabeth City added to the distance. , , . With Just over half a tank of gas remaining^ the 233 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 dunes of Kitty Hawk shewed* below. Norm Weis The skies at the coastline were a suarprislng blue, well speckled with small puffs of cumulus. The bright sunlight flashed off the choppy waters of the Atlantic while the or^hore breeze held the smog at bay. I wheeled overhead, reconstructing the path of the Wrights* first flight, then dropped down and rolled the There was no time to dawdle. almost half gone. The fuel supply was With throttle retarded and mixture lean, we began the slow trip back. Prior to the trip, I had done a bit of reading about the Wright Brothers. the two men Aviation texts generally agree that been badly served by historians. eering skills were phenomenal. Their engin­ Not only did they develop a controllable flying platform, bu^the engine to match, a«4 the first airfoil-shaped propeller. Their propellers were more than 70^efficient. Sixty years later, propeller efficiency had been boosted to only But most of all, they were persistant. wrote to Octave Chanute,^May 13, 1900: Wllbufc ’’For some years I have been affected with the belief that flight is possible to man. My disease has increased in severity and I feel that it will cost me an Increased amount of money, if not my life.” On conviction of the brothers' first successful �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis glider flight, Wilbur wrote his father, Bishop Milton Wright: man who wishes to keep at the problem long enough to really learn anything positively must not take dangerous risks. Carelessness and over-confidence are usually more dangerous than deliberately accepted risks.'* One can but envy their industry and their genius. Perhaps it would not be pleasant to live a life filled with such determination, but if Z could have controlled Ety own ancestry, I would like to have been one part Wilbur, one part Orville, two parts Will Rogers, two parts Llndbergl^ three parts Speed Holman, plus a dash of Wrong Way Corrigan, the fellow 4hatr took off from New York alone In an old Curtis Robin headed for Los Angeles, but ended up flying the Atlantic -- quite on purpose. Wy wish carries no dissatisfaction with my lot. Quite the con- trary,^I consider it qtshWer miraculous that I was bom InM the gentle th ^ntury. Of the thousands of generations that trod the ground and watched the birds, vy turn came when man first took to the alrl Fuel was bouncing on the empty mark as the Sweet­ heart's idieels rolled to a stop once again on Suffolk's wide runways^once used by Billy Mitchell as short field take off training for the B-25*^that raided TSokyo early in the wsrr. Nearing Goochland, Z spotted Dan's car pulling into the outskirts of the small village. It was air-show time. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 9 Norm Weis X passed by his vehicle at eye level and legal distance, climbed to comfortable altitude and ran through a rapid sequence of loops, hammerheads and Cubans, then headed for the private strip a few miles north. the nest <J of the day ess than two ch trip. The Mtrii •and foot laiikth •• perhaps ^00 et along The bottom and "•••aad deep �Adventures in a Biplane in trees although a to/provi e approa rrowe and £o VZhapter 10 Norm Weis rr< ane of trees had been clears nee The upper end o d a Vee- 3 with extra power. uphl the field ed trough I dr gged the field twice ' ped or t Do ill first, and hen >a :isfied the st p was safe, I si ped through the gap the trees ris4i bounced t the ground held off en collided with a nd clattered up the ravine almos Two days later, after Dan, Ruth and I had discussed and solved all the world’s problems, .Ik nepewtos^ irem Llial fiiald, *’ * 11-*—r.H r I III i insisted was purely xxaturil, The reliable smog, which Dan seemed to keep pace as we nnn-ff we st*-southwest, planning on a gas stop at Lynchburg. —'TKe^miiqipal Airport at Lynchburg had quency not available I my ten frequency transceivi to use the non-control' ed Falwell Strip, rer fre so opted The strip was ed' Lca- tional re Goochlai id’s runway sloped reasonably and evi in helpfully Falwell’s 1 pe blacktop runway looked like a sk: jump The strw appeared to be flat for half of its 2900 foot len th. then rise sharply and level again for the last hundred feet so. /it was so steep that a plane attempting a turn on the slipped potion must surely be in Manger ft toppling. If the landing rpll didn’t end on the flat at the bottom, you were committed \ to continue to the -flat-~on~’ton. """" 2-Z7 �Adventures in a Biplane C apter 10 The Sweafthear Norm Weis came to a stop in the firs the st ep uphill portion. feet, fuel and some m^or repel s. We t thousand led 1 for An intermittent miss/had devdloped indicating a p/oblem with/one of the sparkplugs ified up the I fired up If throttle. face do down-Roping runway e engine and taxied AX the top, I turned to off quickly, ^d we climbed off thi the nose stizll below the horizon. 1 was/tempted to come back and land/io 1 could try the takeoff at duced throttle. The 1 ill w so steep that an Idle rpm tai re­ ainl 1500 woul done it. The Clinch Mountains paralleled our track as we fnv an easy pass<Br~through the Appalacians. The map indicated a reasonable passage from Norton to Cumberland, but sixty miles further, the gap at Middlesboro looked even better. Strangely, the map showed the southernTmost passage to be "Cumberland Ga^|^ well removed from the town of the same name. Xfter r Clinch Mountal umed eling at Ab and rode a autiful V across th y to Tazewe hen for Cumberland Gap. Tree-covered mountains rose sharply and crowded both wings as we entered the gap. Like the playful a3oZ*^rk of some forgotten giant, tshaJliap formed an open wedge, momentarily break*^ ing 4^>^teadyymarch of the Cumberland Range. Beyond, the land 2^38 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis gentled to rounded hills, bounced down and leveled. We landed at a place called London. Sectional charts make light of state lines, and I was not at all sure just where I was, I asked the young man handling the gas hose, and received a look of pure disgust, along with a grudging "Kentucky,” The wall map in the office showed that after leav­ ing Virginia, I had clipped a comer of North Carolina, entered Tennessee, then passed into Kentucky at the Gap, At Seymour, I played it cool and consulted the wall map first. Indiana! The name had a pleasant, friendly ring. There was plenty of room in the big hangar, and **s^e, I could sleep with the plane if I liked .’**^Tha roan even smiled in under­ standing. I*m sure he figured I wanted to be with the plane to ensure its protection, when in reality^^^ny finances had reached the point where I had to choose between soft beds and gasoline. Then again, maybe he had ma properly figured, since he gave me a ride to town and pointed out his favorite hamburger joint. Thunderstorms struck at 2 A.M, fortable on I lay awake, com- air mattress, head resting against the wheel pant, enjoying the play of lightning, listening for the trailing thunder. The broad doors of the hangar stood wide open, but 233 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis we were tucked well back, safe from wind and rain. Soon thunder and lightning came as one, and the storm stood overhead, deliver­ ing rain, then hail, then rain again. The thunderstorms marched all night, but in the morning the world was beautiful. p fiBB.1-1 puffy cumulous, rimi i fiffw' dwewehed gweuad rose slowly to begin their dally growth. We flew below them, then among them, and soon bested their modest heights, Tfc matf thn oewfr sf Juji JoUi HuOue sngetee uLuuL lTr*'High iTI ifght . The sky was a delirious blue and the clouds timh'* nrhrth as we chased the shentingi wind fWhs the same kind/nf day that I gave uiy faLlieiTB t serious Methodist Minister I wanted him to feel the thrlL gentle Vlouds of early morniiig, hisXfirst ride in an airplane, of flikht among and beyond the It was a closest I hatfebeen to heaven, and I wanted much/to share the my he would feel at the same lerience, But tl e sights fell on>unseeing eyes — eyes that s Idom left the c Inf Ines of the plants cabin. Sitting behind me, ' mds clamped to the back of ray seat, \e endured the to atv&i^hte.n each dip of thk wing with punishment, attempting . a countering; twrst on the aeat, I skidded each turn to hold hi world secure whil^ pointing out the beauty of the sunlight on the clouds A quick look, and his thoughts were once more inside the plane. Likq/a parent dutifully viewing a chil mediocre, but proudly offered report card, hejquifetly endured ±he gift I tried to bring him, ---- �Adventur«« in a Biplane Chapter 10 ther was Twenty feet pposlte. Id/ ask me to air she Norm Well ow when we left ground. / on roll out i/fter landli g^und?” I ed to clonally bumpy "when wll •harp pul\ltxps nge touch the ke off and inten- Utt to eee her eraile and tell me it t older brother* Homer* lived Just 400 miles ahead at a place called Muscatine* Iowa* Ijeould be there In three hours enjoying family talk, eating a forepromised dinner of catfish and com^^n/^h^/^b. As'^bSSaed before, I had family scattered about the country In the most strategic places* On arrival, I learned that the corn mas on hand* but the fish had yet to be caught. Homer claimed he had them all staked out In his favorlt^^hofe^ ews miles srwth sf tbs bmidge* In the middle of the Mississippi Rlver> fish failed Kul, to favor JHsmse*s rig. Ve ate ny catfish and his wlfe^^^^ry's, cornT^/^he/il^ob. Bad weather followed good* and It was two days before Second Sweetheart cleared ground. Ifo flew northwest* making gas stops at Marshalltown and Forest City* Iowa. Imiulrles concerning runway conditions at Lake Mills, lows* brought strong caution concerning wet muddy runways at that town's small airstrip I had taught physics at Lake Mills High School thirty five years earlier, and wanted baldy to revisit. One of the �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis students at that school was responsible for my first flying He challenged a statement 1 made concerning the theory A of flight and backed up his knowledge by telling the class he lesson. had just flown an airplane eifevn^ all by himself I I set out to equal his credibility, and In the process met a most Interesting character Eldon Hagena fwish jEjBom e« Btlnlr»'wieh an Alw- Ceeps,gaining | tfyfhg'Tb n-Hvlng deing whate he !lieved-beee> flying and tearhing nthers-tetr" He owned a little yellow and orange hlgh-wing tandem two<place Aaronca 7kQ, *^ferred toVaffectionate^ as the ”alr knocker.” charged seven bucks dual and five sol<>XKd yeu aeu^'?buy-a fifty <tmnj eha leeal^cafe. 111 nr Ilm kisanr^ *-hiT His airfield consisted of a^A^acre grass patch with one T hangar, a tiny shack/^d a gas pump* The longest runway was 1^600 feet, with a fence at both ends. All In all. It was a perfect place to learn to fly. Eldon 163^2glOgling sort -ef laugh' tluit suxfaced sja^b't Hii Ilian n practical joker. 1£ a, forgot hAe seat belt, he could hardly wait to get enough altitude to pop the stick and float l^he wMidcwb to the celling. I forgot often, and each time the trip to the skylight carried more force. Once eMeodSBl! thought landings had been mastered, Eldon would bring on a klng-slsed bounce or two with the same .shove on the stick. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norn Wslt In the winter, wheels were replaced with skis, ^gsd the field seeamd to shrink as the packed snow chaxiged to Al y ice. Jhe~ frantic use of wheel brakes, tdiich had no effect at But he was all on skis, brought old Eldon to fits of laughter. watching — if he was certain a stop could not be made short of the fence, he would Jam the throttle forward and suggeet tha-*^ student take off and try again. wuuld spend hOUrs trying to hand start the engine at 40 degre low, then raise the tail to get pressure to regiffter During some of Iowa's worst bllssa we dropped co to sta: ving pheasants, and even t game as we tyled to saye the birds by hitting sacks of lied com Even the resident fox bounty pelt added ip to a tidy sum structl abruptly ceased as we went hun oi t becanM a square w not safej n sported, dual in ^d whack him with out and head ran opposite to tn, we would buss the farmer, then reduce throttle holler and point, hoping to split the bounty and pelt money later^ Hagen showed me my first loop and let me try a few. Of course we tried a snap or two. That was merely a spin turned sideways, and spins had already been covered — they were required for a license baek then. ___ .J The brief taste of aerobatictu aed^ y �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis On cross country/^ripi, we fleiZ^y~*the’“eecttorr line There is a road every oiile in the mid west, and 1 1 do was angle your/pathi across to match you jieed /' I on the map. We flew low, good weather or bad, and /'■ J everyoneI we knew, which seemed/ to be everyone. In one of my classes I taught a eadlspace flight. Qhe of on rockets told his paints, and they told the school board, which/held a meeting and saw that I was toyi to bring suck nonsense ^o a halt. I was censured and tolol to <|uit teaching science fiction. One parent made it i clMr that X was never agaii^ to make the Claim (in class) thajt / ./ ■) / ' tLfaan would ealk the moon ih twenty-fiv^ years. That parent i WM on the/school board. Twenty-three years after that episode, a man walki4 and one of the students in that class was partly esponsible. He had gone on tkj>ecome an engineer for N.A.S.A, / \ He iprklled meI after the moon walk, in an obviously celebrated **We did it I We did itl” me-jd! i could mak* out.) c ition. The old 40 acre aiPfield at Lake Mills was gone — eaten up by progress Fsnsy hemes and sfcwests violaSed ies The new airport, a few miles southeast, was indeed nuddy^and I dared not land, I cruised over town and over the nearby lake and golf course. After a while I flew to the site of the old ai �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 10 Norm Weis Btrrtoy looped a loop or two,^fehen-made a sido slipping appreach ♦•ft- t-ho ftiH -wiriMajr, trip homeward* Avajf headed west I continuing my Eldon Hagen, if he was watching, would know that one of his many fledglings had stopped by to say hello* �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 ^ETTINtr- Norm Weis TTOin I*m still not sure how I got involved in rating. Perhaps it began when Z stumbled onto the aircraft requirements for the racing biplane class and found that the Starduster was qualified. Maybe it was because I had watched the Reno National Air Races several times as a spectator. Certainly Z was curious about participatingy^*j3e^'tg on ihr-luside-vf the big evsiiL IMmudiid lIKU heady gaw»*^;rt» prospect scared me a little. was a dangerous sport. Zt �Advanturaa in a Biplane Chapter 11 Ic *3uld certainly tesj/m skill* enge 1 couldn't pus np. but Norm Weis It i»s a challV Jay i«s^rt tob crasy abptft the idea,! promised b^^raedjust this one J along witk it ——----------------------- —_— time only, X The trip to the ust coast, stretched out by bad weather, had cut in on the time needed to prepare Second Sweet­ heart for racing* Less than three weeks remained before we were due on the line at Reno Stead Airfield for the Reno National Championship Air Races* For some months my two crew members had been read­ ing up on the rules and cheeking into possible changes that might legally be made to the plana and engine in order to in­ crease the Starduster's speed* �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 Norm Weis Pat Day, explosives expert and area manager for Southwestern Explosives, was my general expediter. He saw to all the many entry forms and contacted other race pilots for information. He also lined up two sponsors^ Casper White Trucks and looming Central Aeroway^ sponsors had volunteered to underwrite the cost of some small engine parts /*and a special racing propxZ^*^* Fat and I had become friends several years earlier through a mutual interest in homebuilt aircraft. He had^a mid- A wing Volkswagon-powered midget racer under construction in his garage, vdiile X had a nearly completed Starduster in mine. traded advice and muscle frequently. talents always surprised me. We His eyeball engineering He could see a mistake before it developed, or spot an existing ge^ and pester me tmtil it was ^en possible, X returned the favor.* When X invited Bob Husted to be my crew chief and take over the care of the Starduster's engine, X received a prompt .grlnnlnQ. ^affirmative*'* Boh had helped me through some /***yP/>*^ early problems and had impressed me with his knowledge and his abiding love of flying machines. people in this world T seem almost normal. Bob is one of the very few is skinnier than I.ssfc Standing eHisHig**e44e> he mal^me On occasion we have been known to demon** strate our laeeriHky famous disappearing act* On cue, we turn �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 11 sideways, suck in our guts Zand claim invisibility. Several parcels and a stack of letters had accumu­ lated during my three-week absence. One box contained the short, specially pitched racing prop. Sprinkled amon'^ the bills, I found an important letter from Racing Association /The United States j number 17, fees liud been sseetved, and we were requirbj^^o report on Monday of race week to qualify plane and pilot. Additional letters from old- time race pilots^^ave Forbes, Don Fairbanks/and Clem Fischer held valuable advice and encouragement. I needed the encouragement. Now that the race was near at hand, I was suffering from second thoughts. Racing around pylons was risky business. People got killed that way. The quip made by one pilot to the effect^ that "fo^might get killed, but you never got hurt,'****^2S^little assurance. Jay and I had made a special trip to the Mojave Air Races in early June to see what racing was really like. What we foimd surprised us both. biplane class seemed to be quite The pilots in the racing of greatly varied, but background. Dave Forbes was a tall, gentle, soft-spoken airline pilot. Don Fairbanks ran a flight service in Cincinnati, axid Clem Fischer did the same for many years in Nevada. Their wives �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 Norm Weis were friendly and notably unworried about their husbandj^^ racing, Stan Brown, Reno Attorney, and C. R. ’’Reel Blackbum, telephone installer from Lompoc, California, both raced for the sheer joy of it, Don Beck, former test pilot, now in the construction business, raced to win — and usually did. His revolutionary all metal ’’Sorceress” usually beat out the Sundancer, flown by Logan Hines, a data processing executive from California, And t?iere was^an Mortensen, a traffic controller from Newcastle, California. called him. ’’Last Place Da^j^*they His bright yellow Smith Miniplane could barely muster 120 miles per hour. He took great delight in racing even though he generally finished last. always waved to the judges On the final lap he each of the six pylons. lab Vi logs and their wires warmly invited us to 'jointhem at the/Reno Races. approach to/xacing. We took cony ort in th^JarTalm We\had expected to find aa^ssemblage of characteM^wild-eyed and irresponsible.^"'^ere were a few in some or the other race classes, but they were the exception. There was a strange undercurrent of dissatlsfac- tion running through the filUir rsrlng. cl asses during the Mojave Race. Interclass rivalry for prize money was part of it, but anger over application of rules^conceming engine specificat^naTws- the main cause. I the problem would heal itself before Reno rolled around. �Adventum* in a Biplane Norm Well Chapter 11 Z forced any second thoughts hbout racing to the hack of ay nlnd. There could be no backing out now. ,Boh jsail fir id up aiid ready Pat and ^tel reservations had been made, and Ch^ were both anxious torgaa>the big race^fgcw rhe Inside caught their fever. gafffai fl y «ral a-frApngyaphl a map nF I lui fimpiTr 7- X chose a nearby stretch of flat ground that had dirt roads at one-mile 1r>«>awa1a.irnJiHiiH tn inaXlaaa J T checlMd the Starduster's top speed by timing the run both ways and taking an average. If the wind quartered our path, I let the plane drift, avoiding aaay crab or reach. Over the two-mile course, nor speed each way simply ^200 divided by the seconds elapsed. On the first try I got an upwind speed of 128 and a downwind of 162 for an average of 135 miles per hour. Not badI X could beat Mortenseiy^t leas Although It meant endless trips to the speed course, T_yes detsrml""* make only one change at a time. That way I would know precisely the effect of each. between elevator and stabilizer did little to Improve speed, and side windows to close In the cock­ pit did even less. Decreasing Incidence/^ angling the front of the lower wings downward brought the speed up to 139, a four miles per hour Improvement. Installation Z57 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 of the racing propr made little change; did not develop. . Nona Weis ]Fhe expected 3100 rpm's We air-freighted ie off for re-pitching, and in the meantime went to work on the engine. Bob Husted installed stronger return springs on the valves, worked over the magnetos and put not^hielded, wide gap plugs on all the right mag wires. firing in spite of oil fouling, I^e wide gaps would insure cause horrendous radio £[it]x one magf^^ill firing shielded plugs^the interference. radio weuld still operate^icely with the ignition tume^to that mag^emlyr* The newly pitched prop was returned on schedule and prositly installed. *^^tuxned to 3000 rpm's, but gave no increase in speed. The flat-pitched prop was important, however, since the original prop would turn ^700 at racing speed, right in the middle of the bad vibration range prohibited by Lycoming, the engine's manufacturer. The engine had been installed with down thrust and right thxust to counteract the tendency to rise and pull to the right under full throttle. For racing, it would be better to have the engine point straight away^^^W^ hoisted the el^tne and installed washers to effect the change, and the speed went up two mphyto 141. Upsetting news arrived from U.S.A.R.A. The race �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 Norm Weis pilot* were voting oa-ar boycott for higher prise money* I pleaded ignorance of the problem and entered a null vote* The extra money would be welcome* but Z didn't want to see my first and only race cancelled. The same day* I received notice that my low flying over the speed course was not appreciated. The owners of the land beneath toy course objected "to that guy stormin' over ten times a day." My good buddies at the airport began calling me "Stormin' Normin," a vast improvement over "Number One Nit Wit." Three miles from the original speed course, Z found an even better twox*mile stretch. Only cows occupied the land beneath. Taping and filleting the Junctions from wing to fuselage, and gear leg to wheel pant/*w»h- brought another mile an hour. Disconnecting the carburetor heat hose brought an astounding increase of four mph. Th* speed now stood at a very respectable 147 mph. We spent hours fiddling with changes in the t^^ Ing, going from around ^l^degrees advance to^^degrees and ^egweee, and once, accidentally, to(^degeeea. Every change brought a loss of rpm's and an attendant loss of speed. The plane was sensitive to weight. slower with a full tank of gas. for racing to be six gallons. She was much We calculated the minimum gas That would leave a two-gal Ion landing reserve after £ach heat of six laps. 2-52 �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 11 We could^ think of no other changes that might bring greater speed. The plane was ready. Now it was time to see that I was edeo-ready^XrO According to the rules, I must be able to take off from a dead stop at full throttle, with less than ten ■-foot de­ viation in course. plane lansl- he diwed to 1.3 times the maximum level speed, or about 180 raph, and pulled out with 4 g’s or more. I would also have to demonstrate a full roll, and show that I was safe on the pylons. Only the last item posed a problem. 1 had a strong tendency to climb on low-level turns, and badly needed some practice on the rac^^^urse. Lacking proper pylons, I chose three cottonwood trees spaced a quarter mile apart on some flat irrigated landZ^^awelBg She ifn* of the landowner,^— /oyswi|n^*a{)out the treesfull bore, trying to hold the wing a constant twenty feet off the ground^ It was unnatural and difficult, s«d-^p|qulrelf^reat concentration. Each session with the trees left me we^wltft a-blit scared, but strangely exhilarated, I wondered how I would handle flying the same steep banks at low level while flying tight formation with other planes.^‘^ere was no way, short of racing, to practice that maneuver. We were ready, with almost a week to spare! more bad news arrived from U.S.A.R.A. Then The old rule limiting horsepower to 125, and displacement to 290 cubic inches, had , a �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 Norm Weis 4/^ been liberalized tQ4150 horse and 320 cubes! change had been months ago, In fact, the rule we were only now made aware of it. , . Pat Day immediately called Dave Forbes to object. MM MO Mt *s Dav^calmly explainednnQftr '*^ere wouldn’t be more than one^r'''two~planes with the higher horsepower,** ’Jla»e-- igfefe ^and the final legality of the change might be altered at the first pilots* meeting at Reno.***^ MSt finished preparing his new Cobra biplane, and was anxious to race it. He would be flying out from Crystal Lake, Illinois, and would call us when he left. He express >d a hope that we could fly part way together* X sudden flood of mail arrived from race pilots I never met, askink support for their stand on a fresh disagree- ment among members of U.S.A.R.A. One of the Formula One racers had been disqualified'Xot* use of illegal substances in his oil and fuel. He objected, aTqd he had a lot of sympathetic allies. The problem I m^d hoped would heal Itself had erupted again This time peop the sides had hired lawyers. were choosing up sides, and The\:ontroversy sapped our enthu- siasm, but we continued with our pla^. We would fly the 800 miles to Reno together on Saturday, kee^ng Sunday in “bad weath reserve" to Insure making the Monday deadline. Join us via airliner in mid week. \ - Our wives would ! I �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 11 Norm Weis The day before we left^ word arrived that the boycott had been voted down, and its originator, the president of U.S.A.R.A., was under fire from several groups, including the Reno Race promoters. The world of racing was in one hell of a mess, but the Second Sweetheart Racing Team, outfitted in brand new bright jackets, was deter­ mined to persevere. We loaded up on schedule, slept little that night, then set out early the next morning on our great excursion into the confused world of air racing. �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Reno Stead Airport appeared deserted as I swung overhead's enrching out thj ■i;i"" t-nrt ■ i 11 pun., ths ^rird f Ian Hi -ng-—single plane, probably Dave Forbes* Cobra, sat on the ramp tkat ^iiould aooif^uld hiiinriinod c. pickup truck dusted its way past the long row of empty grandstandsJ?ad g rj_H wbi t-Q n1 hy one tall black and white checkered pylon thaXread "RENO" from top tn briti-r.m in 1 m-Qn >1. ..1. 1.1 Illi- ! *1 little ?_r.dicaticn ^There was the excitement and controversy that would center on this lonely spot during the next few days when the Thirteenth (an omen?) Annual Reno National Air Races got underway. eac d ibandingi The mr I put Second Sweetheart down tail high and �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm.Weis on the wheels with extra speed. 'JA'pickup joined my path t-bp pl 0-0 0 qIcvtpH lead to the ramp. and I followed ofc thn map jumped out and guided me to a parking spot alo-ngoi^e what was indeed Dave's othe’f gentleman walked to the cockpit and handed in a hillcrj mmplx of What a welcome! Dave wandered over smiling T Agreed do al~ way Lu -LdLL abmut hiu jpcud Ull LllLi' Lflp We had taken off from Elko together two hours and ten minutes earlier, minutes al'iLud lyf wau he had igiround twenty His new racing biplane was fast -- about 30 mph faster than the Starduster. Crystal Lake, Illinois be and had s nt th night at Cheyenne, Wyoming,/with the understandi/g that h would meet the Casper c along the way/sometime Saturday morning. Husted had own Pat's Cessh for most o the trip. time in e day Pat 182 alongside When Da oose three plane formati tingent y and Bob econd Sweetheai t joined up< we flew for a V nances in cruise speed always brought separation between met, separated and re-met fr from Cas eno. -W- along the 770 mile route �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis Pat and Bob arrived as the second round of beer was passed. The hangar flying was well under*^ay. Right in the middle of a particularly good story, Red Blackbum sputtered in with his Pitts Special. He had been pumping fuel by hand for the last hour and was fiXumb worn out. Over the threshold, Red’s arm and the engine died at the same time. r.nrkpi »• .* ye all rode out on the truck nnd VfQVOd to offer aid, comfort/and welcome. HaH.: lb" pi I klip I the rlinbpH h: TTnnt-pd nntbing rnnro to du Lowed in,—STrf-Cet'liig Lhu tLlLical ouggojLIouj .liv jw- vp TijFU ro'^rorh'^c'^.i; c ?-n-nor-v ith Red lackbum properly rescued flying re/umed. The/quality of the stories i it? t-b tb 2 hangar rove as the erry Duty, Director of t e Reno Air Races, beer di/appeared. was h(/Lding court, and when Jerry got warm d up, th; stories roll d out with r al elegance. He reach/d a peak w .th the taJ/e about the Cu and the motorcycle. ave the world's Air Races.' called me clai to s it's 'perfeck for he down in New Mexic Fell reatest act. S Says he s going to pick up a guy from a motor- cycle with his Cub. I im the act was a dime a dozen, �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 No,rm Weis sut he goes on -- says he's going to do a loop wi^ this otl^r guy hanging on to the end of the ladder! /I told him L^d be there the next day. out at 5^is dirt strip. I met him an^his buddy He had the sicke^^ old 65 horse Cub stillKalive, and a ladder made out his old lady's \ / \ clothesline>^nd four broom handles, takes off in the Cub and comes N^arrelling down the runway. The guy on the bike can't catch-up with him, so they try again, and on the third try the ^y on the bike grabs the ladder, but won't let go of the bike. Finally he lets go of the ladder, and the fellow\n the Cub lands. talk it over. The two of them I could se\ they had never tried the act 'cause the guy wit^hVhe bike had just found out / \ that when he climbs the Iadder\ his bike is going to go before, exhaust pipe over handle bars. \ "They deai.de to try it\gain, and this time the guy on the bike get/s a firm hold on the bottom rung the first try. He l^s the bike go and surX enough, it turns stacks over handlebars. Well, the Cub isn\t doing too good a job oy flying, and the guy on the ladder is climbin' to keep frota being drug to death, but the Cub ^ill ain't climbingy Pretty soon his hands and feet are on the top rung, ^d his posterior is draggin' a furrow down t^ strip." �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis By now, Jerry Duty has the audience t^nsported. Pat Day can't\ stop laughing. Husted is hugging/nis belly, and Red Blackbum's eyes are running tears cl^r to his mustache. / \ "FinaJSly the guy flying the ^fub gets a little edge on his air speM and he climbs a^ouple of feet. They pass over the barbed Vre fence at ?the end of the runway, the poor soul on the laqder all buckered up, clearing the top strand by an inch or two. /it takes them half a dozen wide circles to get six hundred jfeet. back down to the bottom rong By now the gent has climbed the ladder. They come a diving down doing nearw 90 mil^ an hour, right over the top of me, the guy or/ the ladder h^ging on for dear life, hoping for a chanc/ at fame and fortune. The Cub starts up in a loop but/poops out just past thU. vertical. The gent on the la^ider falls back onto the bo^om of that plane while it's u/side down. First time I'd ever\seen a plane entered frenn the bottom. Somehow they get the\^b turned over, an/ the ladder-man crawls into the cockpit.\ / "They land and walk over, all smiles, thinking I'd hire them on the spot. Sure was tough to tell themXno, sp^ially since they volunteered to practice the act. tmey 'could perfect it a little.' " SaiX \ �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 12 Ten 0/ us toow turns trying to top that storyy' ) The beer had long since disappeared, but the tales conbinued unabated. Th^e was something magic about the momey as ten pilots face^each other in k circle permeated wi^ good will and fine htanor, surrounded by the lonely barrel/ sands and tarred mnways of a deserted air base. EveW man was a pilot /f experience, and every story rang/memories full ci role. / Failing light broke\the spep/f and one of lifej^x j?d^e moments came to a reluctXpt^^end. Monday morning the crew of Second Sweetheart went to work. We installed the racing prof/and removed the carburetor heat hose. For some odd reason/^^e race course was closed, ^o tests with the plane had to be done on the basis of rpm’s and indicated air speed. On the first try the engine wound up to a disappointing ^900 rpm, and the air speed needle seemed stuck on 138. the timing to Bob Husted advanced degrees and I tried it again, satisfied this time to see the tachometer reach 3000 rpm, and the indicated speed 140 mph. We tucked the plane away in a comer of the hangar, gathered up a multitude of papers^^nd headed for race headquarters to register officially. �Norm Weis Chapter 12 Adventures in a Biplane Later we looked over the list of contestants. There were twenty planes entered in the Racing Biplane Class, and only the sixteen fastest would be permitted to race. we ranked ^)th, we were out of the race. ^venteen was my race number, and £tiiiiii1 I had gi If i i"f’! ife I hoped it had no hidden meaning, but at the moment it looked unluckier than the traditional thirteen. To qualify we would have to beat four other planes. mntirn thn fireld; there were only two planes, both Smith Miniplanes, that we Tip rnnlH bnnt- ■ While Pat and Bob fussed over the plane, I wandered about the ramp, worried about not qualifying^ apprehensive about closed-course pylon racin^^ yi oase—i rU H qn/Alify n±b°rc doing T Lilt sacmod too dangeroboorvad fljlH^. I'hI ^TW^:^~?5Tth my pi a-ng rinill ijjg. nn ■vnmp I Hbir TTiei.TWqq A llttlp f V1 £ll f l‘IT- ^hose damned pylons were soli^ telephone poles with heavy steel culverts on top. dead! wwd Just touch one, and yox/^ Dead like the T-6 pilot at last year’s race. His wing tip touched the barrel and his plane ended up in, cmnll pinrna over a hundred yards of desert sand. The prospect was unsettling. �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Tuesday morning the^WbftA course was declared open. Dave Forbes, Red Blackbum/^nd I took off to run the fl lap add promptly wag'gled hltl Wings 4t the home pyl<^, then heUj^*a^ teady altitude u?ffVl he is lap time/^arteq at that again reached Zhe home^^lon. point, and ^ded wj>dn he again I assed t>fe checkered pylon. His qualif/iimztime, posted lat >ai<*was 1 minute 18.2 seconds. for a speed of 138.2 mnb — m^l Hi '-mml uiiti n. n nn T_ r- 1 ^'cl'xd mycrlf tried flying straight legs. Qi.qtant 1 minute, 17.6 spmxxd^. banking steeply at each of the six corner pylons dotted along the hexagonal course* sa6>ond3, oQ^ abandoned the ideay\^and concentrated on flying/*^ a smooth oval^&Burog^ More practice would cut the Iwpr time, and I decided on qualifying later in the week. There was much Xo- be(/ ,\4^eti flying learnei^ about low-level pylon flying. wide open at low altitude, one must push forward on the stick while banking around the pylons, quite the opposite of the back pressure^ ordinarily used in turns. wide on pylon six, and at an alt\- de of fifty feet. ew smac was ake. into Dave Forb anding o 11 opposite c a wi rols. and re sing to Several long recover in spi of seconds later. cond Sweetheart popped into level flight, miraculously still at fifty fe.e±------ T realized at that moment 2.6/^ �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis ery race pilot must demonstrate his ability alrtraft without lot altitude If you hit t c^tivel/, the pl fli 8 inverted and you to get it ight w thout lose of altitude and roll. onse day I flew the x^equlred str ter in take off fr 11 the full thrbttle, dead stop, /and the required div ter divii^ to 180 mph to rove the plane could the 1.3x pruise speed, 1 immediately/executed the roll wlthou itltud., ...i lose of climbed, rolled inverted. Lt in a cubsin, and finished up with two hanlnexheads. old time nee^i do only the oneroll* I told him I hated to waste the i speed and altitude pn one little roll. some length. rently he fi We discussed aerobatic information awa would hear from him later YU^^^'^^^^/S^emergency meeting was called for Racing Biplane pilots^that-^dUaBaaea. {United pglia The controversy raging within the U.S.A.I.A* Baring AtSTtislrlTn) had reached a dangerous Several pilots, disqualified during a previous race, had arrived in Reno, ready to claim their right to race. The member- ship had polarised over the controversy^ JZhe four race classes /la » ^»eh sides t ah* dissident Formula One pilots eaid most of the ^631 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis ;h« rMHiinder « «ttii^e<rt;o bfihft th! faces to appeagi most Ay meshed he weu �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 voted unanimously to hire uiiplcy guards to protect One pj/lots made er. sign: evicted planes during each night of race week. rnpptj o-r.Ho/1^ e mist e of flying the R He was invited to 1 b ■ . I ii'il I I U oicourse wi e, res , and wfes ating^ and I wondered if The controversy huLl-J. ... ..................... .. r.T.Q J._... t-n <-bn -rarp rmi-roo I l[l'1 ITN" 1.11 Illi |1 — Everything appeared normal at the mandatory general pilots' meeting the next morning. The F^A^Aj^went through its rules, stressing two new favorite terms — "sterile and "sanitary," both having to do with keeping the race course free of interlopers. The Race Director laid out the recall signals and changes in qualifying procedures. At the end of s were^asked^^il^^,?«rt? “TCHgwi^ to please the meeting, fill out a questionnaire ^e-.<ia1i;ai'tnainiQ. the mental makeup of the typical race pilot. Most pilots^feft ¥qiin^ giving the would-be immediately,^giiri researcher one very valid bit of information: ^^ce pilots don't give a hoot for psychological research. The Racing Biplane pilots metiZmmedlately after ► egaii Lu gel l~hri irlrn I'Inis the general pilot briefin; me raci la or. x.7i t-b flying. ver, smce The meetr the "rules of the roadXj^*®*®"^*****®*®^ - ' o We all agreed that A**l>*<^ �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 the overtaker was to pass well outside or well over the passee, and that all pilots should choose a track and stick with it without sudden rise or sink. So far seven biplanes had flown their qualifying We could beat two of them, Red Blackburn’s Pitts, laps. and Mortenson's Miniplane; but we had to beat two more in order to qualify for the race! ypt- fini.m Tbp Up knew wp mu Id beat him n tbat ...La ft one to » We analyzed the opposition, looking for aircraft that the Starduster could top. We couldn't find one! Second Sweetheart hadn't been built for racing and carried less power than her competitors, 125 h.p. vs 135 h.p., and in one case, 150 h.p. Things were tense. and I was the pressure. irritable Husted and I argued over engine changes. wife, Gonnic, and and Pat agreed with neither of us. llLlI-k '-"111 willin he p ble o halp but off fiipojind Slowly we resolved our differences and set to ork/o We removed the chute, radio, emergency survival flares, tie-down ropes and lo^^ooks. I agreed to fly without shoes, empty my pockets/^d swear off liquids until the plane was qualified. We moved the timing ahead to^^^^ �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 12 degrees and taped the oil cooler three-fourths shut to raise the running temperature and thin the oil. We even covered/^e rough wing walks ovea* with furnace tape! After rolling the plane from the hangar, we drained the gas until only three gallons remained, then Heiwg LU-11 LttU waited our turn e Ke course maki H ^c**^'*^ finally arrived. niiT <!Prnnd We had forty minutes to test the plane and qualify. I flew the first two laps at reduced throttle, letting the oil temperature climb to 200 degrees, then opened wide and leaned the mixture to achieve maximum power^ Sfee— Ian f imrr A bothersome crosswind was slowing me up and fooling me on the^pylons^n?aught myrnluf rounding npiiTind pylons, dangerously close — so close I had to stand on a wing to prevent crossing over the barrel. goo Finally lap, but the stoj^atch read 1 minute, 19.2 seconds -- much too slow. I landed and taxied to the ramp. Bob Husted raised the cowl and eyeballed the timing back to his special ^^degree mark, and Pat Day pulled off the furnace tape that had lifted from the wing 3^ �Norm Weis Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 12 walk and was now doing more harm than good. The fellows in the gas tmr.k^iJiTdP-r«;thnHgL7hoTT; T gcVori fhalf a gallon dHlb engine sound I conce was 1: the upwin ated on t e turns, swinging wide turns ,yhnticipating t e downwind turns. fl8.5 on the next ead stop watch The first lap time ett ap but the ly ten minutes of qua wrist showed tch on my fhg time remaining. We had to beat Red Blackbum’s time of 1 minute and 18.2 econds I had a smooth lap going -- the turns were shallow and even with the pylons passing only a few feet 1 fl Tri de my wing. At the home pylon I punched the watch and stole a quick look. 1:18.1 -- /reat! I cleared the watch and continued around the course, low and smooth. Past pylon six I headed straight down the home stretch, wagging my wings, signaling that I wanted to be timed for qualification on my next pass.,. WJield my min?enlrafir noting t-hp "-iid the intn position tn r.hpr.k for nylon--------- 77t±s. -.1 rtJilicd the otop •..~atch after rcvnding The starter at the home pylon waved a green flag at my approach. —.. I punched the stop watch at the exact moment of passage, then concentrated on each turn, approaching wide * �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 or close as the wind dictated, dropping lower for increased speed in ground effect, passing the barrels at eye^^evel, pushing forward on the stick at every turn, concentrating, always concentrating. The lap felt good. Pylon five and six went by without a bobble, and I headed for home. The checkered flag waved as I punched the watch and zoomed sharply to altitude, letting the prop wind down before reduc ing thro 111e. seconds. It was the best the little Sweetheart and I could do, and with a'^X^tSe luck, it would be enough to qualify. I swung in for a landing as the allotted time expired. While Bob stowed the plane in the hangar, Pat j- n It looked rrke- we were in ~~ the last figures were being posted: 138.817 miles per hour! ^h position. No. 17, Weis, 1:17.8, speed Second Sweetheart had qualified in We hustled back to the hangar to hug wives and break the news to Husted, who promptly drove to town for a bottle of champagne. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis With the plane qualified and ready to race, there was time to tour the ramp and look over the entriey^ in other racing classes. / The Formula One hangar was a beehiVe of activity as specially made trailers gave birth to sha^p-edged wings and slim wiieel-mounted bodies. The assembled race planes were remarkably similar, demonstrating t^ state of the art was well advance^ In each case, a fl^ straight wing met the body at mid hei^t just behind the tightly cowled engine. Tail assemblies were miniscule with/elevators only slightly larger than cookie sheet\. The cj/ass rules required the area of the wing to be at least \6 scmare feet, and the total empty weight of the plane to be at l^st 500 pounds. Engines were limited to 200 cubic inches,/but\pm's were unregulated. tachometers read to 5000 rpm's. Most A few had red lines painted on / the face at 4500. In spite o& the bustle of activity, the hangar was oddly quiet. Th^se not involved in ass^bly or repair were gathered in sy(all, intent groups. The conversation stopped as I app/oached and heads turned in suspicion as I passed. The l^ngar was electric with controversy. 0ne knot of half a dozen pilots and crew teembers seemed les^ serious. I joined the conversation. The subject was cheat/ing -- who does it, and how it’s done, and how not 272. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 to get caught. Norm Weis The introduction of compounds of manganese or cobalt in the fuel could raise horsepower greatly. Even added to hhe oil, a 5% increase in power could b^achieved due to blow^*^y around the rings. Carburetor throats could be polished to^ larger diameter and intake tubes enlarged, or cylinders bore\out for increased displacement. Nitrous oxide introduced in ^e fuel could raise/horsepower drasti­ cally. The rules forbid any access fr/m the cockpit to the oil or fuel lines that mi^t permit -surreptitious injection from a bottle hidden in a fright ^it. half the planes in the hangar One conversant claimed illegal engines. Pilots hesitated to file complaints,/an^even then, with fellow pilots acting as judges, the inspecrfcions were often biased, or as one irate crew chief claimed, tfte inspectors themselves could rig the evidence to get rid of competition. The T-6 pilots were of a diffe^nt sort. The tight competition With closely matched aircra^st seemed to attract a super cj^mpetitive type of individual, rptent on / racing rather /^han circumvention of the rules. Only World War II At-6^ or SNJ's were permitted in the class. Both designatiptis referred to the same plane commonly called the TEXAN, but universally referred to as the T-6 Pilots in otheiyclasses enjoyed explaining that the T in T-6 stood �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis for TRAINER, but they found it harder to explain the T-y pilot. To race such large machines in close formatic^ around the\small course took great skill and uncom^n abandon. Some claimed\he T-6 pilots were nuts. Others said it was simply an over ^veloped aggressive nature. Tine aggressive quality was evident in the names printed iiy large letters on their planes - DONTREAD ON ME! GOTCH^ COMIN THRU! MISS BEHAVIN -- then,\as if to dispro\^the rule -- MISS EVERYTHING. \ / The Unlimited, pilots ^emed to be invisible. The crews were almost always on ham, working or standing guard, but the pilots were generally elsewhere. Many had mobile campers parked along side therr aircraft, offering air condi­ tioned escape from the exsert sun and talkative visitors. Most of the Unlimited/owners wereXwell heeled. They had to be, since planes and sj^re engines ran ^ell into, and sometimes past five figures. Ahl of the aircraft we\e modified World War II Fighters, mainly Mustangs and Bearcats.\ Rocket and jet- powered cra:^ were not allowed, making thX Unlimited Class in reality/quite limited. Perhaps Limited \ould be a more proper ^ass name, since the shortage of fighter planes has recenf^ly become acute. \ Only sixteen had signed up for the 1976 races. �Adventures in ~a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis and three of those had failed to arrive, and a fourth had with­ drawn for unknovm reasons. Other World War II planes oiyQiand for demonstration,\although not adapted for racing, w^e draft­ ed to till the field\ Biplane and Formula One piloj/s, generally envious of the Unlimi^d prize money, took the slynrt field as a sign of terminal illnkss, commenting to the ^fect that the Unlimiteds were an endan^red species. Somey«mall-plane pilots were convinced the National. Air Races woul^be better off with­ out the Unlimiteds. They contended the Unlimiteds' 55% share of the prize money could be bXtter speht on the other classes, failing to realize that without^ the ^ig planes, the crowds would shrink and the purse money dwindl^ Meanwhile, Unlimited pilots argued the prize money was inad^i^te. Even first place money of $12,000.00 hardly covered ^e co\t of a blown engine, and engines blew frequently. / \ The biplane hangar seemed\to be the only happy place on the ramp. We ^ad more good humqr, more honest friendship, and more Meetings than any otl^r racing class. We averaged three rivetings a day, and I had\iust missed one while touring th^ramp. However, I arrived iX time to catch Red Blacl^um's description of his recent\accident. /A few months ago, Red had patterned \n for a land­ ing at an afirport near his home in Lompoc, Californi^. He checked the air for planes, then flared out over the runway. \About �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Norm Weis twenty feet off the ground a Cessna 172 materialized under the Pitas’ nose, but it was too late. The Pitts chewed the tail of ^e 172 into small pieces, and worked its way for-/ ward, stopping just short of the cabin. The $27,000 Cesraa was totaledX and Red's biplane was severely damaged, ^d complained th\t his Pitts had been slower ever since /he had rebuilt it, and\figured that was the reason Second /Sweetheart had out-qualified\him. / Whenev^ Red was in earshot, we ma^ it a point to call the Stardust^ "The Pitts Killer." Ms red walrus mustache invariably signalled a reprisal aA he sauntered over to offer an insult oS: two. the BIG IRON?" "How's tilings going with The Stardu^er had a sp^an two feet greater than his Pitts and was one o:k the Ingest biplanes in the field. "Don't know how that mmsMr qualified faster than me -- you sure that ain't a two^lacer with one seat shut off?" As friendly as thy rivalry was, we weren't about to tell Red he could obtaiiVanothery to 10 mph by removing his carburetor heat hosey We had to have someone to beat, and as we frequently tyfld Red, we woul<l rather beat him than anyone. / \ Odd tj?fings were happening on me race course. A plane had ground looped on landing and flapped upside down. The owner, wHo had a backup craft, told the Mlot to be more �Adventures in a Biplane eful, because ou-al Chapter 12 Norm Weis ormula 0 le pilot turned i w^s caught /fitting ever) pylon, inclu n Unli ted pilot had qn engine a record la but ng the home pyloi^! ilure at the end of hi a thousand feet, then He climbed t qualifyrun. H are down to your la li erally dove for the runway, landed hot, rolled the lengt f the runwa the pilots' briefing the next morning TTLe explaiiidcT? start ten minute warning .would— Vfiias then a red flag would be waved at 5, 4, 3,Zand 2 minutes. The assistant starter would check all planes for hP readiness one minute, the red flag would jy-aa-and-afeef up until ten seconds to go. At that point, a green flag would be caiaed. When it fell, the race was on. Any further flags would from the home pylon. JSf^ll^ow wearu caution, flag as red p*..:d'" cancellation^ and g j''' black ’’get off the course Shortly after the meeting adjourned, J 1y ..7-; level jet aircraft fly-by and a spectacular display by a team of female parachutists. The Reno National Air Races were underway! The eight fastest biplane qualifiers were to fly first in the Heat lA race jgiQOQi followed soon after by -The Co^eud SinmnlhiiiLart Bgaw Heat IB d ?1 Ty .2,-77 �Adventure* in a Biplane Chapter 12 Nott Wei* a* the plane* lined up for the £ir*t heat, taking particular note of the tail-holding technique. Don Beck in hl* Sorceress took an early lead with Pat Hines close behind. Dave Forbes fought it out with Don Fairbank* for third place, and Tom Wrolstad and Tom Aberle carried on a battle behind, with Wrolstad cutting a pylon in the tpoces*/ Beck, Hine* and Forbes finished one, was with the technique rather than two, three, but ay concern was.with the competition. I the top pilots flew smoothly, with minimum change in bank and little variation in altitude. Formula One races were under way a* the Biplane* Heat IB pilot* met to determine their etarting positions. fastest qualifiers were given first choice. The Starting slots one through six were taken In order^^^ chose position eight, the $4.nre J’ wn* frhe iiiiljn ■gWOut I figured it would outside slot. put other* at ease if I stayed out of the middlsi^ eW^ he much easier for me if iniad/o^ IQiad^i^a man on my left to look out for We pushed our plane* the quarter mile to the starting line Special» Dense F^**y hfr Pfirirt fw bi« ■mIimiisl .ned to look him -«595 �Adw&Cutet In a Blplana Chapter 12 Nom Weis The take«*o££ would be tricky — right rudder would be required to prevent sliding into Red Blackbum on ny le£t. ^79 �Norm Weis Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 At the ten-minute signal, I took off my shoes and climbed aboard. Pat swung the prop a few times and the Bob leaned into the c engine beck, the The red flag the five-fliinute warning and the assistant starter down the line pointing his rolled up flag at each pilot until he received a "thumbs up" in return. The flag waved again and Lbc1 btaut The si Three minutes, and the relay line, to—piiefr. was repeated. At two minutes, Pat and Bob took position/ at the tail. With one minute to go, the red flag went up and stayed up. I advanced throttle to |500 rpm’s and checked the engine instruments once more -- everything was normal. The red flag was down -- the green flag was up — ten seconds to go! 1 tromped on the heel brakes, opened the throttle wide, released the parking brake/^d set the mixture at the predetermined mark. Eight pilots, holding full throttle, turned their heads to face the starter. Eight planes strained against brakes and tail-holding crews. Tail surfaces buffeted in hurricane-like propeller blasts. Tail crews squinted against the wash, eyeing the green flag, awaiting the moment of release. The flag is down! Pat and Bob release the tail. At the same instant my heels come off the brakes, and Second d �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Sweetheart leaps forward. Norm Weis In moments the tail rises and I concentrate on he controls firm up and the plane i■ ght on the wheels. I ease back on the stick and we leave the ground. a fi to the lef we are in first place, but positions ahead. ed Blackburn‘S slot sever]) is several hundred feet behind. Win Kinneryear old veteran race pilot, is still on take|-off roll. He drifts toward the edge of the ramp^feeling the down wash of nearby plane^^ ^/His left wheel hits the dir^asd'Yhe plane slews, cartwheels horizontally, and flips over T4r nil bnpppns in thp .jl n-P- , Cuy. Ahead of me, five planes are strung out in a line, bending into the first pylon. I curve in behind, wide open, intent on fly- ing a tight^ smooth course. I hold wide on number two, letting the wind carry me in close. The wind is dead behind as I approach pylon three. I pull tight around the pylon and crab on the straighf^^way, immitating the track of the planes ahead, setting up early for pylons four and five, then easing off for six as the plane turns into the wind. Red is just behind, heading for pylon six as I line out for the home pylon, crabbing slightly to the right. I scan Win Kinner’s wrecked aircraft as I pass. iiM* L.iiiptjT' i'Tt ‘J...2 I thank God his plane didw t> bumA i cn th* JHlblift.ndijrnrp.jyetQin Harl annmi-nrod lUdlWSU �Chapter 12 Adventures in a Biplane i i-ii-l ^^pcatcdly that H-.."' Noirm Weis J..-' 'J;.y h";iT it t.U- true ok Kei? up? of. I can't seem to gain on the plane ahead. He is wide open too, trying and failing to gain on the plane in front of him. Each time I enter a straightaway I check behinc^ ^^ed is always there, less than a pylon behind^ behind him is a little black Mong, the stand-by after Win Kinner cartwheeled. alternate, launched Below I can see the judges looking upward through the empty barrels of the pylons^^M any part of that cutting the pylon. n1 g-no ■■ qirrrrfW is visible ____ pI 1 u -TTryil H I ui 1 I'm having trouble with pylon two — the wind continually puts me in too close. Twice I have to back off, then stand the plane on end to avoid cutting pylon. Each time I swear to take the turn wider the next lap. Each pylon is visible between the wings as I approach. but as the bank steepens, behind the upper wing. pyi-ar» disappears I duck my head to prolong the view, then stretch my neck to find the pylon again as it comes in to over the top wing^a bare 100 feet ahead. My shoulder straps inhibit the motion, but there is no time to make an adjustment. course. At pylon six I back along the Red is now a pylon and a half behind, with the Mong �Adventures in a Biplane still trailing. Chapter 12 Norm Weis A white flag waves as I obviously a mistake, since I have four laps. the home pylon, only three or The next time around, the planes ahead zoom up off the coursecheckered fI pass. I can't believe the six—lap race is over. finished sixth, and Damn, that was fun! InipuIiJ.iiL'lj , hml survived the traffic and the pylons. The fear I had e:^ected pyl I i 1 J g-t~ T not materialized, and vTonld bavp l-i J landed in number—six position, then taxied to the ramp for a special welcome from Jay and the crew, one of whom still carried my shoes. The rains ■ciame as we pushed Second Sweetheart into the hangar. The crowds fled and the race was canceLted for the day, but the pilots, at least the biplaners, stuck around, some making adjustments, others making conversation. I asked Red what he thought of Second Sweetheart now, and he jieplrgd -to tke^^ffueit that it was kinda purdy, even if it was oversize. f If Husted, busy checking the timing, aarbew him UFLUL "Yeah, Red. That view from the behind is really fetching, ain't it?" Dave Forbes wandered over and presented me with small blue card that pylon race pilots earn of their first race. He welcomed me in small fra term ty^^*U»-;*»« exclusive one. completion a �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 Saturday was wet and drippy. Norm Weis A dying typhoon had limped ashore and bogged down ■eaaek u»ev aha California-Nevada border! but heat lA of the Formula One race went off a8*^a^pact4S^* I watched with contestant's eyes* seeing only techniques* close eallaZ^^ cut pylons, Jirf^Wygner wen the race* puzzling many uf Ll'Rr uliiei vena, with he retail high ritiddiun^ turns, seem­ ingly added to her speed. Four planes took to the air for the Unlimited Medallion Race/^st as word was passed for the biplane pilots to get ready. We busied ourselves with the plane raissi^ the Unlimited contes^ which we later learned was won by John Wright at a modest 352 nph. We rolled our planes out of the hangar as the T-6 pilots took off. You can't Ignore a T-6 race noise is horrendous. They don't go as fast as the Formula Ones, Iw-fsrt they wmild-have rmuhle bealilBg Lltr fasLei. iMt all that neAee makes them seem faster, A bad start was aiSMMed.on the*T"^MedaMism M&ce/btt^-awM-Xa Ktplitstlei^ two T^ pilots went three laps7"^ssing three black flags before they noticed they were racing alone. The T-6 race was re-run as we pushed our planes down the quarter mile Iffiag ramp for the Silver Race, the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 12 final race for Second Sweetheart. eight. Norm Weis I had again chosen slot Tom Wrolstad had been bounced down to our race for cutting a pylon in heat lA, and Stan Brown, winner of our first race, had been moved up to the Gold or Championship Baca. Our takeoff would^of necessity be down wind, Aho wfawl had increased tozl^knots. longer as Takeoff rolls j result. We spaced out along the starting line with barely a wing span between planes, and waited for Bob Hoover to finish his aerobatic act. Given the chance, I would have traded places with him Instantly. Strange how I could sit In gqt plane, lined up for my second big race and still envy the guy doing aerobatics overhead. J weadewed if X would eves beuums' ski lied aiiuugh" tbs Bce to perform In-front of a esewd like tehle-i—J: led hJ long»loftl g's. Movnia —His "gulls’ were atl-baTrels or<^ , rounded out v As ^cuspetltlon pilots he was sra >oth. expert dropping 0 I d 1 ^uld say — al plicata his one 8 kept positive sof 1 to 1 trick at It wou aerobatic I, but to else. tatlons that al stuff. But tate his eel land ings, and his the landl^ geaXlti mid roll ifere something to Incorpora some of his arching maneuvers Into my air show act, something I had to get serious about when I returned home. —. --------- Finally the ten minute signal was pass< �Adventuref In a Biplane line. Chapter 12 Korm Weis Pat propped the engine* then came over to the cockpit to Vioiti and give me a sales talk on the advantages of flying high around the pylons. Good old Pat* always takinietare of me* Hoover skimmed past* landing on one wheel* and the assistant starter passed down the row checking alignment of the eight aircraft. At five minutes the red flag went up and the thumbs-up ritual began. Red Blackburn looked our way as 1 passed my shoes to Husted. His eyes widened* his mouth droppedy^i^ his mustache wobbled a silent disapproval. gave him a thumbs-up. I He grinned and returned the sign* Ing like a character out of World War I — leather helmet* scarf, .amd eyes full of devil-may-care.^ I tightened the seat �belt and adjusted the shoulder harness^ belts Norm Weis Chapter 12 Adventures in a Biplane T fn-r safety or loo^» fal^Tts f l-Ll' get away. r------ VijibillTy' Pat and Bob gave me parting taps on the helmet and took position at the tail. green went up. i i the one minute signal I went to I -I iiiiii half throttle. pnni»i rHnnco The red flag dropped and the The plane strained at full throttle, eager to When the green flag dropped, Second Sweetheart surged, accelerating rapidly. We were off in seconds, leading the field Half way to the first pylon, six of us were flying briefly. abreast; then four planes drew ahead and formed in line. The black Mong to my left gained the edge, and I swung wide to avoid his wash. The pilot of the Mong was flying smoothly this time, avoiding his earlier square comers. slightly. At pylon three I checked behind. ing number one. His lead increased Red was just round­ "luajae"uuL With en- I concentrated on my flying, hoping to catch trrjMr. the Mong with six smooth laps. If I could close on him, he would probably revert to his old style, and I would have him. The wind moved me in to pylon six, and I backed off, ohal Ici.’irg HnnV then tightened up, banking steeply and losing speed in the process. wide The wind tended to carry me two and-^-kgo^ but I anticipated by aiming to the in­ side, feeling the drift of the wind as Second Sweetheart rounded dozen feet out, barrel level with the lower wing —» �A-dventures in a Biplane tip. Chapter 12 Norm Weis Pat's advice on flying high was forgotten. Though I had no chance of winning, the heat of the race would not permit conservative flying. 1 had the wind figured out, staying wide on five and six, and boring in on two and three. The Mong was closer now, less than a pylon ahead. I checked oil pressure and temperature on the next straigh^^-^ay, ad­ justed the mixture, noting the tachometer bouncing at ^150 rpm, then leaned forward to concentrate on a smooth turn around pylons one, two^^^d three. Wrolstad, flying 20 mph faster than the Sweetheart, passed me high and wide, but I never saw him. My eyes were where they belonged -- on the pylons. The Mong was even closer as we rounded number six and headed past the home pylon . Damn! There was the white flag -- only one lap left, not enough to catch him. Second Sweetheart and 1 would finish in sixth place again. I bored around the last lap fifteen feet off the ground anyway. in a vain attempt to catch the Mong, careful to rise to legal, eye-level height as I rounded the barrel^ lessly as the altitude. watchait help­ took the checkered flag and zoomed to I waggled my wings to acknowledge the checkered flag as 1 passed the home pylon, then climbed steeply — -............ — pilotj turned cii flnu.1 , t'j'i < - - L urr III............. ...... �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 12 About the thja^^ had it all figured^/dut, complete chaosV thaj/rascal, Red ^atkfurn, cut in :^ont, forcing^e into a serifts nf tn-ms tn nt^i■n'^ggfral^tion. Pilots and crews, all in high spirits, gathered in the biplane hangar. We raced the race again, passing out compliments and criticisms, and taking the same in exchange.. awii^—' eawiplaiinad final. The ban^Ta-^-iTiTg wi th abnirt^X^ laughter. We were still riHing High nn the excitement of competition and wp-r^ """ y.z hii..^ ' i niiiii jusi.ih Punn Perri, pilot of the black Mong, offered congratulations. I said kind words about his flying, then claimed I would have had him if there had been Red disagreed: "Hell, the way you guys were two more laps. flying, two more laps and I’d of passed both of ya!" I felt*^re^^*^tisfaction. The race had been a test, and I had passed. Other pilots apparently felt the same. It showed in their actions and in their words. Egos were at ease/^^^ was nothing left to prove. J fat..becalm and bi.implLLg'; Perhaps feeling that follows racers race wonderful successful confrontation with one's feeling of measuri^ up 'dffidng others who inner fear^^. Certainly it IzasrfM; the money. Our share of the purse was a bit over $500, and our expenses were triple ^ven the ^|2fiampionship purse for Racing Biplanes was less than $2,000. It couldn't be the recognition either. fit — �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 12 for there was little recognition Nom Welt or accepted pllots^No, ItZs not the money or the the company of confidence thaC brings the racer back to race again. > The rere was over for the crew of '8eco^°^ee We celebrated ^he evening mny and slept late Sixnd^y nopdi For a lhang there was no early meeting to attend at Sti ort in the middle of the first race*’ >bservlng w arrived the finish w.th only mild interest. We rooted Dave Forbes to a thi placB finish in the Biplane old Race, and watched Judy r, our favorite in the Fo la One Class, wind up in f I Our relaxed attitude t the races 1sharpened somewhat as the Unllmlteds roared down the runway gathered I ; in loose fonoation for a flying /start Nine planes \f lew along- side pacesetter. Bob Hoover, |ind with the traditiona "Gentlemen you have a race a most unusual contest statement, ot under way^ The planes then Crockd in P-51 number nine hrew a r re still hunched after the fii^st lap, r six, took a small lead and left the course rtly. Then the cohtra- rotating RB—5^1 lost/his blower and was forced to quit the race. Soon Clp.y abo called a "Mayday," and retired with/a �Adventures In a Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 12 I / had oil leak, leaving ^ly six planes on the course. Crocker, taking the pylons high a^ vide, caught the checkered flag first, folloved by Garditrar and Oreenconyer. Within minute^ Crocker was disqualified for flying over the deadline that separated the grandstand from the race course. Lefty Gardner became the winner, and Daryl Greenamyer, in a P-51, not converted for racing, took second. The planes that dropped out early and never crossed the finish line took The st,range race with the surprise fifth, sixth and seventh! finish brought to a fitting end 'one of the most controversial air races ever held. / f After the excitement of the National Air Races, it would be logical to assume the trip home would be unevent- ful. But that was not the case. / In clear blue skies over \ the wide open wastelands a dosen miles vest of Battle Mountain, Nevada, circumstances brought several lives\close to extinction. I was flying east, obeying the rules fox a change. ■ \ Planes flying to the east were supposed to fly at odd thou­ sands plus five hundrect feet. Earlier I had climbed to a cooler temperature, leveling accidentally at the proper \\ altitude of 11,500 feet, surprised to see that my comfort and the P.A.A.^s rules were both satisfied. The air was / \ smooth and the engine purred. Z was about to call Pl^|ht Service for >d.nds aloft, whan it happened. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 2 Norm Weis my head, then 2d in front on c, both planes Lme for fright, irget. The sen hidden be- ■ 2yed the rule, 2r about this 2S at Reno so 5ert floor amid scheduled for ns to lie where expected. �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis |2- PUSHING THE LIMITS < ivIuAisbai. 13 All things have a limit. X thought I had pressed the Starduster’s capabilities to the limit, but in realicy^had taxed only my own. priety and fear. My limit was that fine line between pro­ The Starduster*e limit, if reached, would be structural failure. The Starduster had suffered not the slightest bend or give. It was time to push the limit — my limit. If I Mlf^^to realize my dream of flying professional aerobatics, it was time to perfect some top-notch max^%^rers for ay act. �Aibzentures in a Biplane Chapter 14 None Welt Part of my enthusiasm was due to Nell Williams' new|9SlVBas9SBV*^ book on^j^robatice. Hie explanations concern­ ing simple maneuvers coincided with my own* We were both self- taught, but he had progressed far beyond my rudimentary level of competency. He could explain a complex move in a way that made you want to Jump Into the plane and try diately* Imme­ Since Second Sweetheart was not capable of sustained Inverted flight; some of the enticing maneuvers were beyond reacl^ {^wever the list of tshoev possible was^considerable. Perhaps the most exciting was the "dreaded" Inverted spin, which, according to the new book, was not to be dreaded at all* The design of most planes made the spin and the recovery easier Inverted than upright* Having frightened myself with accidental Inverted spins, I was determined to conquer t**.?.*doing a few on purpose. The air was calm and cool 7,000 feet above Golden Eye Reservoir* Smooth pasture land fronted the lake, offering safe landing In case th^engine stopped completely* I circled, check^ my procedure^ *tugglglg{'^ute straps tigh^'^^*'pulled up sharply, as If entering a loop, eased the stick forward • e pull^Vthe throttle all the way back* Speed dribbled away quickly as I held the nose high, still Inverted* She shuddered on the ddge of a stall and I Jammed In full right rudder and full forward stick* The world tdilrled and I counted the turns* f �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 13 Norm Weis After the second revolution, I janmed full opposite rudder, and ifhen the rotation stopped, pulled the stick back to point the nose down. The old master, Neil Williams, was right. head down was easier then upright. Spinning There was no feel of being thrown out, and the plane showed no reluctance to recover. big difference was visual. The When upright, earth and sky seem to circle the plane, but Inverted, no sky shosrdd at all I I tried another inverted spin of two turns, then three, and finally four, climbing each time to 7,000 feet and finishing ths last spin at just under 5,000 feet. The fishermen a mile below no doubt figured the spins were simply more of the same old upright variety they had seen me do at lower level, and probably wondered at my sudden conservative attitude. The 125 horses in the Starduster's nose didn't provide much of an up line. If 1 dived to 160, then smoothly pointed straight up, she would climb perhaps 1,000 feet before dying and falling back for lack of thrust. Falling back, tail first, in what is appropriately termiJa tailslide, could have serious consequences. is continued. The maneuver is safe as long as power The air blast from the propeller permits the elevators to act quite normally for that short interval before the craft swaps ends and heads straight for the grount^nose first. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 13 Norm Weis Bit with power off, it’s quite a different story. As the plane slides backward, the reverse flow of air exerts strong forces on the elevators, tending to force them full travel up or dovm. If the pilot is caught napping, the force is great enough to snatch the control stick out of his hand and let the control surfaces bang hard against the stops. The damage can render the plane uncontrollable} hence the bad stories and warnings concerning tail slides, especially accidental till slides. There are two ways to recover from a tail slide, and I was determined to try them both. From maximum altitude, I dove to 160 and pulled up, checking both wings for horizon posi­ tion, to ^sure a vertical track. As speed dwindled, I drew the throttle back, grabbed the stick in both hands and firmed ny feet on the rudder pedals. a moment it waasquiet. The air noise diminished. For Then the string on the "I" strut streamed out in front and air flew into the cockpit from the rear. slid back, gaining more speed than I wanted. We I was pointed too precisely perpendicular and the plane could not decide which way to flip. 1 pulled back slightly on the stick to help the plane commit itself to an upright recovery. Immediately the stick came all the way back. I could not hold it, only ease the bump against the stop. Instantly the tail whipped up and the nose down — over corrected itself until we were nearly in­ verted, then swung back, nose headed for the ground. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 13 Norm Weis I brought the plane level and felt out the controls* even loosened the shoulder straps and swiveled about to study the elevators. Everything appeared normal. 1 tried several more, taking care to climb at(^ degrees rather than^^ The slide back was shorter, and the stick forces easier to combat. The second variety of tail slides involved recovery ”on the back,’* with head down and eyeballs out. I pointed the plane straight up again, but leaned back at about 100 degrees this time, chopped the power and held the stick firmly, a bit forward ofccenter. The plane slid back, then abruptly whipped upside down, oscillated/^amd pointed down. Like the inverted spin, the advertisements were exaggerated. The move, although sloppy and imprecise, was fun and easy. Lifter, a thorough ground inspection of the tail assembly and elevator control linkage showed no signs of over stress. I counted it lucky that the first tail slide was more violent than needed. Now I could trust the plane's structural integrity for properly executed slides. Between practice sessions, I studied the possibility of installing a smoke system. A separate tank could be installed in the upper wing, with a flop tube and double vents* fanstallBd. A rechargeable battery could be installed anywhere, and it would drive an electric fuel pmp to send a special oil — �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 13 Norm Weis ^orvus oil -» through tubes to each exhaust stack. a lot of work, and quite a little extra weight. It involved I decided to postpone the project until winter. Friends who fly straight and level, in aircraft designed to fly straight and level, are ^^S^cme to questions my abiding passion for aerobatics. Why, they want to know, am 1 determined to try such things as inverted spins and tail slides^.. ^X^ings they were always taught to avoid at all costs. Ify �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis explanations are generally unsatisfactobyX hftt T Feel 1 muste“* try anyway. *** The plane is like any new toy#Mw a bicycle for example.^^u owned one,i^ng eeuess? ^^d you learned to ride i^at the expense of a few scraped knees and elbows? 4BiU4riMm ^ne day you had to try riding "no handseven if your perents thought it foolhard]^ Perhaps you even tried a wheeli^ I guess^^'^terS at birth. Every new skill reveals a new challenge. Once you can crawl, you strive to walk, and walking, you must learn to run, eaA> then jump/^'^id dance^ <<^Tt~Ts when you stop the process — when you think you have experienced it all -- that*4k»taryou begin to grow old. challenge is necessary to the way I wish to live, and SQT challenge Just happens to be aerobatics. But isn't it risky? ^ary^is Thoreau said, Perhaps, "Xt is life near the bone where it is sweetest.'* Torque rolls are beautiful and feel just W«e> they look, but the control motions are strange. Once pointed verti­ cally, full aileron is cranked in and the plane begins to roll. With eyes fixed on the left wings, the plane se«ns stationary, and the horizon becomes a passing blur. Prompt fore and aft motions of the stick keep the wings perpendicular to the whirl­ ing horizon. So far everything is easy, but soon the left wing begins to ride too high. Left rudder will bring it down, and -^01 �enturet in a Biplana Chapter 14 Noma Well when you've overdone it, a touch of right rudder will bring it back on the horizon. . , ’ . Handling stick and rudder UjtflUiti is like patting your head and rubbing your stomach. finement can be added. Once learned, a new re­ Wien the plane reaches the top and starts to slide back, the ailerons should be reversed so the wings can unscrew their way down, preserving the rotation. Other control motions remain the same, since full power still puts normal air blast over the tail. But only for ^hile. Soon the backward motion brings on more reverse flow of air than the prop wash can handle, and the plane sags over eeafety and oscillates to a downward path. Some planes can achieve three or four rolls on the upline, hang on the prop for another, then rotate two or three more turns on the way down. The Starduster, with a lesser roll rate, due to its lack of four ailerons, does well to get a three^ quarter roll up and a half roll down. It's mot much of a torque roll, so I prefer to call it a "rolling tail slide." Uhifferdill! What an exotic name for a maneuver. wanted to learn the maneuver if only to make use of the term. When I finally found out what it was^from an English friend, I realized I had been doing eiUm for more than a yea Mew tehey t a barrel roll that has its mind changed mi^^ay, or you could call it a super**steep lazy I �zentures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis eight, so steep the wings go past vertical to precisely in­ verted, then return. It is a long sweeping reversing maneu­ ver that keeps you pleasantly in your seat. . Square loops, diamond loopa/and eight-sided loops are simple from the pilot’s seat, but viewed from outside, first efforts look more like rectangles, squashed boxes/*and ellipses. The problem is with the timing* Speed changes are drastic, and to draw equal sides, one must fly for unequal times. For example, the first leg of a diamond loopj inward at should be held for a count of three, then the plane rdiited ^^^with ele­ vator, and the new course held for a count of five} another and htfld for a count of four (the engine and gravity are now working together), then a final two, then level. hfild it for a count of A ground obeerver can suggest slight changes in count and angle, and when mastered, the maneuver will look grand from the ground but seem all wrong from the cockpit. trol^ taka on a new stiffness and the wires a new higher-pitched howl. A glance at the aiiQipead indicator explains it all. new top speed has been reached. A I make it a practice to check both ailerons for incipient flutter (they would look extra fat) before reducing throttle and pulling out. Later I wobM move �Advanturat in a Biplane the red, Norm Wais Chapter 13 not exceed speed" line/up to a new position on the dial Cliittbii^ in and out of the Starduster wos/still a graceless ac In spite of special precautions, I f/aquently ran the stick vy pant leg Even when X toed the stick to the side and out of the way, the wind on the ailerons would and found it difficult*^ doing it on purpos by accident. foot. to match the planting of/ nave it back in S(»iie stick wouldn't ride X tried t was much easier y I would rework the^rim system so the the meantime, the center travel. best Z could do was leAva all my flared britches in the closet and weat the tight-cuffa^ pants thai went out of style four jrears ago. Although Z hav formed considerably since I found there were rules about such; tics, 1 still get a kick out flying parallel to highways at\.ow altitude. I often flew low i^^to and from the practice area and close to Highway 20 /bn ray wa; Perhaps e habit be ingrained on early cross- The planes countries as X held the highway fo * security. ware slower back and head winds ^re more of a problem, and that meant |bw level flight to esca] effect. At times the wind almost aron. some of the slowing ^e flying a J-3 Cub, I've been insulted by cars passing me oii\the highway <-«* even trucks. Once X barely got around a combine.. A friend of �AdventurM in a Biplane Chapter 13 Nona Waia mlne/naimra^thtt wlnd>^*aix1^^ realJjrlBloir^nj^wjtJ^^ wonan hang outtlrtTwaah and you're still there when she takes ft lnl“ \ / The fifty-five nile per hour has introduced a new sport. limit All those Mrs traveling sixty plusi are gambling someone's C.B. will get tra word out if ’’Smokey is lurking up ahead*" Let one little aJ^lane pass by, and the whole string slows to fifty-five, and the air waves are filled with ’’Bear in the airl" / Ify- low level flying/is strictly for sport, but for Jim Good of Casper, Wycsning, i-X i* a means of livelihood. Jia flies pipeline for AMOCO through most of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Utah. His 2w mph aircraft is equipped with all sorts of radio gear plusyi siren and a loudspeaker. He has his own kind of fun with tl^ cars on occasion, but most of his low flying is strictly business. \ 1 rede along on one of his tours engine of the Ces 210 hummed smoothly as feet and began ppkalleling the pipeline, entered rough country. The turbo equipped leveled at 100 In a lew minutes we While Jim looked for leaka below, Z watched the bluff tops race by above. When the pipeline turned, so did we — two g turns at times Now and then we slowed, and Jim called the man below on c frequency, inquiring about a fresh slick of oil near the lin 303 �Adventures in a Biplane Norm Weis we left the line and sought put an airport At with decent food Chapter 13 hen took up where we left off * began looking for wildlife\and soon caught the knack of s hing the meager shade benea scrub cedar end eage deer* Ma and the two yo sters* heads tilted back watched seen the plane red times calmly as we passed* They ly of mule before. Although the air s cal* and t temperature mild we encountered odd turbulence at Certain locations that Jim pointed out ahead of time* He has theo as a gravitometer* feeling the mov that the plane acts t pf air away from those areas with slightly lesser gravity* du^ptobably to the presence of low density matter such as oil or ^t^pr The bumps occur / / reliably along the perimeter of knoi^ ollX^ields* and around a few other places that just might Jim recently bought a new discovery some day ceeding to teach himself aerobatics much like Ws compared notes frequently* <»7* and is pro­ old Waco did the year before specially in rega Both our planes seemed to resist the maneuver* to snap rolls ecision snap roll in a Starduster is di|^icult* but half a snap is even harder It Is strictly a matter rudder* and just as t neutralize when the timing — pull on the stickXand jam right motion starts* jam in opposite controls and Lane is inverted* For a quarter snap* the recovery begins before the snap actually starts �Adventures In exBiplane Chapter 13 Norm Weis Quite b^accident, I found that froira climbing attitude and at low speed, 80 or so, the Starduster half snaps beautifully. She's a Sweetheart again, lhe nose drops, but if the stick is held back shsNcompletes a marvelously quick, altitude preserving split "S” that makes a perfect turn around. soy �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis he ins ne. The new maneuvers demanded much time to bring to compet^ce, then far more time to achieve a measure of precision The inverted spin was the easiest. I sprinkled that maneuver in among the difficult moves to maintain confidence. When I told Pat Day about the Joys of spinning upside down, he had to have a demonstration, also curious, rode out to the practice area with Pat. I could see them standing beside the vehicHe as I climbed to 5,000 feet. Any higher, I reasoned, and the plane would present too small an image. On the top of the loop, 1 pulled the throttle back, but not all the way •• the engine would die from fuel starvation anyway. She entered the spin nicely, and af^r kicked opposite rudder. Nothing happened! Something was awfully wrong! turns, I JeoA nothing happened! I could see blue sky and hear a flattering-roaring sound. 1 considered slipping the belts and bailing ou^ ^Xhat bhough^had never ItselF before. Could 1 clear the plane? Perhaps the spinning plane would wrap the canopy up into a useless ball. Maybe I was already too low to Jump. Suddenly I understood what was happening. Th4B- funny sound was the engine running, and that made the spin 30(, �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 13 Moxa Vais flatten up and bring the sky In view* Quickly 1 yanked the throttle back d the yet *» B den* »■ ewaeHy reealH lyway, the rudder again, nose dropped and the spin slowed. Z pulled the stick back ouch too soon, but the plane responded In its own time, leveled quickly and checked my altitude. Z The altimeter read 1,000 feet, which was ^500 feet lower than I had intended/ jglothe«Mle«»ed‘*'foirirMMii«k«>--i Z milled about, letting the adrenalin run down, tondering how an engine without an inverted system could run upside down. Of course! Rotation would throw the fuel away from the axis, and that would be forward to the engine! Z should have taken off all the throttle at the top of the loop. By the time I reached the airport, Irealized the rg&ideac keZe .a- valuable le-ersen in invertedy«^pr spins. The spin would flatten with power and return to normal without pmnT, ^Bbme planes will |(!p7 return to a normal spii^when power is shut dowi^rTme Sweethear^ was one of the safe ones. inverted The spin would be a good maneuver to practice sometime hi^*‘ thMirx. »,■>«. r./i 1l■lll^T^Jl There were othe^ more Interesting maneu­ vers to master. Zt was time to try out the Starduster's flight characteristics in odd attitudes with radical control positions. Perhaps we could invent a new maneuver like the tail stand the yl(i^^drivefdemonstrated at Oshkosh. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 13 Nona Weis I tried entering a eontlnuoue map roll from different angles and attitudes. Vle.»3r Moat of the results were dis- ^4<t*»4**H**<P>**« appolntdaagt hu^ entored^nearly vertical eesM strange things haj^pened. dl qjre rnep er ^pln would start nonoally, but as the speed died, the spin died, and we would fall out In sene unpredictable attitude. At times It felt as though we were briefly in on inverted spi^* /ince 1 kept the power was a chance the spin could go flat, e» X kept ^^^Mn.SBe 1 experioented with different entry speeds, angles off the vertical, and tried the spin In both directions. Z failed to duplicate the Waco*a moves, but In the process, X came upon a new. apparently original maneuver. Starduster can accomplish. Perhaps It* a sonething only the X named It the '’Bolly/ermaker.** p degrees, X wait^4or the speed to Heading up at drop to 110 s^>h, than quickly put the plane into a spin to the left. She spidfel a turn or two, dle^on top, and for eM-4as£ABt ysia^ flat on her back with no rotation. Than as the plane starttf^to fall back, X fedsl In whatever control It tgj^ to pro­ long the float while torque from the engine bfB!^*ton a slow spin to the right. If done properly, the controls endfup with stick forward and full rudder deflection, precisely the require­ ments for an Inverted flat spin, which t^exactly what *^^^dolng. the plane And it was entered from a nozmal spin going straight up I X never gUe^e flat spin time to fully develop. A half turn �Adventures in a Biplane Ron Weis Chapter 13 ono, and X chop power and point her down* Old hands might argue that torque will cause a ’ plana to spin to the left* not the right, but if the boiler** maker JLs viewed from above* the flat spin indeed to the left* but sitting upside down in the cockpit* the spint^'to the right. a doaen tries to understand what really It happeni^cf. Some of the fellows from the CKperimental Aircraft Association — the EAA — were flying a replica of Lindberg's Spirit of Saint Louis about the country, much the way Lindy d toured aVttk^after his Atlantic flight fifty years earlier. The plane was due^* ^*^oon, end quite a crowd had gathered to see the show. mine included. Several homebuilt aircraft were on display* a This time X played it smart/’ surroianded the plane with one Inch wide flourescent surveyor's tape* to keep people from looking with tha^y instead oi^ their eyes^ ^Somehow the unuaeJl portion of the tape was left in the cockpit. D|gexrXt fell into the fuselage and much later* 9X. a very crucial time* X would find it in a oarsnin place. When word arrived that the Spirit of Saint Louis Qi—ft—— would be two hours late* X volunteered to jii 1-^ _ y. a aerobatic demonstration Ss emssstatn She e.i*ui>di during the wait The FAA was on hand* and X had a low*>level waiver* so the legal!** ties wexre quickly satisfied. �Mvcntures in a Biplane Chapter 13 Nona Veie At the first break in the traffic, the tower gave ne the go-ahead,, pgoaAeing to "hold u£f tiaffie fee the newt J^eti mlrnitee It wee real kick to go through the maneuvers I had thoroughly perfected -• the ones proven safe at low altitude. Bottoming out at 1,000 feet, I paeeed from loop to hennerhead to idiifferdill to barrel roll, frequently reversing then going on with the Sweetheat *s easy half snap split to the Cubans, point rolls, slow rolls and snaps, with one snap roll while going straight down,^^^-^™ 4* finale, X dove for speed, and then pointed her up and spun her into one of toy better boilermakers. It felt so good X did another. How if the crowd ^im/^arger, and I iSwf^eceiving a healthy fee^^.fy«^raaybe sometime. A month later, after much practice on diamond loops and rolling tail slides, X moved on to a couple of simple awJrwr called the pullover and pushover. Both are entered going straight up, and both end/^oing straight down. The pull and push refer to the stick motions. The pullover is Ukw a tall skinny loop! The pushover is the same shape but the plan^is upright at the apex. At that moment, the plane and pilot are subjected to negative g*8. The pilot is thrust up against the belts, his neck stretches, and his eyeballs bulge. Anythin^ loose tends JT^****-^ * ’(r-T to rise^ M w liiiHng rkeS long lost roll of surveyor's tape lying unknown in the tail of the aircraft. Xt rose into the gap between elevator actuating arm and fin post. ^The gap wasz«sMrl>ecau8e the elevator was in the down positionJ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norttt Weis The pushover and the down line all seemed normal, but when X applied back stick to pull out, my movement met sudden solid resistance. ablQ< redweed rhrn hr Inii l<avn1 \Jb^ tP up elevator w^as avail-* n jqtMMirtn >'hu' plane reuaded out gradually, nlnrA^rn Hb ■ j^ywuMii* problem now was to get back to the airport, get it on the ground, then find out what Uku hulii was causing the blockage. /l held hard back stick, compressing whatever thadg. mysberious object was. discarded the idea* I^considered jockeyingj^about . but 5 it- i-hfe t.«iy -tt- bir^-T^ the object shifted, the chances were 50«50 that the problem would worsen, . jr T xliiiildetf 'Lu lni>lu> the ;fiick against the blockage^ 1^1 ■and lanri vHt-h fy>.♦- I <» few sfi thir greuad. ^It would have to be a wheel landing, but that was ny normal |istyleyB(**landin^ axtyway, I told the tower about my problem, and asked for a ”no delay” straight in approach. They obliged by delaying several other planes, then sent the crash trucks screaming "if/ �Adventures in a Biplane resolved t Chapter 14 Nona Weis inspect the belly for debris before each aerobatic flight. I carried that bullc^roll in my pocket for two weeks like a guilty sailor, neck slung with a dead albatross, hoping its discomfort would serve as a permanent reminder. 3/2 �Adventures in a Biplane Cliapter 14 Norm Weis €haptece"’i-4' It wa^tha first of January, and alPiMaai the tharooooatar stood at tan below saro. The two ha rdryers humming away in tha blan^^«cova^a^^ngi^ compartnant saamad to have little affec^ Z busied myself (^towing tent, sleep** ing bag, air mattrass, tie-downs, and survival gear, then plastered over the oil-cooler with furnace tape. By nine o'clock the engine oil temperature had climbed into tha graan. I removed the hairdryers and blankets, pulled on an extra jacket, snugged tha windproof hood and slid �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis ray flying helmet over the top, slung a scarf about my neck, pulled on heavy glovesXand climbed into the cold cockpit. The engine started on the line-hand's first pul^^**! sat waiting for ^ngime to warm completely, wondering if 1 could stand the cold I hadn't planned to leave on the temperatures at altitude. coldest day of the year. The decisio^ had been an easy one. The race promo­ ters had offered me $300 to put on two aerobatic acts, and a few more dollar^prize money if 1 aleo entered the races to fill out the field, ^jisefacing no longer thrilled me, but I found it im­ possible to turn down my first chance to fly aerobatics for decent money, . ... —n t t .................. . ,ci , .i Be­ >. sides, the races were to be held in Mexicali, Mexico, where the weather should be warm. It was to be the first Mexicali Interna­ tional Air Race, and 1 would be the feature performer. They expected a crowd of 10,000. The official had checked my qualifying rolt^ and the extra goodies I had thrown in at Ken^ was the man SkS; had made the offer. The little string attached — the requirement that I also race, had^>Bfemiaiw«Ked»aa-4dxa._aldi«hee8t, Jsut to agiem would violate my promise O6 no more racing ehat j ... . 4>ad made tn Jny. ^e understood bqt deep desire to fly the air show/was granted a ^'stay of promise * for just this ame race. �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis Strangely enough* Jay had no worries concerning ay aerobatics^ ySEe reasoned that when racing^life was In the other fellows* hand»»and she didn't trust the other fellow/* 1 felt a bit guilty about Mexicali* however* for it was ■Cii>y*e alipuft Uiat was Uw sutoJeuL of ay feweewatedi. Back then I dared not middle-fingered aalute the year before. enter the country for fear the plane might be confiscated* but now the Governor of Mexico had sen^ a personal invitation^ee— We cleared the ground at 9:30 a.m.* and headed cold and straight for Rock Springs. A little fuel* some hot coffeeA n brief sfeund e'lei. Uia"Uul eii misiiIi>tea» '^od we were up again* flying through the paraly: if vffy Lluuilr �Adventure* in a Biplane fciii 111■iiMf III I Chapter 14 1 Norm Weis cf-miTliliiii heater couldn't kepp up with the frigid air rushing The ;8filvers set in as we left Wyoming and entered the State of Utah, <11 thftiigt* ft.. cQftsplred rn deny maUrha-fulfillaetit I upped the cruise settings to raise the temperature and shorten the flight time. Clouds took over the sky and the temperature dropped the controls q flhe- >fy hand shiveved, sending small pulses th whole eltplene shlverag. Heber City and Provo. inally, we slid down the notch between Th* lower altitude would be a enduring she cut J lietHiUg uf Uie isuuiitainsi Itftsr The shivses-ceased^ as the tenq^rature rose to near the freezing level. The airport at Nephi, Uta^was untended, but a phone call brought a)Kieriff*s ^puty immediately, I gassed up the Sweetheart and headed out, pleased with the Jieputy’s friendliness, wondering idiat the town was like. I would find out all about it eight days later. Mountain shadows were growing long as we landed at Cedar City, Uta^ It was a pleasant place to spend the night. The hardest part of the trip was behin^jT*^Only two legs and a hop remained before the bright >texias**sun would warm my bones. Th^ morning was again cold and the engine slow to fire. It was ten o'clock before we cleared Cedar City and headed ^uth. Twenty miles out, we passed over land badly cut by canyons, Xt was in one of those canyons, nearly fifty years ago, that mail pilot Maury Gralfe was forced to land in /, �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis winter-. They gemnd naury and his wrecked plane.the following spring. Maury had managed to walk six miles before exhaustion brought him down. <•» Ths pioneer mall, pilots used to have all the-decent ency landing fields marked with a white painted "V**, the uphill, or into the prevailing wind. fields were mar th a ••T”, which stood though it was plainly age t the , many of the early mail pilots carried bottles of 100 and a rough engine pu country below w engine so Doubt smoothing oil.'* like a kitten pie upside down stile enough to make even 1 underst e One swig, Sweetheart* the old time pilots thing-ol1 The rough country ended abruptly and we descended to the flat warmth of the Nevada desert. half an hour ahead. Boulder City was only We had been this route before. This time the Air Force and Nellis Field receive^wide berth as we detoured through the Valley of Fire,^2iff slid along the west shore of Lake Mead. At Boulder City I removed the tape from the cooler, and stdHtd my windbreaker and gloves^ in the baggage. The- low elevetlnn atid dawuhill runway shegfcened the take»uff pleasantly. 'Ps*' I pointed the nose straight south and watched the Colorado River meander a dozen miles to the east. turned from tan to brown, axid erupted The land below tusks of igneous rock. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter Norm Weis It was hot when we landed at Blythe, California. After gassing upn,T-adjnnmed-..to the flight ehaek fe» «ind a da^le^^ givhni^ttw^ngine time to cool, fie ^d^ bec^e balky and haixi'xo'^it^t due se^*2he Xsw eloraSien and*^ I checked the parking brake and found it still full on, then looked about to see if anyone was available to swing the prop. Not a soul^was iu siglit. I thought briefly of y(>ing down the tail, but no ground loops were visible nearby. With throttle well cracked and ignition on, I stood between wing and prop and pulled her through. She coughed, coughed again, aH* then quit firing altogether, obviously loaded up with a heat-induced rich mixture. With ignition off and throttle wide open, I pulled the prop through a dozen times, then retarded the throttle, turned on the Ignition, and tried again. engine coughed and died as before. —1 I'gpeauiJ uhe leening prnseihiws.* Sweat began to gather under my long-Johru The failed again and I looked about for help, ^gmim^^re waf.no one in sight.s^I^jMpt trytne ■was on the third pull of twe^-ve^tisying fro .lean her out with^ fuJJLt.hrnntlg ngflla.whe^^e engine fired^4am2^ ^1nn e^ti an. . She wae kiekiwg ewem-aa I^San fo^ the wing tip. The tail was^contlng up as lMM«indod.j;ha..xaaMao«-eMMUheaded for �Adventures In a Biplane the cockpit<1 Chapter 1^ Norm Weis When T gst there the engine ws* at full bore^eeriK** the prop was chewus^ its way into the blacktop JHie tntl rudiT Jriahss flB-rtm My first leap at the cockpit peiip nhnntRiie^ failed.plane was crawling toward a gas truck/ On the second, mnyJif^s third'^^jqt^I managed to get on the wing AM JwenH eally I clawied> my way over the cockpit coaming M^yankad* I*6^^ the throttle bac^ A** N0|/there were lots of people around, bombarding me with accusing eyes and condemning illence. I was sick. In almost two thousand hours of flying I had never hurt an airplane. I had demolished a propy 1i««i ■ ■gwiikaluiffr FlMuj^y and come perilously close to blowing up a gas truck. tt, the fixed base operator, was angry neardestruction of his gas truck./ I bi e lack of Ip starting up We sooiy cooled d' )wn and coopera ated in an iffort to secure a new propeller. came almost frie The would arrivu in 'I wandering about sines in Even lually we be­ ly ropeIler shop in enix cAairaed tl lythe within tw^ays. It s In the process, I the mega* upon an a National record had bei tn set for en a^r cockpit biplwes in the Sweetheart's weight 2700 miles in 30 days. new prop I killed ti le time rwin's operation, then reading ai: ^s pilots' lounge nterestiiu item back about lass An hour spent with the log books �Adventures in a Biplane showed trips 1 Chapter X had broken that Norm Weis ec|rd by a wide margin y6n Vhe o Cjxiada and the East/Coas 3,000 mile: diti ths/ fact," In fact I had in 10 days, and' well over 4,000 miles aveldd n 20 days. At a later d e I ch eked with the fecord accru y and learn that r cords could ot be set "j :ter t that Iycould appl upj exi at temp t\ If for an o rtunity to se 50 in fees, and an/in­ uld only cost day to check in at Mexicali.^ I M-imlrcd the, iihcolj and britjxj the pron-oa~oisa«awaya to epe» tion off, imdjtouble ehetked OFF^ r"jgraiTednasr'prdp thfOUgh ~of-“the''-^ HPerfeotl.^. stalled in proper position, thetx flange was alJU right! I bolted the pi^p down, safet^ed it and installed^^ spinner. At request* the local XI service called the tower in Mexicali and arranged for ray arriv The menage was relayed from Blythe to Imperial to Mexicali. e man at Imper- tly via the same rou One of the line hands kindl red to\prop the engine. I had the feeling they wanted to take no mo chances With me* The cox>lr"'engine fired iramedidfcely and ran pthly �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Norm Weis u£ vibl'Alluu. with ’^^Jteke^ff was extra quick, cular. t^e^limb out specta* The prop was Indeed bette£^ The cruise speed was a few miles slower, but that mattered little. cross country *•*“**• end the new prop Jt w«n*-fc racing or . these days* Just aerobatics, make a big improvement in my vertical performance southw follow t pa eyebal wenty se across was un e rough tad ow notch, en took he sand dunes that blanketed the es to the border The General Taboada International Airport itSf just a few miles south of the border amid land checkerboarded by i rrigat ion * f tr-the iHnd in on 1 t<^Qwnw^T^L—Tlie eApeetfed gieuii llghr d to.. ari'lTiyy^se I went srouaJ shI veil leaded fus feBaJflv ■feline' Bob Downey, formula one pilot and coordinator cf the races, directed me to parking^ semed in the cockpit "‘ig'niit Good old Red Black* t'* hcirda am T rk**- bum, walrus mustache ana stammerdiF out a welcome* as ever, over I began to feel at home* Red hustled me directly to customs ispRswder to cancel ny flight plan and enter the country officially* The 32./ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Norm Weis custcxns man spoke no English and I could speak no Spanish. communicated by writing numbers, adding question marks if not sure. When finished, the immaculately uniformed agent stood at attention, shook peating hand, and offered an official welcome, re­ piloto, race piloto." low-toe.*' V1 ng watching i .i ijy n^i He pronounced it ”pee] in»f— all, tinning broadly. /The vele/ briskly to/f^ce old ed, whipped a Salute, st octet ng about ’ Cenerale laught Although ' Red blushed and the hey takeXaii^orms very sal ent brdke riously 8 found Red’s emblSxtJned jacket a source o^ high Tfevlcsn e« ot of p\lot8 Stood about the ramp. joying ooKe her and disci^ussing the low ceilingX encountered mild their flight to Mexics li t A stationary fr nt was hung up over Los Angsles, holding back the arrival contestants. A few of the pilots had arri a little sight-seeing in igner Hk and he area* race enthusiastV had been b Downey had engines Art almost half th< a week illiams, aircraft d ere for several days. the race course, erecting e six-comer pylons as well as the start-finish mark. The course was parallel to the single runway, and quite close in. The race promoter, uninhibited by the Mexican equivilant of the FAA, jjaff-aakad that all races and aerial acts 32^2- �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis gslT be held as close to the crowd as possible. He wen suggested that the scheduled clown act and ray aerobatic act be held next to, oryjSlrer the crnwd. The races took on a barnstorming atmos­ phere, and the '*pllotos*''^Lwad it. Mexicali, a brown and dusty city of half a million people, sprawled across the flats a dosen miles west of the The houses it the outskirts^som^ temporary. airport. Rut^ corrugated sheets and loose-fitted boards^i^ke well for the Except for the highways, streets wre powdered dust clim&te. or clinging mud, depending upon the weather. At the center of town, the buildings became substantial^ sad a distiiicfaichi- taeteure ■energed, Statues stood in mid street/ ^Iti-storied motels rose on both sides of edyswt dustafllledL boulevards oe pilots st^ed aX tlae Multday B the led first class, but diedXat the bo ca Cold wtter was on to be rocked off itS^base to permit t open, how t you had to l^d your heel y stool never/le althoug autho ity, it sed one grab rly in the e in t on ha downstairs lobby of the on must have lef the stool hikd thro door to ful y tub it in. flashed a hand th such Id. ua BMt for tel. Some- pilots' meeting Two into a courtesy of the mote ? 23 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapt Norm Weis BKistiffened, saluted, and then unlsoMa an **S1 Generale * ablush wae SMgnlf leant. eau^t on so well. Maybe t^t wLs why the nleknta When a red jacketi red haired, red isustaehed man blusWed, he eveated apeetaeulan. / CTiiMon I , / \when most of the pilots had gatnered, Bob Downey I abked for vol^teers to appear on a local television show. \ « V ' / lid, and we all volunteM^. \ f The waee wasZbelng sponsored In Company, bottler/ of several brands of Ws itood about the tWevlslon studio idille ^erid pilots ward Interviewed. The proves. Involving translation In both dlree« tlonX was laborl<^. \he lone camera often left \he conversahts peclally the mtches on Red's jacket. \ / /After the TV sunt, we dTOve \ the botming plan! for a fray sample of the sponsor's product, then adj sirnH^w eat+ns heuse for e abrlmp dinner Early Friday morning a small crowd gathered at the airport to watch the qualifying rounds. piiia.ii SiiiiMii ■!Ill 1 p—rr*T kA trial run on the course by am emperl eased hand showed that Pylon Six had to be moved Inward to prevent overflight of the runway. That was. im^rtant, since ordinary traffic would 4 �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Nona Weil continue during the races.»--/Jrdinary traffic four jetliners inrand eut each dnyi plus the sporadic arrival and departure of a few dosen smaller craftX 4 It felt good to round the pylons again. Although ***4 I hadn't made changes for speed, I Jmew Uy speiw.wesi in excess of 135 mph. However, the timers claimed 176 kilometers per hour, or 109 mph. It wasdidiculoi... I told the timerB Jiise tlnnO/Wmy insisted their figures were right. Their electronic timers could not he wrong. Obviously the course was longer than measured. War-eFFagreed to let things stand, hoping the timers would at least be consistent. During a break in the action, I went up to practice ny aerobatic act, low ^nd close in as requested. The new prop and the dense air*mm2K the Sweetheart into a Toeny Thomason,friend of Bed*s,^lmo from Lompoc, California, tried out his drunk acW X watched people duck and run as A TiaaKf worked his Aeronca Chanqp in close,as requested. A Jet- liner landed, then took off, while trial runs continued without break. Formula one racers and jetliners passed in opposite directions a few hundred feet apar^ >Bnly the Americans con­ sidered it unusual. ■epmvyfA, in Lhe LUWf gaftt down word than-KAf uld\be no more Their kreen bulb radio eq pe Their use o affic control had been haphasard st. planes li �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm W41s At mid day* th^Callfomla contingent 4wiplved* bringing the roster of racers to full compliment. tened to qualify their planes. They has­ It was well after sunset before the planes were tucked away In the hangar. We stood In the gathering darkness and talked until the air turned cold. Dave Forbes had brought his Cobra biplane. His wife had flown down In a Cessna, and both planes were seheduled to race. Dan Mortenson* whose little yellow Smith Mlnlplane 4 4 y failed to qualify at Reno* was there* but he wouldn't be elimi­ nated this time. He had a new screamer — a Mong that he be­ lieved capable of more than 160 mph. j All the old ganAwas Aherej_^S<ws like Rene alir Zfw evening was<Mie s^reunlon. small bar and caf Ws took over the at the motel * much to the discomfort of d Wit t the regular customer^ O waiter^ were not happy with the noise and the shenanigans. We were sjMr "ugly Americans" for the evening. The next morning we were heroes. announcer on the public address system said. That's what the He spoke In Spunilsh* but we eamght She meaning as "brave* grande* vallente, hero* and famoso plloto" came through unmlstakab^. The �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Hom Veil audience must have believed every word, for we were net with wide-eyed approval as we pushed our planes along the edge of tile crowd. We formed a line in front of the crowd and stood for introductions, waving whenever the announcer pointed in our direction. Wteu Uie gmuuucei salil “Bl Oewerale,** Bed jeaVlcT auLumatlMillyi The rest of us applauded.—Oux XureT 7‘*''rHnnir . John Schmidt, another aerobatic pilot, specting his planeSnrior to putting on his act. in­ 1 Wandered over to lend an eye. Onck finished, we adjourned to ny plane to re­ peat the process. The x^lly was clean, but om of the ailerons had a loose actuating ho^. At first X thought it was "hangar rash," and got properly angW. As I tore into the problem, it became evident that it was an\njury X had caused back in Blythe, while making that hairy scrambl^nto Xhe cockpit. X redirected my anger and put it to use, hopingXto have the horn repaired in time for my scheduled race and aeipiakect late in the afternoon. / \ Tossoy Thomason and/yohn Schadt stood closely by, offering advice, comfort, and/4t box of tools freshly borrowed from Dave Forbes, who was presently taxiing xmt for the first race. / \ X removed Jtiie aileron, then the hox^ Tommy kept track of the loose pi^ts. The hom needed rivetingkand the three of us drove down the ramp looking for the local repair �Adventures in a,Biplane Norm Weis Chapter 15 MAW^ aHiI ii'wm Mi.jj ^lyinc^ With sign language we explained the pTOblea, and The Mexican swehanic Opened up his tool displayed the\Mrt. box and we poinb^ out our needs. plated. TWo rivets had to be re- The oachfiiilc watched closely, then trotted off and promptly returned with, an exact replacwaent. the job was done. in twenty minutes The ^chanic refused any payment. Ws offer* ed three varieties of Spaxiish "thazik you’s’* and shook his proffered hand half a dozen times. / Soon the horn wa^w the aileron, the aileron on the plane, and the control cablei reattached. At the last minute, ToBaqr had to leave to 4ut o^his act, wad the box of tools was placed in the open/trunk of john’s car. prooptly stolen. It was Our forei^ relations\ad gone to belli / Tommy's act ,^s fabulous. s The whole crowd believ* ed he was drunk, ’’borracho,” just as the aanoi^er claimed. When he took off crool^ and wing*low, they could see the very fact for themselve^ collisions with I<»qr After a few wild slipping pMses and near ground, even the announcer began to believe h<m..tly dnmk. ! \ \ ^^n the act was over and Tommy stepped out of the plane, the c;towd was quiet. Then as Tommy waved and walked away, very/Straight and sober, they caught on and applauded his sza �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Mom Wait •kilt and(h<i«y&wn guUabill^y, ”borra<Sho__ pilWier for thifyicsm^nder of Dan Mortensfe and Z were in the fourth vaaO| along with four other bipes similar speedi|^ They let me off first with a handicap of tan seconds — hut in lass than a lapj-A--" Mortens^* in*^^HKfe^and yellow hornet, sipped by wagging his wings in for Reno* Then avaryona else passed ma — hut what the hell, Z was here to put on an aerobatic act, not to race. Z flew across the finish line on knife-edge to cover my embarassment. During the formula pne race, one of the pilots passed through a had wake and severely damaged a disc in his , eottk. He managed a landing at the far end of the runway, and- it was some time before anyone realised he needed help. he was transferred to an ambulance and taken to Mexicali, Finally fcatwr— <we-4eawaed-thay_Xzied.J[ous-di£feveRt-plaee»-be£e*e-fi«kding —teha~~' fSair «*ff5>ld handjf* -unh a piiV'* nr*— That made a tw at us curious as to the quality of the crash truck and fire-fighting facilities. We wandered over for a look and found a frightening lack of preparation. There warn no asbestos suits laid out, and no one sat ready in the cabs. Zn fact, the crews were scattered about, enjoying the festivities. Worst of all, >seecdijag.JiftjgoLiMespsmCe«^ the fire truck had no foam, only water, quite useless on gasoline �Adventures In a Biplane fires. Chapter 14 Norm Weis The freedom from regulations that we were all enjoying J had a fffw iresj^^Howe drawbacks. Clem Fischer had to pull out of his race after a few turns about the pylons. A strange noise developed in the engine and the power fell off, making an Immediate landing necessary. We viewed his engine, tracking the dripping oil to a split crankcase, a problem much too complicated to permit Immediate repair. He began making plans to drive down the following week load his sick airplane on a flatbed for the long haul home. The stock plane race was on the final lap as I took off for my aerobatic act^ The now-prepei-tev and-±he denuL ulr cpnpaeaSsd fcg-glv^>fehC'"§yBnthiwr>‘eltmfa-gngle' yeL. I circled, scanning the long line of spectators as the stock racers strung out for a landing. Citizens of Mexicali and nearby towns lined the south side of the runway. Most of them had never seen an air show, but then I had never performed before I a(^^^^befe«e% We made a good match. would ray mistakes as well as vay better executions. j^The last of the stock racing planes landed. That was the signal for the announcer to Introduce the Starduster and Its pilot. The mmsent IS OURS I From 1,000 feet we slice downe building speed, head/d for a point Just off the edge of the crowd* The speed reaches �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 160 and the vires sing. We level, then quickly drop the right Norm Weis wing until it points precisely to the ground, giving the crowd a full view of the Sweetheart's red and white scalloped wing. Two hundred feet above the runway we race by the long line of spectators, flying on knife-edge « flying sideways, just like old Speed Holman. throttle to cheek At the thought i ey left* hand dweps fi'onr~the-A^ e^OTMl seat belt, and fBff^~'Ui ^ghtn»ji.2_A mild buffet sets in, and it*s time to level and climb steei£r to 800 feet, half snap upside down, dive to low level axid make a slow roll on the return pass in front of the crowd. On the climb out there's time to check the card for the next two moves, a full cuban followed by a loop. notes ^n the card tell me I need 900 feet and 100 mph. it. My We have Now kick rudder and ride the wing over through a raverf^ then slide back down, looking for 160, and then up and over, float the top, wait for the^^degree line inverted, then roll upright, hold the line, level, check the altitude — 300 feet — safe enough, then pull up and repeat. It's all so easy when you know how. ing how that^^ difficult. It's the know­ We are through the loop with ease, and I scan the runway below, checking for alignment. A Cessna single-engine has just landed and is rolling out a few hundred feet beneath the bottom of ay loop. Hew niee te have a broad T fbu 33/ �Adventures In a i^wmwey below;—Sweh an improvemenr over the eewtpafceh-er <ueeaibsdRSlW''*±iTtgairiN«Bdytthaa.i^^ to-aiawrt' pit belew ay euauLlue ma ul home. d they Mewe- paying me money to do thlsl The biplane grin Is back, and I hold on to It, hl|^ on the fulfillment of my boyhood dream — a dream I had always clung to but never really thought was attainable. The hammerhead comes out crooked and X snap back to reality. X repeat the move, doing It right, then climb for my finale. From 1500 feet we roar down until the airspeed reads 175, then pull up and point for the sky As the speed drops to 110, X kick rudder and hold a bit of back pressure on the stick. We enter a spin going straight up. The spin slows, stopsy^c^ we fall back down. Inverted, beginning a slow spin In the opposite direction. The We float down Inverted a bit longer than usual, giving the folks their money's worth, then point for the ground, feeling great. Everything had gone wel^ ^Xslorlous experience. X felt like flying a few more maneuvers In celebration, but my time slot was used up. X landed, and taxied to the stand for my after act Introduction. Ltouristas * avoldddf dr the/lo Ing ruck ftt-J. n of wa beer ( “al varl In faucet ter Inste h-I"had- le and ml of using ,-532 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis provided* A good shc^e og. the pilo^^* had developed a eimilar problem. They all hid explaj^tions. It wee the fruit — or 53? �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis aid bmerites/were peyilag» as well-oe eliteheii hex-lunches, and tough, Mge luukiiig tWlfBiggSP _____ 4d>e endlessly and labeeieuely gumed dowH 111B‘bWB pioduct Bright, sparkly-eyed children were special* to wmA-frcna my camera. of the races. Smiling I walked through theiwewd^ taking note of the great difference between Mexicali and Reno race enthusiasts* The Mexicans were more inclined to smile and less apt to push and shove*nhecid lirUm ttniu Llmt fuimi J nt Thoipj wrc no hot dogs or Tlu umittl tsrj^ and shy, they wre inclined parents coaxed them forward with much confusion in communica­ tion, but always with great good humor. ressed in wealth obvious They were inroaculate like royalty commoners* Only pre sive were the /oik Mio wore unifo uni ormed citizens stood straighter terparts i mi ht not er to ms ce ey walked ightl Witho less im< exception, chestier than their civilian\earb ndered idly f the Alamo been saved If t attacking armie had lacked r coldrful costumes. 33^ �Adventures in a Biplane Rom Wela Chapter Fhotographars were everywhere* Yesterday we had politely pdeed for them, assuming they were from the local prats* Today they were selling us the photos, and their business was booming. At Boh Downey*s suggestion, I agreed to put on aa extra aerohatio act just after the biplane race. In fact, ve cooked up what should liave been a very fitting act. It was the touristaiL that gave ySptf the Idea., Z'wonld fly in front of the crowd, tossing out three foot lengths of toilet paper while the announcer explained that X had the touristas. Then, at 1,000 feet, X would throw out a whole roll and pwsssed as cut it up with the prop, while running through some aerobatics. As the first roll drifted to the ground, X would make one last pass, climb up and toss out another roll, with the announcer making additional quips. We figured the fifteen minute comedy-aero­ batic routine was just what the show needed. Bob went over the plans with the announcer idtlle X located the rolls of paper* The final race for the ’’slow'* biplanes was about to start. X sat In the cockpit, engine running, adjusting the two rolls of toilet paper tucked into the front of jacket. shirt pockets ware stuffed with the three foot lengths. X felt like a pigeon with a chest problem* Xth was ee be awsfcher hendieap lacn, wittrxhu slowest 335 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 1 Norm Weis was second in line and was to take 1 counted the seconds| cCZrSiefirst plane one thousand one, one thousand two. At twelve, I opened the throttle wide, watching Art Williams holddag up the green flag When nqr count reached fifteen, I eased the brakes and began to roll. I must have Ssen sewnsing ^set sssswAb, for Art cau- tioned me with a push of the flaa. lessisd • H^^Lakg of 'tlu iripi t-pwfr on frhs bweksst Up came the tail. For a moment*^xhad it saved* Jhe» the tail bobbed up again and the prop struck, Once the prop began grinding into the blacktop, no amount of back stick would bring the tail down. Belatedly, Z pulled the throttle back, turned off the ignition and sat there hoping it was all Just a bad dream. They rolled me off the runway vdiile X held helmeted head in my hands. Elf » that was me I No one could say anything that compared to the hell I gave myself* I searched for an excuse, an alibi to explain the mistake away, then accepted the fact that I had simply goofed.^ I esmssibsr at-the L»«t mftmfnt. fl £1111 ng 1 'ifKhiiH got ny ”ge” levers mixed* ijff ihu gn HaytiB" In the ■air> leewawi LhiuLLlg'IHd— niLiri~'Trtick mmkip fnr tpood, and mnybe I fand rot^iv irhmrH ♦'hfllll ■both st the-J,ast, moment.------ - 33 i �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis It hurt — really hurt -- pushing the plane back past * the endless and pointing crowd. wanted to be remembered as the the aerobatici^ bast liav I was the guy bent his prop. The announcer was busy calling the race. ended, he began the wamup on my toilet paper imo now* I walked over and tried to explain. saueelletn As it He didn’t under- stand, so I pulled out^^^C two rolls of toilet paper, gave them to him and pointed to my damaged propeller. He pointed at the I nodded ny head, feeling terrible, propeller, then at me. I didn’t much like myself. f still had regular aerebable aetr-to perforim - Clem Fischer had no need for a propeller on his crippled plane trip home^o^Casper. His offe^^Jea a God-send, ^CTFaeho piXetee, we linetalleA Qlam^e and carefully c short t stiXLl ran true. e cranks d\the track to It/cheeked out fine e that witl\ only of an i h deviation asured i^aar the p;^opellet tips I to fly th last aero act, thbn £er h Cl sixteen rts. the ’a pro , expect dl under o a ma of the pla to dismantle the/engine, in ove ul. Th Ct pyan sounded go ^’s short radb prop was the third and/final \aistake 337 �Zidventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis aerobatic act began satisfactorily, but the keen A edge was removed by lingering embaraassment were kind — erhans too kind! I c pg Into” f requewtely7—My mi»d ■eenBrnntly-returndd^,^to bhe atCrCTftliL. 1 I forced Things had gono fynm myself to concentrate on the point rolls and the hammerheadSj.^r**’^^*****/^^ Sjnwly-.the thwi.ll ef aewebakies feeek ever, and*I fit hesitation hammerhead with some flatty the On the downline X snap rolled the plane in one of Rancher Steinle’s ’’shot down maneuvers” and was startled to see a glider in tow pass below. The shock out crooked. Operation was adequate,^® caused the snap to come aad I climbed for altitude, reading my card, . , aresti _ _ \ We roared arching four-^f^Hoover roll, then down, leveled and flew an angled, rolled again, and half snapped a turn about Now X was with it. X flew some of the hundred moves you’ve never dreamed of that John Gillespie Magee wrote about, we wheeled and soared and felt the rare privilege of flight. I wished Bill Riedesel and my old instructor, Eldon Hagen, could see me now. We rolled and flew on edge and slid down backward. Thejatoilenaaker went so well we did a second. As X landed and taxi^ in, ar residual shame over the bent prop returned. I took^comfort.in the applause. J JJIH^ 338 �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis The Carta Blanca people, prime eponsore of the race, had a big banquet planned for the evening. They invited Every­ one involved in Mexico's first "International Air Race," which was now completed without serious incident/^mid considered by all to be success For the Aawricanos it was an Band ro. the let room playing as if course the world I placed along the centffr lines Beer and tables A Mariachi kept 1 constant supply f the long 'a surprise. to every ter coursie of CHINESE food w Photographers peddled t served1 day's pictur 8, starting I et's end to 500 at $5/00I each, winding down at le on the pri icted to photbs with polaro ds and selll fight began when encroache The ce ish, compounded by a trumpets retreated € Two young men Everyone re taking pictures on the s upon the other's territory with a welcoming in Span system full of squeals and warbles. the far end of the hhll, playing fyoradically as the speeches ensued. --- -— Everyone received a certificate, a medal/^ a vote of thanks. Even the photographers were given awards, and each flashed a bulb at the crowd in appreciation, M A special / �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Mona Wais photographer covered the presentation with a four-light bar Kodak movie outfit of a type common in the forties. JShe"endl«e**-evpply-of'*hee»-w»e-hegixmizig_to. tne’beWee.F The Americano pilotos were in high humor. Joking, toasting and arguing over the price of photos, taking sides as photographers rnntlmied-te-wrestl/ for territory. The speak one be striki ave his le spre^id, ivwf loud, t in itself lance of ■waited' lass with k on a the thii, came an rder^as even bntinued, w£ sho Over it all Americanos and Mexicans all ”f»nt;^^tico.** at miy PCeeding I stepped outside to escape the racket. Although it was past ten ^.m., the traffic was three abreast in both ^Ixt from the streets swirled about and mixed with directions. barbeque smoke from street vendors* carts, ^le charatLei Mexicali's atmosphere was unique. ! 4e *Dust eswewed Memieali faded qnidkiyTruui siglii as - flew north the next looming. The air was moist, and Second Sweetheart's engine was running smoother than ever^But the smooth feel was ntisleading. At 2550 rpms, th^^Stoewt propsllerV �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 the engine frequeniy^matched * vibrating in sympathy with the engine like a window might rattle at the passage of a heavy ever so slightly, but ever so,rapidW. In spite of the smooth engine sound, hly pynpoHoy wag tmderyft^pg ♦•>»« ded at Needles then go half an hour/latjtr, flying throug light noon, Cedar jCity/ Utah* was bel d the ff agai misping rain. ttfornia hfc 10 t was time for/a 1 eh and we/headed north again,/dodgi rain wafather ahead #as deteriorati the weather bure visit wit At 2:30 I howers t soon changed to sno r. ja we sq ezed through t ighway 9 was always g in casK of engi leweeds w The clouds dropped Ibwer low saddles north of Cove Fort^ ort of a safe land ow, offering the failure or si closure of the weather ed Uy, driven-nurLhaast by the gusty wind IT Past Scipio, the ceilings lifted a bit and we rose fee^ TP****^*^ ***** rflUrftad nf Tnafc- ^y^^ld vibration eessae^^e.^ and 1 tried to coax it out with small changes in throttle and mixture, climbing while I experimented, just in case the problem might be serious. \ I wuhUte'Fe'J”Wil fly U BIIIWM Ilf lb* .|1>4 »4w mH p^lA♦^*w Fbwtunately, gjl Will J IWUrTT. the eeltlHg liad lifted? ej^l continued to climb is I checked the magnetos and fiddled with the mixture control �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 15 Norm Weis Um thing seemed to .influence the rate or intensity of the vi» bration. 1400 feet, the wTlu tT JSy vision blurred fiaam. eeTrere* A ’>r1 hrBit< ew r seemed to explode! The spinner entire plane shook violently. bobbed up and down in front of the nose. throttle and I instantly yanke^back. My hand was on the The pounding slowed, but each Jolting vibration became nK>re severe* Maps, a cap, and objects too blurry to identify flew overboard. turned off the magneto^ Quickly I vibnafeions again slowed > but ngittn»^ pulled up the nose, slowing the plane, hoping to stop the propeller from windmilling, VJhen tJie propellnry finally stopped rotating, the caweo becTOe evideafc* One blade of the propeM** was missing «« broken cleanly off about a foot from the hub, X** A There was a sudden quiet^^j^jj^iet that I had ex­ perienced before. It carried the s ei bel HTiZ-j"- ah landing — another unsolicited challenge* The plane must Another foxxed J* resented' the— pnersBffilty.—— The highway below was crowded with cars* moment I j-bft bedty For a girc. up anil •retrea*! *nxe feeling passed and X took stock. We still had ^200 feet and the Sweetheart was gliding beautifully;* WiOb* ---- nr^ M’TTppTrri, It Km fl t.nh/"ar>d t-Rp t'.iih hart tgKl'g” 3^'2^ �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Norm Weis years- ng^ whim Its rrgfno had e^gff "TSfee off^ ^1 ...................... ... nf t-b^ .Iy4ng . —asauriagH—eenfldeiite Waa 'l^CK^ I tightened the shoulder straps, unlatched my number two belt, checked my helmet strap and unplugged the radio jacks. I might want to get out fast, While I worked, I scanned the country for flat spots. A pasture directly below looked pretty good, but It was short and the north end was blocked by a transmission line. east half a mile to check on a plowed field. I glided Snow filled the furrows and the furrows ran crossways to the landing path. Enough looking 1 I headed back for the pasture, assuming the wind that blew the tumbleweedystlll prevailed. the sky ahead with large flakes. Snow speckled I thought for a moment that I should delay landing until visibility improved? then lawghad t-ho 4 Hag J a4ni*« nnn nn cholco. One Way or another we would be on the ground in a matter of second^. downwind, parallel to tty Intended landing path, I searched for ditches and obstacles. The cowpies uniformly sprinkled, offering a faint hope of level land. turned on base leg just after passing the power lines. I Then, as altitude dwindled, I banked left, slipping over the wires, iag herd In. the Irnwii raising the nose to kill the speed, watching the airspeed needle hover on 100, than 90. Ten feet over the �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weic ground we were still traveling at 85, and the far fence was looming. I kicked rudder hard right, then left, bamdooring the fuselage against the breeze. We thumped down, tail wheel first, then the main wheels, brakes full on. She was still light, axul the skidding wheels had little affect. A large fallen tree trunk with straggled branches raced by on the left. The fence grew large ahead, and X stood on the brakes, easing a bit at each tail bob. Each time ■/la. , the tail rose, XJiaa.XzaaaedHsa-«4&ua£-Kiat»-«£-4ihe-4e«iea» X considered a ground loop, but epocrf coasted to a magnificent stop/2^yards..^^ni the fence. yjy ,X looked up., into tne .falling snowfisfeaa th».t fad,, j ""d gp^Vw "Thanks Bosel" 1 sat in the r—4*® marveling at oqt luck, shamefully congratulating myself <•4^/0 on the landing But there were a few things I "could have done that be suLli. iu> luUuL X Tsheitid have radioed a quick "May Dajy^ I should have considered jumping « all, X should have shut off the fuel valve ** and above Second Sweetheart appeared to be intact everywhere except from the firewall forward. What used to be a neat assemblage of tubes and wires/'fiw looked like spaghetti. The engine mount was broken in two places, and the cowling was battered �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 15 Norm Weis and bent from the engine * s ayniws4-qn^ fchgeughoufc the compart- ment. Met- Ifhe ^ngine^ sagged, pointing half way to the ground, held in place^Jby cowling and safety cable. The 3/16” steel safety cable, required for racing, had done its job. Had the engine broken loose, the aircraft would have been completely uncontrollable. Up front, the broken propeller told its own story. The stub showed two kinds of faacture, A thin break along the back side, brought on by resonance fatigue, had let the blade bend forward into the airstream — that was the mild vibration I had felt. The rest of the fracture showed signs of an in­ stantaneous separation. That was the loud bang. blade had flown off to land perhaps a mile away. prop had The broken The unbalanced caused th^mount to break at the same Instant. Three propellers! In less than a week I had creamed three propellers — made modem works of art out of two, and broks^^he third clean off! How would I explain that to tty wife, ny fellow pilotsthe Insurance company? Half a mile away, dimly visible through the snow shower, stood a farmhous^ and I hoped a telephone;—•* Neither Mrs, Hall nor her^^yean-old son, Kurt, had heard me land, which was understandable, since the engine i|as silent. I called Jay first, and then the local ^eriff. It was a diflficult accident to explain, since all the damage 3 yr �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis )uiX occurred in the airland nui while eentaeetng the gaeundi— Young Kurt hall and X walked back to the plane* pushed it to the fence and tied it down securely. The loose gear and baggage was all packed and stacked by the time the deputy sheriff and-&e newsman arrived of-tlie forced laudlng-from his police radio ecermer. ■ .MW*.. IrU . *-r> J He pro4 7mr>r.» 10 *"mr1r~’ It ’'loirirmTilci pioof,** ^Llis t*T'm imd Csmshirr, story got on the wire serviced** >rt was so mixed up by the time it hit the luwie town media*Z*that close friends thought I had been killed or badly hurt. long process of reportixig bO’ the yAA*--the in« nnrnnn ?"mpaTiyi end plomning ths lir*''* 1i iiiil butnn the*- AA neidemb L4) y with g After repA^'l&iij^ the date several times to the various officials* it dawned on me that January 9th was ny birthday^ ■ ■■ "»y arAsgs of eowteBipT4tt/tig my .C was gil^^ anmight**^ The insurance company instructed me to hire a guard* and agreed to send an insurance adjuster to Salt Lake City in three days if we could have the plane dismantled and hauled that distance that soon. The next evening* e*tf»^Jay* andyson* Wade 3y4 �Adventures in © Biplane Chapter 14 norm Weis arrived, laden with packing materials, tools/ and w4ah flatbed in tow. By noon the next day we had the wings off and the en» tire craft secured for travel. > met th^*adju8ter at the Salt Lake City Airport He stepped off X&*'alrliner, checked the plane, photographed «.^ov the next flight it and filled out th^ form^ out, and we ^gan the long .drive*to Casper. y ^swe was S<we So ahiuk"and fee plasu, The d^mag^ more extensive^ than ipj*—tihc p^nnc hrfllr Suspicious wrinkles in the fuselage fabric near the tail meant^the coverbe strippe^%id minutely inspected. From the firewall forward, everything would have to be new: new propeller^j^ ^aaie, there was - a benefit'lii the dlcsgteri—B investing time and money be ondxthe insurance, d make some \f those changes I had she could bf^ng a new desirable ont dance and let the con< t rest. more stick-up-the- ide forward trol stick pant-leg1 P ps a n and this time 1 extended invert install a sm outlining engi or new elevator trim could should have an inverted fuel ight and outd^de maneuvers. greater power. oil system for now I could system^'^hat would \leave a white puffy trail behind e path of each uver. �Adventures In a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis That little problem over Central Utah wasn't an accident •• ilot even an Incident •- It was an opportunity! It had been a\proper birthday after all. work seemed endless. y The ^Ine re<|ulred a special mount tlmt had to be jigged and built from scratch. The fuselage was stripped and Inspected. ^Thd gas tank had to / / be removed and rewoi^d, then cheeked repeatedly with water to find pinhole leaks Vent tubes raxv'from tank to gear leg and wing top to prevent ^acuum and vapor lock. A new firewall had to be cut to shape and monnted before the cowling could be patterned. Finally, the fii^la^/ took on Its old familiar form as new fabric was stretched the framoi then doped and painted. Six months after ^forced landing, Second Sweet"* Z ' ■ \ heart again took perky stanci^ on the driveway In front of the house. She was a show plane now. The broad black and idilte checkerboard nose made^ the fact obvious^ Beneath that checker­ board cowl was an engine of 150 horsepo^^ — 25 more horses than before. Tuc of hoses formed between engine and jfli^wall, a multitude omplek passages that woul^^^end oil to vital parts even the earth turned upside down. \The new carburetor would feed fi with equal pressure In spite of the most outland- Ish attitude. A small tank hidden In the upper whig fed special corvus oil/to the exhaust stacks. Sprayed under p , the ollwould Aaim and form 3 <4 A �Adventures in a Biplane Chapter 14 Norm Weis which were now dense smoke guaranteed to enhance the new Het new capabilities / i» »» begged testing, and 1 begged to fly her/ as a pro this time. wothin the Starduster's capabilities* The nigl^t would pass slowly as worry worked its \HKy through a final check of vptal fittings, lock nuts and safeties. There would be little sledf^. / At d»n th. c«:h^/£or«d. md S.c«xl S«.th«rt was again towed to the airport/stail high, and backward. / The engine started inmediately and idled smoothly. 1 sat in the cockpit, grinning the wide grin, feeling outrageous prid.. / Brents hadr4»raus^t me full circle. Grand new ad­ ventures lay ahead, Quixote, X was\^ain head strong after a challenge 9/my own making, this time mounted on a more spirited steed — a Rocinante incarnate. was filled wiUi windmills. / And lay world Ia6Lz^*1' �lo Obc« agala tha Starduatar stood la tha drlYaway In front of ngr Iwusa. Tha Lata aftamoon snnlight nailaanai dsaaUngly frna bar polished wings and iana tha shiaay naw hlack«and«whita checkerboard paint job that decorated her nose. She She was a show plane now, and as 1 stood gasiag / had never looked ■ora hand sone. at her, it seemd to a* that 1 had never loved her so amch. It had taken aw six graelling ■onths of labor to bring her to this noaent* for t while, after the accident in Utah, I had been so disconr^ed that 1 could barely bring nyself to look at the wreckage "of net killed so easily. wlwsd p 10087" Bat dreano are In tine, abacst ioperceptably, to the possibility of repair. thoughts began to turn If I were to try to rebuild her, perhaps this tioa c ,1.1 I could alter the elevator trio so as to get better control redundance.'' sUybo-Jt,, could find a sore powerful engine, and aaybe install tiaot inverted fuel and oil a ya tabl'd always wanted. Maybe I could even add a soske-awklng device that would Burk the path of our naneuvers with a white puffy trail. Maybe.... When 1 finally did set to work, the task IMwmbo seemd almst ovexwheloing. The^ulwm fuM^ngn would have to be stripped, inspected, repaired and recovered. The fuel systen would have to be ewOdwoiy reworked./| The new engim would need a^ now munt, and that would have to be jigged and built from scratch. I'd have to cut end install a new firewall before the new cowling could be pattermd. on and on. And so , (! Yet by 'iTinl i PC'- '■ T — beyond the posnihtlibyAof drawing back. Once again 1 wos firmly in the grip of ny old dreasK—or obsession, if yon will—and I could think of nothing but the day wiien the Starduster and X would take to the air again. dMi now, six months later, that day was meooiy here. I thought about the now engine—20X mre powerful than the old one—about the new carburetor and oil system that would operate as well upside down as right side up, about the smke«mker, about the dosens of other refinements, big and little, that X had added. The night would pass slowly as X reviewed and re-reviewed In my imagination the state of every vital fitting, every lock nut and safety. X did mt suppose 1 mold odoep , 7 u/ �At d*wB the caravan would fora and tha S tardus tar would ba towed to the airport. Parbapa to aoa«-uiutefMUMd bystanders she would seen uuls^resslve**- snrely a rather old**fashloBed airplane rolling awkwardly, tall high and backward. down the highway. would be nuch nore. But efc-tensb to om flfty-flve«year-old schoolteacher she 6^ In a few houra 9^ would again becone hla naglc steed, the Roslnante who could carry hin hseh^bnu'shin,lag wnrld.ftUnd wAab<»endtoowvWhsBsatts fd~ fl tie i mUK � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Manuscript Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>The Starduster</em> Draft Manuscript Ch. 9-13 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <p><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></p> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1979 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Starduster_DraftManuscript_9Thru13 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16ea4aae35d4b17e898c9af19780c09b.pdf dad6a098559376aef4742d06b8ecd412 PDF Text Text PHOTO DESCRIPTION FOR "TWO'STORY OUTHOUSE, etc. by: Norm Weis Explanation of Gode: A means absolutely necessary to story; B means better use it, it supports story; C cautionary - would like to see it used; D Delete if you need to. Also: L Keep it large; M Medium S Small is preferred will do; None of the rules are unbreakable, except pictures designated "A" SHOULD be used. Elevated ^thouse built on a log crib in Dillon, V^oming The outhouse collapsed about 1960. Photo courtesy Encampment Museum. 2. B,L The remains of the Ferris'^Haggarty Mine just north of Dillon, Wyoming. The small stream at the base of the building flows over chunks of copper ore, bringing out its bright blue color. hno/ui �Photo Norm Weis Remains of a two'story outhouse that was once connected to the second floor of the largest hotel in Dillon, Wyo­ ming. The roo^^ike structure at mid'height is actually the collapsed portion of the catwalk that gave access to the hotel's second floor. Both levels of the outhouse functioned. Note the single outhouse on a log crib to the right. Photo courtesy Encampment Museum. Grant Jones, the short=live<J^hard=drinking ^ditor of the B. M, ^^^llon Doublejack.Photo courtesy Encampment Museum. Part of the Ferris-Haggarty to Encampment Tramway, the longest in the world at the time of its construction. ^^All the modern conveniences. M or S Notice the "S" added to a later improvement. The reconstructed two-story outhouse built on the Museum grounds in Encampment^about twenty miles east of its original location at Dillon, Wyoming. Things are quiet now in Encampment, Wyoming. At the ’’Three Mile Hog Ranch, had its own door. each crib, or small room. Inside there was room for bed and walkway. Calamity Jane is documented as having been one of the gals ________ at ’’^ree Mile.’’^________________________ __ _______________ / ^Id wood building next to the grout crib house at Three V L or mJ Mile**^as probably the saloon that attracted the soldiers from the dry grounds of Fort Laramie. �Photo Description Norm Wei Hot lead on a two»story outhouse cooled rapidly when the lx tall, but single floor outhouse was found to have been made from an old potato vent. The Wolf Mine at Kirwin, Wyoming has been out of use for nearly one hundred years. Note the coarse slab siding, and the wooden rain gutter. Tumlum or Tumalum Mine had its gallows wheel structure enclosed a tribute to the severe winters in the area. ______________ n___________________________ _____________________________ Construction on Amelia Earh^^rt’s cabin was stopped abruptly when word of her disappearance arrived. Note the propeller windvane, a small tribute to her profession. The quicksand ford leading to Bonneville, Wyoming. Caboose in the clutches of the quicksand of Bad Water Creek. Photo courtesy of J. T. Border. Typical residence in Bonneville is built of old ties and trestle timbers. 18 Deleted A two story outhouse? Right in the middle of the deserted town of Rock Creek? No, it's not an outhouse -- it's a combination water tower/ ice house. Tall structure photographed in Jardine about 196^ was not investigated at the time. In 1984 it was gone. the wood crib on top of the log crib. Note �'23. \ K7 M ) One of several deserted mills in Jardine. It is visited by horses more often than by humans. (EDITOR; Use only one, 22 or 23.) Chinese store and other places of business front by well worn boardwalks lit by old gas lamps now converted to electricity in the town of Virginia City, Montana. Elevated outhouse behind the Dry Goods Store has lost L or M f f contact with the store’s rear entrance. Colo/ Note the second outhouse to the left for ground level use. Reconstructed non functional two story outhouse of Nevada ( L or -My City, Montana, has been a problem to hotel owners. Visitors insist on using it. ’’Nevada City Hotel” was once the Salisbury Stage Station I or SJ of Ruby, Montana. Robbers Roost, originally Pete Daly’s roadhouse, became the ( 7 { “ 7 hangout for outlaws working the Virginia City to Bannack road. Built in 1^62, Bannack’s first jail offered max^um security and minimum ventilation. ( ) Bannack’s second jail had bars made from straightened wagon wheel rims(^ (^TOR; use just one of 29 and 30, if you wis]^ Bannack, Montana’s Meade Hotel had high ceilings and spiral staircases. �■Oto Description^ orm Weis Broadwater, Montana was big and beautiful, and was to have attracted the elite from around the world. Only the rock waterfalls remain at the Natatorium at I ] A Im or sj Broadwater, where Johnny Weismuller learned to swim. One of the many deserted residences that stand in Ring­ ling, Montana, once the home of the famous Ringling Circus folk. ( A, L j Catholic Church of Ringling, Montana now offers shelter for the resident flock of pigeons. A Only a portion of the many buildings that fronted Main Streeiy\of Castle, Montana have survived the hostile winters. J ( A few remnants of the Cumberland Mine, biggest producer in Castle, Montana. f K? M J An overview of Zortman, Montana business district, with saloon at right, and salvation on the hill. Zortman’s jail has seen better times but they still keep the door padlocked! (T^r^ The Ruby Mine stretches over a considerable distance. Waste material was simply dumped in the ravine. Ore cars are still lined up at the entrance to the Ruby Mine at Ruby Gulch, Montana. �Extensive trestle made a level connection between Mine © adit and Mill at Ruby Gulch, Montana. The "old" frames the ''not so old" in Landusky, MontanaQ This old chair, made with loving care, and often repaired, rocks gently in the wind, on a porch in Landusky. Pearl, Colorado, a town that grew on speculation, then like a faulty firecracker, fissled rather than boomed. One of the mines near Pearl that was mostly stock sales and promotion rather than sweat and pay dirt. Only the stoutest structures can withstand the high winds in Caribou, Colorado. 48. Caribou Mine was the richest of the half dozen profitable L or M silver mines that took $2OfOOfiUlQO in precious metal 11/ from the ground. Snows were deep in Caribou. Roomers in the two rock hotels of Caribou often had to enter and leave by way of second floor windows. Note late July snowbanks in distance. This two story outhouse, connected to the Masonic Hall in Crested Butte, Colorado, was the first such structure to be found functional and still in regular use. Enclosed walkways to outhouses were common in Crested Butte, sometimes extending one hundred feet. �1 Photo Description 52. A L, M or Norm Weis City Hall had classy architecture at the front and -----see next photo for rearview I TOR - 53 must follow 52 -- do not use just one) At the rear of the City Hall we find a two story A L, M, or S. "inside outhouse." 54. One of our first astronauts built this summer home below the ski slopes of Crested Butte, Colorado. Note the re- semblance to a re=entry vehicle. 5. L or A three-way outhouse attached to a little used saloon and dance hall offered inside access from both floors, and outside ground level access to the addendum. 56. Second look at Masonic Hall masterpiece shows upper level L or of the bi-level outhouse can be reached by covered stair. 57. A L or A last look at the Masonic Hall two story outhouse in Crested Butte, Colorado. posted at the upper floor: That's the one with a sign "ANYTHING OVER EIGHT POUNDS MUST BE LOWERED BY ROPE." Near the Slum^ullion mud slide south of Lake City, Colorado lie the graves of five meny^killed and cannibalized by one Alfred E. Packer. Marker at grave site listsy^the edible victims of Alfred E. Packer. kvno �Description Norm Weis f —\ The students showed their opinion of the c^ow at the \ L oir 1*1 f J Memorial Union Grill at the University of Colorado by Voting in an appropriate name. f ) Surface works of the Sunrise Mine of Sunrise, Wyoming make up only a part of the equipment needed for subsi­ dence mining, 7^6 ;---------- sixty-five f A“ “*M \----------/ longest garage in the world claims to hold cars, but has only fortycodd doors. I I Street of Cascade Springs, South Dakota holds the } Allen Bank, Mercantile, and, hidden under the trees, a saloon^bowling alley combination. N f S7*M 1 J k Bowling alley added to rear of saloon utilized small pins and grapefruit sized balls — one of the first duck pin alleys in the area. Bathhouse-Hotel combination was built beside small hot W spring that town builder Allen hoped would outdo the larger hot springs to the north. Tarpaper covered shaft head building was headquarters and first stage concentrator for the Rusty Mine. /^7r / A, M View through well shaded town of Tinton, South Dakota, �brm Weis Community Hall had most windows boarded over, but one window, covered with chicken.wire, had been broken through, giving access to the town's only resident -a mountain lion. Home of Anna B. Tailant, early visitor to the Black Hills and long time teacher and postmistress. Old jail in Rochford, South Dakota, was lined with steel plate, with brick inside and rock outside. Standby Mine and Mill at east edge of Rochford, is now so rotted that snooping about is hazardous, especially on the trestles and stairways. Alta Lodi Mine and Mill near Myersville, South Dakota(^ A long deserted miner's cabin in Myersville, South Dakota. A view down the main drag of Myersville. Myersville's finest home, where the 1884 book "Things Worth Knowing" was found in the attic. The two story outhouse that the author drove 800 miles to see turned out to be a deserted skeet house. ■ I Adobe outhouse served the local school kids. Building in background was the mansion of Howard E. Perry, prime mover of Terlingua, Texas. �Norm Weis 79. M or Sy Head frame of Mine No. 245 just east of Terlingua, is framed by doorway of miner's cabin. Rock from which miner's cabin was constructed was more substantial than the deposit of mercury^^in the mine nearby. Well worn photo of a two story outhouse that hung in the hotel at Oatman, Arizona. The photo carried no label or information, and no one knew where the outhouse originally existed. The only unusual outhouse in Oatman, Arizona. The rock crib was unique. The wild burros visit Oatman every afternoon for a hand^ out of popcorn and candy. Ove review of Oatman, Arizona, showing quartz outcrop above town. Such outcrops meant mineralization, and acted as a magnet to prospectors. EDITOR; please crop to lines, and you may place this photo anywhere on pages 91, 92, 93.1"—— > Powder house outhouse of Gold Point, Nevada, source of a variety of stories. Although Goldfield, Nevada is not entirely deserted, a number of very substantial buildings like this four story brick and stone hotel, have been long vacant. �Photo Description Norm Wei Santa Fe Club of Goldfield, Nevada has catered to miners for eighty years. Business was good when miners could trade chunks of'^igh graded for drinks. I 88 A S7*M I Charlie Cecchini, the ranking old timer of Goldfield, and story teller extra ordinary. 89 (Z X7*M 1 -- y Mill ruins on the left, mess hall and kitchen on the right, with old brick schoolhouse at mid distance, make up the remains of Grantsville, Nevada. Stout adobe outhouse manages an upright stance in spite of losing two walls. Note tall vent for odor-free operation. V 31. J W. T. (Bill) James, and T. H. (Tom) James, guardians of Humbolt, Nevada history. f ( 92. J Somewhere among these ruins of Humbolt was the saloon where a shootout left no survivors. 93.' M ( 1 The open door of this Humbolt outhouse invites, the sign denies. Use this facility with mixed feelings. /^94. ( \ Mohawk Mill lies to the east of Johnsville, California. 1 L or M 1 Sixty stamps of 600 pounds lifted eight inches and dropped in turn, crushing 150 tons of ore per day. Hotel and firehouse in the town of Johnsville. \ Town was L or M J ' named after William Johns, superintendent of combined mining operations. �(2^ Norm Wei Photo Description The longest single-span wooden covered bridge in the United States, and probably the world. Structure was recently declared a California Historical Landmark. Photo from ''Helldorados, Ghosts and Camps of the Old Southwest." J. R. Meeks combination grocery, cafe, bar and justice court served the public for seventy-five years in Camptonville, California. Small version of the Pelton wheel displayed on monument in Camptonville. Monument was erected by the hell=rais­ ing E. Clampus Vitus Brotherhood. Tiny jail seldom saw service. HasjZ^ apparently used a nut and bolt locking system. Classy little miner's house of Cornucopia, Oregon, now an even classier vacation home, sported a diamond window and outside stairway to upper floor. Mine structures adjacent to the Coulter Tunnel, where ice cold air and ice cok/ water pour forth. Large schoolhouse of Homestead, Oregon, evidences the great number of families that once lived in the now deserted company town. Dining halls, pastimes, and probably bunkhouses for single miners of the Homestead Mine Company. kV^O/LSL �Norm Weis Looking upstream along Canyon Creek (see text for a more descriptive name) in the town of Burke, Idaho. Peaked roof is schoolhouse. X^O5.A. f k, M A Typical creek-drop attached outhouse common to most homes along the waterway. The residents’ regularity was public knowledge, of course. Z , A, L 1 I crofoi< Also} The George Gulch outhouse-bridge combination of Burke, N Idaho. It may be the only such structure in existence. K \ L or M J Rear view of bridge-outhouse implies a community use by f I Z108. , The bridge portion of the combo is wide enough and stout k L or My/ /<109. [ A, M residents of several homes. ) enough to handle cars and light trucks. This creek drop, self-flushing outhouse required a small diversion dam to course water under the drop zone. ^10. \ f kt M j The ’’Sneaky Pete” model is guaranteed to provide the ultimate in privacy. Just where the back door once led is a mystery. A I And where is the exit? L or Photo from ’’Ghost Towns of the Nor thwe st.” ______ _____ _ 1 Masonic Hall of Silver City, Idaho, straddles Jordan Creek. \L or Note the attached outhouses that drop into the creek. 1 Overview of Silver City, Idaho, looking north. The Idaho ( L or M y Hotel is at center left, butcher shop, Leonard’s Store and Barber Shop line up on the near right. �Photo Description 11^ Norm Weis \ j Idaho Hotel is still '*in business," catering to tourists, L or M / Qffgj-ing guided tours and refreshments. 115. Fanciest residence in Silver City was the Stoddard M or S So house. Stoddard was a mine investor, sawmill owner , and rancher. Colo/ \ M or S/ / 117. Baling wire holds the splayed bottom of this tall out- house together. Walkway to outhouse may have been wider at one time. M or S it gives [onlyja one doooption. EDITOR; 117 should follow 116 - same outhous^ 118. L or M Now This walk-through style tall house is behind the tin shop and newspaper office. Proximity to the creek, which runs under the Masonic Hall just behind, made the annual spring cleanout a cinch. 119. Well kept, and still used outhouse, has been patched and repatched with whatever material was at hand. There’a message here somewhere. 121. L or M Fancy paint job on the water tank was meant to lure buyers of lots in the proposed town of Teapot, Wyoming. Teapot never amounted to much -- a house or two, a number of oil wells, and some basic refining equipment. �Photo descripti 123. A L or Norm Weis Old wooden oil pumping rig is one of the last in exis- Note the hefty'talking beamV^that pivots on tance. the top of the vertical timber. —H.-UUIW- I—- ■ J nui IIHIlW!■ HWJ.. JII. ■ iri T.'- — - ■ Iron slowly replaced the wooden rig parts. / 1 V M or S j Here the wheels iron, but have the same design used in older wooden _ variety. f ’ X Pimping station hastened oil from the well to the refinery. /Long deserted, this old pimp stands in Ferris, Wyoming, k a town that was once called Sinclair Station 3. Photograph was taken from a partially stabilized sand dune that once approached town on a southwest wind. It will move again, and the houses of Ferris, Wyoming, will be buried. \ Headquarters of the ^Little Ilan MineV^as it became known f \ L or M J discovery of a mummified Indian baby in a nearby cave. f I —* \ Rock Cavalry bam of Fort Washakie, now a garage for the M or S / state Highway Department, still harbors a ghost that walks the wood floors in cavalry boots, according to some of the men that work there. Little remains of Jim Bridge?^s original fortified store, ( IM or SI — many buildings, like this officers'^ quarters built when the Army took over, can be found reconstructed at the site. �Photo descriptions^ (5^rm Vfeis View of distant elk as seen through ’’Old Gabe’s” Crystal Mountain. The pure diamond had a tendency to magnify the elk’s image. walked up to bleed it. After shooting the elk, Bridger ”Thet dum elk was twenty-five miles away!” 1^.11 ini»w fill II ■111Mil .■!.irni»wwi—i*i——WWW.IO—wwjw—iw*gn.ii». ii ~ I I ti*— I ‘^~.B‘wn~-r in - f —* \ Central Pacific and Union Pacific tracks met at Promontory by negotiation, but ^r«o/es ran past each other without joining for hundred of miles. ’ \ ’’White Water Bert” lives alone amid the vast remains of \L or deserted mine and mill in Re’tallack, British Columbia. /^33 f —* I Frequent floods on Carpenter Creek wiped out the boardwalks f IL or M / dock-like streets of Sandon, B.C. Fires took most of the remainder. Fort Steele’s central attraction is the Musetim built to duplicate the original Wasa Hotel. The ’’long hair and the hard hat” work well together, re­ constructing the 1887 Royal Canadian Mounted Police barracks, using only the tools of the time. Finished portion of the post is in background. Broad axe falls and chips fly as another log is squared for fitting. No chain saws were allowed, and all holes were drilled by hand without benefit of electricity. Fort Steele’s water tower can be seen in the background. EDITOR: Both 135 and 136 may be used, or just 135. �^Norm Weis (^oto Description^ /137 Z \ Perry Creek water wheel was freighted twenty-five miles \M or S pqj.|. Steele as an example of early utilization of water power in the mining effort. 138. A, M Oddly roofed outhouse in Fort Steele, B. C. is securely anchored by four posts. Old shops along Main Street are in the background. ZTsg. f A, M \ It was only a tiny sapling a few years after the child was buried. Now the tree occupies the complete grave site in iVild Horse, B.C. /140?^ \ ( A, L Owner of the Long Him Store in Lundbreck, Alberta, bemoaned the loss of the two story outhouse he purchased as a sales gimmick. He found it had been donated earlier to the Heritage Park in Calgary. In Lundbreck, Alberta, this gas station and store con­ stitute a "shopping center." ...................................................................... ■i.w » . i- Wainwright Hotel of Heritage Park in Calgary, Alberta, was said to have the old Lundbreck two story outhouse attached to the rear. World's finest two story outhouse, a two door four-holer over a four door eight-holer, with a cupola on top. And everything works! Everything functions in Heritage Park, including ste>-n wheelers and steam engines. You can even j2?/3!^/e fresh d baked brea^ from the old bakery. �Wei^^ (^^^Photo Description^ A Exact replica of the Hudson Bay Company’s Rocky Moun- \M or Sj House h^s been built on the grounds of Heritage —* J -- "'*'>* f 146 5^^ Park. ............... . — '' "* *... . —.. ... ...... ........ .... — '1 j Outside of the rebuilt Banff barracks of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, - a constable from years past answers questions and spins a few yams. X 1^7 / X7”L \v \ / Timmerman rebuilt the original Windsor Hotel two story outhouse quite faithfully. It stands in its original location, minus, of course, the hotel it originally served. Now it serves the public, and brings a few customers into the Long Him Store No. 7. ——. ��LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Library of Congress CatalogIng-in-PublIcatlon Data Weis, Norm. 1923A lighthearted tour of the West on a search for the two-story outhouse / by Norman D. Weis ; photographs by the author. p. cm. ISBN 0-87004-326-9 : (^9.95> 1. Cities and towns. Ruined, extinct, etc.—West (U.S.) 2. Cities and towns. Ruined, etc.—Canada, Western. 3. West (U.S.)-Descrlptlon and travel —1981- 4. Canada. Western—DescriptIon and travel. 5. Weis, Norm, 1923—Journeys—West (U.S.) 6. Weis, Norm, 1923—Journeys—Canada, Western. I. Title. F595.3.W45 198^ 917.8—dc19 87-35425 CIP ��Weis, TwosStox7 Guthouse. [ Outhouses have not been Norm Weid<4 only interest* After World War 11, he decided he valued time more than money, so he fell back on his gWWiWSTfc- physics degree and became a high school science teacher. This gave him his summers off plus a job that he thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the year. ( DuringRummer vacations. Hr. Weis explored other interests., Be writing in the late'{>$ds and discovered that he loved it. He has published several picture books on wildlife -- one the result of an intensive four^year study of grizzly bears. towns were another of his fascinations. Twelve years of wandering in and out of ghost towns provided the groundwork for two more books: Ghost Towns of the Northwest and Helldorados. Ghosts and Camps of the Old Southwest. Then his love of flying returned and he flew his hand^built tiny red and white biplane from coast to coast and into the world of air racing and aerobatics. Of course, there was a book there too, called. The Starduster. zlfr. Weis is a retired physics instructor from Casper College, Wyoming. He resides in Wyoming, fishing, traveling and photographing, and wx*iting of his experiences. �Weis, Two=Story Outhouse I Laughter, lies and lambency J- travel with these and tbs"SMM»r as I—* you cover eleven states and four Canadian provinces looking for tvos story outhouses -- the ultimate in yesterdaj^ feats of sanitary n, engineex*ing. [foii/ll find outhouses on hi^ trestles, outhouses hanging over river banks, creek straddlers, leaners, open=air jobs, outhousesbridge combos, and one superlative specimen in Alberta a two=:door fours holer on top of a four=door eij^ht=holer^ topped with a cupola. [where you don\/fc find tall outhouses, you will find tall stories. --Jim Bridger, legendary mountainy^ clear up there you claim^ the air bo ai. see for three days. --The crooked sheriff of Bannack, Montana, M ni^t and \>bha6e<i<X himself during the day. led hie gang at --The trial and conviction of Alfred E. Packer, in Lake City, M I Colorado, for cannibalism and murder. Packer ate five men — all M democrats. I^er 100 photographs show the outhouses as they were and as they now exist. Some of the old=timers, always good for a measure of history mixed with a goodly number of downrii^t lies, are pictured. [^yone who enjoys the unusual, or a good story, or has ever had the dubious pleasure of usingVthe little house out bac^ will find this book delightful. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Norman Weis Manuscripts Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1971-1987 Description An account of the resource A collection of manuscripts by Casper College professor Norman Weis. <br /><br />This collection includes manuscripts of:<br /><em>Ghost Towns of the Northwest: Known and Unknown<br />The Starduster<br />Two-Story Outhouse<br />Helldorados<br /></em><br />Each manuscript contains written in edits by Norman Weis Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_Manuscripts Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Documents Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource <em>Two-Story Outhouse</em> Book Information Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/">https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/</a> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1987 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Norman Weis Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Norm Weiss Manuscripts and Photographs, CCA 10.2003.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 10.2003.01_Weis_TwoStoryOuthouse_BookInfo Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF