9 10 9760 https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/5713b92395a1db8541e8a972754e61f3.pdf 235c0d92d30f7cf2d1c5b68432baf38e PDF Text Text PART I S==- s CALIFORNIA �__ > AT?ALIPaFi'''IA Aq?A --------------- ■^'—■< - ggaao gorpo, OALiFJRxmiL^ Mortimer Belshaw was a shrewd man. wardly Shrewd! Ou^ Belshaw showed only mild interest in the sample of silver-bearlny quartz shown around by a iiexioan prospector. He inquired of other deposits in the area, and when told that tralena was found nearby He knew he immediately laid plans. that the lead found in yalena was necessary to subtract silver from its ore. controlled the lead could control The man the silver, and Belshaw figured to be that man. Belshaw arrived in Gerro Gordo in 1868. Prospectors were swarmlna about the rounded, almost fat hills for which the site was named. While the prospectors sought out and claimed the silver, Belshaw quietly sewed up most of the galena deposits. He hastened to spread the word that he planned to build a smelter, then promptly traded one-fifth of his imaginary smelter for one^ third of the Union Mine, the last hold-out containing highsqualitv calena. With a few ingots laboriously smelted from his best ore samples, Belshaw headed for San Francisco. Financier Abner B. Sider looked at the ingots, believed Belshaw*s claims, and promptly The Union Minlnsr Company was formed offered to back the enterprise. By ral(l*^ummer from Owen's Lake the partners had constructed a wagon road up the steep slopes to Gerro Gordo. climbed ^,800 feet in its eight serpentine miles. spot a tollTSite was Installed. plan to miss a trick. The road At one narrow Belshaw and partner didn't The fee was $1.00 per wagon, two bits -1- �per rider. The partners soaked everyone^ and took a double whaok at competitors, Belshaw was a talented engineer, designing and huild-f ing a smelter capable of turning outtons of lead-silver amalgam each day. Charged with coke and coal, and making use of a unique doubletboiler principle, it constituted a major breakthrough in contemporary smelting. One hundred and twenty bars of lead-silver amalgam were poured and hauled out each day. With rear wheels chained and skidding, and front wheel brakes frequently applied, the elyhtsmule teams slipped and slid down the road, traversing dozens of tight switchbacks. The bars were transferred to steamers at the east bank of Owens Lake, then again loaded on wagons at the west bank and hauled to San Francisco. The Union Mining Company built a second smelter in 189QAand nroduction doubled. Traffic increased on the toll road O' <— as other mines expanded production. A new smelter at Swansea, on the shore of Owens Lake, made lowersgrade ore a paying pronosltion in spite of Belshaw's tollroad rates. Belshaw tried to lure business away from the Swansea Smelter by letting the tollroad go bad. This limited the loads that could be carried in the wavons, and in effect raised the toll. Competing mines either raid Belshaw's high smelting fees or forked over a healthy toll. Belshaw's competitors attempted to build a new road in to Gerro Gordo, but efforts proved fruitless. -2- The canny �Belshaw had nlaced his toll road In the only usable spot! Some disgruntled folk established a tent town below Belshaw’s toll*^ate and hiked cross-country a mile or so to Oerro Gordo for supplies and entertainment. The fifty-six teams of mules that hauled freight to Cerro Gordo continued to pay Belshaw’s heavy toll. Later an aerial tramway was built, easing the stranglehold of the toll road. Mo engine was required to cower the tram>* way, since its problem was one of slowing the head Iona: dowi^ Elaborate braking mechanisms *t were utilized, and freight was put in the buckets on the "up" hill run of oretladen buckets. line when possible. seventies. The town prospered during the - with the popu­ lation riding between two and three thousand. houses were flourishinar. Several sporting The dance halls of Lola Travis and Maggie Moore were busy, and the American Hotel, opened in I87I, continued to do business in spite of spectacularly high rates. When a younsr doctor came to town intending to open a practice. he was confronted with drunks, fights, and even gunplay. The doc left town A same eveninv. Cerro Gordo enjoys a unique setting. Thirty miles away, to the northwest, 14,495:foot hiinih i4ount Everest towers over the dry flats of Owens Lake, besting Cerro Gordo and its adjacent peak by more than a mile. To the east, avain thirty miles away, is a "sink" fed Infrequently by Salt Creek and the -3- �Amargosa Hlver. Better known as Death Valley, its elevation is 282 feet BELOW sea level. Midway between the highest and lowest points in the continguous states, Cerro Gordo enjoys a climate that is the best of the two extremes. Days are warm and dry -- nights pleasantly cool. Barby and Jack Smith have owned the mine and town since 19^9. They charge a dollar to visit the place, and it's well worth it. Their protective presence has prevented the slow^certain destruction suffered by other ghost towns. They have made few changes, except that Jack now claims the town has running water — he runs and gets it twice a week. Most spectacular in town the old American Hotel, still replete with square nallft balcony, gazebo, and hugJi kitchen stove. The trestle of the Union Mine curves over the northern extreme of the business district. A threes crib sporting house still stands next to a string of buildings that once served as stores, warehouses^and machine shops. Occasional >11^ bottles diggers are permitted limited access. The old mine dump had been used as a garbage dump, with fresh rock tumbled over each day's refuse, creating a o gold mine of old bji^ttles inconveniently spread at the extreme bottom of the huge waote dump. Fred Kille, teacher and ghost town hunter, has poked and dug around the area extensively. He has located a number of little-known settlements and mines, particularly in the Panaraint Valley, next to and parallel to Death Valley �His bottle collection Is outstanding. We discussed the hazards Involved In digging for bottles and the additional thrills Involved In getting to some of the area’s ghost towns. He and his wife consider the road to Gerro Gordo enjoyable." "tame and My opinion differed greatly. The road is narrow and steep — so steep that my eight miles an hour, (admittedly tired) pickup could make no more than S—floor- boarded. It had not been an enjoyable trip up the hill. The sun was flat In my face on the steep grade a mile below town. The road, was but a narrow shelf, and^as I rounded out on top, the sun on the dusty windshield blocked all vision ahead. I locked the transmisslon^Jam^d on the brake, and got out to I did, for the road doubled back have a look. It was well to the right. Dead ahead was nothing but space. The only part of the road I enjoyed was the parking place at the end of It. Going down the hill the next day, I was thinking about the chainlocked wheels on the ore wagons that used to skid around the bends. turn I forgot about the blues sky hairpin and got the same damned unwanted thrill a seond time. MAP MOTfis Gerro Gordo and a number of small satellite towns and mining camps are shown on the Mew York Butte, California a 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map, �SWANSEA, CALIFOaVIA Trailing broad wakes and spouting dense clouds of smoke, the steamers Mollie Stevens and Bessie Brady often met in the middle of Owens Lake. Each in turn carried wood on. the ^^smile Journey eastward and silver-lead amalgam Sighty-flve feet long on the return, and shallow of draft to suit the meager depths of Owens (salt) Lake, the twin steamers plied between Cartasro at the southwest bay and Keeler and Swansea on the northeast shore. Swansea, named for its larger twin in Wales, was a smelting town. Silver ore from the Inyo Mountains near Cerro Gordo was processed here, with the aid of the local lead and salt deposits. Lead ore in the form of galena came from the Sunset, Union, Morning Star, and Cerro GordOy^nes. Unfortunately the salt of Owens Lake was of the carbonate variety, unusable for smelting. The proper chloride salt lay miles away, over the top of the Inyo Mountains hill north to Salt Lake, and down^ A tramway carried salt up the ^OOs foot climb through Daisy Canyon from Salt Lake to the mountain pass, then down to a port at the north end of Swansea. The huge furnaces at Swansea turned out I50 bars of silver every hours, each weighing a standard^^ pounds. It is difficult to Imagine the massive operations of smelting and freighting that took place on the shores of Owens Lake. It's especially difficult because Owensr Lake is no more. 8 �The same lonsrtterm change in climate that created extensive salt flats in the area small puddle. reduced Owens Lake to a Dried up and crusted over, the treacherous lake defies travel over its surface hy man or machine. Mollie S^tevens and the Bessie Brady are out there The buried beneath the salt, engines rusted and steam whistles silent. The smelter chimneys have fallen^and the houses are almost gone ~ moved or covered with the blowing sand dunes. Only the rock furnaces remain, along with a few buildings of town now owned by the Penn I41nes. Pour miles away the once: busy port of Keaier escapes complete desertion, thanks to the employment demands of a small soda evaporation plant. MAP MOTS: Swansea, Keeler, Salt Lake, and the tramway connect/ Ing the two can be located on the Mew York Butte, California^ 15' minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. �J DA5WIN, GALIFOaNIA rA The story is classic — the party of exhausted men were camped in the Aryus Hange of California. was short, and. their food was R-one. Water Their best rifle was found to be short one of its sights, and the chance of shoot^ Ing game seemed remote. An Indian guide saved, the day by re^ pairing the sight with a chunk of soft/iwhite metal. The memP v • bers of the party knew it was silver and assumed the Indian knew of a considerable deposit ~ but escape from the hostile area was deemed more important than a search for silver. Years later. Dr. 3. Darwin French led a party into the Argus Range to seek out the silver lode. Ft. Tejon rancher Dr. French, a and habitual prospector, had been in the area before^ and was likely a member of the starving party that had passed through earlier. whether It is not clear the Indian’s "Gunsight Lode" was ever found, but good signs were evident, and a number of claims were staked. 'Darwin The town that sprang up was officially named in i860, long after Dr. B. Darwin French had left to prospect elsewhere. The Darwin Hills, east of town, eventually yielded S5 million more than 3 iai^^an-dallars worth of silver. Three smelters operated from 1875 to 1880. The town declined, due to de­ eighties pleted ore bodies, in the late and was reduced to one operation by 1913. 8- �The business district is presently deserted. The pumps at the old gas station are broken -- even the glass disc at the top is fractured, making it difficult to read the label, "Green Streak Gasoline.” At the old school building a crude plywood sign leans on the front, pathetically offering an historic note. It^ confusing message Indicates it was built in I876 but not used until I9OO, then abandoned in 1917. To the north of Darwin's business district extensive remains of a large company town. are the The company town has twice as many homes as Darwin, plus a school and hospital. The huge complex has been closed for years. Row upon row of Identical bachelor's cubicles stand unoccupied, with doors open and windows broken. The wind blows clouds of yellow mill tailings over town, heaping obscurity on top of desertion. MAP NOTEi The Darwin, California,15 minute United States z Geological Survey topograph map shows Darwin and the deserted company town. �HART, GALIFOHNIA^ It Is the llttletknown site that attracts the The desert west of Weedies, dills^ent ,<yhost town hunter. California, Is full of old caTius and deserted towns an Ideal area to explore. Darwin Fetters of Wlpton, California, has poked about the ree-lon extensively. He has relied heavily on the available topographic maps but Is quick to state that he has visited a number of deserted settlements that are not shown on any of the existing topographic maps. I asked Mr. Fetters about the old towns of Vanderbilt, Hart, Barnwell, Ivanpah Sprlnars, Juan, and Crescent, He had been to all of the sites and recommended Hart and Vanderbilt. In ad.dltlon he suggested a visit to a llttleeknown mlnlnor camp called Sasramore and a mysterious place he called Mescal City. Thirty-nine miles east of Baker, California, Hls-hway 15-91 makes a broad bend to the north. blacktop road heads east south. At this spot a lesser and In four miles branches to the In three more miles It angles slightly, then heads In a precisely straight line for the deserted railroad town of Ivanpah. About four miles past Ivanpah the tar becomes gravel, and the Dakar Minerals Development sign can be seen -10- �on the left side of the road, near the site of the old town of Vanderbilt. I was disappointed to learn that the last building in Vanderbilt, an old saloon, had recently collapsed and been cleared away. The lone resident of Vanderbilt, Robert D'Anella, furnished some interesting information about most of the old towns in the area. Including a special note on ‘*^scal Clty,'****^ which he explained had recently been reclaimed. D'Anella sue’crested it would be best if I staved away from that old camp. "They sometimes shoot at strangers up there — trying to protect a contestfAclalm. " With a grin he added, '"course they just shoot to scare you, but then they don't shoot too awful straight either." I decided to look into the Mescal City situation on my way out of the area and to concentrate in the meantime on Hart, Barnwell and Sagamore Gamp. Pour miles south of Vanderbilt the water tower at the site of Barnwell is visible on the left. a gravel road exits to the east. At this point In nine miles the road ends at the foot of Castle MountainyJyvi smack in the middle of the old town of Hart, California. The flats adjacent to the /Mountains are strewn with old boards, barrel hoops, wagon wheel rims, broken bottles, and rusted tin cans of the early 190Q^. -11- The �chimney of the old Norton residence looms at the northwest edore of the townsite. Toward the slopes are remains of a seconds effort mining operation involving a white clay or some clay^ike compound of sodium or potassium. The mineral deposits still on the site are brilliant whiteand*under a noon sun, irritating to the unprotected eye. To the south are the remains of several old gold mines. One of the shafts is said to extend 835 feet down. I dropped a stone, and afterj^l^seconds I could still hear it faintly clattering. To the east is what appears at first glance to be an oil well. Noting the height of the storage tank, it becomes obvious that it was at one time the town's water supply. Robert D'Anella of Vanderbilt told me later that the wooden walking beam and accessory equipment were carted in from San Francisco on a set of ^^foot wheels. A small engine once turned an eccentric operating the walking beam so as to piston water up from the underground pool hundreds of feet below. Gold was discovered in the ledges along the slopes of the mountain in December of 190?. The ore was rich, and promoters and prospectors invaded the territory. Within a month, 300 people were camped on the site, and a newspaper, JShe Hart Enterprise, was selling copies of its first edition. In April a hotel was constructed, and residents of the town were rapidly replacing tent canvas with more substantial material. A post office was finished in May. In December �the bubble burst. year. The town had flourished for exactly one When the mines shut down continue the town's existence. there was little excuse to Hart, it seemed, had always been a long way from anywhere, and^wlthout the mines, the distance increased. The post office held out until 1915. Since that time only sporadic mining has been conducted. Most of the effort was aimed at extracting pockets of clay. The remains of the town are sparse. Rarely can one remnant be spotted from the site of another. The cemetery is located somewhere in the middle of the remains, but in two hours of searchins: I was unable to find it. was a small cemetery Most likely it after all, how many people could have died in a town that itself died one year after it was born? MAP MOTSj The Ivanpah and the Crescent Peak, California^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic maps are both necessary for a proper exploration of the area. �SARW3LL, CALIFORNIA Barnwell now consists of two buildings mill, a water tower, and extensive foundations. a wind^ That’s quite a come^'d^wn for a town that once had a population measured in the thousands. Walking over the site, it is hard to believe such a thriving community could have eXfA Isted here. Little reliable information is available concerning the town. However, according to Robert D’Anella, owner of a number of claims in the vicinity, Barnwell was once the largest town in the recrion and served as the trade center for the entire raining district. Its three slaughter houses furnished meat for the dozens of mine camps in the area. Originally a stage station, the town boomed when the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Pe Railroad built its line on the old wagon route. The stage station grew from two rooms to a respectable hotel. Later the California and Eastern Railroad passed through Vanderbilt and apparently made connection with the Sante Fe within the town’s limits. From Barnwell another spur headed northeast to the mining camp of Juan. The March 31» 189^ issue of >rfie Mining and Scientific Press stated, "The Nevada Southern Railroad is in good order, and regular trips are made to Manvel, four miles from Vanderbilt." No mention is made of Barnwell. Since Barnwell is exactly V miles from Vanderbilt, and no other town site can be found on the map that fits the �description, one must assume that Manvel was another name given the town of Barnwell, There Is considerable confusion in the early literaT^ ture of the Vanderbilt Mining District. Promoters often exZ^ aggerated their holdings while carefully avoiding mention of competing enterprises, and occasionally small communities were misrepresented as bustling cities. Some of the claims made about Barnwell are probably examples of that practice. Barnwell was, however, a major Junction. At least three, and perhaps four, rail lines met there, and wagon roads emlnated from town in three directions. It was truly the "Hub of the Vanderbilt Mining District." Barnwell held that title until the turn of the century, when mines in the area began to fall. The shortahaul railroads shut down — only the Santa Pe remained in operation. Homes were moved from town, and fire destroyed much of the business district. The stage station, the oldest building in town, was spared. It served as a depot for the Santa Pe for a time. When the Santa Pe was relocated to pass through Ivanpah, several miles away, the old stage station was returned to its original pursuit — catering to road traffic. How, as in the beginning, it stands alone, a monument to mark the site of the town of Barnwell — once the "Hub of the Vanderbilt Mining District." �MAP WQT5.I The site of Barnwell is shown on the Crescent , California, Peak^lS minute United States Geolocjical Survey toposjraphic map. �3AGAMQRB MINB CAMP, CALIFORWI^/^ Darwin Petters of Nlpton had sald^"take a left a " aA strong mile south past Barnwell, then head to the right — I think — then — well — you’ll know you’re on the right road if you climb up over a saddle and dump into the middle of a canyon." The map showed no road to fit the description. There was a road turning off south of Barnwell, but it led to Live Oak Canyon, Sasramore Canyon was shown complete with a road along the stream bed, but there was no connection be<^ tween the two roads — no way to "dump" into the middle of the canyon. It would be appropriate/^to give detailed instructions hepe-afr-4^ how to locate Savamore Camp, but the network of littleiused roads makes that nearly impossible. It took me several hours to run half a dozen trails to their destinations in order to find the correct one. On the way out I simply headed east, eventually locating the Barnwell road, but again I found some unexpected dead ends. You w^l^ know you are on the right road when you drive through a gate^ a dry wash, and start a climb up a winding^rocky road with a steep drop-off into another dry wash to your right. to let a wheel spin occasionally The road is steep enough and rough enough to require dodging any unwanted meeting between boulder and differential. This is the road that "dumps" into the canyonTTfOnce in Sagamore Canyon mine shacks become visible on the left, and �an old railroad grade takes off straight ahead. With a ^^ep you can find your way down to the dry stream bed drive up the bed a couple of miles to "tin camp." then It’s another mile up the canyon to "rock camp^ and even with a ^eep it’s best to cover this section on foot. TIP ^mp is the result of Sagamore’s only major rework. Sight or ten men were employed mining the tungsten^ overlooked in the original extraction of silver. The largest of the several corrugated sheds is still liv(?able and occa­ sionally used. A paper plate tacked on the wall bears the following message: f^Thanks for leaving this cabin in such a k-* . oroddam mess. O.K. to use for shelter. Thanks for stealing the stove ” you can buy an antique exactly like it for 118 in town," The location of the camp, smack in the bottom of the canyon, is a tribute to the dry climate. In any valley but this one, rain pattering on a tin roof would most likely lull one to sleep. In Sagamore Canyon it is reason to start packing. On up the canyon, extensive rock structures line the dry creek bed. of mortar. A chimney on the right stands without benefit Above it, serpentine rockworks form the abutments for the old railroad line that stretched several miles from the mine to a point on the canyon rim. I hiked to the mine "by rail," and returned later by *drvwash road." �The old Sagamore Mine head frame stands astraddle feet above the canyon floor. the shaft on a shelf about A tunnel bores into the shelf from below, meeting the shaft at the first level. Nearby are the ruins of several rock: Built prior to I890, they walled, dirt-roofed structures. are very likely the first homes built in the canyon. down the canyon, via the dry:wash road^^ numerous rock walls feet high. stand in line, some more than On Hock forms the front and sides of the buildings, while the canyon wall makes the rear. Missing are the locr roofs and any indication of a wooden second story. Slther flood or fire, perhaps both, wegg responsible for the destruction. Back in Vanderbilt, D'Anella provided some additional information. He had read or heard somewhere that the original camp dated as far back as 186? or and that the camp employed silver men of lead and cooper. smaller amounts The community nrobably numbered more than one hundred souls. When the silver ran out, the mine and camp were abandoned. Many years later in the old mine. Sy then beyond use, requiring tungsten deposits were noted rock camp had deteriorated construction of the newer "tln*^ camp. I mentioned to D’Anella that there was no sign of a mill at Sagamore Gamp or at any of the other mines in the vicinity. -19- �"Most of them were blown up — blown up on purpose^" explained. "Every time Hollywood made a Western, it seems they had to have a big explosion, and old mills were big and real cheap. Blew a lot of them up myself, working for the film companies." Just the thought of it brought a smile to his face. "Used to put dynamite under the eaves and in the foundation corners. Then set off the bottoms and a bit later, on a mill*!?' second delay, blow the roof — spectacular as hell J" explained further. He "That's why you seldom find an intact mill, or even one that's leaned over or collapsed. [4ost of them are scattered in splinters all over the countryside." As I drove back along the road leading toward the interstate highway, I realized my route would take me past *^escal Cltyf^j^he place reportedly protected by trisrgsr-happy guards. I got out the maps, located the turn?^ off, and proceeded full of courage, with telephoto lenses Installed. After traveling several miles along the winding dirt road, my progress was blocked by a sturdy gate, stoutly chained and padlocked, happily precluding any possibility of a confrontation with those Intent upon protecting a contested claim. MAP WOTSj Sagamore Camp is shown southwest of Barnwell on the Crescent Peak, Californla^lS minute United States Geolo­ gical Survey topograuhic map. END CALIPOHNIA AREA -20- �1 CALIFORNIA AR.^A CARLOCK, CALIPORNI^ The Yellow Aster Mine was rich in gold in water. but poor The mine was awkwardly situated in a deep notoh on the northeast shoulder of Government Peak,pne of the few peaks that make up the Rand Mountains. The highest peaks are less than ^00 feet above the desert flats and are unable to steal moisture from the already dry air. Ore from the Yellow Aster was hauled to the nearest mlllj the mill, of necessity, was at the nearest water. Garlock was such a location. Water pumped and e. piped from a nearby spring was its reason for exlst/^nce the reason for its demise. and later Eugene Garlock, in I896, built a stamp mill here to replace the inadequate capacity of a steam-powered arrastra Ore was hauled a dozen miles to be crushed, separated by water and melted into bars. As the mines Increased their outputs, so the number of mills increased. With the increased demand, X*dL. - and^limlted flow from the snrlngs, water became scarce. Wells dug in the area Improved the supply, and more mills were built At its peak Garlock boasted six mills in the Immediate area. The town claimed two hotels, a grocery, two saloons, and several structures that served multiple purposes. Miller’s rock structure (still standing) was built in 1897 and served as stage depot, store, and bar. �Puellnc: the steam encrines that supplied power for the machinery at the mills proved to be a serious problem. When wood supplies fell short, brush was forked into the Huge quantities were required, and^as a result, T the surroundins- area became thorous^hly stripped of vegetation. furnaces. When the Yellow Aster Mine Company built own mill a few miles east of Carlock in Coler Gulch, part of Carlock moved to Coler Gulch. Later it proved more efficient to pump the water by means of Archimed^^i« Screw through pipes to the site of the mine proper, six miles to the southeast. In 1898 a spur of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Pe reached the mines on Rand Mountain, and most of the ore was Most of Johannes*^ the reraaininor residents of Carlock moved to Randsburg and A then shipped to Sarstow for more efficient extraction. burg, and by 1902 only two families remained in Carlock. In 1911 the Southern Pacific built its track^'^^rough Carlock, and the town was given another breath of life. salt mining was undertaken on nearby Koehn Dry Lake. Later, A few families moved in and the post office was reopened, but in 1926 Carlock re-expired when the post office closed for the last time MAP WOTS: Details of the area^showlne a great number of jeep tralls^can be found on the Carlock, California^7^ minute United States Geological topographic map. More of the older sites are named on the 19^3 Saltdale and Randsburg, California^lS minute mans. -22- �ATOLIA, CALIFORNI4/~^ Atkins and DeGolia, two officers of the Tungsten Mining Company, each offered a part of t^^^ name, and the combination came out "Atolia." Some claim that DeGolia only jUvocT donated the "lia" and.a third man, Pete Osdlck, furnished A the '% •' The town grew around a number of tungsten mines and reached its peak population in 191^ and 1915. Seside dences were wit^y scattered, the flat^rolling land providing an unusual roominess for a mining town. C, H. (ysiim^^aiffle, of Red Mountain, just to the north, spent most of his life in the mines of Atolia. There is a modern plant to the south of Atolia, and a few folk n live nearby. Slim draws an imaginary line ^ear the plant and calls the numerous deserted mines, houses^and ruins to the north "Old Atolia." Most of the buildings are ramshackle and the mines long deserted^ wood bleaching in the sun, ore cars rusting on the dumps. Many of the old mines utilized slanted shafts aboutdegrees off vertical, permitting the skip to skid up and down on wooden rails. "It’s always been the tungsten we were after," says Slim. lA "In fact, we used to use chunks of the ore — scheelite that was down at Tim O’Connor's/glaloon. * Just a ten^ really, but he Called it the Bucket of Blood ." for poker chlps^y^ Slim didn’t elaborate, but high-grading must have been a way of life. It was a simple matter to slip some of �the better samples In lunch pail or pocket. It wasn’t considered exactly les^al, but then the mine owners exoected it and ignored the loss as lony as it was minor. The prac*J3^ tice was an early type of frincre benefit. The Union No. 1 Mine west of the old town was the best hole and no doubt offered the best opportunity to pocket an evening’s supply of poker chips. Outside of the usual hotel, livery, poollhall* and I saloon, Atolla had a picture show and a dairy. The town hit its first boom in 1914 during World War I, and the population reached several thousand. Shortly after the war, Charlie Taylor and Charlie Churchill, owners of some of the best holdings, sensed an impending bust. They sold out, and within a few years the bottom fell out of the price of tuna:sten. The population of the town, already depleted, shrunk to a stubborn few. The area abounds in back roads and old ruins. Nearby Red Mountain, Johannesburg, and Randsburg, all old mining towns, are well worth a visit. A back road connecting Randsbure- and Atolia makes a circle tour possible. MAP NCTSi The 1911 Randsburg, California.15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows some of the back roads and many of the old mines. -24- �gjOLGAHPIi; CAMP, gALIFoa^TIA 31a‘ht miles north of Barstow on the Gamp Irwin Highway, a graveled route called the Copper City Hoad exits six and. a half to the north. Sxactlv 4^^ miles along this road and Just over a low pass, a nondescript dirt road heads to the northwest. At this point a multiplicity of interlacing back roads and dunes buggy trails makes eyeball navigation a must. Goolgardie Gamp is exactly Qmiles northwest of the junction and in line with a prominent, but unnamed^knob that rises 800 feet above the flats of Goolgardie Gamp. The remains of the old placer camn are sparse, but the scenery is great. The Joshua^^^ees are magnificent, many of them growing taller and broader of trunk than the revered specimens in the Joshua ’'Tatlonal Forest. Space is plentiful, water is scarce. If you wish to pan out some sand, be sure to include extra supplies of water. There are several active claims in Goolgardie Gamp, suggesting that care be taken in the choice of panning sites lest one be guilty of accidental claim- Jumping. Dozens of old^deserted mines are to be found in the area, and a number of geologic features carry names that Invite insnectlon. There are Opal Mountain, Inscription Canyon, Superior Lake, xlalnbow Basin, and Fossil Canyon. of Goldstone to the northwest The old town has a wall or two still stand-***^^ ing, and to the southeast is the site of Bismark. fA JJear Bismark is the restored "ghost town" of Calico — possibly -25- �worth a visit — If you like crowds and enjoy a carnival atmosphere. MAP WOTEi The Opal Mountain, Lane Mountain, Barstow, and Daygett, Californla^lS minute United States Geoloylcal » Survey topographic maps are all required to tour the area. -26- �1 CALIFOaNIA AaSA 4 L 3^, = ' MASONIC GALIFJR^TIA^ Traces of gold were found in the narrow, unnamed gulch in I860. Although rich deposits were present just below the surface, it wasn't until 1900 that Joe Green scratched away the overburden to bring the yellow color to light. The vein revealed was rich, and Joe promptly laid out his claim. Appropriately, he registered the find as Jump Joe Mine.*^ Two years later Dorsey located a richer vein nearby - Phillips, Bryan^and which became known as the '’Pittsburg Liberty.**” By 1907 a sizable camo filled the ^ulch, separating naturally into three sections — upper, middle, and lower, where the @;stamp Liberty Mill was sited. Although the popu­ lation of all three added up to no more than 500, a great many of the 500 were Masons, and it wasn’t lonsr before a hall was built. Soon another was constructed and the town named Masonic. In 1910, after three good years and $600,000 in bullion extracted, the Pittsburg Liberty Company went broke. The body of Phillips, one of the owners, was found at the bottom of the Liberty^aft. Some claimed suicide, others murder, but the records called it an accident. A second attempt to mine the ^Ich was between 1933 and 1938, By that time the town had become nearly -27- �deserted, and the new mining did little to attract new citizens. Masonic has been vacant for more than twenty years. A few shacks and a log building mark the site of Middle Masonic. More shacks, mill ruins, and a rock;walled is left of Lower Town. all that Sven the overhead tramway cables have fallen. Upper town holds a pitiful remnant of collapsed * shacks and stubborn log corners. Mot a trace remains of the Masonic Halls, but^ according to the map, the name Masonic has survived. It is found on every geologic feature of note withinmiles of town. There is Masonic ©(ulch. Masonic Mountain, Masonic Spring, and Masonic Greek’^ but there is not a single Mason left in Masonic Town. MAP MOTS; The Bridgeport, California^l5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the three sites. �BODia, GALIFOHinA | History at best Is Inexact. Pour authorities give four different versions of the naming of Bodie Town, variously, the first man to find gold in the area was named William Bodey, William S. Body, Waterman 3. Body, and Water^ man S. Bodye. There seemdd to be a tie between William and *»*>* Waterman ^and complete confusion concerning the last name. Town fathers decided to name the place known to be wrong Bodie, a spelling but guaranteed to at least achieve proper pronunciation. The man with the questionable name discovered placer gold at the head of Cottonwood Canyon in 1859. He took his small poke to Monovllle and traded it for a winter’s worth cc of food. He andy^friend, 3. 3. Taylor, set out for Bodie, but a blizzard caught them on the way, Bodie in blankets and went for help. find his friend. Taylor wrapped the exhausted On return he could not In fact, Bodie's body was not found until the following soring. Weather in Bodie was not just a topic of conversation, it was a matter of survival. Many citizens died in the winter of I878 when twenty:foot drifts were common and wood was in short supply. The 8,600tfoot altitude, although it promised m114 summer^^euaranteed severe winters. A Death by man-made violence was also common ~ more common than the church-going faction would desire -29- or the �Chamber of Commerce would admit. shot to death. In one week men were Cj The "Bodie 601" vifrilance ^roup attempted to control the violence by adding lynching as an alternate to murder. The big boom came to Bodie in I878 when the Standard Mine (formerly the Bunker Hill) hit a heavy gold vein. An earlier discovery of gold in a collapsed working was eclipsed by the richness of the new find, which ran to ^^,000 per ton. The rush was on^and the population zoomed from several hundred to 10,000 or more. There were @ newspapers, and0of them were published dailyl A 32smlle railroad was built in 1881, connecting the forested area of Mono Lake with the wood-poor mining town. Quickly Bodie changed from a tent: and: shack community to a wood; and*, brick city. quickly, the boom subsided. And just as As the veins thinned, so did the population, and by 1882 there were fewer than 500 folk rattling about a town built for times their number. But in its short heyday Bodie was a genuine heller. Stages were robbed of bullion so often that the Wells|^argo Company called in their brest shots to ride guard on the money runs. Sixty-five saloon^ gin mills, and ale stoops were in operation — all of them,.making money. The Parole Saloon and the Sawdust Corner sought out the ordinary customer, while the Senate and Cabinet lured the carriage trade. Three breweries supplied the draft, and a handful —--------------------------------------- -30- ' �of churches valiantly fought the flow. It was a loosing battle, and the cry "Goodby^God, I‘m going to Bodie'”’’ be came c o mmon. Polite folk referred to the sinful part of toivn as the "redslight district," but. for the customers. Maiden Lane and Virgin Alley held more than red lights. I^ellle Monroe, Hosa May, "Beautiful Doll(^ and Eleanor Dumont, otherwise called "Madam, Mustache^^ ran houses as respect/-^ able as any establishments in the state. When a hydroelectric power plant of sent electricity on a ^^rmile Journey to Bodie, the lines were laid out straight for fear the mysterious juice could not navigate sharp corners. It worked I When the switch was closed, a motor in Bodie delivered power, satisfactorily operating the hoist of the Standard Mine. The engineers of the system were quickly sought out to build similar install^ whether tions throughout the world. It is not knom they ever ve: tured to curve their lines. The James S. Caln Company owned the Midnight Mine adjacent to the Standard Mine. In 1915 the Standard Mining Company was found guilty of tapping the Midnight's vein. As settlement, the Caln Company was given title to the Standard It was a hollow victory, for there was little gold left in either mine. The railroad gave up service the next year, and only the die-hards remained in town. �In 1962 the State of California designated Bodie in a state of "arrested decay." rebuilding is allowed. The result is Tiarvelous. Looting Is prevented. as It was when deserted. The town remains There are no shops^and there Is no carnival atmosphere. Occasionally a wedding is held, at the old Methodist Church. Sven then the spirit of Bodie is honored, as the participants wear costumes of Bodie's *ooora townera. MAP MOTS: ’Jo The Bodie, California^15.minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the area In detail. -32- �GALIPOHWIA ARaA COLUMBIA. GALIFORNIA^^ After a visit to Bodie it is most appropriate to have a look at Columbia^ a living, operating, faithfully re^ stored city of the late 1800^ In 19^5 the Mate /retrislature voted to preserve Columbia as an historic Mate Z^rk. Careful restoration has been carried out continuously since that time. Here, Instead of peeking ij^the window you can walk in the stores, study the fixtures^ the stock, and sometimes purchase period items from appropriately attired clerks. Columbia, "The Gem of the Southern MinesfjJ has had a colohful history, and. the reporting of its history has been * just as colorful, with exaggerations and embellishments causing and great variation in "fact." a multiplicity of figures Gold was discovered here by Mexicans in the 1840|^J^ or by Doctor Hildreth’s party in 1850. Believing sudden riches might be difficult for foreigners to handle, the Hildreth Party chased off the Mexicans (some deny the Mexicans were there first) and took over the dlggincs. The place was called ^Hildreth’s later, since only "men of the dominant Diggings, nationality were allowed, it was called American Gamp, Within a month 5,000 (some claim up to 8,000) pros^X^ pectors were panning in the area. suggested a name to match. became a town. The magnitude of the camp Columbia was selected, and the ©amp �To alleviate the short supply of water, extensive flumes and reservoirs were constructed. The price of sluice Tuolumne water, as charged by the County Water Company, was so high that within a few years the miners formed their own company and began construction of a sixty*mile aqueduct. 3y 1852 city streets had been laid out^ and. 150 (or was it 180?) businesses were in operation. 3y I853 Columbia was the third largest city In California, with a population of 10,000 (or 15,000). That year a petition was circulated asking the governor to designate Columbia as the Xtate ;?^pitol. The petition, with 10,000 signatures, was stored In the bank, but Senator Goffroth, who was representing a convicted murd.erer awaiting execution, stole the petition and rewrote the first page to read like a pardon for his client. The man was pardoned, and talk of a X^ate yCapitol waned. The city grew, and in 185^ there were 30 (4o) saloons, 1 brewery, 1 (2) churches, 143 (I60) gambling joints, 17 (23) stores, 4 (8) hotels, 7 bakeries, 4 (8) banks, and 2 (3) theat^s. Fire destroyed much of the business district In 1854, and it was rebuilt with brick. partly The miners’ aqueduct was and Columbia’s future looked bright. Throughout Columbia’s history incidents transpired. wildest. Here again a number of bizarre The Barclay lijnching was perhaps the the variations are many. The best second version will again be included in parenthesis. -34- �A fellow named Smith, well under the influence, became annoyed with barmaid Martha Barclay’s foul language and her demands that Smith vacate the premises. Smith re^^ portedly pushed (slapped) barmaid Barclay just as her husband, John, entered. John shot Smith dead on the spot. A friend of Smith's proceeded to lobby against John's logeVtty 'and managed to work up a drunken lynching committee. Once decided, even the /f^riff couldn't stop the gang. Barclay was strung up. using a sluice as gallows. The drunken mob had forgotten to tie Bai^^ay's hands, and Barclay was hanclng on"~^ the rope for dear life. The miners climbed up on the sluice and jerked the rope (hung oiT^o Barclay's legs)kbut Barclay's ccrip was *** t They dropped him repeatedly solid. pr they hoisted a miner atop the sluice to beat Barclay's fists with a pistol butt) until he lost both his grip and his life. Fire ravaszed the central part of town for the second time in 1857. As a result, streets were widened and brick buildings were equipped with fires^ and burglar**^ proof steel shutters. The rebuilding took place in spite of the thinning gold deposits. The hards.rock and placer mines were subject to X great promotions and repeated sales. Salting was a way of life and was carried out in a number of devious ways. Early crude attempts ^ike shotgunning a load of gold into the tunnel walB yielded gold on the surface and none beneath. Only a �heglnner would buy thatand many did. Salting had been a sophisticated art In the Columbia area since 1851. The art may have reached Its zenith when two knowledsreable Chinese, wise to every saltT* Inor method, looked Into the purchase of a placer claim owned by a couple of unprincipled men. The Chln^ ese were on the lookout for pipe smokers, knowing that gold was often put In with the tobacco and the pipes knocked They knew about gold-laden out Innocently In the sluice. sweat bands wiped out while held over the gold pan. In fact, they were ready to resist any distraction that might permit the sly addition of gold and the consequent raise In the asking price of the claim. The Chinese selected the spot to dig their own shovel. and used The sellers were kept at a distance. ’■(Then the sluice was half filled, a rattlesnake fell off a nearby hummock, right on to the spot where the Chinese were digging. Quickly one of the sellers fired his shotgun, klll>- Ing the snake and saving the Ilves of one or more Chinamen. After profuse thanks were given, the Chinese continued digging, filled the slulcey.and washed It through. A surT' prlslnv amount of dust was found In the riffles, and the claim sold for a fancy price. worked again. The old shotgun trick had The "live" snake had been dead, but the -36- �gun shot was real — gold dust I J the lead had been exchanged for 3ret Harte put it well when he wrotej "The ways of a man with a maid may be strange, yet simple and tame To the ways of a man with a mine when buying or selling the same." The gold just plain ran out in the late fifties. Mo amount of salting or promoting could save the town. Columbia declined rapidly in i860. Host of the population reduction occurred that one year as thousands deserted the town. A number of buildings were razed and the ground beA neath hydraullcked for gold, right down to bedrock. The great imajorlty of the old buildings of Columbia have survived. 5very year another building is restored to permit full operation. Slowly the "Gem of the Southern Hines." Columbia is again becoming �MAP MOTS: The Columbia, Californl^7^ minute United States Geolos:ical Survey topocrraphic map shows the area in great detail. tail The 15 minute map of the same area shows less de­ but more of the surrounding area. -X- �fourth ch0531 NG, CALIPORN^ A Three accounts place Fourth Crossing in three different places. :2ven the plaque at the site mentions a location other than the one occupied. Apparently the original Fourth Crossing was on the South Pork of the Calaveras River, miles west of the present site. It was probably moved shortly after its establishment to an easier crossing of San Antonio Creek. In spite of the relocation, it remained the fourth crossing on the Stockton-Murphys Stage Road. Grace Bonte has lived in the old stage depot, now a sheep ranch headquarters, since 1926. She states that the toKjn once boasted nearly two hundred inhabitants, centered about a hotel-saloon-stage station combination, and an expan­ sive livery. A s-eneral store, schooly^and residences probably made up the balance of the community. Originally both placer and Fourth Crossing was a mining town, 'hard®rook . were the best producers. The Later Thorp and North Shaft the town became an Important stage and freight depot, serving the southern mines of California’s mother lode. The narrow, one-way bridge handled traffic adequately until the turn of the century, by which time the mining effort had declined. Now the old hotel-stage station is overgrown with trees and the bridge, lined on both sides with woven-wlre fencing, is reserved exclusively for sheep and foot traffic. -39- Across �the creek, and on the opposite side of the road, are a few deserted buildings of the postsI9OO era. One, an old-style gas station, would indicate that the onecway bridge was used for auto traffic before being replaced with a wider bridge a short distance upstream. I4AP MOTS I Fourth Grossing is centrally located on the San Andrea^ Galifornla^l5 minute United States Geological Survey toposeraphic map. �The cannon was loaded, primed^and aimed level The Confederate sympa4 down the main street of Volcano. thizers suddenly halted their march on the Union Forces. A flanking move was tried, but the Blues quickly swunc? the muzzle of *^ld Abe-^to bear on the Grey leader. assault died. The Volcano remained a Union town. It is well that Ajld Abewas not used, for the "cannoneer" had overloaded the weanon, and if fire^ it would have blown up, doiny more damage to its handlers than to the target MQuW hftvo infon the target It all began when Confederate sympathizers s^^ cretly organized a branch of the "Knights of the Golden Circle." e Discovery of the existence of the protsouthern group led to the formation of the "Volcano Blues." The Blues, forty-one strong, were equipped with uniforms and small arms. An undercover agent was planted in ‘^he Knights^ and it was learned an attempt would be made to take over the town and divert the gold to the southern cause. To gain the needed edge in fire power, an old ship's cannon was purchased by the *^lues*^and hauled in secretly from San Francisco. The cannon was hidden in a remote shop while a carriage was built for it. in place of ball and grape shot. -w- Rounded rocks were used It was fired only once. �and that time for effect only — just to keep the *Knights in line. Volcano is one of California’s oldest mining towns. Its boom population of 5>000 time. dwindled into a handful at one Mow it numbers almost a hundred. old town has been maintained. The flavor of the There are no neon signs or gas stations in, or even near^the town. 7 more than 120 years old. Many of the buildings are Gold was found in this crater^like but non^volcanic area in the summer of 1^48^ I’lembers of the Mew York^t Regiment Mexican War Volunteers ^hose presence in the area has never been satisfactorily explained) find placer gold in the streams. severe, and in the spring The winter of ’45^was two Mexicans happened upon the diggings and found the bodies of two soldiers. Word of the strike spread, and soon the valley. Inevitably called Gulch, Soldiers’ was swarming with prospectors. The town grew quickly, as ordinary placer techni|>- ques were replaced with larcres.scale hydraulic operations. $90 million 2ventually, d silage worth of gold was to be ex^ tracted. By 1858 the town had five churches, a school, various social clubs, three butcher shops, a theat^^, three breweries, and a dozen times that number of saloons. town had the first library and the first astronomical observatory in California. The �After the Civil War and in 1868 production of gold slacked, a number of very well: insured buildings burned to the ground. The old Sibley Brewery, built in 1858, is the only brewery surviving. The jail stands unused at the two-by-twelves north end of town, its double-walled 13»c sandwichinv sheets of boiler plate. It is claimed that the two men built it got drunk on their pay ij.ail's first occupants. 60 and ended up as the Across the street, the old Chinese store is in operation as the *^radlng Post.*** Beside it, locked securely in its tailor-made enclosure, "^Old Abe*^ points its muzzle down main street, re-enacting the day it won the war in Volcano, WOTS: t The Mokelumne Hill, California^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey tonographlc map shows Volcano and many other historic sites. -43- ^2- �PaaNCH CORRAL, CilLIFORNIA Elton 0. Smith, born in 1901, has lived in French Corral all his life. His grandparents are buried in the He attended grammar school and hip-hZ cemetery west of town. school in the old school-community center, remodeled from one of French Corral’s boomstime hotels of the 1850^. There were 0 youngsters in his graduating class. We stood in front of the old school enjoying the late afternoonsun, visiting about the town as Slton knew It. "That screened-ln building in front of the school? 1^ feet — ’course It goes way on down. © There are benches in there — screens keep out the bugs— ’course it's leaning now. into it with their car." Someone ran Elton was the janitor at the school for a time, receiving $27.00 per year for his morning flre-building and evening sweejT^p. "We had a fancy bell up in that tower at one time, he pointed to the vacant tower. "had three hundred dollars kA * worth of silver in it — before they poured, they melted silver dollars right in it! Someone stole it. The bell broke loose^and they dropped it on the roof -- knocked a big hole in it. Sheriff got it back. Supposed to be locked up in the old Well^^argo building now. " �Concerning the boom years in French Corral, Elton Smith related some stories passed on to him by his parents, fifties. "There were ^00 people here in the Lots of hydraulic work going on. It was a wild place. then went wild on Sundays. ^days Men worked Lots of drinking ~ some men crawled home on their hands and knees." Elton pivoted to look toward the center of town.—"On the Fourth of July one year they dug a cannon in, set it right in the center of town, and a man named Bradford loaded it up. Everyone moved He had overloaded it, and it back, and Bradford set it off. blew his head off — rolled(4^ feet away, the head that isl He’s burled in the cemetery, head and all." I was tempted to ask if Bradford had moved in from Volcano. The town started in 18^9/^when a French settler built a corral to hold his mules. When placer gold was found in the San Juan Hidge, a town grew around the corral. Giant hydraulic guns tore the gold out of the surrounding hillsides. The Haker Act of 1888, one of this country's first environmental laws, brought hydraulic operations to a halt. French Corral faded rapidly. Now less than^^ people reside in the area. The map of Area 5 does not extend north far enough to Include French Corral. In lieu of a map, one can drive west of Grass Valley, through Rough and Ready to Casey Corner. Two miles west of Casey Corner, the Bridg^ port road exits to the right. About seven miles to the north �the road crosses the South Fork of the Yuba River at the site of the old town of Bridgeport, where an astounding wooden covered bridge still spans the river. French Corral is three miles beyond the bridge to the northeast. The present Bridgeport road was originally called the Virginia Turnpike, a toll'^^ad servicing the northern extreme of the mother lode. The bridge across the Yuba was an important part of that toll*^oad and remains as an ex*^ ample of the excellent workmanship of the era. Built entirely of wood, except for nails and bolts, the bridge clears the river in one cleany^unsupportedy^.2306foot span. It is the longest singletspan wooden bridge in the world, and it is a covered bridge to boot. Built by David Isaac Johnwood in 1862, with wood cut in his own sawmill, the bridge served for^^ years as a toll crossing, then for another (7^years as a public convenience. In 1971 it was closed to heavy traffic. A new highway bridge was built a short distance upstream. Recently the massive wooden bridge was declared a California Historical Landmark, and the Arae rij^ can Society of Civil Engineering declared it a National Historic Civil Snsrineering landmark. It is truly an amazing structure, A dozen miles to the northeast, near Camptonville, another wooden bridge spans the lesser width of Oregon Creek. This bridge, built in i860, has developed a mild swayback but �is still rated safe for 17,000tpound loads. The -bridtre was floated off its foundations when English Dara broke in 1883. It was pulled back in place, wrong end to, by ox teams. California has much to offer in the way of historic sijrhts. It abounds in ghost towns of all varieties. Its covered bridges are an unexpected bonus. MAP MOTS, y 15 minute The Grass Valley and Nevada City, Californla/»^ topographic maps show the area in excellent d e tail. SND CALIFORNIA ARCA 5 END CALIFORNIA y � 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>Helldorados</em> Part I: California 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_Calif Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/adab7d9919f3f7771b91320284e8728a.pdf adc4ee70e373bf7aea5df401e161bf2e PDF Text Text PAET II ARIZONA �fh re^ J SILVER KING, ARIZONA C. yf Grace Middleton is an uncommon woman. She is young in heart, old in wisdom, and sassy enough to tell you that her exact age is none of your business! Wrinkles have locked her face in pleasant expression, and her eyes hold an unfailing sparkle. She is willing to visit with an occasional tourist but quick to turn away anyone she suspects of souvenir hunting. She is the owner, manager*and sole resident of Silver King, 't Grace and her husband, Gordon, came west to Silver King in 19^9. They were seeking solitude and the opportunity to mine enough silver to maintain their chosen way of life, Gordon, a mining engineer, had figured the mine dump could be reworked. New extraction methods would make the lowzgrade a paying proposition. reject ore A small house was conV^ structed, using lumber from the old mine buildings, and sorting of the dump ore with a bulldozer was undertaken. Grace became adept with the dozer^and on occasion undertook some blasting on nearby claims. When her husband died, Grace decided to remain at Silver King. She may well own the distinction of having lived in the town longer than any other resident, even though she arrived there 75 years after the initial discovery. Her life 7 �is rugged — and she prefers It that way. She has no running water, gas^or electricity. A friend stops by periodically to and take her to town to shop replenish the water supply. She That contentment shows in her face, is content with her life. belying an age of fourscore and more. She possesses a great sense of history concerning her town and has Indeed been an integral part of that history for the past quarter century. In 1872 Pinal Ransre. the army undertook to build a road through One of the steep portions of the road became named after the general in known as Stoneman's Grade, command. Two soldiers, enlistments expired and happy to be free of the road crew, headed for the town of Florence. Near the foot of Stoneman’s Grade they noticed a peculiar outcrop One of them, named Sullivan, collected a few samples, of rock. remarking about their weight. In an attempt to crush the samples, he found that the rock tended to flatten rather than pulverize. Puzzled, but with an idea of what they might have found, the men took the sample^ with them. In Florence, Sullivan showed the samples to a friend, Charles Mason, and apparently left one chunk/sWlth htgi without revealing the location of the find, ) Sullivan went on west, and Mason quickly had the sample assayed. It proved to be nearly pure silver chloride. back along the soldiers' route Mason prospected but failed to locate the outcrop. Three years later. Mason and four friends were packing ore out of the Globe area when they were attacked by Apaches, -S' �One of the party was killed above Stonenian‘s Grade, and his body burled on the pass Owe o:^tho old roadscamp oven^ was utilized as a grave. After descending the grade, the mules were put to water. One of the animals strayed and was finally located on a knoll that held dark, dense outcrops of ore identi^ cal to those Sullivan had showed Mason years before* The four men filed equal claims, and Silver King was born. Two miles north, the Fortuna Mine opened up. An old Mexican wood hauler found that outcrop just under Fortuna Peak, while cutting wood for the Silver King. He sold it for $100,00 " $50 in cash, $50 in liquor. In 1881, after millions in silver had been extracted from the original discovery, a man named Sullivan appeared at the site. He had been west to earn a stake so biMi* he could come back to work his discovery. and town were built atop his find. To his amazement, a mine He was graciously offered a job in the mill. Mason and his friends eventually sold their shares in the mine. The first share went for $80,000^ and third for somewhat more. JPhe second The fourth partner held out for $300,000. Between 1875 and 1888 the Silver King Mine took $17 out -i^mlllion <»o3.1arB worth of silver. Most of it was refined at Pinal City. The stage carrying the bars was held up several times, the robbers escaping over the hills with the bars loaded �on mules. The company solved that problem by pouring the silver out in bars too heavy to be toted by man or mule. Silver Kiner at its peak boasted two hotels, a combination church-school-dancehall, several saloons, and residences for 200 families. Now one is hard pressed to find even the foundations of most of the buildings. The large two- story company headquarters still stands on a knoll overlooking the collapsed remains of the machine shop. Down the hill a bit are two sinsrle-story rock buildings with plastered ln-<^ side walls and tongue:andsgroovefj^ wooden ceilings. Near the rock buildings, on a low hill, stands a small group of frame buildings. Grace Middleton lives in one of these sunbleached structures near the entrance to town, a location necessary for the protection of her property. I happened to stop in tu " Just after she^^had a run-in with some hippies had made s©vgi*sl1 off with windows frames and all'J^ from one of the old residences on the grounds. Her tone was distinctly cool as she told me of the windows and the recent theft of her camera and battery radio. of the vandals. She had been quite abrupt in her treatment She stood in the shade of her doorway, surrounded by her numerous dogs of various breed, and told me of her troubles, slowly graduating to the history of the town and ending with an expression of her deep affection for the place. As I listened, I made friends with the dogs. �An hour later I was proud to be considered a friend of Grace Middleton, Queen of the Silver King. MAP NOTEj The Superior, Arlzona^United States Geological Survey 15 minute topographic map shows the area as it was in 19^8. The 7^ minute map of the same name shows the Silver King area as it appeared at a later date, and in somewhat greater detail. �SONORA. ARIZONA The old 1910 "Ray and Vicinity" map shows a number of satellite towns surrounding the coppertown of Ray. This map, revised in 191? to correct for changes in "culturef^ shows no highways, only graveled roads. The Ray and Gila Valley Railroad Line is shown most prominently. The rail line reached Ray via the Mineral Creek Valley and terminated in a tangle of switch yaixis and side tracks. The mining of copper in 1917 was predominantly, underground. A small open pit is shown between the "M and H" and the *^^bunal "*^hafts on the southwest slope of Humbolt Hill, The Ray, Madeline, Pearl Handle, Hecla, Sun, Flux, and Calumet X^iafts were all within the vicinity of town. The Burbank, Reed, Mineral, and Amanda j3?unnels bored into the hills a mile to the south. The settlement called Ray^^eadquarters of the Ray Mining Company) was established in 1881 and named after the Ray Mine, which had earlier been given that name in honor of its discoverer's sister, Ray. The town proper was built in 1909 by the Hercules Copper Company. By 1915 satellite residential towns^spruny up around Ray, j (^To the northwestwere Boyd Heights and Arnericantown. To the southwest, Sonora and Barcelona occupied the gentle slopes leading to Sonora Hill, �Sonora was the lara-est of the frrouo of satellites^ and^accordin«7 to the map, was composed of sixty-odd square blocks. The town was established in 1912 by the Mexican employees of the Hay Consolidated Copper Company and was named (as were a orreat many Mexican mininc- camps) after the Mexican Xtate of Sonora, on the Arizona border. Buildings lined the perimeters of the blocks. Courtyards were left in the center^ in typical Spanish style. In the center of town, a four-square-block area was reserved for the town hall. Smperor Hill once separated Ray and Sonora, but things have changed radically. The hill is now a deep pit, boundaries ef^h;^h havo encroach®^ uoon the sites of all four of the surrounding towns. have been leveled Barcelona and Sonora but are yet to be excavated. The found^ tions and street patterns are still readily visible. On Sonora Hill, Kenn^cott Copper, the present operator of the mine, ha^ built an overlook permitting a areneral view of the area. One had to stand on or climb over the fence in order to view the remains of the old towns}^ a practice frovmed on e by Kenn^cott, a short hike around the south side of Sonora Hill to the old water tank will provide an excellent view of both townsites. Just when the .town of Sonora was leveled, is indefinite ~ at least*'the^^State Archives could provide no record of the event. That it is leveled is certain, and it’s �only a matter of time before the huge maws of the lan^trippers eat their way through the site, removing all evidence of Sonora’s e existj^nce. MAP NOTSt The Hay and Vicinity, Arlzona^l910 United States Geological Survey topoccranhic/^^map shows all of the old towns mentioned. The 1964 Sonora and Teapot Mountain, Arizona^7^ minute maps show the same area, drastically changed by openx pit mining. �ARIZOMA ARSA 2 CL SAT OR, ARIZONA^ On the flats between Crazy Basin and Turkey Greek, overlooked by Townsend Butte and Hercules Hill, are the rem­ nants of the once thr Ivina- town of Cleat or Orlarlnally called Turkey, the town came Into exist /^nce In 1902 as a sldlna on the Prescott and Eastern Railroad The line was built southward from Mayer to the Grown King Mine first paralleling Cedar Canyon, then climbing abruptly for^^ tortuous miles to the mines Just under 7100sfoot Wasson Peak. At the lower end of the grade, near the point where the tracks crossed Turkey Creek, a siding was built to provide service for the nearby Golden Turkey Mine. Later the siding also served the Golden Belt, St, John’s, Gray Goose, Silver Cord, and Golden Pheasant >Mlnes, In 1903 the siding had accumulated a store, saloon, and a number of residences. That year the settlement was granted a post office under the name of Turkey. L. P. Neills ran the saloon and store. owned the town. He literally He wasn’t too happy being a towns owner, often stating that he would rather run cattle on his nearby spread than ride herd on his saloon patrons. James Patrie Cleator, sailor turned prospector, stopped by the saloon In 1905. Neills and Cleator, over a drink or two, developed a fast friendship. Within the day �they had formed a partnership which eventually found Cleator running the store and Silis the cattle. The town grew as new mines opened. Within a dozen years the population reached an estimated :^00. SSe old picture taken during this period g^»^wogp^ore than sixty substantial frame homes, with a second^ncountable group of residences in a poorly focused background. In 1925 the postal department, claiming confusion between Turkey and another similarly named post office, re quested a name change, James Patrie Cleator (pronounced Cleeter) was no doubt Instrumental in choosing the new name Soon CLEATOR replaced TURKEY on the saloon’s false front During the late twenties and early thirties, the mines closed down one after the other, stricken by the epidemic schoolhouse of the depression. During the thirties a rock was V/FA built with WrA*. labor, and the original schoo converted to a residence. When the railroad abandoned service in 1933, Cleator suffered a second shrinkage. away Most of the homes were hauled and the steel works of the mines scavenged for scrap, James Cleator became the sole owner of the remains of the town, and in 19^7 he decided to sell it ~ store, saloon residences.and all. He promptly placed an ad in the Arizona r ------------ Republic, The ad created a lot of interest and a sudden surge in business but failed to result in the sale of the town or �any part of it, James Cleator died In 1959. and his son took over the town. Today the store and a saloon remain with little chanye. The brands of yasollne and booze have changed. town now has 0 or T residents, according to a gentleman en joying a cold drink at the store. He explained that the population estimate had to remain Indefinite "cause you don't know when someone goln' to the big city ain't coming back." MAP l'TOTSs 01 eat or Is shown on the Mayer, Arizona 15 s United States Geological Survey topograohlc map �■AHIgJMA PITJTQ DlOgAIPriJir? .Mo. 70 • Grace Middleton, Queen ofSilver King^ * Mo. 71. Collapse o^^chine ^ed at «w Silver King Mine Is Imminent. . No. 72 . Company headquarters and guest house of the Silver King Mining Company x^as one of the first resident tlal buildings in Arizona to have electricity. . No. 73 • Hockcwalled and rocksroofed, this tiny house was once home to a hard-rock miner. • No. 7-^ . The remains of Sonora in the foreground will soon become e part of the expanding open pit of the Kenn^ott Mine. < No. 75* Undated photo shows the two main residential districts of Cleator. Hospital is at upper left. . No. 76 • The Cleator General Store as it appears todav^ �caow?^ KING, ARIZONA "Used to be more excitin bein’ there," claimed. gettin’ there than That’s what the olds-timer from near Mayer His description of the road to Crown King, along the old railroad grade. Included wild tales of driving the route in his Model A Ford. "Used to hang on the uphill side the tires on the rails off the ties," and keep nudgin’ so’s outside wheels wouldn’t drop His descriptions were liberally seasoned with strings of cuss words. Some combinations were as In^ ventlve as they were unprintable "When they took the rails up — that’s when it got J, X. a dam^site more hellish^" stated then proceeded to eX' plain about the switchbacks, "Those old switchbacks — they was the original switchbacks." He zigzagged his hands."They went like /A ' that — no turns. Just drove into it, stopped, threw the switch, then backed up to the next one, stopped, threw that switch, then pulled ahead to the next." He saw me taking notes, I answered that I intended to. rather stay unanimous." "You gonna print this?" "Well, in that case, I’d I told him I’d Vote for that. eyes took on a suspicious slant. His He paused, shifted his teeth, and then worked his way into another bunch of stories �Mostly the olds-timer talked about his prospectinc; days down in Nevada, around Gold Point. In the process of getting some information about Grown King, I ended up with so many stories about Gold Point that I determined to enter that town on my "must visit" list. I asked about the present condition of the road up to Crown King. "Tame " tame ~ wide as hell. Why they hauled a whole damn mill up there once, back when the road weren't so good." The road was a delight. The magnificent view never failed to calm the mild case of nerves generally encountered on precarious paths. Of particular note were the narrow one­ way rock cuts, unchanged from Wte railroading days. At first sight Crown Kino; did not appear to fit the description of a ghost town. Too many people wandered about, and too many cars passed by. It's only after a 001^^*^ plete tour that one can appreciate the number of old buildings remaining and subtract the effect of the remodeling and reuse of others. The general store is still in business, little changed for nearly 100 years. Most of its trade is seasonal, and most of the traffic consists of vacationers attempting to elude the ooo1 Arizona heat by escaping to the oot altitude of the Bradshaw Mountains. The old saloon looks exactly as an old saloon should. This venerable structure has had a number of names over the �door, the most recent being "Andersons’s and Van Tllborsr’s," Enough business remains in town to support a parts time barman, otherwise employed as a welder. It seems strange that a welder could make a living at his trade in this remote loca3^ tion, but dozens of smailt time mining operations are still perking in the area. Jury-rigged equipment, assembled from second^^nd parts, makes for frequent breakdowns and crood business for the bartender-welder. Gold was found in the Bradshaws in the early 1875?s. The rush that followed, termed the "Bradshaw Excitementf^ suited in the location of a number of paying mines. King was thought to be the finest The Grown but remained primarily a promoter's dream, due to the refractory nature (refusal to break down with heat) of the ore. The miserable nature of the ore was noted early, and only the best was sorted out and sent to Prescott by mule train Later the quality of the ore Improved, giving cause for a railroad to be built. As was usually the case, the railroewi brought prosperity to Grown King, and the population zoomed. There was no room for a roundhouse or circular turnaround. A triangular "back around" was built, utilizing the narrow creek beds that join at the towrCsite. The business part of town grew along one side of the triangle, and residences were built along the remaining legs. The Grown Kins: Mine closed tewn. in 1900. due to litigation. Gontinuing operations at the surrounding mines �kept the town and railroad solng. About 1910 Crown Kina: added two "used" saloons, the town of Oro Belle, a few miles to the south, had lately become deserted. Its two saloons were dismantled and hauled by mule back over the steep, narrow trail connecting: the two towns. He-/assembled, the access to hard liquor Improved, and the strict town rule agalns'^j weeks day drlnklna: became an unenforceable blue law. In the thirties, dumps at the Crown King Mine were S2.5 reworked. Assay reports showed that million In gold could be reclaimed. Porsrotten was the fact that this ore had been rejected as refractory. mill. Half a million was Invested In a new Fifty men were hlredAand the fading town of Crown King took on new life. Soon It was determined that the ore was resistant to the mill's best efforts. Managers were fired and new ones hired, yet the gap between assayed expectations and mill returns remained narrow — too narrow to allow profit. The mill closed. ' Some years later the post office was discontinued. Perhaps Crown King's most Interesting era was shortly after Its regular train service was curtailed. During this period It Is reported that autos, horses, foot traffic, and even occasional trains were using the same route. Automobiles frequently bounced down the ties, and passengers held their collective breath on the trestles. �The old duffer from Mayer had told me "you could scare hell out of you. look down throucrh those ties 200 feet And after they took up the rails betterl" the view got a daijlslte He gave me a cornering look, and I figured he was about to give my leg a calculated tug, "You know, we used to go up to the dance there every Saturday night. The guy drlvln* was supposed to stay sober, but we got to celebratin’ and didn’t keep count on him. We come down those tracks about dawn — ’course I wasn’t seeln’ too good, but I'd swear we passed that train on theswitchbackI" MAP MOTE: Crown King and surrounding sites are shown on the Crown King, Arlzona^l5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. Of interest are Lukes Hoist, Oro Belle, Fort Misery, and the Horse Thief Basin,Recreation Area. �OaO B3LLS. ARIZONA f Prom Grown Kin® In a half mile south. mile an excellent crravel road heads a branch heads west, and in another a Jeen road angles toward the south. A sign Indicates that Oro Belle Is^ that dlrectlon|^miles awayj'but also warns that passenger cars should not attempt It. It Is a fairly good Jeep road sized pickup. Actually but somewhat narrow for a full- I swallowed hard and often for two of thdse three miles, Oro Belle once occupied both legs of a swifcdhbaak. Now only a few shacks and tanks can be found on the uphill stretch. Across the gully and down the other side of the switchback are a number of old buildings, all of the ghostly qualitytotally befitting a completely deserted town. The most outstanding Is a large rock structure " probably the mine office and company store. It has fancy^embossed metal trim In both scroll and brick design. OnS wall leans out over the road, making It nearly Impassable. Behind this building, and Implying that more substantial buildings once existed. Is a rock wall more than 150 feet long. Built Into this wall Is a vault, Its door missing, reportedly stolen In the past few years. Apparently a bank or more company buildings once fronted the wall. To the south are several old frame buildings. one of them The cupola above would Indicate It had a need to expel un< wanted heat, which would make It an assay office a cook shack. or possibly �Somewhere alonsr the lower main street were located two saloons, a few stores, a deputy sheriff’s office, and a Justice of the peace court. For all law enforcement, it would be reasonable to assume that a sporting house or two also flourished here, although available history concerning the town makes no mention of such establishments. In the late iSpoTs >■ Georve P. Harrina:ton obtained title to some claims in the area. He shortly organized the Oro Belle Minlnsr and Milling Company stock. and proceeded to sell By 1900 the mines had proved their worth, and a mill was built to process ore from the Oro Belle and the Gray Eagle. The population of the town reached 200, with 100 of them miners. Forty men worked the day shift on the Oro Belle. Nearby, the Rapid Transit and Savoy ^nes were opera­ ting, although in & less spectacular fashion. A post office was granted the town, and the temporary name of Harrington was chancred to George Harrington proved to be Oro Belle. too nice a fellow, according to the company stockholders. They objected to his usinsr company funds to grubstake prospectors. He was fired, and a new boss was hired. of the penny-pinching variety Shortly, a revolt was mounted, and the new boss aA was given an ultimatum — better food and better pay work. Elsewhere burning of mills or no such miners' revolts had resulted in the and occasionally the suspension of the boss —A by the neck! ^66-- �The demands were granted, but^withln weeks, miners’ wases were cut back and the quality of the meals sank to a new low. The second revolt was more serious. were visible. The demands were restated. A few ropes The badly shaken manager conceded. He set off immediately to purchase fresh meat and produce. He never returned. Mines in the area reached the extent of their lodes in 1910. The good ore was gone, and the low;grade that was left wouldn’t pay wages, let alone milling fees. Soon both of Oro Belle’s saloons were dismantled and hauled muleback to Grown King. closed. In 1918 the post office The only signs of life now area few rattlers and a number of lizards]^"the latter frequently raising the pulse of visitors momentarily convinced they are confronted by the former. MAP NOTE* The Crown King, Arizona^15 minute United States Geological Survey topocrraphlc map shows Oro Belle and a vreat number of old mines in the surrounding mountains. �JEROME, ARIZONA Compared to deserted Oro Belle, Jerome is like Sunday on the freeway. However, the degree of desertion in the two towns is similar. deserted and Jerome ^0 Oro Belle is 100 per cent 98 per cent, having shrunk from its 1929 peak of 15,000 to its present two or three hundred stubborn souls, Glinfflng to the ^^rdecree slope of CleoT^' patra Hill, with its upper end ^00 feet higher than its 'r lower, the town comuactly occupies both sides of a number of switchbacks. The back side of a building may­ face one leg of the main highway, and the front will face another Since 1925, when a 25O:pound charge of dynamite was touched off underground, many of the buildings have been sliding slowly down the hill — some buildings at a three-eighths of an inch rate of 9^^* per month/ The Jail has slid a number of feet^ claim 300 feetj and across a highway. Three hundred ^3 -fl* feet is unbelievable, but so is the way people trust their houses to stay put and not slip down the hill in the middle of the night. Residents are seemingly unconcerned with their neoperpendicular life and continue to drive their automobiles into rooftop garages and climb down to their living rooms More than a thousand years ago the Tuzigoot Indians dug into the side of the hill to glean the brightly hued green and blue oxides of copper. The pigment was hicrhly valued as body ornamentation and pottery coloring. a The metallic content / �was not noted or valued, Sven the Spaniards who visited ths sites in the /Sixteenth Xentury failed to become in­ terested in the copper, for their Interest was gold. Several prospectors filed claims here in I876. M. A. Huffner and Angus (or August) McKinnon proved up on their claims then sold out to Territorial Governor Tritle for $2,000. The ^vernor sought financial help and found it in Sugene Jerome, a cousin of Winston Churchill. Mr. Jerome set down the stipulation that the town must bear his name. Previous to that time, the settlement had been called Eureka or Wade Hampton, for two of the earliest claims. The former was the Greek word for "I found it," name of the governor of South Carolina. and the latter the holdy^ ?f gffloo of CoTorr^r the State af jSauth Capelina,— First attempts to produce purs copper from the ore proved disappointing, and the mines were sold to William A, Clark, a Montana millionaire. Under his direction the United Verde grew to a profitable and complex operation. William Clark became one of the richest men in AmericaM and a United States Senator — and he did it, please note, in that order. At one time the town boasted ^grocery stores, houses of Joy, saloons, and two churches. The miners maintained their usual priorities. The population of Jerome began to decline during the depression, but in 1935 the Phelps Dodge Corporation �bousrht the operation foi"20 million. flollarcH Many thought the purchase ill-advised, but by 19^0, when the deposits thinned, the company had netted a profit oiJ’^UO million. The fis-ure seems substantial, but it represents only a small 4/ fraction of the sjfe billion ^&llai»n worth of copper, gold. silver^and zinc taken out of Cleopatra Hill MAP M0T3j Details of the town and its environs can be pinpointed, and an alls inclusive tour laid out, with the aid of the Clarkdale and Mingus Mountain, Arizona.15 minute topograohic maps. It seems only fitting that a town that sits on the steep slope that joins mountain to plainjJ^ls also found split in half ~ part on one map, the remainder on another. �STANTON, ARIZONA Pauline Weaver, In the year 1862 undertook to guide a group of prospectors Into the hills of central Arizona. He was a half-breed army scout temporarily off the payroll. His ability to negotiate and communicate with the Apaches made up for the fact that he had never been in the area before. One evening an antelope was shotbutchered camp set up beside a nearby creek. and This rather mundane series of events had happened before, but this time one little item would be added that would cause and Antelope Creek /yanother stream stream to be named Weaver Creek. above camp would become famous as 'Rich Hill.' The hill Two thousand miners would flood the vicinit:^and four towns would spring into being. party went in search. discovery. Their stock strayed.and some of the The event? As in many cases, the mules made the When the men found the stock they also found several thousand dollars’ worth of gold nuggets. The camp became permanent and was given the name of 'Antelope, ' later to be called the stage line passed through. change to Stanton at least murders. Antelope Station when Somewhat later that name would by means of a series of crimes, including In the meantime a town a few miles east, settled mostly by Mexicans, would be named in honor of Weaver. The town was to degenerate quickly into an outlaw hideout. Octave, �beyond Weaver, would yrow to a more substantial town, with the steadviny influence of a deep shaft bearing gold in quartz. Congress Junction, to the west, would grow up as a supply station for the Rich Hill Mining District, Charles P. Stanton arrived in Antelope Station, having recently been thrown out of a monastery on a morals charge. He obtained a decent Job in spite of his record but soon became disenchanted with his status as deputy county recorder and began to plot his way to success. He envied two successful storekeepers in the community, and by the diligent planting of rumors and countsr/^ rumors, he got Partridge and Wilson angry with each other. Things boiled over when a hOg got into Patridge’s cabin. , to the cabin Wilson was on his way oveg to apologize on behalf of his partner, the hog’s owner. Stanton saw his opportunity and tell that quickly had a Mexican cohort run toy^Partrldge tell hfan Wilson was gunning for him. Wilson dead on sight. As a result. Partridge shot He was tried and found guilty, part\ly on the basis of his confession^ which Stanton helpfully wrote out for him. Wilson’s partner, Timmerman, took over the store. Soon Timmerman’s body was found along the road, Stanton promptly moved the stage route so that it passed his own store, and erected a larcre sign which, in essence, renamed the town Stanton. �Charles ^Stanton was still not content. He now envied Barney ilartin, for Barney was still the staare agent, was told by some members of the Valenzuel gang Barney from Weavertown that he^better move out or he and his family would die. Barney sold out, packed up, and headed for Phoenix, leaving word with a good friend at Gold Water Station^"^^^ he would stop by on the way. When Barney failed to arrive, his friend. He found the charred re'^>^ Captain Galderwood, went in search. The Valenzuel gang was sus*>*’ mains of the wagon and family. pected, and Stanton was thought to be their leader. was tried for murder but found Innocent. that when Stanton finally died outlaw Stanton It is appropriate it was by the hand of another He had made advances toward and for "moral" reasons. Proilana, a young Mexican girl and close relative of Lucero, leader of a second gang in Weaver. Tom Pierson, on the way down from Crown King, reported that he met the fleeing Lucero. "I’ve killed Stanton and I’m headed for the border," stated Lucero as he rode past, "Stick around," hollered Pierson. "We’ll get you a reward." The ghost town of Stanton is about a mile and a half north and The" I’emainij lif.Atawtnin miles east of Congress Junction. north and Wo topographic maps are available for any of the towns in the vicinity. Three rather large buildings mark the site of the old town, but they have to be viewed from a distance. "Mo" signs* Mo Trespassing The area is surrounded with Mo Prospecting, Mo Piling of Claims �and^at an occupied residence a few hundred yards to the north a sign crowded In among more "No" signs proclaims, "Beware of the ^g. " I would have given ten bucks for a sign reading "Welcome to Stanton," and another five for the privilege of planting It at the outskirts of town. ) MAP NOTBi No United States Geological Survey topographic maps are available for the area. �W’SAVga, ARIZ JVA r Established in 1862 and all washed up by 19OO, the little town of Weaver led a short but varied life. was named in honor of the scout Pauline Weaver. It led the discovery party, Weaver was the half-breed son of a /White father and an Indian mother, the daughter of a tribal chief. Weaver was a highly respected army scout who had aided General Kearny in several Western campalcrns. Weaker died, reportedly from the shifting of a longsburied arrowhead, while asleep in an Indian camp on the outskirts of Camp Lincoln in 186?. Weaver was the biggest placer find in Arizona’s history. More than a million dollars’ worth of coarse gold was separated from the gravel^ of Weaver Creek, and untold smaller fortunes were literally picked off the vround on the upper slopes of Rich Hill. mlninpr peak. In 1888 the camp had reached its 9^ old photograph shows ^^substantial wooden buildings, a few rock and adobe structures, washers, and tents. By the 189^ large gravel: the goldtwashing business was fading, and hell-raising was taking over. long Before the town had the reputation of being an outlaw haven. In fact, it is claimed that no lawman dared set foot in Weaver, lest he disappear without a trace. Several gangs of outlaws operated out of the town in open fashion, frequently hired by outsiders like Stanton, to do some choice dirty work. Murders were common in town and seldom recorded. The cemetery �had a number of unmarked mounds, William Segna, in I898, had the honor of being the last murder victim in Weaver. (A He was a well-to-do saloon and mercantile operator — too well-to-do. Respectability returned temporarily in 1899 when However, due to a the town was granted a post office. sudden loss in population (everyone moved two miles away to Octave)^the post office was closed down in less than a year. The remains of Weaver can be found by traveling two miles east of Stanton, then taking a road north for a mile. The branch road to the north leaves the main road just short of the town of Octave. The old Weaver post office is still standing in pretty good shape. The building had two rooms customers, one for the postmaster. one for The rock walls are^^yU*\ thick, considerably reducing the available room inside insuring a cool environ. but The rock walls appear to have been laid up by two different workmen ~ one stout lesser strength. and and one of The rocks on the south side are huge^ and Jt- on the north are small. The doorway forms the demarkation. Several other rock buildings, an adobe structure with tin roof, two old frame mine shacks, and a concrete vault complete the standing remains. The vault is at the north end of town and seems to have been poured over a form shaped like a narrow-gai^e railroad car, then the form �removed from the inside. The form wood was narrow, fluted wainscoating, as evidenced by the fancy imprint left in the concrete. At the south end of town,on a hill to the east, stands the burned hulk of a small farmhouse. remains Alongside the is the charred trunk of a tree that once offered the home a moment of noon~day shade. -_________________________________________ / ) -Ar / MAP NOTSi Mo topographic maps are available for the area. �OCTAVE, ARIZONA C. 0. Carlson is presently the sole resident of Octave. You might call him a new-fangled type of olds timer. He used to prospect extensively. Now he has formed a company that plans to extract gold from the reject ore that makes up the waste dumps of the fabulous old Octave Mine. ^G^O.*^irn3rp=! a million in sold sits on the dump awaiting an efficient ex^ traction system. do the Job. In fact^he has applied for a patent on his newe style ball mill. unique. And he figures he’s got Just the gadget to It’s the drive mechanism that makes it The rear end and transmission of a @:ton truck wheels, tires and allis rammed up against the larsre armo'fr • j| ■ plate Krum. The air in the tires can be adjusted to achieve proper contact. ‘^^0.*^enjoys turning the driveshaft with one hand^««4 pointing out the easy rotation as a result. the drum makes "This mill will run 200 tons easy," he claimed. I didn’t ask if that was per hour, day^or week, but I sure had to agree it was a beautiful piece of eyeball engineering. "Of course," I pointed out, "that drum is going to be somewhat tougher to turn when you get a few tons of ore in it." Carlson figured, perhaps a bit optimistically, that he could drive the loaded mill with as little as horsepower. There is no such thing as a pessimistic inventor. Ore from the dump is to be treated first in a Jaw crusher, then put through the ball mill with '7^^ gallons of /O/ �water a minute added. The fine gold mixed with powdered rock will run out the end on_to a couple of fanners (shaker tables) finally, part of the gold will be gravlty5.separated and the remainder extracted by chemical means. is well-.acquainted with the history of the place and the exact condition of the old Octave Mine. Where he got his information is a mystery to me, and it differs from the published material one can dig out of p-brary. In several cases I have found •*0.^0.-^to be right and the published record in error. For example, one writer claims the town had a population of 3,000. Since others state that the entire district had only 2,000 at maximum, I*m inclined to put stock in Carlson’s claim that the town had about 500 residents, mostly Scandinavians. The diamond-shaped center of town was built-in 1897. built about 1900. water reservoir in the The buildings nearby were Now^just the rock foundations remain. The business district held a post office, mine headquarters, saloon, mercantlle^and grocery. ^^^Qso^ there wa^a school and a building that served as bank and stage station. ’*^.0.'"^ claims there were I50 men on the digging crew in the Octave feet Mine and that the mine was ^OOy^deep. Pumps ran continually to keep the bo^eg gpoo feet dewatered I "Of course the mine is flooded now ~ there's 20 miles of tunnels under that water, and I don’t guess it will �ever be pumped,” said Carlson. "See that hill over there? That's Rich Hill ~ richest hill in the world. Why, after a rain People you can walk up there and find nuggets. still search around that hill ~ find stuff too, especially just over the crest." now. Carlson was warming up to the subject "The geologists never did figure out how all those nuggets got to be found on top of the hill ~ supposed to "^pointed to the south. find 'em in the streams below. "See that peak? down there. That's Vulture Peak. Had a good ore body We're on a line between that mine and Rich Hill. That's why they found so much srold here." I asked how the snakes were. Carlson answered to the effect that they were real healthy.-^ "In fact, the damn things are so fat they're pink I They must be the most beaut i^ ful rattlers in the world.—and they don't buzz must have killed off all the buzzing kind and grew a crop that don't buzz I" is inclined to be outspoken on matters politi-^ cal. "It's that L»208 ~ you know. Law No, 208 that Roosevelt put through ~ that's what killed this mine ~ and those old tin heads in Congress soaked it all in. never should have stopped everybody from minin' gold — just 'cause they claimed it wasn't strategic." '^C.V).doesn't hold with core drilling either — "Why you can drill those little bitty holes all month and still �miss the vein. It’s crazy! May as well take your money to Vegas," There are some facts concerning the town that *^.^0,'**’ overlooked. He probably knows them^but just had more important things to say. Claimed as a placer in 1864, nothing much happened until the 1890^/^when someone saw the deeps mine potential. Eight men got together, bought the claim, and named the place Octave^ appropriate to the eight-way split. No Information is available as to how long the original eight held on to the claim. It would have meant a fortune for each, since somewhere between|^8 and|^15 million in gold was eventually ex^^ tracted from the Octave. The town proper was built between I896 and I9OI, The post office moved in from Weaver in I9OO, The mines were shut down in 1942, due to L-208, and in 1944 all the buildings were razed to save on taxes. Visible today are the huge yellow tailings of the mill, some foundations, some walls of the bullion room, the reservoir, and extensive multi(** leveled rock foundations. Across the knoll, under a modern power line, is a totally forsrotten cemetery. I had just visited the cemetery and was swinging back through the site of Octave to say goodbye to when I was hailed down by a nondescript old character in a battered pickup, "WheresW Rich Hill?" he asked. got to be around here somewhere." "It’s �Like an old hand and longrtime resident I waved toward the hill and hollered,"Your best bet for nuggets is just over the crest MAP NOTE* the area. too bad it ain’t rained lately." No topographic maps are presently available for �Iahizowa arsa 3 L J GOLDROAP, ARIZONA The road from Kinsman slants southwest with little ohanc:e in direction or elevation. accommodate a dry wash. Occasionally it dips to The native knows enough to slow down and check the wash for water. The tourist might plow into two feet of water at @ miles per hour, but he’ll only do it once. The resulting baptism quickly makes one a native. After to meander Pass, miles the road angles west and proceeds another miles up the slope to Sitgreaves ^50 feet above sea level. Its famed "100: mile view" is now marrf^ at mld^^stance by the smoke of a huge electrl> cal generating plant located on the Colorado River, As the road writhes its way down the west slope, signs of the abandoned town of Goldroad appear. there an old rock foundation. frame. Here a tunnel, Beyond these, a shaft and gallows The switchbacks become more frequent, and at one point, where the grade is particularly steep, most of deserted Goldroad is visible straight ahead and sharply below. Most of the remains are rock or adobe walls. Assured that the town would never come to life again, the owners decided in 19^9 to save the tax on surface improvements tlonally ^irned the town to the ground. and inten*"'^^ The Mexican part of �town, on the treeless flat to the west, survived in part, due to its adobe construction. Traces of gold were found here in 1863, The outcrops were low grade, and the prospectors moved on. The gold was there but remained hidden for another years. Jose Jeres (Jenerez, according to the February 1916 Los Angeles Financial Mews) was grubstaked by Henry Lovin of Kingman to the extent of $1,300. Jerez, or Jenerez, headed into the thoroughly workedsover region near Sitgreaves Pass, by the Old Fort Mohave Military Road. The stories vary ~ but Jose was either tracking a lost burro or tying one up when he stumbled across a knobby outcrop. He chipped some samples, then quickly laid out his claimy^and headed for Kingman Lovin wouldn’t believe Jerez when he learned the '•strike'* was in an area already tramped over by a thousand prospectors, and it wasn’t until Jerez started asking for another stake that Lovin decided to go look, Jerez was right, and excitedly the two of them proceeded to dig the required hole to prove up the claim. The vein held steady and strong. Word got out, and the rush was on. gone over thoroughly a second time. The ground was Two other paying shafts were developed. Meanwhile, Lovin and Jerez sold out for $25,000 each. Lovin also got the freighting and mercantile �concessions, which paid handsomely, Jerez drank his share and within a few years departed this world by swallowing rat poison. In 1901 there were ^00 people In town. In 1902 the boom was well under way, and a post office was opened under the name of Acme, In I906 the town reached Its peak. That year the post office was redesignated as Goldroad, It remained so until 1941, when Law 208 closed down the mine, the town^and the post office. Around the bend, and two miles on down the highway. Is the delightful old town of Oatman. Al^^ though not as dead as some ghost town buffs desire, one can couple It with the more: than^dead remnant of Goldroad and come up with an enjoyable tour. < # MAP NOTE: The town. Important mines, and cemetery shown on the Oatman and Mt. Nutt are minute United States Geological Survey topographic maps. Iti plfc i/ie ! �OATMAM, ARIZONA The geology of the area would excite even the most dejected prospector. the surface. Igneous intrusions stand boldly above Quartz outcrops abound/^ and where there is quartz, there is the likelihood of valuable mineralization. Iff Quartz, one of the last minerals to solidify upon cooling, often carries rare metals in its cracks and fissures. To the east of Oatman, the nearly whlje Elephant's Tooth and black Boundary Cone thrust their way above the horizon, sure signs of mineral separation and reliable indicators of valuable deposits nearby. The Vivian Mine was located in 1902 by Ben Paddock. A mine camp grew up around it^and in 1904 the post office of Vivian was established. The population reached 150^and the //2^ town boasted two banks, two stores, and a chamber of commerce. Discovery of rich gold ore in the Tom Reed Mine in 1908 brought the first boom. The town grew and became so respectable that a move was made to select a new name. They decided on Oatman, in honor of a family of pioneers who^ in 1851• The entire family was killed, had been attacked by Indians^ end %ho fa«H.y-igilloAy except for two girls and a boy. The girls were taken captive and the boy left for dead at the site of the massacre. A rescue party found the boy and^after years of effort^managed to free one of the girls. The other sister died captivity. �George W. Long had a theory about the veins around Oatman. He studied the shafts and tunnels in existence and determined that a healthy vein of gold ran north and south about 380 feet below ground. He formed the United Eastern Mining Company, which in 1913 bought up a number of claims that included the theoretical streak of gold. He was right. The vein was there — and at the depth predicted. With the Eastern and the Tom Reed both producing well (the Tom Heed averaged $70,000 in gold per month) the town boomed, and the area's population neared the 10,000 mark. Later a figure of 15,000 was claimed, but^was probably an exaggeration. With the best ore removed, the mines went into slow decline during the thirties. The town began to shrink. Its life was sustained by its location on Route 66, Even the *6^es*’*'p^sing through to California did their share to contribute to the survival of Oatman, But Law 208, passed by "those tin heads in Congress " to quote *^.0, Carlson of Octave, Arlzona^y^brought the rftmaipjng gold mining to a halt. hundred or so The number of residents dropped to one and in I968 fell to half that, or less than^^®®’^^ of its "honest" peak population. There are a few more folk living in Oatman now. In fact it may be on the comeback as a winter residence for reA tired trailerites^following the sun south for the winter fleeing the Arizona heat each summer. but �Ill Ths old Tom Heed Mine and Mill, long idle, has enough property remaining to warrant a caretaker. A few mines in the area are still operating:, either on a one: man basis or under strict secrecy. In one case the secrecy is maintained by a rif let carrying .guard. Wild burros make it a habit to visit town each day. Somewhere between © and of them wander in for a tour of the stores, poking their heads S?%oors and walking in if not met at the threshold. They like popcorn and dog food, and the tourists love to provide it^even at the risk of nipped fingers. The burros are b+wj. descendants of the pack animals They are not turned loose by retired prospectors. herd supremacy sometimes occur ° on^main street. Storekeepers close their doorsy.while visitors 7^ take cover and grab for their Instamatics. Occasionally samoles of high-grade ore appear in the glass showcases of the grocery store. I was offered a chunk about the size of a marshmallow. It was perlfa^s® gold. A You could easily scratch the yellow portion with a knife blade to check that it was not pyrite. The sample probably had an eighth of an ounce of gold in it. was tlO. Too high, I figured, and passed it up. The price Later, half-jA way to Kingman, it dawned on me that^at the present $180 an ounce, that sample was probably worth twice the asking price. //^ �J MAP NOTE* The Oatman, Arizona.7| minute United States / Geological Survey topographic map shows Oatman and part of Gold road. �MIM3HAL PARK, ARIZONA/ You can see the plume of dust from miles away, SM»^ the closer you approach, the more it seems to rise from the exact site of the s^host town of Mineral Park, A mile away you can hear the hum and clatter of heavy machinery. On a rise to the south of the suspiciously smoothy^broady^gravel road is an old roofless adobe building, doubtless a remnant of Mineral Park, Just around the bend the noise becomes suddenly louder, and the field of view is filled with signs of "progress The Duval Mine and Mill is operating at a level that would have been beyond the imagination of residents of Mineral Park ninety years ago. The site is a study in contrasts. On the left side of the road are the pitiful wrecks of three or four buildings, some mill foundations, one head frame about to collapse, and an old wooden separation tank. From these relics you can look across to the monstrous mine dump of the Duval, matched only in size by the massive mill below. Periodically the ugly sound^ of rocks falling causes one to look quickly about. The trucks are dumping rock over the dump a mile away, and boulders the size of barrels roll hundreds of feet down the man-made talus slope, A brief hlstory,to match the meager extent of the Z remains, starts with the town being laid out in 1870 near a �^tstamp mill. months. There were (2/ saloons In operation within^ The biw boom of the 188^^ found many adobe and frame buildlnajs built on both sides of a wide main street. A flay^p^e stood at the uphill end. An old picture shows waaon ruts forming a series of figure eights as people drove to the front^ of each store^ then cut across to one on the other side of the street. In 1884 the population was 700 and Increasing. There were two newspapers and a Ghlna^^wn. Strangely, there were no banksand no churches. evident. Perhaps a basic truth was Without one, perhaps you have a lesser need of the other. When the Atlantic and Pacific tracks were laid along a route justmiles away. It was found that ore of lesser A* quality could be mined. The town took on new life — tempor^ly. Soon a junction town popped Into existence at the loadlnv site. Within three years that town exceeded Mineral Park In size. An election showed that the majority approved of the new town as the county seat. Mineral Park refused to give up the records. The new town went on to A midnight raid solved, the problem. become a success L * MAP WOTSi they named It Kingman. -------------------- hmmW ■kUHL.aWL.il. IB IB UU WUi — The 1939. 15 minute Chloride, Arizona, United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the site of Mineral Park, but gives no Indication of the present mining complex. �Silver was found here in 1892, and hy 1894 the White Hills Mining Company had built a towi^^a mill and had dug miles of tunnels. The mines were paying hand"^^ somely, and the fifteen hundred residents in the area didn’t mind the occasional gully washer that rushed down the IThlte Hills and floated away an outhouse or two. What they did mind was the shortage of drinking water and its ”hauled-ln’' price I The White Hills Mining Company fell into financial dlfficult^^and an English outfit took over in 1895, A 0xmile pipe brought springwater to town and supplied the needs of a new(^:stamp mill. Most of the water went to the mill, and the town folk still felt the shortap:e. In two years the original owners regained the property^due to the English outfit's inability to make theta? payments. A big promotional effort was started, and the town experienced its best year. Then, with thinning veins and promotional claims unfulfilled, the mines and White Hills began to fade. A bad flood wiped out much of the town. Men caught 200 feet underground could not climb out against the water and debris pouring in. Luckily, the shaft went deeper and acted as a reservoir, or the men would have been trapped and drowned. V �The post office closed in 191^, but by then most of the town had been moved away or had collapsed from flood­ damaged foundations. Until recently, several old shacks still remained, stubbornly fighting the pull of gravity. A new retirement village, built a few miles beyond the site, did little to protect the meager remains. In 197^ the last shack collapsed to a point where its eaves touched the ground. The cemetery has a number of graves, each lined with rocks, a few replete with accidental barrel cactus head/^ boards. The ultimate Insult to a dead town is sickenlngly evident there. Two graves have been dug up and robbed. One of them was that of a child. _____________________5k MAP NOTSj , Arizona, The White Hillsyyl5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the site. ARIZO^^^^ � 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>Helldorados</em> Part II: Arizona 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_Ariz Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/074d72832552ce2b3dfc4286d628d125.pdf b7233ea0910ccd64169df4765e4678a2 PDF Text Text PAET III NEVADA �Pf\ P. r-3- ' BULLFROG, \T3vaD4 j Shorty Harris had never made a big stake. He had made a strike or two, but somehow it always seemed to slip through his fingers. The finds that he kept always turned out shallow, and the ones he sold made the buyer rich. There was always the next one, and that one he would handle ricrht, for Shorty figured he had used up all the wrong ways. Late in the summer of 1904, Shorty Harris and his friend, Ernest Cross, split off from a group of prospectors at Daylight Springs in^^^^^thern Nevada and headed west to a spot Shorty had noted some years earlier. On August 4 the two prospectors found some greenish rock containing Im/^ bedded quartz, and in the quartz were granular chunks of gold Smooth portions of the rock resembled the back of a bullfrog. They ground up some of the rock and panned out the Kold. It was rich as any ore they had ever seen — and this time it wasn’t someone else holding on to it. This could be the bi{7 one! Harris and Gross checked the area closely and staked out the best deposits/\ ^en, with foresight, staked out a mill site and water rights. samples they could They loaded up all the and headed for Goldfield. On the way �they stopped at Beatty's Ranch, and heyan to snread, norter clalTied It spread so fast word of the X^rike that one newspaper re-^ the two nen met prospectors coming at them from Goldfield when they were still miles out and that when the two discoverers reached Goldfield, all of Goldfield was staking claims near ^e Bullfrog. The story is only slightly exaggerated, for 7,000 people were on the site within a few months. Shorty's credit was good at every bar in Goldfield, £ and he exercised his x^rogatlve in all of them. Later he claimed that six days of drinklns- too much "Oh-Be-Joyful" had addled his braint He didn't remember signing the deed, but there it was ~ with seven witnesses.-^ he had sold his half of The Bullfrog for ^l,OOo! Another stake had slipped from his grasp. Later Shorty claimed it was $25,000, probably in an attempt to sound as astute as his partner, Ernest Cross, who had held out for that fiyure. His partner claimed that Shorty had sold his interest for just $400^ claimed it was $500 and a mule. others The latter version isn't likely, since Shorty hated mules, much preferring jackasses. In fact, his vravestone was later to be inscribed: "Here Lies Shorty Harris, A Single Blanket Jackass Prospector." Shorty became famous as the best and the poorest prospector in-------- -—- -------------- - ' ' �the southwest. Wherever he went, he left a trail of riches behind. The Bullfrog strike was made in August, and by November nearly a dozen tent towns had sprung up, some near the original claim and others scattered about the flats near Ladd Mountain a few miles to the east. Water had to be hauled in. Freighting costs made it nearly equal in price to unaged whiskey. liquor a bargain by comparison. That made hard It was in such demand that many of the shipments were intercepted enroute and consumed on the spot. It was common practice to set up shop at the point of interception. It was several months before the opene air bars satisfied the demand and were able to migrate to the mining camps. Land promoters attempted to lure residents to To get "their" towns in order to sell lots at a profit. things started they all offered free lots, and some escalated the competition with the offer of free house?moving. shifting of homes and The relocation^ of business places finally slowed as two dominant towns emergedS Bullfrog, on the flat south of Sutherland Mountain, and Rhyolite, a mile to the north. Promoters of both towns knew that only one could survive. The competition was heavy. Each town built to match the other -- and by May 30, 1905, both had larsre hotels, newspapers, water systems, nowopapoiii and post offices. A �Within a year Hhyolite emercred as the winner. It was a more substantial town with a number of twos and three: story rock buildinss^s under construction. Lots in Bullfrog dropped in value, and stores along its main street became vacant. When the last business place moved io Rhyo­ lite, the Rhyolite Herald proclaimed* "Verily the Bullfrog Croaketh," That was in May of 1906, and in June of the same year the big threes story hotel «e^Bullfrog burned to the ground. The town had boomed and collapsed in less than two years, The map!^ of the area indicates the ruins of two buildings and a cemetery at the site of Bullfroc, totally accurate. It is The road to the west, part of it atop the old railroad grade, leads to the collapsed structures of the oriarinal Bullfrog Mine, caved in, Of the mine shafts there, some are ^hers are filled with the debris of fallen buildings, r * MAP NOTE* The Bullfrog, Nevada, 15 minute topographic map of the United States Geological Survey shows Bullfrog, the Discovery Mlneyy^and other settlements in the area. �RHYQLITS, MSVAPA / When Bullfrog "croaked " In I906, the population of Rhyolite increased by several hundred. The first of three railroads reached town the same year^and Rhyolite took a second giant step forward. The town was exploding much faster than profits from the mines warranted. Hine stocks were high:priced and selling fast. had arrived too late for the Gold^ People field boom were primed for this one. This was the time, and Rhyolite was the place^to make a fortune. The boom was still resounding when the first signs of the bust appeared. Some of the smaller claims had been found wanting, and the original Bullfrog Mine had found the end of its lode. In spite of the warning signs. Rhyolite continued to grow. The tracks of two more railroads reached town in 1907, and the population jumped from 6,000 to 10,000. Threei story buildings made of local rhyolite rock were springing up. Pour banks and four newspapers were in operation, and construc­ tion was started on a large^concrete schoolhouse. Boundary lines had to be drawn in town to prevent the encroachment of the rapidly expanding red-light district. The alley one half block east of main street was the western boundary. A new jail was built in the direction of the exT^ panslon, in order that it be handy to the customer. �The town had three separate water systems. The pressure in some mains was in excess of 70 pounds per square inch, A had fire in the red-lfT^t district, hastened hv wind, threatened to spread into the business district. The hisch pressure in the waterline hurst the first two hoses hooked up. New hoses were strung from hydrants with lower pressure, and the blaze contained. The financial panic of 190? caused most of Hhyolite’s mines to close down. The Montgomery Shoshone, two miles northeast of town, was a notable exception. Its continued operation prevented the immediate collapse of Rhyolite, The Montgomery Shoshone lode was discovered by an Indian lad (the legend goes) who was tricked into trading it for a pair of pants and two dollars, S. A. Montgomery, the purchaser, claimed, to the contrary, that he had hired the Indian and in fact had paid him well. Further, Montgomery stated^tiMbt it was by his own efforts thfit the best ore was located. Montgomery sold the mine for^2 million (some report|’*5 million), and within a year its stock was evaluated at million. When the mine finally closed in 1910, it had grosseoj^a million in gold but was still deeply in debt on the newly built Schwab Mill, lOo — / �/2^ The population of Hhyolite had been dropping for two years, but in 1910» when the Shoshone closed, it plummeted to less than a thousand. with 1912 The newly completed school opened students rattling about its spacious corridors. In the massive station of the Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad, built just a few years earlier, was suddenly deserted when train service was terminated. A few years later the tracks were torn up for scrap, and even the diehards left town. homes were hauled away. Many All but a few of the remaining struc^ tures were burned or dynamited to save on taxes. The railroad station was bought by the McLaughlins and remodeled as a home. It was the only major building in town to escape razing. Later the old station served as bar, gambling house, and country store. Mow it is a combination residence, museum^and tourist shop. The old station stands alone amid the ravaged ruins of Rhyolite. MAP NOTSj \ Details may be found on the Bullfrog, Nevada^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. ^2^ �GOLD POINT, ^SVAPA There are no detailed maps available for the area around Gold Point, and they are hardly necessary, since the town can be seen straix^ht down the road from the Junction on U.S, 95, (l^mlles away. The huddle of bulldinis^s next to the lights colored mine dumps at the base of Slate Ridge is the town of Gold Point. Seven miles of that straight road is blacktop JUv-axixv 3), and the remaining is good crravel. The dry^ clear air fools one into thinking the town is constantly traveling away at a speed equal to that? -af one’s own approach. Of the 225 buildings that stood in the town of Gold Point ^nce called Lime Point three or four dozen remain. and then Hornsilver^ only Compared to most ghost towns, that’s a considerable remnant. There is an owner in residence at present, and he has thoughtfully laid down the ground rules by means of a small sign at the edge of town. In effect, the message asks the visitor to be careful where he trespasses and to keep hands off the property ~ but to take all the pictures his heart desires. And Gold Point is photogenic. There are three "business districts," one at the deserted gas pump and store, another a few blocks northwest, and the last near a mine about a quarter of a mile to the south. The one near the mine has on its false front a �sign that can barely be made out — "Hornsllver Townsite and Telephone Company." In front of the building are the remains of the two very old gas pumps, one of them adverti^^ ing filtered gasoline. Old deserted mines are scattered in every direction. Many are quite intact. A number of gallows wheels (pulley wheels at the top of head frames) lie about as if someone forced to quickly wae caught in the act of looting and divest himself of incriminating evidence. The largest and most impressive remnant in Gold Point is the blockulong business district at the northwest edge of town. In one single string there are four weathered old stores standing alone and forlorn. Three are connected and seem to gain strength from each other's presence. A twos store space separates the cluster from the end store, and beyond that atruoture are the collapsed walls of yet another place of business. Limestone was mined here in 1868, and during that time the town was called Lime Point. In I9O8 silver ore was found and the town boomed. changed to Hornsllver, Hornsllver Herald. highrgrade The name was The local newspaper was called Thirteen saloons mushroomed, and there was talk of a railrosid. By I910 the town had reached its maximum size. /o3 - I �The period from I905 to 1911 was wild. At least the old duffer from 'layer, Arizona^ re membered it that way. He used to prospect the washes for yold. "Found some too," he claimed, "and I would have kept a lot more if I hadn't been cheated out of it," He and his partner had located some good sand. They flipned to see who would cro file on it. won and headed for Gold Point. His buddy He returned three days later ~ "with a hanyover and three strangers. got drunk and sold our claim ~ Seems he went and claim!" The old-timer (he’s the one wanted to remain "unanimous") had little good to say about some of the :iner?^ chants in the boot^ towns and mining camps nearby. "They was always cheatin' on the whiskey. it was half water ~ wouldn't even burn your tongue," Most of He seemed to yet a little angry at something he Just recalled. "There was one old crook that ran a saloon outside of Gold Point, on the way to the old Oriental camp. He used to enjoy takin' a pinch of dust for a drink, like they done years before, Everyone thought that it was all right Hil they noticed his pinchin' fingers had dents in 'em." his thumb and forefinger. He demonstrated with "Most of us guys had heard of bartenders yrowln' long fingernails, or runnin' their hands through the grease in their hair, but we never seen this pulled before. We raised hell with him and made him use �his left hand. Then one day we see his left hand ha^ got dents — and we find out he's been squeezin' a button in his pocket Just before he takes a pinch. gonna hang him. Told him we was He didn't even take us serious, so we did. We hung him a little. Didn't hurt him much. Jest redded up his neck and maybe stretched it some." In spite of the poor results experienced by some prospectors, increasing: amounts of gold were found. Silver deposits were petering out, and by 1930 more gold was being mined than silver. its name again. Obviously the town would have to change Newly christened Gold Point, the town perked along for another years before it folded. In 1955 there was one store serving the needs of thirteen resl' dents. Now the store is closedy^and the number of residents is even less. Several of the old miners' houses have been kept up as vacation homes. Near one of them is an outhouse of unusual construction — quite appropriate to its occasijnal use ^specially in the event of flu, the "green apple splatters^^ or some other similarly explosive happening it's made entirely of ammunition boxes. MAP NOTE: No topographic maps available �LIDA, ViSVADA C There was gold in the Palmetto Mountains. The Indians and Mexicans mined it in the 186Q^, Within a few SAfl years Americans heard about it and in the moved in on the "unclaimed diggings." The settlement that grew on the site was nearly 200 miles from the nearest railroad. Silver^ miles to the north^and across the mountain, was the peak, nearest town, Lida expanded rapidly after a road was built connecting it with Silverpeak. Machinery-for two aman stamp mills was hauled in and assembled at the springs near town. Much of the ore was rich ~ it had to be in order to balance the high cost of freighting the mill machinery at a fee of .$100 per ton. Some ore was so rich that it was hauled to the railhead and shipped out for processing. When Goldfield boomed in 1904 life to Lida. it brought added The springs at the outskirts of Lida became Goldfield’s water supply by means of a pipeline (|^*odd miles lonff. When the railroad reached Goldfield rates on supplies for the residents of Lida, it meant lower Also, low-grade ore stockpiled on the mine dumps could now be processed at a profit. Lida grew up, and a newspaper, Enternrig^- £ came to town. The town flourished for several years then faded when many of the mines shut down during litigation. �aanchinc: be.cran to pay better than mining, and the nature of the community changed. Today the town is half ghost, half ranch. Several old buildings stand vacant under massive shade The old schoolhouse can be spotted by its attendant “boys," ’’girls," and "teacher." triplesdoor outhouse — ''bovy,-"girls^ and tcaohor-. " trees. A MAP M0T3: available. Mo topographic maps of the area are present �JlBVADA A3 3A 2 ^T3VApA The Cathollo Church stands on a hill overlookins; town. I had taken a number of lows angle shots of the old unpainted structure and had decided to climb the hill to try out the opposite view. Prom that direction, a f*few of Nevada’s rare summer clouds could perhaps be coerced into position. Photos completed, I wandered back past the front of the church. The steps looked inviting and there were no "No" signs in evidence. The hasp on the door was broken, apparently smashed. I reached for the handle, and as my hand touched metal a shot rang out. instantly. My hand jerked back I took inventory, then looked about. Someone had determined that a shot fired in the air, at a precisely timed moment, would serve as an effective deterrent. someone had no doubt pulled the stunt on others. That He probably keeps a good eye out, fearful he will miss another chance at a little fun. I got the message, and I understood the necessity of his delivering it. Some visitors leave with e mjjmentos more substantial than exposed film. Manhattan has had an on-agaln/^off-again history. Silver found here in 1866 resulted in the construction of a mill, but it failed to show a profit and was abandoned three �years later. In I905 some cattlemen spotted an outcrop of "jewelry quality" ore. the date of discovery They claimed it and named it for April Pool. That summer @ town*^ sites were laid out in the vicinity, and the usual competition between landmen ensued. i-Ilne speculators moved in the next year and spread exaarveratlons all over Nevada. Soon 4,000 ueople rushed to the spot, most of them from Tonopah, miles south. The road was constantly filled with rigs and autos, one every half mile or so. The dust never settled. Lots in town were expensive^and store owners built on their entire lot, attaching each new building to the side* wall of the last. One lucky merchant bought a 30tfoot space between two stores and simply raised a front, a backhand a roof, Plre hazards due to this kind of construction were ignored. The topographic map of the vicinity shows a solid bar on each side of the road, indicating long strings of connected buildings. The town had its own electric power plant, banks, (2)newspapers, a number of stores, and plenty - of "watering holes," The quake hit San Francisco the following year, and Manhattan's financial supporters went home (with their money) to repair damage to their holdings. !4anhattan collapsed, but new placer strikes brought it back to life years later. A particularly rich float was found east of town at the White OapCs) Mine. A mill was built, and the �population of Ilanhattan stabilized at nearly one thousand. The town had nearly died for the second time by 1939. when- dredcring offered a new flicker of life. When that effort ceased in 19^7, the town died its most recent death. It’s due to come back to life again any time ~ it always has. lieanwhlle it’s a delightful ghost town. An old rock building at the east end of town has a weathered sign over its door that reads "post office," but showing through are the letters "B A WK," Just a few steps awav are the hoist works shed and gallows frame of a small mine. The Toiyabe Hall stands across the street, twos storied and lm«*^ presslve. Strung out along^maln street are an old meat market, five housesy^and a general store. The many gaps along the oncei solid string of storefronts were created when a number of merchants moved their places of business to a booming placer camp on Hound Mountain, When they removed their stores, they took the outside walls of adjacent build#" ings with them. Most gaps are at least ^stores wide. The little general store is the only place doing business now. Recent "progress" has been almost too much for the sras pump, , Its rate adjustment won’t reach the 50- to current 60s cent price of gas. It still reads 30 cents per gallon, but a sign on the pump tells the customer to fill up, then just double the total. — 110-^ �MAP MOTS I Excellent detailedisplayed on the 1914 Manhattan and Vicinity, Nevada^ 3":to»thetmile United States Geological Survey topographic map. Sadly, the map is now out of print and cannot be purchased. Some libraries in the map and will permit copies to be made. have �BALMONT, MS^ZADA It can only be described as an oasis. In the middle of town, surrounded by larsre shade trees, a spring bubbles forth, its steady flow giving rise to a small stream that wanders south through town. Within a mile the waters of the stream are sapped and then swallowed by the thirsty desert sand, Belmont enjoys ideal weather during most of the year, due mainly to the 7000: foot elevation. There are time /K I however, when heavy winds dominate life in town. Guy wires to the west and south of manv buildings attest to the strength of the winds. Heavy winter snows (@ feet in four days on one occasion) can pile up and cut the town off from civilization for weeks at a time. Hose Walter is the ranking old:timer, and the venerable voraj»3?e first lady of Belmont, Hose and her housekeepers companion live in a large, wells kept rock home at the north end of town. These two ladiedxand the couple that own the r newly opened gas station-bar-cafe at the opposite end of town, make up the complete roster of years round residents. Strung out along the main street of town are a number of impressive remains of the once:notable town. Across the stream are more buildings. Dominating that side of town is the grand old Wye County Courthouse, Two:story brick, with tall wooden cupola and numerous chimneys, the �structure was, and still is, the fanciest buildinff in the It was here that the "town character" held sway county. as district >kttornsy. Elected as a joke, he took his job seriously so seriou^^hat he refused to leave office at the end of the term. The newly elected D.A. tried to assume office, but *014 Andy*^eld out forQdays, sleeping in the courthouse office and having meals sent in. Silver, found in I865, resulted in an immediate influx of fortune seekers. With assays at more than ^100 and over a thousand tons of ore blocked out, there per ton was little reason to believe Belmont would be a town to go bust quickly. Merchants built with a justifiable hope of permanence, and within two years the population had reached 6,000. When Belmont secured the county seat, plans were laid to build a prideful courthouse. Clay deposits were located miles west of town, and a brick factory was conT^ structed. Prom that brick the courthouse was built, and from that edifice emanated an aura that Inspired confidence in those who would build Other^structures.of Belmont grew to 10,000 and boasted two newspapers, an oyster houseyj and a music hall. Society made the news, but rougher elements were making the headlines C^wo union organizers were chased out of town. When they were found hiding out nearby, they were hauled in and hunvf �Irish laborers in 186? confronted Boss Canfield and accused him of hiring Cornlshmen at lower wages to ret* place the Irish. Tempers heated^^and soon Canfield was being toted about town on a rail. When a former lawman, Louis Bodrow, tried to slow things down, shots rang out and two men fell to the ground. tHHBs Bodrow and Pat Dlgnon lav dead. Bodrow had been shot times and then stabbed repeatedly. He got off two shots before he expired, and Dlgnon inter'?' cepted one of them. During some of Belmont’s more lawless years, a vigilante group maintained order by staging occasional hang?' Ings. Generally the job was done on the sly, to avoid in*? crimination, but each time, a sign bearing the number "301" was attached to the victim. ive. The lesson was clear and effect? A few more crooks slipped out of town each time word spread that the "301" was forming up for an evening’s chores. By 1885|I^15 million in silver had been taken from the hills. Mines produced until the late thirties abruptly shut down. then With the shuQown, payrolls stopped. Stores closed for lack of customers, and the town became suddenly quiet. The Catholic Church was moved to Manhattan, •there to become deserted once again. In 1903 only^^people registered to vote in Belmont, But the town isn’t altogether dead. saloon at the south end of town is open. The little Travelers can �obtain sustenance and libation. One can even buy gasoline? however, the procedure is a bit unusual. First you borrow the pump handle from the bar>A^ tender, then pump the seas into pump. glass cylinder atop the The gasoline then flows by gravity throuch the nozzle and into the gas tank of the car. You check the pump handle back in when you pay the bartender for the gas, Now that’s proarress f — MAP NOTE: available No topographic map of the area is presently �IQ^B, NSVAPA^ West of Tonopah, dust devils trace their serpentine paths across the dry flats, gathering substance as finely powA_ dered earth is blown high in an ever-tlyhteniny spiral. Heavier spheres of tumbleweed ride low, bouncing along, nearly escaping, then swinging violently inward to orbit in tight circles. At times a dozen or more of the dry tumbleweeds are carried crazily along, like ponies on a merry-go-round gone wild. Passing through one of the larger whirlwinds is an experience. observer. First the wind and debris batter one side of the Then, after the passage of a miniscule eye, the opposite side is delivered an equal blow. The passage is quick and harmless to all but the very delicate. Butterflies, kleenex, newspapers, even handkerchiefs "out of the hand" are occasion^ ally carried to extreme heights, to fall back gently when the centripetal grip is relaxed. Worth and west of Tonopah, past the playground of the dust devils and a dozen or so miles east of Gabbs, a narrow canyon in the Shoshone Mountains cradles the remains of the old mining town of Ione. In 1863 silver was found in Ione Canyon to the northeast, and a camp grew on the site. The narrow canyon offered little room to expand, so the town was moved dowrf �stream to the flats at the canyon mouth. Ione became the first county seat of Nye County in 186^, and the town soon Several mills were built, but exceeded 500 in population. the ore in the region never lived up to the mill's capacities, let alone the promoter's expectations. seat was moved to Belmont. In 186? the county In spite of the recent extraction of mercury, less than a million dollars in precious metals has been taken from the region. A number of old mines are strung out along the four-’ mile length of Shamrock Canyon them, Xie Shamrock Mine Just east of Ione. One of perched on the north slope, is acces^ ible by a recently improved road. At the mine site, an old '>f!ot/fead" steam enorine still sits on its pads, apparently in running order. The shed giving it protection is shorn of its roofing, and cracks between boards let in narrow bands of light, contouring the shapes of the machine within. At the west end of town, a low rock structure dominates a rise on the north side of the road. are more than two feet thick. fireplace. The east wall contains a flush Mot flush Just on the inside outer surface. Its walls but also on the With the supersthick walls, the fireplace is merely a hollow portion hidden in the middle, A beam two-by-fours along the ridge supports rough? sawn that measure 2% by 5)6^ an actual x yi Inches. These are apparentlv the ancestors ' l%-by-3%-iiich of the present anemic off sprln!?s. Over the �rafters, waste slab wood was nailed on, then bark was laid on the boards, and the whole covered with dirt and a crop of ^rass planted. While it was occupied, the owner kept the arras s watered. The shade kept the dirt cool fortable. When the last occupant moved out, the roof died. MAP NOT Si The 15 minute Ione, Nevada^^ United States and the house comiR- Geoloarical Survey map is an excellent aid in explorina: Xs, the area. A series of "w indicating prospect holes, surround Ione on three sides. Many tunnels and shafts are indicated, Sprinkled along the two canyons leading northeast and southeast from town. �B^RLIV, ^WADA Two hundred million years ago, ^^sfoot monsters swam In the shallow seas that covered most of the western states. Wari^looded, m^alian, and shaped somewhat like a lizard, the ,?^hthyosaur lived, propagated, and died in much the same manner as the whales of the present era. The bodies of some Xohthyosaurs sank in the deep ooze present in some shallows. the ooze hardened to In time become a mold of the animal’s skeleton. made acidic with carbon dioxide Much later matter. Slowly, water dissolved the bones. the area was covered with volcanic over an extended period of time, rain~water laden with minerals filtered through the overburden and filled the bone cavities, recreating the skeletons in agate precipitated and other pringipotted rock. Fossils of the ancient animals were found in I860, thirty-five years before silver was discovered. In 1898, three years after the silver strike, many of the claims were bought up by the Nevada Company (a Mew York outfit) and a mill constructed. srrew around the mill. The small town of Berlin The population held at about 200 for ten years, then dropped to a handful in I909 when the mill shut down. The buildings of Berlin have changed little from the time it became deserted. Some of the pottbellied stoves —//f- �have disappeared, and the metal has been salvaged from the mill. Prospectors have occasionally used cabins In town as a base of operations. Presently, one of the old cabins Nevada^ | Is occupied ty a j^^tate Parks employee. The town is used as an entrance gate to Ichthyosaur State Park. MAP MOTS J The 15 minute Ione, Mevada^Unlted States Geological Survey map shows the site of Berlin but oddly fails to pin­ point the location or extent of the fossil beds. �ILLINOIS Miys CAMP, ^aVADA The Paradise Peak topographic map is littered with evidence of old towns and mining camps. Craig Station/\and Downeyville are shown sites. Ellsworth, and labeled as Paradise Peak Mine Camp, Sierra Magnesite Mine Camp, and Brucite are depicted by numerous black squares, Indicai^ ting present occupation. The date on the map is 19^8, and it would be logical to assume that at least one of the last three towns would spection. by now be a deserted camp worthy of ln<^ At the north end of the map, Big Chief Mine, .i^fTe Victory Tungsten Mine, and ^ffe Illinois Mine Gamp are shown. It seemed likely that one of these sites might also prove to be a little:known town or camp^rarely visited and virgin Off any publicity. At Ellsworth and Craig, remains were sparse. At Downeyville I could find onlv mlne^shafts. The Victory Tuna:sten Mine Gamp was small and in intermittent use. The Sierra Magnesite Gamp, right next to Gabbs, consisted only of concrete slabs. Brucite was now a part of the excavation of the huge mine operation being carried out a mile east of Gabbs. Gabbs, the biggest town within miles, was a very small community with only one cafe, but it hardly qualified as a ghost town. At^ one time, a town called Lodi existed about miles northeast of Gabbs. It had a population of 100 and �was the supply point for the Illinois Mine Gampmiles to the west. The map showed no town by the name of Lodi, but it did show a tank (small water reservoir) by that name. I expected to find the slate wiped equally clean at the Illinois Mine Gamp but was pleasantly surprised to find a number of Impressive remnants. FinallyI After a dozen dis^ appointments, here was a site worth a few rolls of film and an afternoon’s "exploration," Deciphering the remains of deserted sites Involves a lot of inspection, some deduction, a share of guess3!rork, and a residue of mystery. A ghost town hunter quickly be?*^ comes a speculative historian. Beside the road at the mine camp stood a small^ rock-walled, sod-roofed building with a wooden vent risinar at 7 the back. The fixtures were not that of an outhouse, so the logical assumption (there were shelves on the sides) was that the building served as a powder house. It would nature ally have a stout door and lock, but these were missing, A bit further along the littlezused road, a deep mine shaft r^ Ordinary passage put the pickup There was wheels within a foot of the llp.y^Zittle to worry about, qulred careful avoidance. however, as the truck was larger than the shaft. However, OH when approachfoot the prudent observer would maintain his distance, since the lip slope^ in and 4^ covered with small^rounded rocks ready to ease one’s entrance. �Larger diameter metal hoops told of wooden tanks that once stood here — probably a cyanide unit for extracts ing stubborn gold. Perhaps mill taillngs^were reworked for gold missed on the first attem^o/. Two corrugated steel tanks lay crumpled in the gully. They appeared to be either blown up by dynamite or 21- blown down by wind ^“probably the latter, since the remains were more battered than bulged. Hock mill foundations occupied the slope near the, banks of the gully. The absence of further remains would 1\ indicate that the steel was removed ~ perhaps the entire ' then again, this could be one of those structures •> sacrificed in the making of a B:grade western movie. mill. A sign in the center of town marks the spot as the route of an emergency stock driveway. Amazing — it , , nrrjcuAz makes one wonder how many head of stock have enddd up at shaft bottoms. Down the hill and east a few hundred yards, past a number of jackstrawed woodpiles (probably living quarters), was a stout brick cubical in the midst of extensive brick rubble. It must have been a bank vault at the company offices. Hearby was a square concrete foundation, very stout for its size. A mystery. aa4 the ground sounded hollow. it was safe to traverse. A few steps to the east Yet car tracks Indicated A bit more to the east, a tall, - M3 - �broad vertical expanse of brick provided the answer. Doors in the face led to underground tunnel like chambers of the type used to smelt ore. The tunnels led to the square corjj^ Crete foundation, which now quite clearly was a chimney base. A short distance away was a small rock kiln or smelter. was the obvious forerunner. Both structures had the same angled brackets to hold the removable doors. doors we^ at hand. It ?Tone of the They would have been metal doors and therefore would have been sold for scrap during one of the past wars. Pacts concerning the camp are few. Hesldents of Gabbs were able to provide some, and a few paragraphs referr^ Nevada ing to the town were gleaned from the.State Archives. A Gold found here in 1874 resulted in a small smelter (the one built of rock?) being constructed nearby. The camp that grew about the mine and smelter included a stoia saloon, boarding house (perhaps that exp^^ns the longyj^ narrow foundation below the mine), and a population of s e ve ral hund re d. The mine was closed and reopened a number of times. Each time the camp received a new namei Marble and Bob were used, and some claim the camp was called Lodi for a time. However, about 1908 the real Lodi was laid out at the site of the present Lodi tanks, and the mine camp then went under the name of ‘Illinois. �Thins:s really got sroing about 1910^when Lodi began to look like a town the Illinois Mine. one). and new veins were located at A large smelter was built (the brick Severe flooding in the shaft brought things to a halt about the time of World War I. Just before World War II, a last effort was made (the corrugated tanks) to extract the remaining ore. Except for Outojlide 9# the small concrete water tank there is nothing to mark the site of Lodi, but the remains at Illinois Mine Camp (or Marble, or Bob) are as numerous and varied as the names the camp has carried. I’lAP M0T2» y The Paradise Peak, Nevada^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows a wealth of old sites. END NEVADA AREA 31 �J?J5VADA ARSA 3 a f ] VIRGI?TIA CITY, NEVADA.C The old prospector was half way into tying on a good one. *^ld Virginn:^'^ he was called, probably because^ drunk or sober, he was continually rattling on about his home state. He had Just bought a fresh bottle and was headed toward camp by way of the straightest line possible when he stumbled on the rough ground and fell forward, bottle-arm outstretched. of contact. Unfortunately there was a rock at the point The whiskey flooded out of the shattered glass and soaked quickly into the ground, Hot one to waste a full bottle, the old prospector gathered himself up and proclaimed^ "I christen this ground Virginia." If it hadn't been for that rock at the end of Old :he town might have kept its original name — Silver City, As it was, the story was told so many times that the christening was accepted. After all, it was reasoned, anyone who could think that fast deserved the rlvht to name the town! The story of Virginia City started ten years back/< when the barren ground was called Gold Canyon, Some folk passing through to California had panned a little gold in the canyon prior to 1850, but it was silver that Allen and Hosea Grosch found a few years later. They quietly ground �the blue quartzrand smelted it down in their small assay furnace. Henry Comstock, called -^Old Pancake,prospecting in the canyon at the time, noticed all the secrecy going on^ and knew that the two men had made a strike. He searched and watchedbut never figured out where the Grosches were getting their ore. He wasn’t even sure whether it was silver or gold ore that the two brothers worked on in such secrecy. Word slowly leaked out that gold an(^^or silver had been found, and soon the hills were dotted with pick and shovel men. O’Riley and ;4cLaughlln arrived late and quickly staked their claims at the fringe, before those were taken by the next batch of arrivals. Later they worked it over thoroughly and uncovered a gold-bearing quartz ledge. *^ld Pancake*^ Comstock, as was his habit, immediately claLlmed prior filing, sen^ to humor him, deal. O’Riley and McLaughlin took him in on the The find was the first tap on what was to be called Comstock Lode.*^ The ore was dirty and difficult to work. After crushing and panning the wash for gold, the discolored re*^ mains were quickly thrown away. One prospector, familiar with silver, quietly picked up some of the leavings and had them assayed. The discarded waste ran over $4,000 per ton of silver — more than the value per ton of gold already extracted I �Word of the new find brought a second flow of prospectors. During the spring of i860 a day were entering the Washoe area. nearly two hundred According to one re/^ porter, promoters outnumbered the prospectors toThe same reporter gave detailed accounts of the terrain^ and the weather. He claimed that heavy snow, prolonged runoffs, and a vicious wind called ‘^Pfie Washoe Zephyr*^made the place "essentially Infernal in every respecti" It wasn’t yet known that a heavy body of ore lay under Davidson Mountain, running parallel to the canyon floor and the streets of the burgeoning town. The extent of the ore would ^^only^^^partly determined during the boom of the sixties, when half a million a month would be mined. In two years that lode would expire and the town would be deserted. Then, eight years later, a group of investors with imagination and foreslte would investigate and catalog the full extent of the lode. In the process, the main lode, the big one underneath, would be found and the real boom It would last eight years. Langhorne Samuel Clemens, his river piloting job . would ensue. interupted by the Civil War, had wandered west to find a new job. The papers were full of promises and exaggerations con^ cernlng the big Washoe strike. Pour thousand claims had been filed in the single year of i860, Clemens joined with three �others suffering from the same fever and set out for Virginia City. The area was touted as the "richest mineral region on God’s footstool," but Clemens soon found out that $4,000 per ton in the papers was more like $400 per ton on the ledger. Clemens, with his three partners, a blacksmith and two lawyers, filed a claim near the Humbolt Mining Gamp. They named it the Monarch of the Mountains dig away at the quartz. and proceeded to Digging and blasting proved to be a difficult way to get rich, Clemens "resigned" several times. When the shaft reached a depth of ^^feet, the partners collected a few of the best samples and headed for Virginia City to do a little promoting. Within days the four had traded for shares in fifty different mines, all highly touted but probably Inferior to the (Q:foot hole they had Just left. Clemens took a Job^ith the Territorial Snterprise <as a reporterf^or $25 per week. He filled a vacancy created when William Wright (who wrote under the name of Dan deQullle) left town at the suggestion of an ir^te reader. Wright was one of the greatest liars of all time. When there was no news were classic. he created some, and his creations One of his best concerned an individual who had Invented a type of vest or armor designed to let the desert traveler remain cool even in the middle of summer at the bottom �of the hottest desert wash. The vest was actually a larcre thin spons^e, Wright wrote, with a water reservoir at the back and a rubber bulb under the arm to act as a pump. squeeze on the bulb, and water saturated the vest. tion of the water cooled the wearer. A Svapora-A The inventor, according to Wright’s news release, headed into Death Valley on a test cruise. A few days later a prospector hurried into a nearby camp asking for help to go rescue the crazy Inventor. It seems the vest worked too well, and he was found sittincr in the noon day sun, frozen stiff, with a foot-long icicle dangling from his chin! Clemens learned a few lessons from Wright, He learned to lie with authority and to do it under an assumed name. At the paper, he signed his work '’^sh,'^*^Later, in 1863, he bevan using the name that brought him fame ~ ^lark Twain, Virginia City had two disastrous fires, Sach time the town rebuilt even finer than before, but each time the fire seemed to signal an Impending bust. The fire of ’63 caused a loss of nearljj^lO million. 4r>115gff. A fire tower was built on the mountain to spot the first smoke of the next disaster. Two years after the town was rebuilt, the first lode ran out and the town shrank from 15,000 to 6,000. 1/ I3o - �Location of the bipc lode brought prosperity again in 1873. Silver was extracted at a phenom’^al rate million a week, about A mint was built in Garson City to handle the gold and silver. The town had ^breweries mak­ ing 75»OOO gallons of hard stuff each year, and well over one hundred saloons were kept busy distributing the supply. low town, 750 miles of tunnels pursued the huge lode. was ^900 million dollars worth of There ore in that lode, the end was found, Virginia City collapsed. When That happened Just two years after the second blflr fire. There had been signs of failure for several years. Many of the shafts were flooding with hot water. High temperatures made for short working times and great expense, Adolph A gentleman named^Sutro proposed a (^:mlle tunnel from the lode under Virginia City to the flats southeast of town. ceived little encouragement. Mine owners could see the end of the lode but weren't about to admit it. tunnel He re»^ Sutro built the and ended up the owner of many of the dewatered mines. It is doubtful that the ore made available was enough to pay the expense of the tunnel. By 1881 the population of Virginia City was less than iFOO. That’s about what it is now, on a miserable day in the middle of the winter. In the summer, crowds of tourists fill the streets. It’s still a boomiandsbust situation in Virginia City, �MAP MOTS I The Virginia City, Mevad^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map is an excellent source of detailed information. �GOLD HILL, ^3VADA Before it flooded, the Yellow Jacket Mine at Gold Hill, Mevaday^was the biggest producer on the south end of the Comstock Lode, When a blast of dynamite opened a passage to a hot spring, the tunnels flooded with 170: degree water. Miners could work only a few minutes at a time in the hot^humid atmosphere near the water. longer than the work shifts. Hest periods were 3ven allocations of 100 pounds of ice per man per day were not enough to entice men to stay on the job. Sventually the Sutro Tunnel was built and a south lateral connected with the East Yellow Jacket workings. The mine became workable again, but within a short time the lode was exhausted. While it lasted, the Yellow Jacket had poured large payrolls into the life stream of Gold Hill. Back in 1869, tent towns were strung along the length of Gold Canyon from the narrows called Devil’s Gate e. at the south, on up to side canyons appropriatly labeled A Six Mile and Seven Mile. As tunnels located the lodes, the towns consolidated. Virginia City and Gold Hill occupied sites on either side of a low hump in the middle of the canyon. Both towns graduated from tent towns to rock and mud and^finally, to frame and brick. When the big lode was worked, both towns had large numbers of pretentious structures. �Rivalry was srreat. annex Gold Hill. At one time Virginia City attempted to Gold Hill retaliated by attempting to split the county into two chunks and thereby become a county seat equal in status to Virginia City. The effort failed, since it was thought ridiculous to have two county seats within a mile of each other. It appeared, in 1864, that the ore had run out. Things quieted down^and population along the canyon dwindled, but Gold Hill continued to survive, part\duejto its loca*?^ tion on the main supply route to Virginia City. When the big lode was found, both towns boomed bigger than ever. Hill zoomed to nearly 10,000 Gold and bragged of street lamps and three fire companies. The ore ran out for the second time in I878, and in rapid order most of the ponulatlon left for other parts. Saloons shut down^and the Gold Hill Wews ceased publication. -----------------------------------------When the post office closed down in 1943, there Lately some of the old buildings have been converted to residences. Their were less than a dozen people left in town. exteriors have been restored to appear as they did one hundred years ago. The brewery and old hotel are excellent examples. The tovm IS loaded with old wayons. Beer wagons, freight wayons, bugyies^and stagecoaches are found sprinkled about, the proud possessions of ^story-minded citizens bent on reconditlonlny them for display. �I'UP ?TOTS« The Vir«3:inla City, Nevada^ 15, minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the town, the Sutro Tunnel, and a number of the sites of small satellite towns. �It takes four maps to understand the lay of the land and to pinpoint items of interest in the White Pine Mountains of Humholt National Forest in east central Nevada. Within a radius ofmiles around the juncture of these maps are enough old town sites, mine rulns^and mill remains to keep a backtroad explorer busy for a week. Roads alternately follow dry canyons and skirt mountains, joining to form a spectacular threes dimensional network. The road into Monte Cristo crosses deposits of e. soft rock that powders easily to a flour-fine consist|^ncy. In places due. the ruts are a foot deep in the nearly fluid resi^ White rooster tails follow each vehicle, and hang sus^ pended long after their passage Monte Cristo lies at the western edge of the Humbolt Mountains, on the sloping foothills immediately below 10,745= foot Mount Hamilton. The Monte Cristo Spring Is a quarter of a mile to the east. A mile to the north, the Silver Sell Mine hangs In a steep side canyon. To the southeast an unnamed tunnel bores into the west shoulder of Pogonip Ridge, Monte Cristo was the first camp in the White Pine District. Sstabllshed in 1865, it served as a mill town for the westislope mines. The ore paid out at less than ^100 a �ton — hardly enough to spawn a rush. For three years the little fives stamp mill pounded away at the stingy ore. Then the whole area seemed to explode as 50,000 prospectors stormed into the White Pine ilountalns. It started when a hungry Shoshone Indian traded some silvershearlng rock for a plate of beans. eventually guided A The Indian Leathers, Tom Murphy, and Md Marchand to the deposit on the far side of a nob that was sequently named Treasure Hill. sub/* The claim staked out was termed the 'bidden Treasure.*^ Old Mapals Jim had accepted a plate of beans in trade for a vein that would later be valued at half a million dollars. The big rush brought some business to Monte Cristo, but J nloQ bp^un-ht thnaufriti tho'faet thatfthe big action was in other parts of the White Pine Moxxntains. The town continued to suffer along on the same MinoTi^inria. inferior ore. After the excitement passed, Monte Cristo was still there. It even expanded with a new mill to handle some better ore being dug Q miles to the west. By I89O, even the mediocre ore deposits were expended, and the town became deserted. Wow there is left onlv a brick smokestack, numerous foundations, some rock walls^and a sod-roofed structure about to collapse. Wearby, the cycle is about to repeat, as tents and trailers are pitched on the site of a "new strike." -1^7- �Freshly planted slyns delineate the claim and express the hopes of the new developers of the "Marjory Lode MAP NOTE J Necessary for a proper guide to the area are the Illipah, Pancake Summit, Green Springs, and Treasure Hill, Nevada 15 minute United States Geological Survey topovrachic maps. �HAMILTON, MaVADA u If the Shoshone Ind lan^ Mapias Jim^had known that his mountains would Toe overrun by 50,000/^^^^ite men, he would have gone hungry rather than trade his silver find for that bowl of beans. After Murphy, Leathers, and Marchand claimed the Hidden Treasure Mine in 1868, a boom took place that resulted ^7^ in the construction of a dozen towns, four of which would e^ ceed 5»000 souls. The around would be torn up, roads built, and the local rock reassembled in the form of larae multlK*’ storied places of business. Five years later empire builders would abruptly leave. these same Evidence of their efforts, the larae rock buildings, would endure somewhat longer. Two settlements grew quickly around the first dli^ coveries during the spring of i860one on top of Treasure Hill, the other on its north slope miles away. For a few months the two communities were considered to be the same town and were referred to as White Pine, the name given to the newly created minlna district. Within identities. months the towns had developed separate On the hill was Treasure City. Down below, enjoying a better climate and a dependable water supply, was the town of Hamilton. — /*• �Hamilton quickly 'became a promoter’s dream. Stocks were bought and sold over half a dozen counters. Fortunes were made overnight, and some were lost even quicker. Residential lots sold for a flat A corner lot on main street went for §25.000. The first Fourth of July celebrated in the White Pine District was a combined effort of the competing towns of Treasure City and Hamilton. One town handled the parade the other the debates and speeches. A huge American flag was sewed up, utilizing scrap materials. The blue portion o was cut from a scarf bought from a Mormon family passing through. A few days later, when a financial wheel came to town, the flag served a second purpose. The financier’s money was badly needed, and when he demanded sheets for his straw tick in the local hotel, the flag was torn in half and sacrificed. he was. The investor didn’t realize how lucky Just a few weeks before, the town didn’t have even a hotel, and the one building then in existence (a saloon) was busy 24 hours a day. Within one year of the strike on Treasure Hill, Hamilton had 10,000 residents, a school, a debating club, e and half the Jezjj.bels in Nevada, Miners were living in caves, rock and mud huts ~ even barrels laid end:to:end. The town was designated as the county seat of newly formed White Pine County, and in two months a $55.OOOcourthouse �blossomed. The business district was several blocks long, filled both sides of the street, and contained a number of two:story buildings. The rush to Hamilton was wilder and faster during 1869 than any gold or silver boom in history. It seemed that everyone who had missed out on the Comstock was at Hamilton, determined to get in on the ground floor. When a gun fight broke out between two gamblers, one correspondent from a big city newspaper reported that shots were exchanged all over town, and "unfortunately neither one was shot, but an innocent horse was killed." Nearly two hundred mining companies sent their bullion out to the rail head at Hlko, 140 miles away. Hobberies averaged more than one a week. The Daily Inland Empire published reports of every new find, and that fall a se+f subdivision was laid out to handle the Influx of new citizens. 15,000 before winter set in. The population hit With winter came the cold realization that the silver deposits were shallow and soon would be depleted. Mining stocks became difficult to unload. Companies folded, and construction halted in the town of Hamilton. By spring out. half the citizens of Hamilton had moved An amazing number of fires broke out in the business district. A cigar store owner was caught after setting fire -/// �to his well-insured establishment. He might have escaped a Severn year prison term if he hadn't been spotted shutting the valve of the water supply. As a result of this fire, one third of the town was destroyed. The town is now completely deserted. Only rock walls, some partially collapsed brick structures, a group of frame homes, and a few sod- roof shanties mark the site. There hasn't been a fire on main street for almost 100 years. A MAP MOTE! Mecessary for a proper guide to the area are the Illipah, Pancake Summit, Green Springs, and Treasure Hill, Nevada^15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic maps. �JiaaASUHs city, ctada [ Wells Pars:o had an office in Treasure City and miles down the slope of Treasure Hill at another office the town of Hamilton. Each day the staare brought mall to Hamilton, and riders raced up the three;mile stretch to Treasure City. Bets were placed daily, and when a second competing line built offices in both towns became fierce, the competition Claims, mlnes^and entire fortunes were wagered on the mail races, A walk through the deserted town today yields a thrill of a different sort. In some places Open shafts are everywhere. the main street through town ha® to make a quick jog to miss a shaft. Remnants of rock buildings stretch for a quarter of a mile under the brow of Treasure Hill. In the center of town, a rock wall was built to hold mine waste from rolling down on.main street. A Judging from the remains, some of the buildings business were two stories high in front and Q stories at the rear. Some of the rocks used in construction measured more than^^feet on a side. There are remains of more than two dozen such buildings along the west side of the street. All are roofless. Many are merely stubborn corners and partly crumbled walls. Records indicate that during the twosyear period of 1869 and'70, forty-two business establishments were built �and the population passed the 6,000 mark The weather on top of Treasure Hill was abominable. The winters were windy and cold. When the wind slacked, a stinging fog called the "pogonip" set in over the city. It may have been the first case of inversion smog recorded in the state. For a time Hamilton. Treasure City threatened to outshine Hamilton had the county seat, but Treasure City had the largest stock exchange, and seats sold for It had fewer saloons than its neighbor down the hill, but it boasted a larger business district. of town. More than 13,000 claims were filed in the vicinity S20 Much of the ^weiiL.v' million in silver taken in the White Pine District came from these minef. The deposits were shallow. easilv reachedA and quickly depleted. 'r When the silver began to run out in I87O a few mines remained operating, but even those could see the end of their holdings. The big fire of 18?^ wiped out most of the frame portion of town. tered to vote. eighty yeaiA 3y 1880 only ^^people regis/^ The place has been deserted for the last The smos- problem has finally been licked . ----------------------------r\ MAP WOTSJ f The Illipah, Pancake Summit, Green Springs, and Treasure Hill, WevadaA15 minute United States Geological 1 V —■“ Survey maps are a proper vuide to this area. —------------------------ ? �J SH^RMAifTOW^^, NSVAD^ Ths sage''”^ush is eight feet tall, and. it grows all over the flats. The remains of Shermantown stand above the sage in a few places but in the main /?/ are hidden be? neath the heavy growth. -Of all the towns in the White Pine District, Shermantown had the most desirable location. Water was plentiful, the soil was good, and the valley^protected. was vulnerable to flood, but rainfall was light. It The town only lasted a few years, and the potential danger of flash flood was never tested. The springs in town furnished water for eight stamp mills and two saw mills. Five smelting furnaces melted down the concentrate produced by the mills. The town boasted a three-story meeting hall, two newspapers, and population of 3,000. Lots sold for as much as •!^2,000. Hocco Canyon, north-? west of town, held a number of paying mines. The Great Valley, Homestake, and ^e We Plus Ultra were all sending ore down the road to Shermantown, Ore wagons brought silver chloride down the canyon from HamlJ^^n. Stage coaches hauled the pure silver back up the canyon, through Hamilton on to 31ko for shipment to government mints, Shermantown's existg^nce was inescapably tied to that Hamilton, Treasure City, and 3berhardt. The latter was the site of one of the smallest, richest open-pit silver �mines in the world When the silver ran out, the mills closed down, and to exist Shermantown lost its reason By 1880, just eleven years after the town had Incorporated, only one family remained, of town Today the place is entirely deserted. At the edge an adobe chimney stands half completed. Its interior was never blackened by fire. Some forming supports remain in,t side the combustion chamber, xiemalns of numerous rock bullc^^ Ings are hidden in the deep sap-e^~brush. Many of the springs have dried up, and their locations can only be determined by wreckage the mill raj^^s nearby. Much of the water runs underground, providing sustenance to the lush desert growth. On the flats in the center of the town site, a small dam has been built to back up water to feed a tiny crusher and shaker. Someone had hopes of separating gold or silver from ore found nearby. Apparently his hopes expired^ <2^ie machine is rusted and Inoperative. The 50,000 miners and prospectors ShSt swarmed over the slopes of the White Pine Mountains apparently found and extracted just about everything of value. MAP MOTS: The Illipah, Pancake Summit, Green Springs, and Treasure Hill, Wevada^l5 minute United States Geological Survey maps are a proper guide to this area._ I, - -y � 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>Helldorados</em> Part III: Nevada 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_Neva Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/0b9795280af88b17e571cfba38cb2b8b.pdf 178ec0b8fe2e434ead1bcaf0d78dbe69 PDF Text Text PAET IV NEW MEXICO �X Of the string of perhaps a dozen Inactive coal-.mining communities in the Raton area, Gardiner is one of the few open to visitationr —fiMPA has enough surviving remnants to make a tour of the grounds worthwhile. Originally the town was shaped like a capital '‘Ljjt with one leg extending west along Gardiner Canyon other pointing north, parallel to Coal Canyon. and the The western leg was the residential part of town, while the northern^ industrial portion\contained the mines, shops*and coke ovens. The coke ovens, each about feet in diameter, ran in four parallely^redibrick rows, each a quarter of a mile long. ®he more than 300 ovens processed coal from a number of mines that bored into the hill Immediately to the west. Tunnel portals dot the hillside, and*from one of the larger openings. heavy cables emerge to lie slack upon the ground. Years ago the cables stretched taunt overhead, supporting buckets that carried waste rock to the dump Over the years and coal to the loading chutes. rainwater has eroded the j/tittSs dumps, adding red streaks of iron oxide to the blues and greens of the waste rock. Slag heaps and coal piles have washed out to form low mounds on the flats below the mine. The finely powdered �coal that usually permeates the buildings and grounds of active coal towns has been cleansed by rain. the old lamp house are remarkably clean. Remains of The onoe=blackened stucco appears wow fro ba almost white. The residential portion of town Is sprinkled with foundations, windowless walls.and collapsed roofs. creek Across the a row of adobe walls standSlwlthout roofs, apparently the residue of a ravaging fire. Several of the buildings at the center of town seemed to be In livable condition. As I approached, a bearded gentleman emerged from one of the i homes and walked toward me. lA He was short — just four Inches over five feet. He was on the stocky side, carrying a smooth outside curve on the front. white. His full beard and mustache were a silvery His nose was small and rounded and his complexion ruddy He Introduced himself as Tom Hay and seemed relieved when I passed up the obvious opportunity to comment on his resemblance to Santa Claus. Thomas Hay and his 33tyear.-old son (both bachelors) are the sole, residents of town. Being just past himself, Tom makes no claim of being an least not for a few years," he was eight years old. ghost town nearby. that town.too. years ~ "at has lived In the area since His folks lived In Brilliant, another "We were the last ones to move out of Moved from Brilliant down here to Gardiner. �now we’re the only ones living here.^'lrrom pointed down the hill toward some pillars marking the site of a oncexlmposlng "That was the hospital down there. structure. It was pretty fancy compared to most of the buildings. were made of adobe." adobe walls? He pointed across the creek. That was the colored section. *See those A big part of the town was Negro. Another part was Italian. separated." Lot of them They all kept "Over there Tom Indicated the sections of town. was a bunch of shotgun houses ~ you know ~ three houses together." Tom swiveled to face his own home. old Doc’s Jiouse now. "Live In the Not so fancy as the hospital was, but It’s still pretty stout." I opened two wells chilled examples of the brewers’ art, fresh from the camper’s Ice^^x, and Tom warmed to his subject, "The town always was a company town. an old S.L.H.M. and P, town. place. Used to be Now Kaiser Steel owns the They own pretty near all the coal towns up and down the line," I asked about the abbreviations he had used. "The St. Louis, Rocky Mountaln^and Pacific Company, They made coke mostly ~ sold coal too, of course. was used for smelting copper. The coke That’s what killed the town someone Invented a new wayto smelt copper without using coke." �With the evening light gone, I arranged to meet Tom the next day, then headed the three miles back to the town of Raton and the public Jfclbrary, to learn more of the history of Gardiner. James T. Gardiner was a railroad geologist, ever on the lookout for coal deposits. He Inventoried the deposits on the east slope of the hills Just west of Raton. The best un,*" developed coal deposits were claimed by Gardiner in the name of the Sante Pe Railroad. Others, previously located by Mess|rs, Pels and Wigham, were obtained by trading land for claiming rights. __ Mine 0In 1881 the Blossburgy^( later called the <Dld Gardiner NlriM was in full operation. More mines were opened along the slope, and a number of towns grew around the best producers. Gardiner grew around the coal mine of the same name. sprouted two miles to the north. Blossburg Northwest of Blossburg, up Dillon Canyon, were the towns of Willow and Swastika. The last two towns were later renamed Brilliant I and Brilliant II. The swastika symbol, made infamous by the Nazi move?' ment in Germany, was earlier considered a good luck sign. . Swastikas were laid up in raised brick along the cornice of one of the most imposing buildings in nearby Raton. were a trademark of the Swastika Coal Company^. The symbols During the second World War, the owners of the buildings were kept busy explalnintr just why "those Nazi slgn^^were up there. �Gardiner had Its wild tlmes^ln spite of the tight company control of the town. In fact, it was company policy to meet threat with counter/^reat, especially in the event of a miners’ strike. The biggest strike occurred during the boom years of Gardiner when a thousand folk lived in town miners worked in the area. and yoo The company met the strike headxon by sending camp manager Wiggins to Birmingham, Alabama.to hire a troop of Negro workers to come in and break the strike by in place of the strikers. goAn» Competition for jobs added to racial tensions, and fights occurred with regularity in spite of rigid segregation. The Negroes, Irish, Italians, and yWfiltes worked and played separately, merging occasionally to attack or repel an opposing group or combine, Joe Dillslo Installed a wooden partition in his saloon to separate the customers. Signs indicated that one side was for "Negroes^ the other side for "Cosmopolitans^^ No one walked the streets alone after dark. came and went in groups. Customers In spite of such precautions, the number of tombstones and unmarked mounds in the cemetery Increased alarmingly. After World War II, demand for coal decreased rapidly. Coke, once in great demand by copper smelters, was now used in reduced quantities only by a few zinc refiners. According to Tom Hay, the town of Gardiner had been a near ghost for a number of years before folding completely in �19*5^. Many of the houses In Gardiner had already been moved to nearby towns. A number of deserted buildings burned down When the company packed up all its machinery. right down to the hand tools in the machine shop, the few remaining residents realized that Gardiner was done for Now, Just twenty years later, coal is on the comeback Kaiser Steel recently purchased the town. Maybe there is hope for Gardiner yet j MAP NOTE* Gardiner is shown on the Raton, New Mexico^ 15 minute ! united States Geological Surrey topographic map. �IDAWSON, NSW MEXICO/ When J. B. Dawson bought the land surrounding the Vermejo Biver at the point where it leaves the hills and meanders out upon the flats, he fully expected to receive 3^00 acres for the #3700 he Invested. In 1869 from Lucian Maxwell. He bought the land The land was » part of the old Beaubien and Miranda Grant Lands now referred to as the Maxwell Grant, Dawson’s deal with Maxwell was oral ~ that’s the way Maxwell did business. Dawson had no record of the sale, and*when called upon to prove ownership, found himself I in danger of losing his thousand acres. Luckily Dawson’s lawyer proved his client’s ownership and found records of the transaction in some of Maxwell’s papers. scribed was not 1,000 acres The land de*7^ but 20,0001 Dawson had a particular affection for his holdings. The land had plenty of water, was wells grown with trees and grass, and had an outcrop of highe-grade coal. to cut wood Dawson hated and took particular delight in heating his ranch ho|^e without laboring on the blister end of an axe handle. Neighbors were soon asking for coal, and before long Dawson’ coal sales became more important than raising livestock. Just after the turn of the century, Dawson and an adjoining neighbor made a deal with a railroad~baoked fuel company. In exchange for nearly half a million dollars. �the fuel company obtained rights to all the coal and owner/*^ ship of a section of land for a townslte'JJlater to be called Dawson, of course. Dawson’s wife was given exclusive rights to all milk sales In the town for the following years. The mining of coal on a large scale began In 1901. Dawson numbered 200 citizens by year's end the following year. By I903 the town had Its own doctor, newspaper, hotel, and fancy theaty^. passed the 2,000 mark. over and grew to 600 By I905 the population When the Phelps Dodge Company took they expanded operations^ and the population jumped to nearly 4,000. Dawson became the largest coal town In the/8^ate. In 1903 a small hint of future disaster was felt when a fire trapped three men In shaft number one. Rescue teams had almost reached the men when explosions rocked the mine. Cave-Ins burled the trapped miners. The would-be rescuers, badly burned, escaped with their lives. Dawson was a model company town, and the mining practices were said to be the most up^toidate In the nation. Since the disaster of I903, '^afety-^had been the motto. Rescue teams won top honors In area competition. In 1913. disaster struoki Three hundred men were trapped. Mine No. 2 exploded. Rescue teams went Into action. Two members died attempting to reach the trapped men. following day V The the rescue team brought ^^men out alive. Shifts of miners, wearing primitive oxycren masks, ventured 3,000 �feet down the shaft to help clear the debris leading to the trapped men. Hope soared when a mule was found alive. Efforts were redoubled, and a lone miner was found trappyftafely in a side tunnel. But the effort, however heroic, was too late. The missing two hundgod ^.63 ataty thraB men were found dead. A special section in the cemetery soon held 263 crosses. The explosion had been caused by setting off a dynamite blast before the coal dust from the last charge had settled. The coal dust ignited and in turn loosened more dust to form a traveling/j?oaring inferno that snaked through the shaft, causing cave-ins and releasing pockets of poisonous gas. The traveling detonation ended only when the fires roared out of the tunnel mouth. Ten years later some mine cars jumped track and knocked down some hightvoltage wires. The sudden flash of the electrical discharge was all it totek to set off a second travel^ ing explosion of coal dust. One hundred and twenty-two men died, and the crosses in the cemetery, row on row, now numbered a heartbreaking thgoo hundrod and Ivtw Fifty years have passed, but standing amid the crosses one can still feel a residue of the sorrow experienced on the two occasions when the whole town stood at graveside. Pat Garcia felt a different kind of sorrow. Pat and I had taken parallel but separate paths through town. Where I stopped to take photographs, he stopped and looked. �and often dropped his head in thought* I saw him again at a distance, poking about the old coke ovens. At the cemetery we found ourselves leaning on the same fence. He had a poignant story to tell. Pat Garcia was born in Dawson in 1933. with other miners’ kids. He grew up He recalled bragging that his dad worked in the ’’long shaft" ~ the one that went five miles under the mountain. His childhood was a particularly happy one, especially the years spent in hlgljsohool. left town. In 1950 Pat That same year, Phelps Dodge, owners of the town and mine, ceased operations. Much of the town was demolished to save taxes, Now Pat Garcia had returned to the hometown of his childhood. He found his parent’s house gone. his whole town was gone. Not a single old school pal stood on the corner ready to swap memories. had jumped track. Indeed, It was as though time For Pat, seventeen years of memories were out of reach, never to be revisited. MAP NOTE*Dawson is shown on the Cimarron, New Mexico^l5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. The 15xminute Koehler, New Mexico^ map is necessary to make out the route to Dawson, �COLFAX, NSW MEXICOP Developers of the St, Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific Railroad created the town by laying out ^00 lots. Each lot was 25 feet by 14o feet and priced at $140 each, with discotxnts for quantity purchases. Lots sold slowly, and the "town" called Vermejo Junction looked like a loser. In 1908 the New Mexico Sales Company took over and announced.a second railroad would pass through town. In addition, a tract of fagty t^uaond acres of Irrigated land was to be made available on the flats below town. was touted as ideal for growing sugar beets. The land At the same time, A. C. Cox announced plans to build a mult^^toried hotel. In spite of the grand plans, lots in town sold slowly. Many agents, when they did sell a few lots, kept the money and skipped town. The January 8, I909 issue of SCfie Raton Range reported that one J. W. O'Brien had sold his holdings in town to other parties and now couldn’t be found. Furthermore, it was determined that he^never owned a single one of the lots he sold. In spite of the small number of residents, Charles Glasgow built a hotel, the Clm^arron Lumber Company opened a yard, and a school was built on the hill west of town. A post office was established, and promoters claimed the town was booming. Actually, the town was in a constant struggle & to maintain its exlstf^nce. �The post office was shut down in 1921, but the school and the store continued operating. A new sidewalk was laid down In front of the brick store In 1925, In 1927, there was a bit of excitement when a "marauder" r^^^ portedly entered town and out the hose on the lone gas pump. The school shut down in 1939» and the kids were hauled to classes in Dawson^Q miles away. In spite of the closures, promoters claimed the town was growing. In 1967, when the town was known to be deserted, reporters in state newspapers still claimed 100 citizens. Historian F, Stanley claimed the same year that Colfax was going to be "reborn into actlvltyf^ Dawson by the Kaiser Company, He cited the purchase He envisioned many employees of the Kaiser Company building^ homesjln Colfax, In 197^ the place was completely deserted. However, if you look hard enough you will probably find a report in some newspaper that lots are selling like hot cakes and the population of town will soon pass the one hundred mark MAP NOTE* Colfax is shown on the 1915 Koehler, New Mexico^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topbcrraphlo map. END NEW MEXICO AREA 1 �More than two thousand years ago, Indians found deposits of pale blue rock in the little pointed hills by Mount Ghalchlchultl. The turquoise was highly valued as a sacred stone capable of protecting its bearer from all evil. The open pit dug by the Indians in !*•-pursuit of the blue charm stone is likely the first mining effort of western man. Measuring 250 feet wide and up to 100 feet deep, the pit was the result of many years of primitive excavation. Stone hammers and wooden wedges were used to loosen projecting rock. Stubborn areas were heated by fire, then fractured with cold water. The famous Mina ^1 Tiro (Mine of the Shaft) was somewhere in the area, near the open pit, Indian slave labor Spaniards using pursued the silver deposits by means of vertical shafts aeo^oed by notched log ladders. The digging was confined to horizontal tunnels when the underground water level was reached. Some evidence indicates that skin canoes were used to transport ore at the lowest level. Wfcen the Indians rebelled against the Spatosh in 1680, the oppressors were killed and the shaft of the Mina ^1 Tiro was filled in. The exact location of the mine has since remained a mystery. — /6o Iff �Americans ’*alscovered’^ silver During in the little hills^, small boom ensued, t^^ grew to full proportion when the Santa Pe built its tracks through the area in 1879. Prospectors flooded the region. A camp called Cerrillos grew at the point where the tracks met the Galisteo Hlver. Turquoise was *^iscovered^^nd mlninc: of the semi^ ? precious stone became big business. *___ Nearly a million dollars worth was shipped to market each year during the eighties. Cerrillos, or los Cerrillos, grew rapidly during that period. At its peak the town had four hotels, separated by twenty saloons fronting three sides of the town plaza. The mine Tiffany’s Saloon became famous for its fine food. of the same name, known for its highe quality turquoise^pro^^ vlded stones for the crown jewels of Spain. By 1890 Cerrillos had begun its decline. Mining of silver and other precious me^s was diminishing, and by 19OO nearly all the mines had folded. The mining of turquoise con? tinned until the 192^^. Exceut for the frequent alteration of the outskirts of town by the flooding,Galisteo River, Cerrillos has changed little since the mining ceased. The generally dry bed of the Galisteo River comes to life each spring, sometimes overflowing as if in compensation for its brief yearly taste of life. Each year the flood is anticipated, suffered through, then cleaned up after, Thj^ center of town stands on high ground and has escaped flood damage. Fire has destroyed some of the places of business, but the remaining buildings fill two sides of the central plaza. �Some of the buildlna^s have signs over their doors that seem oddly new and out of place, the result of a brief Int^^ptlon In the town's quiet history. Disney Studios chose Gerrlllos for the filming of ^The Nine Lives of 51 fego Baca. . Slfego, a famous New Mexican lived through a barrage of more than ^00 shots gunfighter, fired over a period of 33 hours, while lying on the floor of a small shack. the movie The gunfight which formed the central theme of actually took place at Frisco, New Mexico. The Disney crew determined that Gerrlllos looked more^Uke the "real thlng^ and proceeded to "Improve" It by dressing up the false fronts and tacking up newly painted signs. The owner of the general store tn taww has since torn down the board that named the store and reinstalled one that says "Mitchell's^ while preserving the large portion that reads "General StoreJ^ A sign over one of the hotels still reads "Prlsco(^ The town comes to life each week end when visitors from the Santa Pe and Albuquerque areas stop In for a little sightseeing, a meal at Tiffany's, and perhaps an evening at the local opera house. Luckily I visited Um town In mld^ek, when Its true nature was displayed. The tourist businesses were closed. The general store was closed, but a sign stated It would open at 10 a.5, Two young boys stood In front waiting for the doors to be unlocked that morning. the only excitement ba expected In town �I peeked In the window of the corner saloon. An old man, hand shaded over his eyes, peeked back at me. It was obvious that he lived there and I had infringed on his privacy. Down the street half a block, a handsome woman stepped from the hotel, broom In hand. She smiled, shifted her chew to the other cheek, spat, and said *Aiello*^ The storekeeper opened his doors, and a crowd of ^or ^appeared. The flurry of activity soon ended. Outside the two young lads wandered over, kicking plumes of dust. I asked them about the old burnedtout rook and dobe building down the block. affee* that it had burned down. YSncy Perea answered the "The fire trucks came all the way from Santa Pe ~ too late ~ we bought our own fire truck just this year." Yancy's accent indicated he would be far more at home speaking Spanish. I asked about his pal. "Oh, him? M He's Gene — Gene Vick, He's twelve and I'm twelve," The two youngsters had comments on almost every subject, I learned the details of the last flood (one of the worst ever) and of the new smelter on the hill the Tiffany Saloon was 101 years old. and that Gene proudly read I fg �aloud the information sign erected in the plaza, Yancy Jumped in where he could. I commented on the number of long-haired people in town, "Yeah — them^Hippies, There’s almost as many of them in town as there is people I" claimed Gene, "What do they do for a living?" Yanoy looked up and squinted a bit as if he giving the question some hard thought, He thought a bit, "Some works," "And some steals," Gene bobbed his head in agreement. note* ( \ "Some don’t do nuthin’," He looked at me seriously, The Madrid, New Mexico^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows Cerrillos and Mount Chalchihuitl 3 miles to the north. �1MADRID, NSW MEXICO L Anthracite, the hard form of combust|^ble carbon, is found In Just three places in the United States: a small area in Pennsylvania, an equally small region in Western Colorado, and strung out along several canyons within @miles of Madrid, New Mexico. The deposits at Madrid are unique in that bituminous, the soft variety of coal, is found adjacent to anthracite. At the No. 1 mine of the Cerrillos coal^ field, bituminous was dug from the left side of the shaft, anthracite from the right. It was thse* soft coal that attracted the Santa Pe Railway to the head of Waldo Gulch, a few miles north of the tiny settlement of Madrid, In 1882 a spur was run up the canyon a few miles from a point Just west of Cerrillos. Madrid continued the mining of coal on a "one mule" 9(Bale, while huge quantities of bituminous coal were taken from Waldo Canyon, Soon the demand for the cleanersburning hard coal grew, and in 1889 Madrid. the Santa Pe extended the spur to New tunnels were dug to reveal seams of both hard and soft coal. Most of Waldo moved to Madrid. Seven years later the railroad leased its coals mining operation to the Colorado Puel and Iron Company of Pueblo, Colorado. The coal seams were difficult to work. Only two to four feet thick, they sloped downward at decrees, at the same time leaning to the side. Mining methods �of the time required removal of huge amounts of waste rock. When the main bituminous mine caught fire, the company gave The mines closed up what had become a marginal operation. without warning, and three thousand citizens were suddenly without sustenance. Within a short time George Kaserman, of the Hahn Coal Company in Albuquerque, bought the operation "town and all," Under Kaserman’s direction become a respected company town. Madrid grew to Mew mining methods were employed and coal production Increased steadily over the years. 1928 In more than 183,000 tons were shipped. Prom all indications, Madrid was a great place to live. Everything in town was owned by the company. All the houses, the stores, and even the churches were companyeowned. You bought only what the company sold in its stores, or you went out of town to make your purchase. You repaired/the car that you bought from the company stor^^n a company garag^ and^^^ it on gasoline the company sold you at prices set by the company. For the most part the prices were fair and services reasonable. According to Joe Huber, son of the company superln-^"^ tendent, employees were occasionally "encouraged to go in debt" by purchasing a car or some other expensive item. The manag^ me nt felt that the man would ’^jork harder,'*^**thus raising coal production. It is also true that it made switching Jobs �difficult. You had to pay up before you could leave. What/* ever the viewpoint, the results were the same. The company did provide a number of valued services for reasonable fees. dollars a month. Medical expenses cost a mere three The whole family was covered for all medical needs'^ except those resulting from fights or childbirth. Dues In the local club, with access to meeting rooms, prames, enter^ talnment, occasional dances, and frequent baseball games Just cents a month. And to crown it all, the ultimate in fringe benefits was given the eaployee when the company furnished the facilities for employees to brew their own Illegal booze during th© prohibition years I The increasing availability of natural gas for home heating, and the switch from coal to dlesel-flred locomotives, diminished the demand for coal. decreased with the demand. Mining activities in Madrid Madrid’s Christmas lights, the finest in the state, were lit for the last time in 1941. 1954 In coal operations, already dlastically curtailed, were shut down completely, A few years later only @families lived in a town that once held 4,000. The number of deserted buildings in town is over?^ whelmincr. Most of the buildings are of frame construction. In light of the dry climate, it is surprising that fires have not destroyed most of the town. Part of the business district is fenced off to prevent access, but the fences run only a short distance. Anyone willing to walk a mile or so can �freely visit the sites of the old Catholic Church, the large club house, and the many deserted houses that lie on both sides of the dry wash running north through town. and an outdoor museum are open for business. A tavern Both are recommended. MAP NOTEt The Madrid, New Mexico, 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the area In reasonable detail. The site of the old town of Dolores, eight air miles to the southeast. Is listed as the *^olores Ranch**^ END AREA 2 �1NBW MEXICO ARSA 3 f J MQNGQLLQN, NSW MSXICQ f The sign stated^Mongolion was miles and that the road was dangerous for trailers over twenty feet. The first 0miles were relatively straight and of gentle slope. Ahead of me, an elderly gentleman towing a trailer exper^ ienced no difficulty. Soon the road topped a small rise and entered the left shoulder of a sizable valley. The old gentleman towing the trailer proceeded with only a slight reduction in speed. Half a mile ahead coming down the switchbacks. I could see a smaller trailer At the first opportunity I passed the trailer ahead of me, andy^shortly met the smaller trailer coming down the hill. There was little room to spare. The shoulders of the blacktop were undercut and crumbled. I wondered how the two trailers would fare. Through the rear^ylew mirror I caught a glimpse of the two rigs stopped in the middle of the road, headttoshead, like two rutting elk prepared to lock horns. Later I learned that both drivers were notably untalented at backing their rigs. Fearing the steep drop-off into the canyon below, they waited^ blocking the road for several hours happened by until a driver could back one of the rigs to a wide spot. The road is truly spectacular as it hangs on the south side of Houston Canyon, then crosses and carves its -7^7 �precarious way along the opposite wall. Soon it gentles and winds north to the slopes of Silver Greek Canyon, where de?* serted mine structures begin to appear beside the road. Bending around a high knob, the massive tailings and numerous Mine structures of the Fanney^(Fannie and also Fannytake your choice) iKi«» come into view. the road at this point The mine^^^he same height as but a mile away^ across a canyon more than 600 feet deep. The roa^^scends sharply, past the ruins of the Last Chance Mine, y^crosses a small tributary, then makes a sharp bend to the right. Immediately you are in Mongolian, looking east, up the canyon and up the narrow confines of Mongollon’s main street. Both sides of the street are lined with buildings. Under the boardwalks of the buildincrs on the right, flow the normally gentle waters of Silver Creek. Main Street displays an increasing number of gaps as you travel its quarter mile length. Soon the gaps outnumber the buildings^and the road swings left and begins to climb. Several side streets hacked out of the steep northern slope of the canyon extend parallel to the main street. The road branches at the powder house of the old Fanney Mine. The right branch leads to the cemetery, located on one of the rare deposits of dlgsrable soil found in an area composed primarily of hard rock. The left branch leads to a long/^serte^string ofj houses that ends at the power3jouse and main office of the Fanney Mine. �For a nominal fee the huge complex. worthwhilet you can take a guided tour of A number of unusual makes the tour the gigantic opening called "The Big Hole Mike" shaft, the head frame over the ^00= foots deep Panney shaft, r the long sorting room with its endless belt, and the lately 2^7 reworked machine shop used in the recent filming of the movie My Name is Nobody. The mine is almost directly above town. Standing on the brink, one must look between his feet to S^jot The prospectors S^^found the Panney the roofs of Mongolion. silver lode must have stood on this spot and enjoyed a similar view. Sergeant Cooney, leader of a mapping party out of Fort Bayard in 1870, was the first to spot the highly minera^ Ized ledges on Mineral Greek, two miles north of present Mon^ gollon. Cooney was able to suppress his natural Irish tendency to tell the world of his fortunate discovery for almost six years. He kept the secret until he was mustered out, then, with a few trusted friends, he returned to the discovery. was in the middle of hostile Indian territory. The site The men had barely laid out their claims when the Apaches chased them off their longiheld hunting grounds. Two years later the group returned, greatly reln^ forced in numbers, weapons^and supplies. Shafts were sunk, cabins built, and Indians weg» repeatedly repelled. In one fracas, Porribeo, son-in-law of Chief Victorio, was shot dead. -/Il- �The chief led a determined counterattack. pelled the onslaught. The miners re^ When fighting slacked, Cooney and a fellow miner headed out to warn the people in the nearby town of Alma. The Indians caught up with and- killuil' Cooney and killed them. and his friend/\ The citizens of Alma have since referred to the incident as a massacre. Cooney was buried at the spot, and a memorlal^later erected, Cooney’s brother. Captain Michael Cooney, Imme^j^^ dlately left New Orleans mine. and headed for the newly inherited With his help, the number of mines along Mineral Creek grew, and the small town of Cooney was bom. continued, but the miners. Indian troubles the weight of numbers wasy^on the side of The diggings on Mineral Creek failed to rlchen with depth, and when a gent named Eberle found some highrgrade on Silver Creek in 1889, Cooney Town decamped and the town of Mongollon mushroomed around Eberle’s cabin, Mongollon grew up wild. For @ years the law in town was either ineffective or choked. At one point Xgents were called in to arrest a deputy sheriff. met the officers with a gun pointed belt high. federal The deputy The Xds were fast, however, and in an instant the deputy was stretched out^ his blood pooling on the woodei^Jlo^, The/Federal/Agents left town before a threataaed reprisal could be mounted against them. k' �When outlaws held up the mine payroll and killed two men in the process, citizens quickly formed a posse and galloped in pursuit. Shortly., one outlaw was killed. The other was captured and returned to town for a short respite before his fate was settled. Law and order arrived in Mongollon (that's proj^ nounced "muggy-own") in 1914 when town fathers decided to incorporate. The town was then touted as being "the most peaceful in the United States." That's the year the big slide brought the massive tailings of the Panney down on the buildings mill of the of the Maude S. The^Maud S. trnatML was reduced to splinters and its watchman buried under tons of yellow silt. The slide continued to the canyon floor, damming the creek and threatening to flood the town. Miners turned out to dig a channel through the ^de. Heavy rain began to fall, and the water rose at an increasing rate. The miners dug faster. When the two efforts matched in level, the water poured through the notch, undercut the sides, and quickly washed a channel through the slide. In spite of the big slide, 1914 was a year of record production. The payroll reached the mllllontasyear mark, and the town reached its peak population'^“reported variously to be ^000, ^600, and "damn near five thousand." The business disji^ trlct stretched up the canyon for half a mile. Side streets on both sides of the canyon held homes, with' their second stories level with basements of houses on the tier above. 2l0 �During the first p?/years of the town’s exlstj^nce, more than million ounces of silver were mined, refined, poured In Ingots, and hauled down the mountain. In 1931 most observers thought the silver was gone and the town done In, but new discoveries made that year brought a m* flurry of activity. disappointingly shallow. The finds were rich Mongollon faded again. but All mining was suspended when World War II broke out, and Mongollon expired for «yood. MAP NOTS« Mongollon and the sites of Cooney, Graham, and Glenwood, are shown on the Mongollon, New Mexico^I910, 30 minute (i Inch to the mile) United States Geological Survey map �SHAKSSPSARB, NSW MSXICOL Unbelievable 11 Born a fake and brought to a boom by a fraud, Shakespeare was raised to a second frenzied peak by con artists who made utter fools of the original pe'r?' petrators. Throw In a number of hangings, a few bizzarre incidents, and cap it with a grand old lady standing off condemnation by the J^tate of New Mexico, and you have a story seldom equalled In fiction. Back in 186? the place was called -Mexican Springs,*^ ’•Uncle" Johnny Evensen built a crude structure by the watei|hole and called It a stage station. It was used occasionally when the stage had to pass up its regular stops due to Indian trouble When a second citizen moved in with Evensen, the two of them decided the place needed a more dignified name, like ■•^rant. Occasional prospectors passed through. Some even checked the hills for mineral deposits. One of them, W. D. Brown, filed a claim and took some "typlcal'*|samples to San Francisco for "promotional purposes." He showj^he samples to William C. Ralston, head mogul of the Bank of Ralston had the samples assayed. California, The report came back (it was reported) at 12,000 ounces of silver per tonI Quickly Ralston staked claims adjacent to the find. He then extended the streets of Grant, laid out lotSy and named the whole shebang '^R^^ton City,**^t was easy for �banker Ralston to start the rush to Ralston. He simply capli^* tallzed a company and sold stock while spreading rumors of even greater assay reports. When the shallow deposits of silver began to fade, The losers Ralston quietly left town, his fortune doubled. drifted off, and Ralston became a ghost town, population of /'A two — old Uncle Johnny Evensen and his pal. The two leading citizens of town were about to change the name back to •^rant when a couple of prospectors showed up^^all shlfty-eyed and They wanted to put some bags of valuables in secretive. Evensen’s vault. Somehow they let it "slip" that the bags were full of precious gems. With a little prodding from eW Uncle Johnny, the two prospectors opened up. They had dls^^ covered a dtai^ond 'fielTl—A-diamond field, by GodJ and they were on their way to San Francisco to get some financial backing. They had a gent named Ralston in mind, Ralston was interested but suspicious. He had the stones appraised at Tiffany’s, then hired a mining expert he could trust. Tiffany’s reported the diamonds were the real thing, and the mining expert returned from a guided tour of the area in an ecstatic condition. He had found diamonds on ant hills, in pack rat holes, and even on top of the ground I Ralston paid the mining expert a handsome fee and promptly bought the diamond field for $600,000. jMbsfcatt, out to redouble his fortune,xagain capitalized a company and �proceeded to sell shares. When false rumors got out that the diamonds were in southwestern New Mexico, prospectors and promoters deduced the location and promptly started a Within weeks of the first diamond second rush to Ralston City. stock sales, hundreds of newcomers had descended on Uncle Johnny’s stage station, -emi within a month new saloons were thrown up and another hotel hastily built. Three thousand people wintered in Ralston, drlnkincr it up on cold days, otherwise searching the hills in vain for the fabulously rich diamond field. Some folk who had been taken on Ralston's earlier schemes chose to investigate his latest stock promotion. It wasn't long before Clarence King, ygfovernment^Znspector and >?^loglst, showed up in Ralston's office. King and his assistant were given secret directions to the site. It turned out to be in Summit County, Colorado, nowhere near booming Ralston City. The Inspector found a few diamonds — all of them Digging in the area produced suspiciously on the surface. only dirt. King's assistant made one spectacular find — a diamond with some polished facets. that the field was a fake. King sent word to Ralston The huckster had been had. His stock collapsed^and he was put under investigation for fraud. Ralston eventually went broke and reportedly committed suicide The town of Ralston continued to boom for a while. Residents refused to believe it had all been a hoax. After all �Ralston's offices were a thousand miles away, and the so= called salted field was way up In Colorado. Prospectors continued to search for the diamonds In the hills near Ralston City. Eventually the promoters left town, followed later by the prospectors. The hard cases remained, rustling cattle e here and there for subsistence. Ralston City became an outlaw town. A few of the mines near town still held paying ore, but Ralston City's fraud-filled reputation precluded any chance of financing. Two Englishmen, Colonel William Boyle and his brother. General John Boyle, were well aware of the silver ore left In the Bonnie Jean and Jenny Boyle mines. They waited a few years in ardoa to let memories dim, then quietly snapped up the two mines and the town of Ralston. They renamed the town 'Shakespeare^ a proper English name, gathered a small quantity of choice ore, and headed west for financing. They were modestly successful, and Shakespeare grew slowly. In 1879 the town had a post office (Uncle Johnny was postmaster)y\a couple of saloons, a growing number of solid citizens, and the Stratford Hotel, The solid citizens occasionally became disenchanted with some of the outlaw types still hanging around, and drastic action was sometimes required. �Arkansas Black was a popular fellow. He operated the Silver Dollar Saloon, and everything would have been all right If his operations had stopped there. It was his extr^i^ activities curricular opei^leno with the married women In town that angered the men, and It was the last straw when ‘^rkansas'*^ was found In bed with the wife of one of Shakespeare's betterknown citizens. Arkansas*^ was confronted and told to leave town. He resisted but was overpowered. Shakespeare's first vigilante committee had trouble convincing Agte^Ssas that he had to leave. had always been a popular guy wasn't inclined to take the threats seriously. and The menfolk eventually resorted to a little necktstretching to get Afh^sas-' undivided attention. After each short suspension, they lowered Arkansas and asked him If he would agree to leave town. 3ach time, between gasping breaths, creaked a refusal, mixed with an assortment of selected cuss words. last time they strung him up, Arkansas went limp. was lowered, The Quickly he A bucket of water was thrown in his face, Arkansas came to, fighting madt He demanded a six shooter, asklnv the chance to fivht it out like a man. The vigilantes admired the man for his guts, and besides, not a one of them cared to volunteer to oppose in a fair fight. After a little serious discussion, the committee decided that A^kanoao wasn't such a bad guy after all. The fault lay with the wicked woman had �enticed ArkaHoaa* The woman was given notice, and the problem was solved. Very likely, Arkansas Black was a member of the vigilante party that took Russian Bill and Sandy King from the local Jail in octder to expedite justice. talk this time just straight rope^ork. There was no In minutes the two outlaws hung from the crossbeam in the main room of the Grant House. The next mnunlns, breakfast at the hotel was next morning delayedy^while the bodies were cut down and hauled out for burial, Later Johnny Svensen answered an inquiring rela-^ tlve’s inquiry by stating that Russian Bill had died of throat trouble. Johnny graciously failed to mention anything about horse stealing or midnight rope^ork. The silver panic of 1893 brought the*mining to a halt in Shakespeare. By this time a small community called Lordsburg had crown^just three miles away on the Southern Pacific tracks. Most of Shakespeare moved to the new town. A few folk moved a mile in the other direction to a community growing around new activity at the ”85" Mine, aA early mine that had been revitalized by the generous use of dynamite to expose new ore. In 191^ a spur was run from Loidsburg to the *85^^ and the tracks were put right through the town of Shakespeare ~ right down the center of deserted main street ~ an unwarranted insult to a dying town. —/cfO - �But that wasn’t quite the end of Shakespeare’s im< possible story. In 1935 Prank and Rita Hill bought the town. They reconditioned one of the better buildings as a ranch house on the acreage bought and proceeded to run along with the town. The Hills restored the old town and opened It to tourists. Rita Hill wrote up the history of the town In a & f^clnatlng booklet entitled "Then and Now, Here and There Around Shakespeare^/ Later, when daughter Janaloo grew up, she and her father rode horseback to San Diego and back, publlclj^lng the old ghost town. Rita and Janaloo continued to run the spread alone after Prank passed away. \ (^Recently the New Mexico Highway Department conA demned a:strlp of land extending through the Hlll(^ acreage. The new superhighway would effectively separate the ^11»» cattle from theix water supply. Blta and Janaloo -had boon running the 3pread"~alune glnoo Prank hod passed away.y The condemned strip would Just decided to ask the Xighway about ruin their ranch. ,»epartment to at least dig a well on the Isolated land and provide an underpass for access. The /Highway y0epartment refused. decided to do battle. for the condemned Rita and Janaloo They refused to accept the $33,221.59 acres. They picketed the XSate/iJ^glslature. They refused to sign any agreement with the JBighway 36'partment. All was to no avail. In late November of 1973, the Judge �ruled against Rita Hill, found her In contempt, and fined her #3,000. She was given notice to ’Vacate■*^the land In three months. Rita and Janaloo weren't quitting yet. They moved 3even-by-eight-foot , a tiny bj 0 stucco shack on^o the highway land and planted it smack in the middle of the spot where Ramp C was Rita lived in the shack for three to Join Interstate 10. months ~ right up to the deadline of November 23^7 Newsmen and onlookers watched as sheriff's deputies cajoled, coaxed, then threatened. Eventually the door of the shack was shoved In, and 71s year: old Rita Hill was read her rights and arrested. Rita was placed in jail and told she would remain there until she signed the release papers. December 10, Rita signed the paper and was released. refused payment for the land. On She still She did authorize lawyers' fees to be taken from the fund, but #19,000 still remains on deposit unclaimed by Rita Hill. Disenchanted with the effects of progress and frustrated by the Impersonal nature of legal condemnation, Rita and her daughter have retreated to their home in Shakespeare. Recently of Shakespeare^ Rita Hill locked the gate to the town Is no longer open to visitors. There was no other way she would register her resentment. I cannot This book shows help but agree with Rita Hlll.y| jjfily one photograph oho^ of the town of Shakespeare, show more Somehow it wouldn't seem right to �MAP NOTE* The Lordsburg, Mew Mexico, 7J minute and 15 minute maps cover the area. �VALBDO?T, NSW MgXIGQL • . The 1932 Lordsburg topographic map showed a dozen buildings at Shakespeare. About a mile to the south the map indicated nearly 200 buildings under the name of Valedon. A tramway was shown connecting the railroad to a point a mile and a half west. The 1963 map of the same area showed onlyempty structures in Shakespeare. The tramway was missing on the map, and^oddly, Valedon was shown with just two buildings. The cartographer was either in crreat error on one of the maps, or something drastic had happened to Valedon. I inquired about faliu bewu gf Valedon at a small highway cafe in Lordsburg. The waitress, the manager, and several onlookers all assured me, with some heat, that there never was a town of Valedon. sure the maps^*^ wrong When shown the maps, they were and began to suspect I was attempting some sort of hoax. The local newspaper office furnished some informa?^ tion on the town of Shakespeare. When asked about Valedon, the editor answered tha% she had heard of it but had never been there. With great expectations from Shakespeare to Valedon. I drove the short mile As I broke over a small rise I was confronted with a barren bowl surrounded by Jagged hills. I could see a few old mine structures /if- and one small �mine still operating Upon closer inspection I could make out a number of buildings blending in with the backsrround. As I drove closer, the remains of Valedon came clear, and they were considerable. There were some "no" signs about, so I headed for the operating mine to gain permission to look the old town over. Ramon Renteria was willing to interupt his work for a few minutes. In fact, he was quite tickled to have some/- one ask about Valedon, "I was born here. Right here in Valedon, in 1917. Yes, it was a pretty decent town — that was the school over there, theat^ there, and those long tifick buildings ~ they were stores." There was a slight pause, of the then the two of them began pointing out the sights town. Ramon’s boss drove up. The superintendent ’s house had been up on the hlll^ .Jf^w only foundations are left. The mine down in the bottom was the old Henry Clay. Up on the hill was the old Atwood Mine. They presently had thirty-five men working two shifts in the "85" Mine. then down ^50 feet, They were tunneled in 800 feet, Ramon’s boss gave the okay for me to look the old buildings over but gave me firm warning to look out for open shafts and rattlesnakes. 1/ "Ramon killed five rattlers down in the draw by the store just yesterday," �The e3fc^ ”85" Mine now operating was one of the first mines ever to be worked in the area. Sam Ransom, Shakespeare blacksmith, staked out the claim sometime in the 189(^^. It wasn't until 190? that someone shot off a bundle of dynamite in the tunnel and uncovered some decent ore. The new owners hired the ore. a crew and began stockpiling Soon other claims in the area were found to contain profitable ore, and the number of miners increased. Within a year, the mines around the "85" were employing nearly 100 men, three and a half Most of the miners walked the miles to and from Lordsburg each day. A few of them took up residence in nearly deserted Shakespeare. Several of Shakespeare’s saloons went back into business as halfway houses. They attracted most of the miners croing off shift, and probably some of those going on shift. Within a year a tent towy^grew around the "85^ and^before the second winter, a number of boardIng^^ houses were built. Eventually streets were laid out*and th^ Z community became the town of Valedon. When the railroad spur connected the town with the main line at Lordsburg in 191^, Valedon quickly grew to more than 3^00, Valedon was a company town as to drinking and general hell-raising. and tightly controlled Shakespeare, less than a mile down the tracks, was the perfect sin town. town was at least consist|^nt. That Somehow it always played host '/a- �to the violent, the crooked, or the fraudulent. Its wickedness kept Valedon relatively chaste. Paro wheels, blackjack, and poker games were alltnight attractions In the basements of the saloons In Shakespeare. One evening a general fight broke out. When the survivors took Inventory, they found a number of people laid out either by alcohol or violence. respond One man failed to and after close Inspection was found to be dead. No one had the slightest Idea who was responsible. Lacking a better solution, the body was laid out on the tracks running down main street. The railroad reported the death as an "unfortunate accident." Two negroes stopped by Shakespeare on their way to their mine on Lee’s Peak, two miles west of Valedon, As they paid for their supper, some of the hard cases In town took note of the wads of money the two men carried. The money was the payroll for the miners working at the shaft owned by the two blacks. The crooks caught up with the men, beat them to death, and searched the bodies for the money. None was found. Apparently the two had stashed the payroll somewhere just outside of town. Since that event, the wash heading to Lee’s Peak has been called the 'Arroyo de los Neg Things were not always completely respectable In ValiAdon. Lyman Garrett, brother of the famous Pat Garrett and y^erlff of Valedon, was found one morning lying In front /Hl �of his jail. Citizens assumed that Garrett jailing some law violators when they somehow took his gun^ /Fearful of the sound of shots, they chose to beat the sheriff to death. Two men were apprehended for the crime and subsequently convicted. The town of Valedon boomed from 1920 to 192?. population grew to more than ^00. The Permanent stores lined the streets, and a modern school was constructed. During the boom years, a threatened railroad strike was averted when leading supporters of the two factions ^abor union and mine management agreed to face off in a boxing match. balanced fight. injuries. It was ajlong, wells Both parties ended the fight with serious Apparently it cooled the strike to the point where mediation seemed preferable. The Great 1q,2. Depression of 199G brought mining to a halty^ The owners, Phelps Dodge, in accordance with standard company practice, summarily ordered the citizenry to vacate. was then dynamited to save on taxes. The town The school building was left intact as a possible future company office. The stoutly built rock and brick buildings lost their roofs, but the walls were left standing. Dynamite to finish the job would cost .. from more than the added tax savings that would result their complete eradication. It was now clear just why the 1932 map showed a fulltblown town (pardon the pun) and the 1963 map showed only two buildings —zi’S — �MAP NOTEJ The Lordsburg, New Mexico, 1932, 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the town of Valedon Intact. The Lordsburg, New Mexico, I963. 7i minute e* map shows the town after dj^struction. END NEW MEXICO AREA 4- � 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>Helldorados</em> Part IV: New Mexico 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_NewMex Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/a145cf8d79d35b74463e8d66b7a44c6f.pdf 9457c861dd1e189bdd089844f51d162c PDF Text Text PART V COLORADO /1o - �The rocky prominences of a dozen neaks rise to 14,000 more than ^heweaml feet. Gascadln<? streams fill the narrow floors of deen valleys. Trails into the area hany on steep mountainsides and cross unstable talus slopes. The passes a-ivlny access are more than two miles above sea level. Some remain snow:covered the year around. the snow melts, avalanches are common. Where It is a difficult land, to traverse. Prom Silverton^ the road heads northeast valley of the Animas aiver. up the As the valley narrows, the road, by necessity, imitates the river’s every bend and sweep. In four miles the valley opens^and the road crosses the now yently meanderinsr stream. A valley. old cabins sprinkled across the The remains of an old mill stand on the flat at the north edye of town. An aerial tramway still extends from the mill, reaching upward in broad dips toward a mine now G hidden by tall tre^s. Rusted ore buckets hans^ at random in/^ tervals. The cable extends through the mill, passes around, a weighted turnabout wheel^ back up the slope. then returns through the mill and The mill is guyed with an opposing �cable to balance the toppling pull of the tramway. The r equalizing effect of the anchor ^able is controlled by a»awo«.»< a series of pullevs mounted in blocks Increase sevenfold the force aoplled. an to X Captain Baker, prospector and exnprer, led the first party of gold seekers into the area. The sevenunan party set out in July of i860 determined to explore the San Juan (St. John) River. Finding little color in that drainage, the party moved to the northwest. Gold in sand was finally located in modest quantity at the confluence of Cascade Creek and the Animas River. Baker senty^exaygerated reportand that December, Kellogg, one of the financial backers of the original group, brought in a party of one hundred. I4any of the prospectors brought their families. Winter travel in the high mountains was chancy, and the party barely survived a severe blizzard encountered in San Luis Park. Members of the party found it necessary to burn their wagon boxes and furniture in order to keep warm. By the following May a camp was established at a site referred to as Zlnlmas Clty^, but poors paying sand and threatening Indians caused rampant dissatisfaction and �desertion. everyone blanied Baker for exaggerating the orisrinal strike, and at one poin^^reatened to hang him. i,«Zithin a few months serted. Animas City was nearly deT^ A gentleman named Pollack remained until fall, surviving the threats of the Utes by donating (under duress) precious goods to the Indians. held captive by Navajo children^^the Utes^hnd In return he was given four w?»ivM<F 3ventually war broke out^and the Indians warned all Xf^ites to clear out of this surrounding area. Baker returned with another party in 1868. Again he failed to live up to his claims of riches, and most of his party deserted. Baker and two faithful friends headed southwest, hastened on their way by hostile Indians. Cornered in a canyon, the trio had no choice but to build a raft driftwood and float down the stream. of The stream was the Colorado, and the point of launch was the head of the Grand Canyon. Baker was shot dead as the raft was pushed off. of the remaining two men was washed overboard and drowned. The last man survived by lashing himself to the raft. He was found days later and miles downstream, still bound to the raft — unconscious, but still alive. One �by the Bullion City Company in 1874 Streets were laid outy^at the Junction of CunnlncJ?' ham Creek and the Animas Hlver7^»t the oiito that would, later .Hni.TQyd.mr5n n fl - -h.r Bullion City The town was named dents chansred the name b.y the promoters. New reslA* tho town to Howardsvllle at the first town meetinc:, probably for a man named Howard who had built the first cabin in town. Silverton was sprinjjing up at the same time, but Howardsvllle, somewhat larger, was selected as county seat. Silverton's Within a year, however,y^promoters were claiming a population of 3,OOO.fnnn ^ilvniPtnu. Recorded figures indicated that 800 was a lot closer to the truth, but^whatever the population, Silverton outshown its neighboring city, and the seat was transferred bv majority vote of the citizenry of the two towns. Niegoldtown and Highland Mary, both smaller than Howardsvllle, grew up around large mine and mill complexes. Both towns were on Cunningham Creek within 0 miles of Howardsvllle. population. They did little to preserve Howardsvllle’s In 18?? Howardsvllle had 0 saloons, a brewery, a reputation, and a population that showed up mostly on weekT^ ends. In 1881 election day. down. Howardsvllle could muster a mere 150 on The town died slowly as mine after mine shut The post office finally closed in 1939. Presentlv, �two or three cabins are occupied, and one mine sends ore to a modern mill at the east end of town. The Highland Mary Mine and town, south of HowardSe­ ville, has its own unique history. of New York City, The two Ennis Brothers recipients of a large inheritance, decided they would like to invest their money in a gold mine. Devout believers in the occult, they logically consulted their favorite seer as to where that .void might be found. The seer, primed with a fat fee, pored over a map of the west. A map of Colorado His hand descended on Colorado. was quickly obtained. The seer strained to the utmost and^ after much concentration, plunked his finver on the map at the spot where vreat riches would be found. a high passmiles from Howardsville 11,200 feet. The spot was on at an elevation of The believing brothers staked out the claim and recorded it as the ’highland Mary. For an added fee, the spiritualist wandered over the area and "sensed" the lodes. Several years and a million dollars later, the disillusioned brothers sold out and returned east. The new dug along the thin veins of ore. owners The veins Joined, and rich deposits were located. The mine became a strong producer In a few but a short-lived one. years the town, mine^and mill collapsed. At present the mill foundations are about all one can find at the site. It’s a great place to picnic and a rewarding place to snoop �about. The hillsides between Hit^hland Mary and Howardsville are crowded with remnants of the mininsr boom. Numerous cables still scallop their way up the ^000: foot eastern scarp of the valley. Buildings of the Little Panney Mine perch mid#slope with little evidence of support. Nearby tramway buckets of the Buffalo Boy swing a hundred feet in the air — still loaded with ore. MAP NOTE: The Silverton, Colorad15, minute and the Howardsville, Colorado^ ?! minute United States Geological Survey topographic macs show Howardsville and most of the' old mines in the area. �SU33KA, COLORADO The Sunnyside Mine was Eureka's prime reason for The town, like the mine, sputtered reluctantly e. Into exlstj^nce, ran well for a time, then slowed and being. clattered to an apparent halt. Then, like an overheated enojlne, It banyed out a few more revolutions, gasped, and died, Three thousand claims were filed In Animas Valley during 1873. few payed off. Pew of the claims were proved up andyyOf those, The <3unnvslde , located three miles north/' west and a half mile above Eureka, was a notable exception. George Howard located the Sunnyside In I873, The tunnel followed the vein Into the mountain just above Lake Emma. The direction of the vein Indicated that It would outcrop again on the other side of the hill. Inspection led to the discovery of the Sunnvslde extension (later called ths Gold Prince), just three-quarters of a mile northeast and at the Identical elevation of the original strike. held ore of^^easonable quality. void, The vein The melt obtained was sliver, and John Terry provided much of the early finances, but his Input exceeded the yield and he was forced to sell. He got a srood price but was vlven only S75»OOO down, with payments to follow over a number of years. found the mine to be a loser The new owners and refused to make further �With the 175,000 and the help of Rasmus Hanson, payments. Terry again took over the mine Into a paying proposition. and turned the Gold Prince At one time It was acclaimed the richest mine In the state and was eventually to yield oveij’^50 million In gold and silver. Meanwhile, back down the hill at the flat spot below the confluence of Niagara Greek and the Animas River, a town was taking shape. The town was officially platted In 187^, or 1887, or 1881, depending on who wrote the town’s history. However^It Is certain that the town was platted and a land patent applied for. Some years later, after an unexplainable delay, the town patent was Issued. It was dated 1883 and signed "Chester A. Arthur, President." By this time the town had more than ©dozen homes and a business district to match. The San Juan Expositor was publishing the news, but competition from other sheets In the region kept the Expositor from turning out more than one Issue a month. Residents took care to build their homes In the center of the broad gravel flat, hoping that roclTTalls and snowslides would expend their energies at the fringes. The town was to remain free of damage, but surrounding mines and shacks were frequently covered, moved, or eliminated by avalanches. �The Silver Wing bunkhouse was swept away in I906, bTj burial when The body of one victim was being moved a storm hit the area. The body was left by the road while the relatives took cover. Later under another avalanche. Apparently the man's number was up. the corpse was found buried Deep drifts all but eliminated traffic during the winter. Postmen wearing snowshoes brought in the mall and With freight hauling as much meat as their backs could handle. curtailed due to deep drifts, the price of meat soared, and the moonlighting mailmen seized the opportunity. Sighty pounds was an ordinary load. On one occasion a postman disappeared with a bundle of mail containing pay vouchers and other valuables. He was never feuw*? og heard from again. When a second pos^ man turned up missing, it was assumed he had also absconded. Two years later the second postman’s body was found, quite well preserved, in .a snowbank, where he had been swept off the trail and «mb buried by an avalanche. The broad flats of 3ureka show little ^idence of the two thousand people once lived A few log shacks, extensive mill foundations, and a nearly intact tramway are the most obvious. In the center of the town'llte a small but tall building seems to defy definition. like a hose tower, but it’s not tall enough. It looks The stout timbers at the corners and in the center would imply a water - * �tower, but the area under the roof is not large enough. It could have been an overhead loader, but there is no evidence of a ramp. Perhaps it was originally a water tower and was later decapped and used for storage. Half a mile north of town, in a deep narrow valley, is a large dormitory of relatively recent vintage. it was last used by Sunnyside miners. It is poorly located and could be wiped out any winter by avalanche spring by flood, but while it lasts Probably or any it is spectacular. Southeast of town, half way up thf of Grown Mountain, a ramshackle old mine structure Clings, defying all of Isaac Hewton’s postulations. The topographic map of the area fails to show a name for the mine. The cartoj* graphers probably figured the structure would be gone by the time the maps were published. The Sunnyside Mine died hard. At one time it was the largest mine in the state, and ores from its tunnels fed four different mills, all running continuously. there never* was a vein that didn’t end. But The Sunnyside closed down in 1931. A few folk stayed on in hopes 4jha»- the mine might be reopened. Their hopes were realized in 1937, when fifty men were hired to refit the mill. The population climbed from nearly none to almost a hundred, and Sureka laid claim to being the second largest town in the county. Hopes faded �when work on ^reconditioning slowed. office in 1939 The town lost its post and prosnects for survival looked "bleak again But in 19^0 the machinery at the mill was finally put in motion, running "smooth as glass." Ore stockpiled on dumps was processed, and reserves In the mines were blocked out. However, Law 208 forced the mine out of production in 19^2, when all gold mining was declared no:^^trateglc. was needed for the war effort. Manpower In 19^8 the mill was sold for salvage^and the huge coranlex was quickly dj aTnq.ntl.ed.. The town of Eureka is deserted. The Animas River wanders through town, changing course at will, occasionally undermining and toppling another of the.■remaining structures. Debris lines the banks. A plank here, a gallows wheel there and^half burled in the gravel, the front axle of an old freight wagon. Only the bare bones of Eureka remain, and these will not long withstand the double-edged threat of avalanche and flood. MAP NOTE: The Handies Peak, Colorado^minute United States Geological Survey topographic map shows Eureka and the various mines mentioned in the text. �2'^^ fjhks, /fM***^**^ goLJHiiDJ L d/dar In spite of the offer of free lots, there was no ffreat rush to build homes in Animas Porks. The 11,200c foot elevation and heavy winter snows made life difficult the necessities of that life expensive. and Summers were pleat^^ sant but winters were lonely, and one could be locked in by snow for months at a time. The operators of the San Juan Smelting Company Mill at the Junction of the two forks of the Animas Hlver wanted to maintain continuous operations but were plagued dwindling work forces each fall. The free lots helped attract a few, but it was the opening of more mines and the building of a number of additional mills that brought Animas Forks into full four-season existence. That was in 1877, and it wasn't long before the forested hillsides had been cut bare for winter firewood. The mayor of the budding town warned the residents that^ without trees, avalanches would be free to roll into town. He was right, but his forecast was a bit early. Major avalanches did not occur at the town proper until the turn of the century. However, the threat of the surrounding mountains was ever present, and mines located on their slopes were frequently endangered. Houghton Mountain to the northwest, California Peak to the southwest, and Cinnamon Mountain to the east, all more than 13,000|feet high, collected massive amounts of snow 2.^ �At Its peak, Animas Porks had two assay offices, one hotel, a stout jail, and a few fancy houses built by mine owners. Host of the miners lived in large boardinsT^ houses at the mine sites another 1,000 feet above town. The town had enough saloons to occupy miners on week^ds. English sparrows arrived in the valley during the summer of I896. They had been noticed in Denver in 1892. Their migration rate westward was calculated at (5^ miles per vear. The mines and mills, and hence the town, began to fade in the early nineties. As was often the case, efforts were made to get a railroad in to lower the cost of transportation, thus making possible the processing of As a consequence, Otto Mears extended the lower:grade ore. railroad from Eureka. To do so, he had to lay the tracks on the wagon road in several narrow spots. One fouramile stretch contained seven areas badly prone to blockage by snowslides. The unsinkable Otto, who had built roads and railroads across terrain others termed impossible, proceeded to build ’’avalanche proof" deflectors. of the design. Great claims were made about the strength The first avalanche wiped them out. The railroad was completed in I906, minus the avalanche guards. That winter brought some of the worst storms in the town’s history. It snowed steadily for a week. killed (20) people in outlying communities Snowslides alone in the �Shenandoah Boarding e that was swept downhill, reduced to rubble, and permanently burled In the debris. One avalanche filled a miner’s shack with snow, removed It from Its original site, then covered It with death.” feet of the ’’white The miner managed to dig his way out, cutting steps as he followed the fissures In the snow. Many slides rode down the mountains southeast of town, crossed the stream and the road, then climbed the opposite hill. I^ltnesses claimed the top of the slide would curve back on Itself like a tidal wave, then fall back down toward the riven In 1917 the huge Gold Prince 14111 was dismantled and moved to Bureka. By I926 the town of Animas Porks was deserted. Now only one mill and a dozen residences are standing at the tow^Tlte. In a small building at the base of the remaining mill, hundreds of sacks of cement, all hard as rock, stand In evidence of great hopes unfulfilled. Up^ streamfon the west fori^a half mllej are the extensive bullffl^ Ings of the Bagley Mine complex. I visited the site In midiJune. It had snowed eight Inches the day before, but now It was warm and the snow was melting, Numerous small rook"^ldes cracked down the slopes. Rock >Zfiucks scrambled about, escaping their water-logged r^ treats to enjoy the sun. Water ouzels, commonly called dippers^ were present In unusual numbers — some walking the river bottoms �competely submerged^others standing: on rocks convulsively bouncing up and down, busily living up to their nickname. ----------------------- -------------------------- NOTSj y Animas Forks and adjacent towns are shown on the Handies Peak, Colorado^7i minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. 3ND COLORADO ARSA 1 — S.O �_ jgOLQRAPQ A35A 2 The Mt, Axtell and the Oh—Be—Joyful topoi^raphlc maps need to be joined toojether to give a complete picture of the Irwin town ^Ite« A rectangle, three-quarters by three-eighths of a mile adjacent to Irwin Lake (once called Brennan Lake) Is labeled on the maps as *Irwln Cor­ porate Body. •^Along this stretch of land and extending to the south a bit Into an area once called •**^uby,was the mile5 long main street of the short-lived silver boomtown of Irwin, I could find little sign of buildings as I walked up the boulder-strewn road. There was nothing left of the (Vojbuslness houses that once lined,main street Twenty'—A, three of those business places had been saloons. There wasn’t a sign of their existence -- no bottles^-J^’^no smashed kegs, not even a lonely rusted barrel hcjp. As I walked the area, faint signs of old foundations became evident, and down by the stream shacks. I spotted several Across the creek and up the hill were the extensive and nearly Intact remains of the old Forest Queen Mine, once the biggest producer In the area. The owner of the mine was once offered a million dollars for It — and he refused to sell. In 1932 It sold for In back taxes. ^33 �The mine showed sicns of occupation, 'An old steam tractor was blocked in position to provide power for some of the mine machinery. It was rusted and in Next to the tractor, a vintage car was tilted disrepair. at an odd angle, its rear end jacked up and pointed toward the shaft house like a skunk ready to do business, A belt led from a rear tire to a pulley wheel on a dewatering pump. Another car was "reared up" and connected by belt to an ore crusher. On the other side of the structure an old army weasel was mounted by the cableshoisting drum, A number of short iron rods connected the trackless left rear sprocket of the‘weasel' to the fly wheel of the defunct steam engine once used to raise the skip. The fly***^eel was connected to the cable drum. The door of the adjacent cabin stood open, and a sign on the table read^ "please sign the register. Ing on a ditch up by the lake." I’m work?^ The cabin was neat^and its shelves were lined with canned goods. I signed and went looking for the mechanical wizard tj^t was responsible for all the Hube Goldbera: innovations. I drove down to the junction and took the main road to the lake. There I crossed a ford and headed up a slippery mud road, looking for the ditch and hence the mine owner. My pickup was in ^wheel drive, superT^w, when it failed to make the last muddy hill. After a short sideways slide I �sot the vehicle headed back down, reallz,ft» -feha^ I had made the only recent tracks and that no one was up that hill anyway. Back at the mine two John Hahn and Barry Davis, the I had sousrht in vain, were finished with their ditch work and were relaxing over a cup of coffee. I was invited to help empty the pot. a> John Hahn, served, in the artillery HCy^alwavs had a desire to own his own mine. Forest Queen He and his brother bought the a number of years back. for thirty years. While John finished his thirty years, his brother worked the mine,—"Pound some good ore," said John. "Up to ounces a ton, down on the third level."]/It was the two brothers *hat rigged up the cars, belts^and weasel. ) the old steam tractor. ’^6." I asked about "Got the old steam engine back in John isn't much for words. You ask a question and you get a grin, and he hands you a map or a book to look it up “ only occasionally resorting to (words. I asked if he had done any mining before, "No — always wanted to — sort of a hobby," "You don't go down these old shafts alone, do you?" "Sure." "Isn't that pretty dangerous?" "Not smart enough to be scared," John replied. Barry Davis, John's young friend, nodded agreement. 2-37 �"Barry, I suppose you stay up topside to help <9 out if John gets In trouble;" "No, we go down together*^- we both get a kick out of It." "You guys are nuts I" "Yes." Some of the old literature John pushed at me be^ tween cups of coffee contained glowing reports of a much younger Forest Queen Mine. ground on each shaft. At one time men were undef?^ Pockets of wire silver were common. Five thousand dollars worth of silver was knocked down in a single blast. The Chloride shaft Mountain at the foot of nearby Ruby was the object of some fancy promotion. In I9OO, at the end of the silver boom, the English owner was awakened by the shaft boss and told of a rich pocket just uncovered. As the story goehuge gobs of wire silver hung from the tunnel roof — and ^00 pounds of nearly pure silver pulled out. Later the straw|boss bought the raine^ then sold it at a profit by retellinB: the old story — slightly improved. The new owner failed to find any sign of silver, let alone "wire silver hanging in gobs." A number of mines were promotional in nature, rather than productive. The Davy Crocket, Boomerang, Priceless, �Last Chance, and. I'4ountain Gera ran into isolated pockets but none really paid off. of ore Bill Fisher found silver at the Forest Queen in 1879. The camp that grew up on the flats was originally called '^uby.'^ The rush occurred in midwinter, and cabins had to be built quickly. Trees were cut down while deep snow lay on the yround. In the spring, numerous (^^:foot stumps appeared. Later, when the town grew, it was renamed after one of its founders, Dick Irwin, A promoter sold lots just five- and called Ruby, promising 5" south of town at a second site six-story 6 t^ory buildings. He skipped town, and the second Ruby was swallowed up by Irwin. At its peak in 1881, the population was close to 3,000. It seemed to be a permanent town. Perhaps not a "helldorado ” butyy accord Ing to the newspaper, at least an "eldorado." The editor of the town's paper, JUfhe 31k Mountain Pilot, was a strange character. He laid out the town cemetery, then became its first resident a few days later after he was killed dynamiting fish. The town had mill. churches, © sawmills, and a stamp Lots sold for up to S5.000 each. to frequent sale. Mines were subject When it became evident that only a few �shafts led to paying deposits, sales slacked, and the promoters left town. An elite social group called the Irwin Club, famous for entertaining two presidents, fell from a carefully selected membership of 100 in 1881 meager in 1884. to a . 3y 1909 the town was deserted. John Hahn spends his winters in Boulder, Colora^ do. Otherwise^he is busy preoaring to drill a tunnel into the mine from below. that manner. He figures to dewater the mine in Some of the bestspaying ore is now under several hundred feet of water. I inquired a a—' how he could tunnel into such a highs.pressure spot without being drowned in the resulting deluge "OhyLthat's not too difficult." "I suppose going to get help to drive the tunnel?" "No," he replied. "That's pretty dangerous, isn’t it?" "Yes." "Why do you keep doing it?" "Well -- it’s a hobby — I like it." He paused, then added, "Don’t you have any hobbies?" "Yeahjw^I'm building a bi£^ane in my garage." John didn’t say a damned thing — just sat there drinking coffee and grinning. 2-, I — MAP NOTE: “hie townsite and nearby mines are at the jnndatan juncture of the Mt# Axtell, ^dorado, and the 0h-Be-Joyful,C<4orado 7’2 minute mpps# �J GOTHIC CITY, COLORADqEL Truman Blacett found silver at the foot of Gothic Mountain in the fall of I878. He crubbed out several hundred dollars worth of wire silver before vac^ ting the high country for the winter. Somehow his secret got out, and the next sprincr a hundred tents were pitched on the flats of Sast River near Blacett's claim. The area was 9,500 feet above sea level and still snow-covered. Tents pitched temporarily on snow had to be reset when the sun dried the ground. Within four months, I70 "permanent” structures were up, and. as one wag put ita » > to the naked eye.” "the camo became visible By the time Samuel Wail (Weil) marked out boun^ darles and auplied for a town natent, the population had soared to 1,000. Within months the settlement had grown to a si^^ble town with a butcher shop, hotel, two sawmills, and several stores. Indeed, the residents claimed it was not merely a town ~ it was GOTHIC CITY, the fastest growing piece of real estate in the world. Within two years the town reached 8,000 popula/^ tion (according to the promoters) and may even have hit the 3,000 mark by accurate count. It now had two hotels, a tovAin hall, two newspapers, and yet another newspaper editor was �movinia; in a third press. There were two schools and a preacher in residence, busily attempting to neutralize the effects of two dance halls and half a dozen saloons. Gothic City was one of the wildest towns in Colorado. Its red-light district was unequalled. Strangely enough, only one murder and one lynching were recorded during the or years that the city boomed. In 1884 the veins thinned and the ore wouldn't pay expenses. Gothic City died almost as fast as it The last election for mayor was between two newspaper editors. The winner, G. H. Judd, found himself mayor of a chost town. He liked it and assumed jurisdiction over all the ghost towns in the area. When he died, ashes of his cremated body were spread across the nearly barren flats of Gothic City. The old town is called *^othic*^now — there is little excuse to add "city^ The town hall and an old pay shack stand on main street, braced with proos and steel tie rods. Scattered about are a few of the original cabins. The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratories have taken over the town as a summer teaching camp and research center. This science camp, like many of its kind, serves best as a vacation retreat for weary nrofessors. Some of them are quite well known. The summer climate in the area is delightful. The winters bring heavy snows the tyu!? ideal for skiinv. �A ski resort is presently undergoing rapid expansion at a point between Gothic and Crested Butte, It is booming much like Gothic City did 100 years ago. MAP NOTE* The Mount Axtell and the 0-3e-Joyful, Colorado^ topographic maps are both required to study the area properly 2^0 �J COLORADO AaSA 3 3 ST. ELMO, CQLOaADQC Like most mines, the Mary Murphy was on an Impossible site. You had to crawl to It^and if you weren’t careful you could fall out of it. A miles long tramway was built from the road on Chalk Greek, 1,700 feet up the Slone*to the mine at a lofty elevation of 12,100 / feet. The small town of Romley sprouted at the lower end of the tramway. Three miles down^tream^at a more liveable altitude, the town of Forest City was hacked out of the heavy timber. Most of the mine employees chose to live in the lower town. In 1880 the townspeople of Forest City voted to incorporate. The postal department refused to accept the town’s name, due to jste duplicate use in several other states in the mid^nst and on the Pacific coast. townfolk settled on Elmo,’’^after the title and hero The of a bests selling novel by A. S. Wilson. The town had ^00 residents at the time destined to grow rapidly. nearly two thousand. but was By 1881 the population reached There was no shortage of wood, for the timber cleared from a hornedite provided the saw logs for the house. 6<<e/er �The Denver and Rio Grande had cooperated with the Union Pacific to run a rail line up Chalk Greek to St. Bimo, and work was in pros:ress on an extension up the continental creek to Homley. The Intent was to cross tbe./nvide via A an j^OO:foot tunnel, then drop down to the town of Gunnison. The tunnel was completed in 1882. The new line was hailed as a great achievement — until the first snow fell. Avalanches were so bad that the windows on the passenger coaches had to be boarded up. Snow and rocks frequently banned the sides of the cars. Some passengers appreciated the fact that they couldn't see out. On the downhill^eastern run through the tunnel, the train would pick up speed in order to blast through the waual heavy usually drift^found just above Romley. Often the train would run under the drift and bog down. Trainmen would climb atop the observation car and run forward "shovel in hand" to open a smoke^hole before the engineer and fireman suffocated. One summer day Mark Twain rode a fla^^ar down the grade, with one of the road bosses acting as brakeman. A bit of brake trouble added a new dimension to the outing. It was a wild ride, but the view throuvh the "one big window" was unsurpassed. St, Slmo quickly turned into a Saturday night hell-raising town. It had (^hotels, a newspaper, numerous saloons, and no church. Sventually a school was built. �Ohuroh services were occasionally held there on Sundays. The Gunnison, Aspen, and Tin Gup Sta^^e Lines ran dailv trips from St. Elmo, up over Tin Gup Pass,^on down to the sister boomTown of Tin Gup. Just below St. Elmo, less than a mile the creek, was the smeltins: town of Iron Gity. and across Never much for size, it became hard up for business when the railroad arrived. It lasted only two years. furnished the coup de grace. A flood on Chalk Greek Now it's a pretty nice spot to fish. Only two of the fifty mines in the area were opera^ ting in I897. The railroad ceased operation in 1911^^and the tracks were torn up in 1926. The town died that year, but the post office hung on until 1952. It’s a beautiful ghost town now. Most of the build? ings are left, and there is no misplaced commercialism. country store operates much in the old style. One It comes to life somewhat each winter when the snc)^mobilers gather on week^nc^s to run the slopes above town. Occasionally a snow^ cat races down the old railroad grade in pale imitation of Mark Twain's thrilling ride. MAP NOTE* St. Elmo is shown on the Garfield, Colorado^ 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map — A/7 �TURR 5T, □LJaADoC. I’m lost without a map. a map I Sometimes I’m lost.with A trip into the upside:d:own country above Salida, Colorado, was not in my plans, and my map file did not in-/ elude the Came ron Mountain topographic map. And in this case even with the map I would have been lost. At least the towns of Calumet and Wolf, both near Turret, would always have been lost to me, since neither is shown.on the Cameron map All three of the towns would have remained unknown to me if I hadn't run across a gent named Dave Smith, Dave operates a Jeep tour service out of Salida, Colorado. We were discussinjr items of mutual interest ghost towns — when Dave asked if I had ever heard of Turret. I hadn’t, so he twisted the barb a little by adding, "How about Calumet?" "Nope." "And Wolf? There’s not a writer in the country ever even heard of that townI" We left the next morning with a regular tour party. Lacking a map, I busily sketched the way in. In the process of sketching a map on @different pages of a notebook, I managed to botch the Job properly. I didn’t know where I was\ but Dave did, and he was enjoying every mile of it. Wolf and Calumet are to the right of the quarry and probably in Sections 21 and 2i|-y^respectively, on the •3^1 �aforementioned map. Turret Is to the left of the quarry and on up a wellsused road. The road enters Turret at right angles to and in the middle of the town's deserted main street. To the left are the old post office and the former Turner residence^with T mine behind, A number of other bulldln<?s are nearby., some of which were saloons, others houses of ill fame, and still others combinations of the two. Some distance to the right are the courthouse and main business district of town. On the hill above and to the south are the rock foundations of Turret’s most popular speakeasy, noted for its expansive underground moonshine storage facilities. The tin:covered hip roof of the coutthouse gave protection to the mayor's office, sheriff's office, and jail. Just down the slope the two-story log hotel, '^e Gregory, sported walls papered with 1902 issues of the town's news­ caper, the "^old Belt."^ Cat Gulch runs west through town, parallel to the street. In places the stores was above the gulch the boardwalk fronting and served as a bridge as well as a walkway. In 1892 along the gulch. the town was actually camps strung out At the high end was Adams Gamp, then Minneapolis, then South Turret or Klondike. One historian states that the town was platted in 189? under the name of �Gamp Austin. The place was officially named Turret in 1899» the year the town boomed. Population always varied with the seasons, with more than a thousand citizens in town during the summers of 1899 and I9OO. In 1900 the mines revealed the shallow nature of their veins, and the town’s future dimmed. Some gold and copper mining continued at the Independence Mine until 1916, but the best producers ^he Golden Wonder, Mie Gold Bug, and ^e Monongahela'^ were worked out. The post office miracui^^ lously survived until 19^1. MAP NOTE* Turret is on the Cameron Mountain, Colorado^15 minute United States Geological Survey topograph map. �1CALUMST, COLORADO i4uoh of the road from Salida to Calumet Is coincident with the grade of one of the most unusual rail lines ever built In Colorado. The Denver and Hio Grande built the spur to serve the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company. The grade was set at seven per cent, more than double the normal slope. On the way up to the mines at Calumet cou lings on the train had a tendency to yield, resulting in wildly careening rides down the hill. accidents, empty cars were pushed upj were "held back" by the engine. To prevent such when filled, they Passengers were permitted to ride only after signing a release. Prom Calumet passel^* gers could continue via the Turret, ’,/hitehorn^and Salida Stage Line, The stage station for that line is one of the best remnants left in town. More than feet long, it had. 2-5/ a forsre at one end and was built into and around a huge rock at the opposite northeast end. It is the longest log structure this observer has had the opportunity to photograph. A second log building and an outhouse make up the balance of Calumet today. At one time it was a busy company town, fur«* nishing much of the iron ore for the smelters at Pueblo,. Colorado. The Calumet Mine, for which the town was named, was one of the deepest in the world prior to 19OO. The �shaft was started In 1889 and In 1898 reached the end of the rich raas-netlc iron ore deposits at a depth of 4,900 feet. Marble found in the vicinity kept the town and the railroad in business for a time, but for all practical purposes the life blood of Calumet flowed downhill with the last load of magnetite. MAP NOTSi Calmet is not shown on the Cameron Mountain, ColoradOy^l5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. A building or two that might repre­ sent the town aire shown in Section 24. �COLORADO r J N'o one seems to know the history of the town of whether Wolf, or^indeed, that is the correct name for the community Dave Smith of Salida, Colorado, happened upon it some years ago while jeepzexploring in the area. He prowled about and found evidence of a main street and a dozen buildings, four or five of which still stand. The largest structure, a smelter, contains an old boiler, a forge, and work tables. On the wall is written: ^^Faint signs of Inteyecting streets can be made out. nearly six inches in diameter grow in old ruts. Trees Half a dozen cabins stand in varvlnor states of decay. An outhouse tilts on its foundation, threatening to fall into its own opening and self-destruct. M substitute neatly carpeted — a eampr^migod fur lining. Its seat is On one visit to the old town, Dave met a miner working on a claim.4n- tho arua. He was freshly returned from Alaska and was carrying out the required work to legally maintain his mine. He had scant information to offer con^_ cerning the town. He had heard that it boomed about I898 and had a population of 200 at that time. eased When the boom mining and smelting the gold taken whether The miner did not know the town was (^^folk remained, from shafts nearby. called Azolf**^or *^wolf'^ " he’d heard it both wavs. �Recently a rancher put cattle in the area. He provided water for the stock by digging in a number of old bath tjibs. 3xcept for the cattle tracks nearby, the sunken bathTubs would seem to add one more puzzle to the already mysterious town. MAP WOTS* , Colorado, Wolf is not shown on the Cameron Mountaln^^lS minute United States Geological Survey topographic mapj however, it is probably within the bounds of Section 21. � 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>Helldorados</em> Part V: Colorado 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_Colo Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/84bfba9c8d3fa6cb276ce153d97a7242.pdf 26a10e0be5474255a7127f4796d4a199 PDF Text Text PART VI BUTAH �UTAH ARSA 1 f c>. ^SPRING CANYON, UTAhT JessJ^ Knight needed coal to operate the smelter he had Just built in the Tintic mining district of Central Utah. The coal in Spring Canyon, west of the town of Helper, looked promising, Knight bought up 1600 acres alonsr the canyon and proceeded to build a town near the most accessible portion of the underground seam of coal, constructed sixty substantial sandstone homes along freshly traded streets. Next of frame company buildings, and finally of coal. he built a number he tapped the vein It can't be said that Knight lacked confidence. His jud^^ent wasn’t bad either, for more than eleven million tons of coal were eventually to be drawn from the mines above town. Knight owned the mine, the town, and the buildings. He named the town "Storf s*’, after the man hired to supervise the operation. He would have named the town '^^ghtsville’v, except that a community near his smelter already bore that name, Before anyone moved into town, Knight laid down the rules. No gambling houses, no saloons, no redrlight district, and no mercy for those who ehose to be in violation. In spite of, or perhaps because ofxthe rules, the town quickly grew to �a population of over 1,000, and production one hundred tons a day A largeyy^stone schoolhouse was constructed by the company, Knight's organizational efforts left little opporj* tunlty for meaningful accomplishment on the part of the town folk. Town pride could manifest itself only in tW support of the higljschool athletic program and the local baseball team. The towns of Storrs, Helper, Standardville, Latuda, Rains, and Mutual were within a dozen miles of each other, and each had competing teaiaj^ Rivalry was intense. In 1920 the Rio Grande built its tracks up the canyon, parallel to Knight's private line, and coal production doubled. the mine Later, in 1924, when Knight no longer needed the coal, town, and associated structures above and below ground were sold to the Spring Canyon Coal Company. The name of the town then became “Spring Canyon.*^ The new owners boosted production to ^00 tons of coal per day. During World War II production reached an all: time high of 2,000 tons per day. Population of the town, however, did not grow proportionately. Many citizens chose to live in nearby Helper. During the post war years ^1 production slacked, and -- only small crews worked the the population dwindled. By 1959 mine, and ten years later that minimal effort was terminated. The three families left in town moved out one by one. the town was empty. By 1972. �Plat spots are at a premium*in the canyon. The town of Spring Canyon occupies the only sl^ble The school, bank.and hotel fill the narrow J south end, while the company offices and store, along with available. the hospital, are squeezed into the equally narrow north end. The comparatively wide center section of town is filled with perhaps a dozen rows of residences, many of whleh arc- still intact. Just north of town^half a mile or so, is a suburb consisting of small boarding homes and a smattering of unique dugouts. Recesses in the sandstone canyon wall were deepened, and short walls^xtended outward to form hybrid structures with truncated roofs, As I poked about the deserted town 1 became aware of other visitors. A young man, his wife, and two children were sightseeing. The father frequently stopped to point out buildings that seemed to be particularly meaningful to him. I approached him in hope of obtaining information concerning some buildings that I had found to-bo a bit puzzling. Lewis Korenko, like most former residents of towns that have become deserted, greatly missed the opportunity to visit with old hometown friends. I was a poor second choice, but Lewis Korenko had so much conversation stored up that he couldn’t hold back. Lewis, now a carpenter residing in Salt Lake City, moved with his folks to Spring Canyon in 1957, when the town �was In its dying throes. His dad was a member of one of the The crews were small, only four last crews to work the mine. men working underground at a time. Maintenance work required as much effort as the actual mining of coal. Lewis'sjfather switched duty with a friend one day. That day an explosion ripped through the mine. The four men "Dad said it was the only time he underground were killed. M traded shifts," reported Lewis^—^ "and he claimed he would never do it again ~ felt real bad about it," We wandered over toward the east edge of town, "Used to be an overhead tram years ago ~ then they changed to the track and cable carsj" Lewis explained. "Whole thing was gravity powered ~ loaded cars ran downhill all by them?' selves." Lewis pointed to a small^flat spot high up and across the big canyon, "Had a tennis court up there." Before I could ask about chasing lost balls, Lewis proceeded to brief me on the town's suburbs. "Just around the bend, up the big canyon, was a bunch of homes ~ called the place round the bend. Lewis pointed to »ho north. "Up Sowbelly Canyon, before you get to the mine, those long buildings were boarding houses run by Greeks, then later by the Japanese." We walked back to the main street of town and looked over the old community bath~~house. I planned to stay the night in town. eye out for the White Lady, Lewis asked if "If you do, keep an She wanders around the town �wailing and looking for her husband. at Peerless years ago, She*s been seen by quite a few people running the hills above town.* west part of town, He was killed down Lewis waved to the "A young character, kind of looney himself, laid a trap for the White Lady put a bunch of explosives in a house she was supposed to be haunting. it up too! Blew He's in prison now, and the White Lady is still walling around town ~ 2le must not of got her." Later, as the sun dropped below the canyon rim, I watched the squirrels and chipmunks scurry about. Nooks and crannies abound, and the rodents find no shortage of housing or storage apace. The inheritors of Spring Canyon lead a peaceful life. A life Inte^pted only b^j^the occasional daytime visits former residents, and the unpredictable nocturnal Jaunts of the mysterious White Lady. j MAP NOTEi The 15 minute Castle Gate, Utah, United States Geological Survey topographic map, made in 1914, shows the town of Storrs, later renamed Spring Canyon, 7 �7gTANDARDVILLB. UTAH f Mrs. Thelma Wilson, 75, of Helper, Utah, recalls much of interest concerning life in the town of Standardvllle. Her husband worked in the Standax*d Company Mines for twenty years. He worked @day weeks. Holidays were Infrequent. >76 Except for Christmas, the most memorable yearly celebration was Standard Day,'^ Men got the day off, and the company provided entertainment and food. There were presents for all the kids under According to Thelma, Standardvllle came into exist?- ance about the same time as Spring Canyon. "There were still a number of people living in tents back in 1916 — but Standard? Ville was growing fast. They had a big boardinghouse for men. a church, company store, and of course there was a post office. There were dances at the community hall, and we had a pltchur show.—^Iways called it that 01 pitchur show." Thelma rummaged "Had school up to through a box looking for old school photos. the 9^ grade for the children — sent them to Latuda for the lO^h grade." The town had no Jail or cemetery. Company towns, Thelma explained, had little crime, and anyone died was buried in Helper, Just a few miles east at the mouth of Spring Canyon, The Miners* Museum in Helper contains an assort?^ ment of old equipment, news clippings, and photographs. Many of the photographs and mj^mentos in the collection were 2-6?' �from the Standardvllle locality. Of particular note was the pay voucher on display that showed one miner’s tally for a month’s work» 4 hrs. labor @ 255^........ $ 1.00 110 cars-224,370^ coal @60i4P. 60.ll Total Money Sarned . . .* . $61.11 A Gharffesj Hospital................ $ 1.00 Coupons................ 30.11 Horses ................ 30,00 $61.11 L At first glance it appears t4wt-the miner Just broke even. Actually, he had $30.11 in company money, either script or brass coins, with which to buy food, clothlng^and lodging for the month. The charge for horses was explained by Fred Voll, caretaker of the /Museum. "Each man took a bunch of tags down the mine with him. When he got a car filled with ore, he hung his tag on the car, and it was hauled out by horses. The miner’s tag was collected topside, his account credited for the coal, and a charge entered for the use of the horse," Unexplained was the fact that 224,370 pounds was a bit more thsui 112 tons and should have brought more than >61 in monies earned. Either the bookkeeper or the twiner was poor at figures. There are no miners in Standardvllle today/ust a few men working at salvaging the remains. The extensive metal coal tipples at the site are presently being dismantled for scrap. Even the railroad rails are being out by torch �Into loadable sections. Rusted equipment stands about» a crane, some loaders, and parts of an old caterpillar ~ all destined to be melted down* On the hill northeast of town, the company office stands roofless. Its cover sacrificed In the Interest of lower taxes. Empty homes are scattered a^i^Totherwlse empty streets. It's pretty quiet In town now. Just the occa^^ slonal snap and clan^ as cutting torches eat away at the remains — a far cry from -Standard Day-^ln Standardvllle. MAP NOTE* The 15 minute Castle Gate, Utah, United States Geological Survey topographic map shows the town midway up Spring Canyon, �IXaJlATUDA, rains, and mutual, UTAH^r The coal seam thickened at the upper end of Spring Canyon. A number of tunaels tapped the seam. Substantial towns mushroomed around three of the mines. Latuda, established In 191^ as ''^Ibert^^ grew to be the largest and the longest^lived of the three. It grew from @ homes in 1918 to more than in 1922. The town had to be renamed when a post office was established. There were too many towns already named liberty.-^Latuda’^was chosen/^ in honor of the coal company responsible for the town’s g. existj^nce. The town of Rains, less than a mile up the canyon from Latuda. was established in 1915 by L. P. Hains, owner of^e Carbon Coal Company. The Rains Mine was one of the biggest producers in the canyon, reaching 2,000 tons per day at its peak. The town grew on either side of the single road along the canyon floor. As the population Increased, new houses were built up the canyon, close to the outskirts of another town springing up around the Mutual Mine. Mutual, established in 1921, never grew larger than 250 residents. Its mine, on the thickest part of the seam, had great potential, but production during its best year never the amount equalled brought out of the Hains Mine in a two; week period. When the Mutual Mine shut down in 1938, residents �of a tent town by the Little Standard Mine, half a mile away, moved into the vacant houses. The company store was bought out by one of the new citizens and continued in business until 195^» when Mutual, the uppermost town, became deserted. The towns down the Canyon closed in sequence. The Rains Mine closed down in 1958. The Latuda Coal Company continued to operate until I966. Houses from the three towns were sold off and hauled down the canyon to Helper and Price. The old company building still marks the center of Latuda. 2'7 2^ Just east, the little stone Jail stands in usable Below the jail are a number of dugout garages. condition. Up the canyon a short dlstancey<at the site of Hains, two of the eidr orle-inal^wooden coal cars stand at the side of the road. Behind are the machine shops of the Carbon Coal Company. At Mutual most of the mine complex is in place. The old store still has its sign over the side door, ^‘7^ ^rther up the canyon are numerous frame houses in various states of destruction. Cattle roam freely about, around, and occasionally through-the old homes. 7 There is little sign of the activity that once filled the canyon. 3-7 6. The coal is gone now — all thirty million tons of it. 2-7 7 �MAP MOTE* The Castlegate, Utah^l5 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map falls to show any of these towns. They are easily located, however, by driving up the main canyon from Standardville. �FRISCO, UTAhC BSSBSHHHHBmSSSSSSSw Frisco and Cisco, two of Utah*s most unusual ghost towns, are a study In contrasts, Frisco, at the western edge of the Xtate, was a mining town. Cisco, a state's width to the east, was a railroading community. Both were bom in the midc 1870^. short-lived, Frisco was wild and Cisco was mild and more durable. been a ghost for almost one hundred years. Frisco has Cisco, Utah's newest ghost town, met its demise in 1970, a victim of progress. To most observers valuable only when aged. ghost towns are like antiques^ The true aficionado might disagree. Some items are worthy of preservation from the moment of dl^^ use. A particular buggy whip with a long and faithful history is deserving of a spot on the mantpj^ the same day the horse is traded in on the Model T. Some ghost towns are worthy of veneration the day they die, Johnny Cash felt that way about Cisco even before the town had completely expired. But first, the history of Frisco, sued then Cisco ~ the contrast is enhanced if the story travels with the flow of time. Jim Ryan and Sam Hawkes, veteran prospectors, left Pioche, Nevada, in the summer of '75. They headed east, skirtj*' ing the southern slopes of the Needle Range, then headed north ^4 �Into the heart of the San Francisco Mountains. At Squaw Springs, the two prospectors decided to give their pack animals a few days’ graze on the comparatively lush grass that grew about the water hole. They prospected the area leisurely, with little success. Returning from one last look at a nearby blowout, one of the prospectors took a passing whack at a small, light-colored outcrop. cleaved to reveal a heavy streak of shiny The limestone grey silver. Ryan and Hawkes made permanent camp Immediately, then proceeded to blast a hole in pursuit of the precious metal. The vein thickened, and at twenty-five feet below the surface looked like a salable prospect. it When offered $25,000 for their mine, Ryan and Hawkes were quick to take the money, retire from mlning^and ocet back to prospecting. The new owners pushed the shaft (now called the 300 Horn Silver) to a depth of nearly trhgee/^uadred feet. held, and nearly The vein million .dallawa worth of ore was removed. Figuring tha»»the deposit was near depletion, owners of the Horn Silver let out word that the mine was for sale. Jay t Cooke, once an Influen/^lal financier, now broke and pursued by creditors, bought the mine with the scavewiged remains of his fortune. The purchase price of $5 million was met by a little cash, some loans, and a lot of promises. to go for broke, JT Cooke Intended Neither Cooke nor the sellers were aware that the Horn Silver was yet to reach its prime. It would �eventually produce more than $20 million in silver for its owners. Settlements were scattered about the area some near the mine, others strung out along the foot of the mountain. When the Utah Southern Railroad extended its tracks another 200 miles to the Hom Silver, population in the area took a sudden leap. The various communities amalgamated^and a town grew beside the tracks one mile east of the mine. The town took its name from 9,725s foot San Francisco had "bpfin Peak, Just a few miles to the north, but already that name shortened to •Frisco Peak.*^ Knowing full well that the town would be called Frisco, the citizens chose to make the short version official. In time the peak was renamed "^risco^ to match the town. By 1880 temperament. spectrum. zenith. Frisco had reached its pyate in size and Twenty-three saloons offered vice in the fullest Tenderloin ladles solicited on the main floor and utilized the rooms above on a rotating basis. Whiskey was bad^ and the gambling tables crooked. Living was expensive, but life was cheap. The lives of many miners had already been shortened by the high temperatures and bad dust in the mine. Most of them suffered from some degree of miners’ consumption. Under these conditions and fights were common. tempers flared quickly, Some claim that Frisco would have �been a slg^ble town If so many citizens hadn't killed each other. The local mortician toured the back alleys each morning, picking up bodiesy^and burying them for whatever he » could rifle from their clothing. A few upright citizens determined that the situation was out of hand. A reformed gunslinger by the name of Pearson was hired to bring respectability to Frisco. Pearson's idea of law and order was to declare open season on anyone he figured was undesirable. of town or draw. as often, lost. He offered the offenders a choice ~ get out Often the hard cases chose the latter ^men in one day. His opponents invariably Pearson was fast. died of a bad case of "slow." and^ One reporter claimed he dispatched Within six weeks the town was respectable^” if somewhat smaller. In 1885, after ten years of continuous operation, disaster struck the Horn Silver, life. Luckily there was no loss of The men coming off shift had Just left the skip and the new shift was about to go down, when a trembling was felt in the gallows frame and cable. The tremble repeated, then a low rumble was heard as 900 feUt of vertical shaft caved in. Observers claimed the cave-in caused a shock wave of such proportion that windows were broken in Milford, (1^ miles away. It would be far more logical to assume that an earth tremor was the cause of both the cave-ln and the damage in Milford. �Miners were laid off as small orews set to work drilling the 900 feet of newly filled shaft. closed down for lack of work. The smelters In turn, operators of the charcoal ovens went broke, and woodcutters found no ny^rket for their product. Frisco was wiped out overnight. Sven when the mine resumed operations, Frisco remained largely deserted. or commuted from Milford. Mining crews stayed at the mine There is little to be seen at the town site ~ a few foundations and remnants of one store. But the Horn Silver, a mile to the west, is still reasonably intact. Hoisting cables are in place, holding double- barrelled skips at surface level. hoist are of <» unique design. Gallows wheels atop the They are flattbottomed and deepcrlmmed to hold the old-fashioned flat "ribbon cable" of the type used in Bodie, California. Centered in the flat surface of the gallows wheel is a semi^ircular depression to guide the more modern round cable. the drums of the hoist. Bound cable is now on No sign of the old flat cable could be found. Down the hill a bit, just in front of a massive excavation in the rocky hillside, stand half a dozen mine buildings side and the foundations of the two smelters. To the a number of low log and rock soddies fight a losing battle with the elements. Up the ravine a freshening breeze loosens another rusted sheet oj^ corrugated metal on the old hoist house. �It Is interesting to speculate ao^e how the course of history might have changed if Ryan or Hawkes had not succumbed to the urge to give that small outcrop of limestone a passing whack. MAP NOTEJ The Frisco, Utah, 15 minute United States Geological Survey topographical map shows the town, the Horn Silver Mine, and a number of additional mines in the area. �CISCOS utahC Cisco, after nearly years of serving the travelers* needs, became a ghost when the Interestate hlgh^ way bypassed the arteries of town. One general store remained open in the vain hope that enough would remain in town The owner to raise his family to keep it in business. and live out his life in the small country town he had come to love. It soon became obvious that his hopes would not be realized^ would inevitably have to uproot his family and begin a new life. That's when Johnny Cash happened through town. was-intrigued by the unusual situation^ throughout the day and into the evening. -He remained in town One of the few residents in town at the time reported that he spent geven *7.// -- dollars and eleven cents-, more than anyone had spent in months. Johnny bought a round of beer or two as he listened to stories about Cisco. He was particularly taken by the pathos of the father who must take his family to a new town ~ whose kids could never come back to visit old friends ~ whose kids would not have a meaningful hometown, until time and new experience could provide new memories. Johnny wrote a song about Cisco. He drew on its early history for the title, "Cisco Clifton Station." It isn’t one of Johnny Cash’s better sonc:5j\but it was the most popular tune dn the Juke box at the old store in Cisco. �The finite history of Cisco began in the mid; 1880^ John Martin, surveyor for the narrow-gafee railroad, laid out the section of the line connecting Mack, Colorado, with Thompson, Utah, The area between the Book Cliffs and the Colorado River, was of particular Interest to him. to settle on land adjacent to the tracks. He chose In I8873 he applied for and was granted a post office for the settlement that grew about his original homestead, A second community was growing two miles away, centered about a restaurant and store. Victor Hanson, owner of the store, may have had some Inside information, since the new wide-track rail lines were shortly to run past his holdings. John Martin’s settlement folded, and Hanson's town, now laid out with a full set of streets, was granted its own * post office under the name of Cisco. The name given Martin’s original post office became clouded with the move. Some folks say it was Martinsdale, others Book Cliffs, or Clifton Station, Soon new stores were springing up in Cisco, between main street and the railroad trakks. Boxcarxloads of ice were hauled in to preserve produce and cool the palate. The tourist trade via railroad and horse-drawn wagon gave the town sustenance and reason for growth. Later the highway through town was surfaced, and Cisco’s future seemed assured. �Early in the present century gold and silver were found In the La Sal Mountains a few miles south. Oil was con^ sldered likely In the area near town, and numerous rigs moved In to tap the faults and domes that hopefully existed In the strata deep beneath the surface. The first barrel of crude was pumped from the Cisco Well on February 6, 1904. The Cisco Mercantile paid the owners $100, and the town celebrated. The newly finished hotel Later additional wells brought In abundant supplies of natural gas. The Cisco Gas Wells were the biggest was booked solid. producers In Utah during the late twenties. Cisco had oil and gas, but local water was scarce. The scarcity seemed little note as long as the railroad kept pumping water from the Colorado River to the standpipe in town. For sixty years the railroad and town folk shared the cost/\to their mutual benefit. When the railroad retired its steam engine^" it no longer hswi need o^ large quantities of water. The pumps were shut down, and Cisco’s water supply dried up. It took twelve days for town representatives to obtain a Judgment. The railroad was told to continue Its part of the bargain, whether needed water for diesels or not. In the late sixties, word leaked out that major highway Improvement was being considered. Highway 50 passing through town was to be made part of the new four-lane inter?^ state network. Owners of gas stations and motels made plans �to enlarge and update their establishments. arrived; Then the bad news The new highway was to take a short cut across the bend that Cisco occupied. Access to town would be a dozen miles away In either direction. Residents rushed to sell their homes and businesses before the word could spread. Potential buyers were made wary by the proliferation of "for sale" signs all about town, Cisco had contracted a terminal Illness. As work started on the Interstate It became obvious that the town had only a year or so to live. The six gas stations closed down like dominoes In a line. Stores and motels closed, until only one remained open, the one In which Johnny Cash spent tialiars and eleven That was several years ago, and now that store Is deserted. The Juke box Is still Inside, full 6^ recoils, but there Is no one around to play "Cisco Clifton Station." MAP NOTSj Cisco Is shown In detail on the Cisco, UtaHj\15 minute United States Geological Survey topographic map. location of the town Is also shown on most highway mapg, The � 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>Helldorados</em> Part VI: Utah 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. 1975 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_Helldorados_Utah Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF https://caspercollege.cvlcollections.org/files/original/47f740b684322b2b7479c3b22f91830e.pdf 54f7e7239dfcdb58e82f51104c48e28c PDF Text Text EDUCATION Ivory Tower Blues: A University System in Crisis, by James E. Cote and Anton L. Allahar. Toronto, CA: University of Toronto Press, 2007. 251pp. $60.00 doth. ISBN: 0802091814. Chad Hanson Casper College chanson@caspercollege.edu Authors Cote and Allahar suffer from a case of the blues, although they also stand upon Contemporary Sociology 37, 3 �280 Education summits of personal achievement. Both au­ thors are professors of sociology at the Uni­ versity of Western Ontario. They enjoy social and economic privileges only dreamed about by most of the world’s inhabitants. Yet, in the course of their work they are forced to per­ form the most unpleasant of tasks—they teach undergraduates. Ivory Tower Blues is a treatise on the trou­ bles associated with widespread access to post-secondary schools. According to Cote and Allahar, the root of the crisis lies in the level of emphasis placed on baccalaureate education in nations such as the U.S. and Canada. Gone are the days when crafts­ people apprenticed their way to appropriate stations in society. Here in the twenty-first century, people from all walks of life are finding their way to the doors of universities, and for these authors, therein lies the prob­ lem. In sections of the book titled, “The student as reluctant intellectual,” and “Learning to live with student disengagement,” Cote and Allahar document their displeasure with the students they face in their classrooms. They use anecdotes to make the case for the idea that their pupils are ill-prepared for academ­ ic work, and they also reference U.S.-based studies of student engagement to bolster ±e claim that undergraduates are not making the most of the university experience. The picture of ill-prepared and disen­ gaged students will seem familiar to teachers. Complaints of student indifference are a part of everyday life on our campuses. Even so, I doubt if a generation has ever entered mid­ life or old age without looking down upon young people with some level of antipathy. In Ivory Tower Blues, readers will find long ruminations on the dismal state of North American youth, but I could not help notic­ ing the book is missing a discussion of teach­ ing methods or the dynamics of the class­ room. When presented with underprepared or disengaged students, good teachers take stock of their pupil’s needs, they listen care­ fully to their interests, and they devise new strategies to fill in where old tactics fail. Cote and Allahar mention none of the above. Instead, ±e authors yearn for the "hard-sorting” systems characteristic of Euro­ pean nations, systems that limit opportunities for students that fall short on standardized aptitude tests. The line of reason gives the Contemporary Sociology 37, 3 impression that university faculty presuppose that their skills are wasted on large numbers of undergraduates, and thus most chapters read like tired cases of ivory tower egotism. Furthermore, when you consider the author’s “crisis” in the context of other institutions, the problem and its potential solution turn dis­ tasteful. For example, in the field of medicine, what would happen if physicians decided their skills were too valuable to waste on pa­ tients with serious illnesses? With respect to the law, what if counselors limited their cas­ es to merely those that present a minimal set of challenges? In Ivory Tower Blues, Cote and Allahar suggest as much for educators. De­ spite a closing chapter replete with platitudes extolling the virtue and necessity of liberal arts education and the formation of wellrounded citizens, the book’s central thesis hovers close to the notion that loo many stu­ dents earn bachelor’s degrees, and on that I point I could not disagree more. In the minds of a growing number of higher education scholars, a consensus is forming around the thought that public edu­ cation ought to be extended to include levels K-16. That said, Cot^ and Allahar are proba­ bly right to point out that universities are not good places to pursue the last four years of a K-16 education. The authors stop short of is­ suing policy statements, but the tenor and logic of the book lead one to believe that un­ dergraduates should be directed to other in­ stitutions—colleges, perhaps. Colleges have the luxury of hiring generalists with back­ grounds in the study of leaching methods, as opposed to technicians trained in narrow sub-fields of disciplines. Technicians with limited pedagogical skills should not be forced to educate under­ graduates, in particular those in need of inspirational teachers. Although Cot^ and Allahar make no mention of their teaching methods, astute readers can draw their own conclusions, given that the authors’ experi­ ence in the classroom has resulted in a perennial case of the blues. Ironically, if you like students and care about the quality of baccalaureate education, you will see red if you decide to read this book. � 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. 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>Ivory Tower Blues: A University System in Crisis</em> Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div id="dublin-core-rights" class="element"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div class="element-text"> <div class="element-text"> <div class="element-text"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div class="element-text five columns omega"> <div class="element-text"><a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 2008-05 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Chad Hanson Language A language of the resource ENG Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Chad Hanson Journal Publications, CCA 04.ii.e.2025.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CCA 04.ii.e.2025.01_ChadHansonPapers_69 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Searchable PDF Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available <em>Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews</em> is published by Sage Publishing 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