This Day in History: 1911-09-17

Another airplane passed over Mahwah following the Erie railroad tracks. Hundreds waited to hear the Ramsey fire bell all afternoon. It finally rang shortly after 5pm. Navy officer Galbraith P. Rogers passed over Ramsey at 5:13pm in his large Wright bi-plane at about 2,000 feet. This was not as exciting as Ward who flew by three days ago much lower so that be could be seen clearly. Rogers had left Sheepshead Park at 4pm and flew without incident until he landed at dusk at 6:25pm at Middletown, NY. On Monday he crashed as he took off and had to repair his craft. Ward has been held up by engine trouble at Corning, NY, but he still has a comfortable lead over Rogers. Both are participating in a prize race for a $50,000 prize offered by William Randolph Hearst for the first person to fly across the country in 30 days. Rogers eventually won, arriving in Los Angeles on November 6th where he was mobbed by a large crowd. He still has 20 miles to go. He will land on the beach so that he can complete the ocean-to-ocean journey. He traveled 4,111 miles in 4,846 minutes actual flying time. At one time he held a broken connecting rod together with his hand while flying with his other hand. (Bristow)