First airplane visits Roanoke, 1920, Randolph, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/airplane.txt ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb Project policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ALGenWeb File Manager - Carolyn Golowka ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by William Fischer, Jr. March 2001 The extreme left edge of the microfilmed page is obscured and words are at times difficult to determine. Words or portions of words that are illegible are in [brackets]. Several articles highlight the age of aerial barnstorming that reached Roanoke early in 1920. FIRST AIRPLANE VISITS ROANOKE ---------------------------- The expected has happened. An airplane has visited Roanoke. It came last Thursday afternoon all unannounced, but spontaneously welcomed. Eager tongues bore the news [that] a sure-enough, honest-to-goodness flying machine was circling around over town about [?], and soon all eyes were trained upon the sky, while the [whir?]ring of the engine overhead [sent?] an [?]ed thrill through the onlookers [as it?] soon became evident that the bird-man was looking for a place [to?] [a]light. This is not so easily found in the broken topography of our little hill city. However, the pilot picked out the former pasture land of Mr. Guy HANDLEY, near the A. B. & A. [Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad] water tank, as [the] most inviting field. Here he succeeded in making a successful touch-down on terra firma, amid clouds of flying dust. No sooner had he struck the ground than a congregation of curious people began to swarm around the machine. Among the first to reach the scene were representatives of The Roanoke Leader. Inquiry revealed the following facts: The pilot was Mr. C. W. MEYERS, whose home is Cleveland, Ohio. He was traveling in a Curtiss-Biplane, his own property. With him was Mr. Bunt HOOD, of Columbus, Ga., sign painter for the Chero-Cola people of that city. The trip was an advertising scheme being pulled off by these progressive people. On the wings of the plane, which came here direct from Columbus, was painted in large letters the name of this well known drink, the letters being clearly readable even when the plane was at quite a dizzy height. It was announced that the aerial pilgrims would spend the night in Roanoke. All the while a mixed mass of humanity was being assembled around the novel visitor in the shape of an air ship, painted red and white. There were all classes there, from the sedate citizen of weighty years to the babe in the arms of the excited mother. The small boy was in his glory, and from his appearance neither wire fences nor briar patches had served to impede his progress. Shortly after eleven Friday morning Mr. MEYERS took the air, with his fellow passenger, a grandson of Dr. J. R. HOOD, of Wedowee, and after circling over the city and looping the loop, to the admiration of the hundreds of witnesses, made a bee line for Wedowee. News of the approaching visit had been phoned ahead, and rare interest attended the first appearance of a plane in the quiet county seat town. [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 25 Feb 1920, p.1] ------------------------ AIRPLANE WILL BE IN ROANOKE ------------------------ During his stay in Roanoke last Friday morning Mr. C. W. MEYERS, the air pilot, interviewed a number of business men and made an engagement with them to return to Roanoke next Saturday, February 28th, and give an exhibition for the entertainment of the public. The following business firms of Roanoke will pay the expenses of the occasion: JONES & HUEY W. A. POOL & Company Dr. D. M. YATES B. O. [Berry Owen] DRIVER Chero-Cola Bottling Company Roanoke Auto Company Wyatt H. POOL Roanoke Banking Company R. L. BRUMBELOE & Son BRANNANs Pharmacy RADNEY Brothers S. H. TATUM The Fair Store The Baltimore Store TRENTs Pharmacy Company W. F. REDMOND & Son W. F. DANIELLY Drug Company W. H. BRITTAIN R. P. PRICE Cash Grocery ANGLIN & KITCHENS Lime-Cola Bottling Company, by G. T. ANGLIN, Prop. GRIFFIN & SATTERWHITE Roanoke Furniture Company City Auto Supply Company Sam C. FAUSETT H. E. HESTER & Company HANDLEY Hardware Company WHITE & AWBREY J. J. AWBREY W. H. McMURRAY & SON B. D. & T. L. AWBREY This will be a rare opportunity for the people of this section to witness the interesting and phenomenal spectacle of an experienced air pilot showing his complete mastery of the skies. Mr. MEYERS will execute the various stunts which acrobats of the air have succeeded in pulling off. Mr. MEYERS has been in the flying business four years and has had a very successful record. He was with the British flying corps two and a half years as instructor. He states that last year he visited the towns of Ohio and carried aloft some 3000 passengers without having a single accident. The aviator states that upon the occasion of his visit to Roanoke Saturday he will be prepared to carry up passengers one at a time, and will either do plain flying or execute stunts, as the passenger may desire. He charges $15 for a soar of ten minutes. [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 25 Feb 1920, p.1] -------------------------- VISIT OF THE AVIATORS TO ROANOKE SATURDAY -------------------------- Aviator C. W. MEYERS [filled?] an engagement in Roanoke Saturday as per previous announcement in the Leader. Accompanied by Mr. Bunt HOOD, he flew to Roanoke from Columbus, Ga. in about [50?] minutes [sic], arriving about eleven A. M. A large crowd was in town all day: one of those good natured prosperous throngs pecular [sic] to prohibition times. The airman gave thrilling performances both [?]ing himself to be an expert in his many different maneuvers, proving himself to be an expert in his profession. In the afternoon a number of citizens decided to take a spin with him. The first to leave terra firma was Mr. FARMER, of the Central of Georgia [Railroad] force. Others who took a flight were Messrs. F. M. WEVER, B. O. [Berry Owen] DRIVER, Wm. H. MITCHUM, Pick HOLLINGER AND Sam ENLOE, Jr. Messrs. MEYERS and HOOD remained in Roanoke till Monday afternoon, leaving for Wedowee and Bowdon [Georgia]. Saturday was an ideal day both for flying and seeing, and this occasion offered many people their first opportunity of wittnessing [sic] the trumph [sic] of man over air. The business men of Roanoke are to be commended for their enterprise in providing this unique and spectacular etertainment [sic]. [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 3 Mar 1920 , p.1] ------------------------ SEEING ROANOKE FROM AN AEROPLANE RELATED ------------------------ In relating his experience to a reporter for The Leader of his excursion through the air upon the occasion of the visit of a birdman to Roanoke February 28th, Mr. Will MITCHUM said that when he got up where he could get a bird’s-eye view of the town he was surprised at how large it looked. He stated that if he had not known it was Roanoke he would have thought he was over quite a city. This raises the question of just how large a town Roanoke really is. The census returns will soon be to hand, but of course they will not show as much population as we believe we really have. Hard to satisfy an ambitious, growing town. [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 24 Mar 1920 , p.1] ---------------------- FLYING MAN WILL AGAIN FILL ENGAGEMENT HERE ---------------------- Lieut. C. W. MEYERS, who was in Roanoke the last day of February, demonstrating to the public [sic] in his Curtiss flying machine, has come back to town accompanied by Mr. E. ELLIS, to fill an engagement lasting through Saturday. He will carry up those desiring to take a flight. [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 28 Apr 1920 , p.1]