Evening Star Newspaper, September 20, 1936, Page 58

F—6 THE SUNDAY' STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. SEPTEMBER 20 1936—PART FOUR. AUTO PRODUCTION RESUMES CLIMB : —: AVIATION NEWS Industry Held Certain To Reach 4,600,000 Total|ar 1,175,000 Units Needed to Round Out Year at Predicted Level Will Be Made Dur- ing Remaining Three Months. By G. Adams Howard. UTOMOBILE production in the United States and Canada took a sudden spurt upward this week as another major plant was added to the list of those now engaged in making 1937 cars. This latest addition to early Fall motor vehicle manufacturing brings the total output for the week to 32,820 units, as against 26,144 for the previous week. Within the next 10 days it is expected that this list of active manufacturers will be augmented by the addition of§————————————————————— several others and the weekly output will gain strength until all of the makers are once more in full opera- tion. Production of the 1937 models will Dbe started at high rates, says A. D. N., as there are still 1,175,000 units to be produced in the final quarter if the industry is to reach its 1936 goal of 4,600,000. There is little doubt, says the trade publication, that this goal will be realized. During the first nine months of this year production ran approx- imately 13 per cent ahead of the same period for 1935, and if this increase is maintained during the final quar- ter the total will be in the neighbor- hood of 5000000 cars and trucks. This will compare with the record year of 1929, when 5,621,715 units ‘were made. August sales of new passenger Cars are expected to hit 255,000 to 260,000 units, A. D. N. asserts. The 22 States already reported show a total of 81,828 units and accounted for ap- proximately one-third of the August total for last year. This estimate may come in for revision as sales this year have to a great extent been irregular. On this basis of 255,000 to 260,000 sales, August will take its place as the fourth highest August in history. Truck registrations, as estimated by A. D. N, will, when the August books are closed, total somewhere in the vi- cinity of 60,000, with a strong possi- bility, in view of present indications, that this figure may be topped. There may, on the other hand, be & down- ward revision as more States report. Figures at hand total 20,348 units registered in 21 States. These States, on the basis of last year’s figures, ac- count for approximately one-third of the Nation’s total. Wholesale financing of new auto- mobiles in July showed a seasonal de- cline from the June levels, but was in excess of the volume for the same month last year. The July wholesale figure this year is placed at $166,018,- 000, against $122,238,000 the same month last year and $177,448,000 in June this year. Retail financing of both new and used cars in July totaled $176,201,000, against $194,986,- 000 in June this year. New cars financed during July at retail reached a volume of $116,065,000, against $74,- 489,000 last year and $129,693,000 in June this year. 'ALTHOUGH attention has been focused during the last three weeks on the new and impending models of the major automobile manu- facturers, the work of body and ac- cessory makers has not been denied a share of the spotlight, according to a copyrighted story from the North American Newspaper Alliance in Detroit. After more than two years of re- search, & manufacturing company has introduced & new cylinder head. It has been described as a cast iron head to which a pressed steel cap is welded to form the water jacket. The result is similar in appearance to a conven- tional head, in which the water jacket is cored out of a casting of iron or aluminum alloy. The principal advantages of the new product are improved performance, freedom from carbonization ‘and deto~ nation, and lower production cost. Previously, the aluminum head, engi- neers insist, showed considerable ad- vantages over the conventional cast- iron slab, but these were gained at the expense of production and service. ‘These objections, they declare, are overcome in the steel-jacketed head. Tests revealed gasoline consumption at the rate of 17.2 miles a gallon for the old type of aluminum head. For the new head, consumption was at the rate of 18.4 miles a gallon. Behind the new development have gone studies of the contour of the head, the location of the spark plug and the thickness of the metal. From these have resulted great improve- ments in combustion and a definite method of suppressing carbon deposits. ‘The concern’s engineers came to the eonclusion that carbon deposit on the cylinder head was a function of wall temperature. It was observed, for in- stance, that carbon builds up more rapidly in some parts of the head than in others. This, it was concluded, results from more rapid transmission of heat at some points than at others. Heat transmission in this case, of course, is a function of wall thickness. ‘These studies suggested that it might be possible to control carbopization by thinning out the wall at points where flame conditions in a given engine tend to develop hot spots in the head. In the new design it has been easy to control the wall thickness and so regulate the relative cooling at various points throughout the area at the head. The result has been the absence of a localized and flinty deposit of carbon, such as causes noise in many engines and reduction in power. Meanwhile, & new axle construction toward the “Bir-conditioning of auto- mobiles. This is now being offered for busses, taxicabs and passenger cars. For the passenger cars, the fresh air is taken in at a high pressure point above the windshield and screened to prevent the entrance of any foreign matter. The air is then forced through an intake pan installed above the front compartment between headlin- ing and roof. Sidewise grills overhead in front and rear compartments of a sedan provide distribution of the fresh air as it is driven back through the in- take pan. Two grills ‘for exhaust purposes are built lengthwise into the overhead upholstery. These grills carry the used air through sealed ducts to the exhaust vent constructed in the low-pressure area of the roof. Tests disclose that a complete change of air occurs every minute with the car traveling 10 miles an hour, the change deing much more rapid at higher speeds. The volume of air taken in is regulated by a manu- ally operated control. For Winter driving the fresh air is brought in through a small grill built at the left of the cowl. It is forced down through a duct to a heater, the heated air being distrib- uted by outlets so placed as to assure uniform heat in all parts of the car. In warm weather the fresh air passes by the heater, is distributed from the same outlets as the heated air and carried off through the overhead grills and the roof exhaust louver, Automotive Briefs Announcement is made of the ap- pointment of the Wallace Motor Co. as authorized Packard dealer at 1520 Fourteenth street. Headed by E. M. Wallace, for many years a prominent automobile merchant in Washington, this new organization will maintain sales headquarters, service and used cars at the Fourteenth street address. “Ed” Wallace is a past president of the Washington Automotive Trade Association and one of its charter members. Bernie Jarboe, long prominently connected with the automobile busi- ness in Washington and well known in music and entertainment circles, is manager of the new dealership. ‘With his as salesmen are Ira L. Speer, George J. Wells, Stanley Poston, Norvell Stearn, Sam E. Colie and Lloyd E. Stonnell. Nathan Katz and Mitchell Herson, officials of the Columbia Motor Sales, Inc., announce that they have taken a Hudson-Terraplane dealership. Sales, service and offices all are located at the present address of 1622 Four- teenth street. This Hudson-Terra- plane dealership will in no way af- fect the Hupmobile distributorship held by this organization. Hupmo- bile sales and service will be carried on as usual from the same address. News Geniuses (Continued Prom Second Page.) the world the first statement of the attack on Fort Sumter. Lorenzo L. Crounse resigned as cap- tain in the Union Army to become a newspaper correspondent. After the war he moved to Nebraska, served in the Legislature, was justice of the Supreme Court of the State, United States Representative, assistant United States Treasurer and Governor of Ne- braska. Frederick Dielman was at Calvert College, Maryland, when, at the age of 16. he produced his first work, “A Scene From a Confederate Raid.” His “Law” and “History,” mosaic panels, may be seen in the Library of Con- gress. CROBBY STUART NOYES was & reporter on The Washington Star and had tramped over Europe on foot in 1855. He was a correspondent for the Portland (Maine) Transcript, and ‘was especially close to Secretary Stan- ton during the war. In 1867 he be- came editor in chief of The Wash- ington Star. Ever active in public affairs, Mr. Noyes served on the Washington City Council, when there was such a body, and was instru- mental in the devolopment of Rock Creek Park and the reclaiming of Potomac Flats. It has been said of Crosby 5. Noyes, “He labored with splendid success and unfailing devo- tion for the upbuilding of a worthy Capital of the Nation, and for the safety and comfort of its citizens.” Uriah Painter was very close to Senator Ben Wade of Ohio, who would have become President in the event of the impeachment of- President Johnson. Painter built the Belasco Theater, was a prominent figure in Holds Invigorating Zip and Ocean Maintains Its Moderate Temper. Motorist May Enjoy Noted Resorts Without Facing Immense Crowds. By James Nevin Miller. ITH the passing of Labor day many of the East’s most famous beach resorts, notably along the Jersey coast, are even more fun to visit right now than during the hot days. The enormous crowds are no longer on hand, and the climate all along the Northeastern shore line is especially delightful in late September. True, temperatures are closer to 80 degrees Fahrenheit than to 80 these days. But what matter about that? If the air is getting a trifie cool, it nevertheless is filled with an invig- orating zip, whereas the ocean water seems to maintain about the same temperature as it did a month ago. And when Old Sol is functioning full force between 10 and 3 o'clock during the day it is usually warm enough for the most discriminating bather, whose worries about getting su burned are happily over for the sea- son. Therefore, Mr. and Mrs. Washing- ton Motorist, it is suggested here that if you can spare three days from business worries and household cares, now is the ideal time for a motor tour through the famous Jersey Peninsula. Here you may visit some of the best-known ocean playgrounds in the Northeast, including Atlantic City, Spring Lake, Cape May, Asbury Park and Long Beach. By all means take along the map on this page, especially prepared for The Star by the American Automobile | Association. It will help you find your way with & minimum of time and trouble to the outstanding re- sorts, and if yeu choose to travel along the suggested route, Baltimore is the only congested area you will strike on the entire trip. As a matter of fact, trafic in the Maryland city need not be of the slightest annoy- ance, granted that you get out of bed at 6 or 7 am. and zoom through Baltimore before the big parade of business men (going to work) gets fully under way. Fm.s'r of all, follow route 1 to Bal- timore. This takes you through College Park, Beltsville, Laurel and Elkridge. From Baltimore shift to route 40 and take it all the way to the Newcastle (Del.) ferry. En route you pass through Aberdeen, Havre de Grace, North East, Elkton, Glasgow, and finally reach the ferry at New- castle. Ferry takes you over to Pennsville, N. J. Here you should pick up route 40 and continue on this all the way to Atlantic City. ‘This part of your trip will consume only 52 to 62 hours, granted that you're an average driver. Atlantic City is only 186 miles from Washing- ton. For your convenience, other dis- tances of the major beach playgrounds are as follows: Ocean City is 11 miles from Atlantic City; Wildwood is 31 from Ocean City; Spring Lake, 99 miles from Atlantic City; Asbury Park is 6 miles from Spring Lake, and Long Branch is 6 miles from Asbury. How are the roads? In fair shape as far as Aberdeen, Md.; in good con- dition from there to Havre de Grace, and almost perfect from that point into Atlantic City. Washington mo- torists will be interested in knowing that probably within a year there will be a double lane highway on route 40 all the way from Baltimore into Wil- mington. A tiny part of this has al- ready been graded just east of Balti- more. Today the section between Ab- erdeen and Havre de Grace is about finished. and undoubtedly will be completed in about a month, when splendid road shoulders will have been added. From the Maryland line into ‘Wilmington, & section of this new road with two lanes of one-way traffic ex- tending each way, is practically fin- ished. Travel leisurely past the University of Maryland. Now that the college season has begun, you will be pleased at the neat, freshly painted appear- ance of the fine buildings that make up one of the loveliest campuses in the East. The region around Laurel looks es- pecially attractive these balmy Sep- tember days. It won't be long before the horse-racing season opens at the g B [ 3 882 Ess gt H gok L i 4 g E PE E 8 3 % -~ i £s g 1 i g i : il il | Atlantic City; and regular steamship connections with Philadelphia and Baltimore. This is a splendid farming and fruit-grow- ing section. The ferry offers a direct route to the Jersey -resorts, avoiding the heavy traffic of Philadelphia and ‘Wilmington. Your ferry ride to Pennsville, N. J., costs 85 cents for car, driver and one passenger. Trip takes only about 20 minutes, When you reach Pennsville, an island 8 miles long. It's & very popular seaside resort, with a fine boardwalk, 8 miles of sandy bathing beaches, casinos and shops. Fishing 1s excellent not only from the bay, but from the ocean piers. ‘Wildwood, 9 miles southeast of Cape May Courthouse, is on an island just %Union Pacific Railroad, which was un- Take this map with you on your tour of the famous Jersey Peninsula. American Automobile Association, it will hel the best-known ocean playgrounds in the Prepared exclusively for The Sunday Star by the you visit some of ortheast, including Atlantic City, Spring Lake, Cape May, Asbury Park and Long Branch. A pleasant route is as follows: First, follow Route 1 to Bal- timore. This takes you through College Park, Beltsville, Laurel and Elkridge. From Baltimore shift to Route 40 and take it all the way to the Newcastle, Del., ferry. Ferry takes you over to Pennsville, N. J. Here you should pick up Route 40 and continue on this all the way to Atlantic City. Locations of the other beach playgrounds on the Jersey Peninsula also are shown on the map. continue on route 40 all the way to you're now 70 miles from the resort, about two hours’ drive. Drive slowly through Mays Landing, 18 miles west of Atlantic City, on the Great Egg Harbor River, at the head of navigation. First settled in 1710, it was in the eighteen century a thriv- ing port and shipbuilding center. Who can properly describe Atlantic City? You will find it the easiest place imaginable for finding your way around. So it's not necessary to go into details here. However, here are some high lights which might help pave the way for your visit. The city, with a population of 66,200, is on the south Jersey shore, only about 40 miles from the end of Cape May Pen- insula. More specificaliy, the loca- tion is on Absecon Island, connected with the mainland by fine motor roads such as the White Horse pike. ATLAN‘HC CITY is the most popu- lar seaside resort in the United States, entertaining approximately 15,000,000 visitors annually. The fa- mous boardwalk, 60 feet wide and 7 miles long, is the center of the re- sort’s activities. From it five ocean piers extend into the sea, all devoted exclusively to recreation. Steel Pier is the most elaborate, offering & va- riety of entertainment from grand opera to minstrel shows, the Marine Ballroom, theaters and movies. It is open 18 hours a day. The auditorium, on the Boardwalk from Mississippi to Georgia avenues, is the largest place of its kind in the world. The main auditorium seats 41,000 and has the largest stage in the world; meeting rooms accommo= date 150 to 5,000 people. Other at- tractions here are the municipal art gallery, the Columbia broadcasting system station, WPG; & ball room, skating rink and facilities for boxing, foot ball, base ball and exhibits. The resort has more than 1,200 ho- tel establishments ranging all the way along the scale from modest cottages on the side streets to the famous beach-front structures that rise ma- jestically along the ocean’s edge. By all means visit the three well- known residential suburbs, Ventnor, Margate and Chelsea. They are re- splendent with colonial mansions; Spanish villas, Italian triumphs of architectural beauty, set in the center of wide, sweeping lawns, as well as fine shrubbery and rock and flower gardens. Often the cottagers stay well into October. Atlantic City is in process of creat- ing a fishing bank about 11 miles off the coast that will be of tremendous interest to visitors who love angling. The task of dumping stone, concrete and other debris is now under way. Vegetation grows on such underwater material and attracts fish. off the coast, and is connected with the mainland by two bridges. A boardwalk runs the length of Five Mile Beach. The fishing piers af- ford opportunities for splendid ang- ling. North Wildwood, on the north, and Wildwood Crest, on the south, are attractive developments. Cape May City is located on the ocean near the tip of the peninsula. This is the oldest and one of the most distinctive resorts on the Jersey coast. The climate is equable all the year round. Its main attractions are the splendid beach, deep-sea fishing, con- certs, golf, tennis and boardwalk amusements. There’s also a 500-foot municipal fishing pier. SPRING LAKE, popular among the Nation’s socialites, is in Mon- mouth County, about 6 miles south of Asbury Park, on the ocean. The beach is lovely and wide. There's a fine casino, bathing and tennis club, golf courses and polo field. The Ocean drive is nationally known, being bor- dered by lovely homes. Asbury Park is 6 miles south of Long Branch. Ideally situated is this resort, with a mile-long beach. There is a boardwalk 5 miles long, with some excellent golf courses, casino and na- tatorium. You may find good fishing in the ocean, near-by brooks and lakes. Only 4 miles north of the resort is Shadow Lawn, former Summer home of President Wilson. Long Branch is directly on the ocean and on the Shrewsbury River. One of America’s original seashore playgrounds, Long Branch has been the Summer home of Presidents Grant, Garfield and Wilson. Veterans (Continued From Second Page.) ® typical patriarch, with a long, white, flowing beard, such as is seldom now seen. ~ JOBN MONTGOMERY KLINE, Sr., the commander of the Depart- ment of the Potomac, G. A. R, is & Pennsylvanian by birth and is in his ninetieth year, having been born in Milroy, Miffiin County, Pa., July 29, unteer Infantry. His service was a very active one, and he participated in many battles in which his regi- ment was engaged. However, his fleld service was terminated on June 1, 1864, when he was taken prisoner. ‘This was at the Battle of Cold Har- bor, Va., when he was a member of e Uit : E | ceeded on its way to San Francisco. | tred in 1921, after 52 years’ continu- | of international airship operation on : | " | Douglas farm near Benning Bridge. s | sister. However, the fortune went en- eptember finished at a point near Ogden, Utah, | the regiment marching to Promontory, | Utah, where the golden spike was driven by Leland Stanford, Governor of California, marking the completion of the railroad, and the regiment pro- On September 29, 1869, he was hon- | orably discharged from the service with the rank of first sergeant. ! December 2, 1869, he secured an ap- pointment in the United States Treasury at Washington, and was re- l Mr. Kline was married in 1871 to Catherine Parkinson of this city, who died in 1917. He has three sons liv- ing: Edwin M. Kline, immigrant in- | spector, Department of Labor; John | M. Kline, jr., actor, and James N. Kline, assistant cashier, United States Treasury Department. Mr. Kline has for many years been identified with the Grand Army and takes a conspicuous part each year in the Memorial day exercises at Ar- lington. W ,D.C. “August 16, 1936, “DEAR MR. PROCTOR: “Like all lovers of things his- | toric, I faithfully watch for and read your Sunday Star articles. Also, be- cause we are both members of the Columbia Historical Society and our families were old-timers here. | “Today your article on old F street interested me so very much. I hope you can make mention, in your next, that across the street, on the north side of F street and nearly opposite the end of the Corcoran Building, my grandmother, Mrs. James Gourley Wilmarth, formerly Caroline A. Co- burn, was reared. Her parents were | Mr. and Mrs, John Coburn, who were friends of President Madison. I have their pictures and they were truly handsome. Another descendant of this lovely couple is Col. Henry Co- burn, who is now in charge of Walter Reed Hospital. My grandmother told me many times of old days on F street. I believe the house was the one later used by Mr. King as a real es- tate office, and now owned by Gar- finckel’s store. They also had a farm at Fourteenth and P streets, ‘out in the country,’ from which they received their fruits and vegetables. This farm later was owned by the Willards. “My grandmother, Mrs. Wilmarth, was married in Epiphany Church on G street (where I also was married). She helped nurse the soldiers there during the Civil War. When she was a little girl, she and her friend, ‘Teenie’ Cammack (‘Teenie’ Cammack was my grandmother’s maid of honor, and when I was married, in 1907, they both stood ‘maids of honor’ back of me in Epiphany Church), who lived across the street, used to dress for the afternoon in their hoop skirts and lace pantaloons and go up to the flag- stone walk at the Treasury to play Here they supported the old farm and its various members of the Douglas family for many years, and here they died. Mr. Markham's first wife was the daughter of Rev. Mr. Douglas, owner of the place. “‘Aunt Teenie, as we knew her in our family, had an independent for- tune, a portion of which she promised my mother, who had been named “‘Delphine’ in honor of ‘Aunt Teenie’s’ Atlantic Airship Service Awaits Act of Congress Lack of Enabling Legislation Is Held Only Barrier to Inauguration of Regular Schedule to Europe. By Joseph S. Edgerton. NAUGURATION of regular trans-Atlantic rigid airship service between the United States and Europe is a possibility within a year if Congress will enact enabling legislation this Winter, in the opinion of American airship experts. ‘The German airship Hindenburg now is completing a series of 10 com- mercial round-trip flights between Prankfurt-am-Main, Germany, and the naval air station, Lakehurst, N. J., and+ therehsomunuhmdn(lmiuof; ‘Winter trips, probably between Ger- many and Miami, Fla. 1t is understood that Dr. Hugo Eck- | ener, head of the German Zeppelin or- ganization, and Capt. Ernst Lehmann, captain of the Hindenburg, will coms to Washington during the latter part of this month or early in October to discuss with President Roosevelt the | need for & merchant airship act, simi- lar in scope and purpose to existing merchant marine legislation. Until such legislation is enacted, permitting airships to carry the United | States mails and according their oper- ators the right to negotiate with for-| eign governments and to arrange for | there is no prospect of a beginning of | American operation of foreign airship service. As s00n as such legislation is enact- | ed, it is authoritatively reported, American enterprise is ready to en- gage in international airship opera- tions, probably in co-operation with the Germans. Design wofk is in prog- | ress on American airships of the Hin- denburg type, and it is said capital is available when the time comes. | American crews are in training and | American merchant airship officers | have been aboard the Hindenburg on | evefy trip she has made between Ger- many and the United States this sea- son. ‘There have been in existence for five years American’ international airship companies, one built around trans-At- lantic and the other around trans- Pacific services. These companies, though skeleton organizations, have been kept in operating trim and have worked unceasingly on the problems of | commercial airship operations across the seas. These companies have worked in co-operation with Dr. Ecke- ner and are thoroughly familiar with | the details of his operations across the North and South Atlantic during the | past four years. Dr. George W. Lewis, research dx-‘ rector of the National Advisory Com- mittee for Aeronautics, is to be a pas- | senger on the return trip of the Hin- | denburg scheduled for tomorrow. Dr. | Lewis, who, on December 4, is to re- | ceive the Daniel Guggenheim award for his contributions to aviation de- | velopment, is expected to make a study | behalf of the N. A. C. A. This organi- zation, the Federal Government's great aeronautical research unit, has re-| peatedly recommended that the| United States continue its develop- ment of the airship. Lieut. Comdr. Karl Lange, U. S. N. R., commander of the Goodyear air- ship which operates daily over Wash- ington, is one of the many Good- year officers to make the Hin- denburg trip. He made two round trips, returning | to Washington| recently. Lange| and his fellow | Goodyear officers | will compose the nucleus of the| American mer- chant airship fleet in case this country goes into Comdr. Karl Lange. lNternational op- eration. Lange reported that the Hindenburg and that seasoned veteran, the Graf Zeppelin, are unable to handle existing demands for trans-Atlantic airship accommodations. The Hindenburg started originally with space for 50 passengers. Accommodations for eight additional passengers were installed between the two cruises he made, and space for nearly 20 additional pas- sengers, bringing total passenger ac- commodations to about 75, will be in- stalled next month. Passenger space is booked two cruises ahead, and both airships have long waiting lists. Construction of a successor to the Hindenburg, the LZ-130, now is well under way at Friedrichshafen, and design work is being completed on an- other ship, the LZ-131, which, it is understood, will be even larger. At Akron, Ohio, the Goodyear Zep- pelin Corp. already has a factory, equipment and construction shed in which to build commercial airships. The operating organization is existing and ready. Trained crews are ready. It is claimed that the capital is avail- able. All that is lacking is legislative authorization. Apparently, the fate of the commercial airship in America in the near future is up to Congress. THE Washington Air Derby Asso- ciation will open its Fall season with a8 members’ meeting at the Racquet Club at 8 pm. Thursday. the business session, the association will be addressed by J. Carroll Cone, assistant director of air commerce in charge of air regula- tions, on the subject, “The Itinerant Pilot and Non-scheduled Instrument " A general discussion will follow the address. The association is planning a num- ber of activities before cold weather begins. Additions have been made to the club house at College Park Air- port, College Park, Md., and increased tirely to the Douglas family, with whom ‘Aunt Teenie’ had made her flying than any other single man, has taken delivery of a Sikorsky S-43 am- phibian for Det Norske Luftfahrs- selskap, the Nor= ‘wegian airline for which he is tech- nical adviser. ‘This line, which has been in oper- ation for more than a year, now carries on mail and passenger service around the coast of Nor« way from Oslo. Balchen expects next year to ex- pand the line so that it will be flying 6,500 miles a day over 5000 miles of airways. The new §-43, he told Pratt & Whitney offi- cials, will be used for experimental flights to London, Amsterdam, Stock- holm and other European cities prior to establishment of regular schedules serving these cities and making eon- nections with all major European air- lines. The Norwegian S-43 is powered with two geared Hornet engines, giving a top speed of nearly 200 miles per hour, it is claimed. It is equipped for 15 passengers and has a special heating and ventilating system. Balchen has been flying since 1919 and was a member of the Amundsea and Nobile expeditions in the Arctic, accompanied Ellsworth on hise first trans-Antarctic flight and flew with Admiral Richard E. Byrd over the South Pole. He also was a pilot on Byrd's trans-Atlantic flight in 1927 and spent several months flying over the difficult Hudson Bay territory on a surveying mission for the Canadian government. Bernt Balchen, A QUARTER of a century ago, on September 17, 1911, the first air- plane flight across the United States began. On that day Calbraith Perry Rodgers took off from New York, California-bound, in a Wright biplane. Fifty days later he reached the Pa- cific Ocean at Long Beach, Calif, bearing the scars of many mishaps, in an airplane so completely rebuilt that it was said to contain nothing of the original except a drip pan and vertical fin. Two other pilots who had under- taken the transcontinental adventure at about the same time in competition with Rodgers for a $50,000 prize, were forced to abandon the attempt. Rodgers himself was unable to com- plete the trip before the time limit on the prize award expired. Rodgers’ first crash came the sec- ond day out. Taking off from Mid- dletown, N. Y., he lost control in a gust and crashed into a tree. The airplane had to be rebuilt. Despite this and many other mishaps, he struggled on. On the last lap he was badly injured, about mid-November, in a crash at Compton, Calif., and it was not until December 10 that he reached his goal, two months after the expiration of the prize -wnd.. PLAST!CS‘ modern products of the chemical laboratory, are making a great contribution to aviation de- sign and construction. Plastics range from substitutes for glass to substi- tutes for hard rubber and other ma- terials. Compass cases, parts of many flying instruments, instrument panels, radio units, insulating ma- terials, accessories and trimmings are plastics. “Because of its extremely light weight, great strength and durability, plastics have added much to the safety and economy of flying,” according to E. F. Lougee, sponsoring the first an- nual modern plastics competition in New York. One of the plastics is a transparent and non-shatterable glass substitute used in passenger airplanes for cock- pit and cabin windows'and in mili- tary aircraft for gun cockpit floor and overhead openings. The aeronautical demand for this material is so great that the aviation industry now is con- suming every pound of the product that can be produced for the present. CONSTRUCTION of runways and improvements to the landing field are in progress at the Naval Air Sta- tion, Cape May, N. J. This air sta- tion, relic of World War coastal pa- trol days, now is used by the Coast Guard and as a training base for Naval Reserve units. The Cape May station for several years has been used for the Summer training cruises of VN-6R and VO- 3MR, local Navy and Marine Corps aviation reserve units which are based at the Anacostia Naval Air Station. Warning that, as a result of the construction work, the landing field has been closed until further notice has been issued by the Navy Hydro- graphic Office in & memorandum for all aviators. —_— Argentina’s Cotton, THE high price of American cotton, which has stimulated production abroad, has brought a considerable in- crease in Argentine output. This season Argentina increased her plantings by practically 30 per cent, 909,000 acres now being under cultiva- tion. The government is taking a great interest in the trend toward cot-~ ton planting and is encouraging the farmers in every way. The last two or three years has seen this stimulation well under way. In the 1933-34 season production was 200,000 bales. The following year i had jumped o 295,400 bales. A cotton board has been set up to aid in improving production, estab- lishing and improving ginning prac- tices, bettering grading work and facilitating marketing of the crop. Authorized Distri 'bn?n Delco Batteries REEL BROTHE I M4ne ST.NW.¢*DEcarwn 42