Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1912 — AVIATOR FIGHTS FOR LIFE IN LAKE [ARTICLE]

AVIATOR FIGHTS FOR LIFE IN LAKE

Scalded Russian Struggle Ten Minutes in Water. RESCUED BY MOTOR BOAT Broken Propeller Tears Hydroplane to Pieces, Engine Shifts and Hot Water Pours Over Ignace Semeniouk. Chicago, Sept. 20. —Enveloped in scalding water and steam when nearly one mile from shore, Ignace Semeniouk, a Russian aviator, driving a Hamilton-Brooks bi-hvdroplane, escaped a watery grave in Lake Michigan after one of the most desperate flights for life ever witnessed. Fully ten minutes he swam desperately from one end to the other of his submerged machine, kept barely afloat by the pontoon, and was almost exhausted when picked up by the power boat Irene.

Semeniouk thought his time had come. Scalded from the back of his neck to his waist, and with both arms tingling with frightful pain, he nevertheless managed to keep afloat until assistance reached him. Cheered When Brought Ashore. Spectators on shore, armed with powerful field glasses, watched his fight for life and a hearty cheer arose when the little man was brought ashore. Notwithstanding the hard pain he was suffering he smiled and bowed his acknowledgments, not betraying by a single tremor his suffering. It was the first time the machine had ever been tried in the water and it was also Semeniouk’s first experience. Scarcely had the machine struck the water when there was a crash and a shower of splinters. As soon as the propeller blades struck the water one of them split and a section was flung sideways. Unaware of His Danger.

Mechanicians and other aviators on shgre yelled to Semeniouk to stop, but he continued on bis way. Semeniouk did not realize It, but thought the unequal vibration caused by the broken propeller was due to the action of the pontoon on the water. On he dashed out into the lake and had proceeded about an eighth of a mile farther when the big crash came.

The vibrator of the rudder and the weight of the motor combined to further plinter the longitudinal strut and finally the fiercely hot motor slipped from the strut and fell back wari Immediately the connections were broken and the three or more gallons of scalding water in the engine began to dash against Semeniouk’s back. Scalding Water Pours on lUan.

This was the first time he realized ! that the machine was disabled. As the terribly hot stream of wateT struck him at the back of his neck ;he jerked the cord to stop the engine i and tried to crawl forward upon the pontoon. Meanwhile the scalding water was being driven against his back and j when he flattened himself on the for ward end of the pontoon the machine began to topple. Quickly the rear of the machine sank until the forward end of the ; pontoon reared straight up Into the air. Machine Tips as He Grasps It. Both planes were therefore cutting ,the water at perpendicular and were therefore offering no buoyant effect whatever. Everything depended upon the pontoon.

Semeniouk tried to support himself iby resting his hands upon the outer end of one of the forward planes, but immediately the machine began to tip toward him.

Fearful lest it should again turn over and sink, he let go of the plane and swam to the pontoon, which he grasped from the front. At once the (pontoon careened toward him and again he had to let go. This time he dived, lest the pontoon should fall upon him and carry him under and when he came up he grasped the opposite plane. Again the machine careened and until the Irene arrived at his side he had a desperate fight for life.