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Ceremony Takes Place After Arrival of Planes from Spokane7 Cle;-,e7mony Tie- es Pled Afl2z A;-,11-vt I qfP, o,- -_,p, ka7no Mayor Bruck-hauser Makes address of Welcome and Drops Wreath to Field From Air. Fned Buck Wirmel- oi'Aix Derby, Malces -Fhg--hw it One Hour 42 Mirnites. Kalispell's municipal airport was formally dedicated this morning when Mayor Bruckhauser dropped a monster wreath from a plane piloted by Fred Buck.local aviator. And this was not Buck's only honor, for he was the winner of the air derby, making the flight from Spokane in one hour and 42 minutes. Bob Johnson of Missoula in an OX-5 Swallow was second and Nic Mainer, in a Curtis Robin, third. Accompanying the flight from Spokane was -Art Walters, flying a Ryan Brougham -a sister to Lindbergh's famous ship -having as his passengers Mayor Bruckhauser,W.H. Bally,and Miss Liulse Miller, formerly of Kalispell, but now with the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. Neil Klein was the mechanic of the plane, Apple Blossom, C-6556. Unfortunately, Mamer was unable to bring the Ford Tri-motored plane,"West Wind," as it developed some mechanical difficulty at the last moment. This caused much disappointment, as most of the spectators were very anxious to see it. In leaving Spokane this morning Mamer got away at 7:58, Spokane time:13-ack at 8 o'clock and Bob Johnson at 7:59. They took a compass course to Kalispell, and flew at an altitude of about 6500 feet. Accompanying Mamer was Ellsworth C. French, city editor of the Spokane Chronicle, who acted as official starter, and has assisted in the dedication of 3 )7 airports in various parts of the Northwest. Mr, French spoke very highly of the Kalispell port, and says it is admirably located between the hills which act as a wind break. It is splendidly marked, also, he said, the big circle guiding the airman the same as a round sip does a motorist. The air was fine this morning and the aviators say the Kalispell field was visible from a distance of 20 miles. Soon after the planes arrived, Secretary Treloar of the chamber of commerce mounted a truck and introduced to the crowd Mayor Bruckhauser, W.H. Bally, chain-nan of the Aviation committee of both the city council and the chamber of commerce, Miss Miller,the only lady to make the flight,Pilot Walters, Mr. French, and Nick Mamer. Mamer he said, was very sorry that he could not fly the "West Wind", but hopes to be able to bring it here tomorrow. Mayor Bruckhauser then made a brief address in which he said: "As Mayor of the City of Kalispell, I welcome you all upon this occasion, the dedication of the Kalispell Airpark. "Having spent the past two hours in the air making this wonderful trip from Spokane, I feel as if I were still in the air. "I have lived in Flathead County practically all my life. In the days when Kali -spell was a-goTain field my mother built the first hotel, which I believe was the fourth building constructed in the city. There was at that time nothing in the way of improvements in the entire upper valley, except a few small store buildings in the old town of Demersville, a boat landing. At that time we had, as many old-timers xiii 11 remember, ox and horse - brawn vehic -.1 es and bicycles f'b)r transportation. gets one Ithiin-king of great progress t1hat has bee. n. made in. these past few years. T Z:I I have had the pleas -Lire of seeing all of the improvernents made in Kaii spell, -White-fish, Poison, Big fork and al"i the other surrounding towns wring this period. Today our valley is covered with automobiles, and the time is not far distant when the air -,,vill be rRtiled vmh bumming planes as I it is today. "I want to take this occasion to thane Nick Mamer and all the other pilots and visitors for the interest they have taken in the dedication of this field." Mayor Bruckhauser then left the platform and entered the plane from which he dropped the wreath dedicating the field. The only unfortunate incident to mar the occasion was a mishap to Harold Groves, parachute jumper, who struck the cross an-n of a telephone pole in landing. He was knocked out for tl-,,e time being, but it is not believed his injuries will prove serious. The accident was not witnessed by anyone on the field as he landed near the bridge over the dry coulee, south east of town, and very few persons knew that he made the Jump at all.He went up in a plane piloted by Clarence Murray of Vancouver, Washington. It is probable that in attempting to land on the field he was carried over by a strong, wind which sprang up. All the roads surrounding the airfield were black with cars, many were on the field, and still others took advantage of elevations of ground from which they could obtain a better view. At times the planes raised clouds of dust, but the spectators took it good naturedly, and seemed to look on it as part of the game. The dedication of Kalispell's airport proved successful in every way, and is looked upon as marking an important step in the city's progress.