The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Mon., Jan. 26, 1920:
p. 12, c. 5 -
TO MAKE BUSINESS
TRIPS THROUGH AIR
--------
Aeroplane Introduced In North
Carolina As Commercial
Venture
-------
For the first time the aeroplane has made its apperance in North
Carolina as a commercial enterprise. And it is here to stay, according
to the energetic young man responsible for the use of the plane in his
business.
It is Lt. Harry J. Runser, former army aviator, of Raleigh, who
has introduced the aeroplane as a business undertaking. He has entered
the motor field as agaent of the Ace Trucks in Eastern North Carolina,
with headquarters at Rocky Mount for the present.
Here is where the aerplane comes in. In calling on the trade and
visiting local dealers in different cities, Lt. Runser will use a Curtis
model aeroplane for transportation purposes. The train and auto is too
slow for him. This mode of travel will carry him quickly to any place
within his territory. He will also use it in distributing literature
throughout his territory.
Lt. Runser has done considerable for the development of aviation
and has carried hundreds of people on air rides in Canada and in twelve
States in this country without a single mishap. He was the first flier
to cross the Blue Ridge during a heavy storm. He has made many friends
in the Carolinas.
"North Carolina has contributed much to aviation," he said, "and
the interest shown by the public will do more to develop the flying game
commercially than anything else."
The Messenger & Intelligencer, Wadesboro, NC, Thur, January 29, 1920:
p. 1, c. -
AIRPLANE LANDS HERE
Aviators Got Lost, Ran Out of Gaso-
line, and Came Down in Field, Hit
Stump and Broke Propeller Blade.
Yesterday afternoon an airplane circling low over Wadesboro
attracted the attention of those on the streets. After circling around a
short while it came down in the cultivated land between the Coast Line
and Seaboard and near the Stanback Ferry road. After running a few feet
the machine hit a stump, and its tail went up in the air, the propeller
and front digging into the ground. The two occupants of the machine were
not hurt, but one of the propeller blades was broken and the supports of
the control wires on top of one wing were broken. With the assistance
of men who gathered quickly the aviators got the machine back on its
wheels without much trouble.
The aviators, who were Messrs. H.G.Runser, of Raleigh, and H.D.
Lough, of Columbia, asked where they were, and were very much surprised
to learn the name of the town. They said they left Columbia, S.C.,
yesterday afternoon a little after 3 o'clock bound for Dillon, S.C.,
which is almost straight east of Columbia, and they could not understand
how they had got so much out of their course. Wadesboro being almost
straight north of Columbia. They were asked whether they had come
straight or had been circling, and said they did not know where they had
been. They landed here because they had run out of gasoline, and night
was coming on.
They made a perfect landing, and would have been all right had it
not been for the stump. The field is full of stumps and the machine
could not avoid them, but they are close too the ground, and with cotton
stalks surrounding them the aviators could not see them until they
landed.
Mr. Runser left last night, but Mr. Lough is still here. A new
propeller blade must be put on before the machine can fly, and it may be
several days before this is received. When it is received the machine
will be moved to a point from which it can take off the ground, and will
be flown away.
The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Sat., Jan. 31, 1920:
p. 8, c. 3 -
RUNSER GETS LOST IN HIS
AIRPLANE; GETS BUMPED
--------------
Special to the Observer.
Wadesboro, Jan. 30.-- A big airplane en route from Columbia,
S.C., to Dillon, S.C., made a forced landing here on account of running
out of gasoline and was partially wrecked. The aviators, Messrs.
H.J.Runser, of Raleigh, and H.D.Lough, of Columbia, S.C., escaped without
injury, although the plane struck a stump after it had landed, and turned
turtle.
True to the type, the aviators came up smiling and were not, in
the least, disconcerted.
The aviators left Columbia at 3:15 p.m. en route to Dillon, S.C.,
and left the course involuntarily saying to a reporter that they did not
know where they had been.
The plane will be repaired here, and will proceed on its way as
soon as possible.
The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Sat., Feb. 28, 1920:
p. 16, c. 3 -
RALEIGH AVIATORS ON
TRIP TO SEVERAL CITIES
-----------
Although the weather is not exactly warm enough for air flying,
Harry J. Runser left Raleigh Thursday in his aeroplane on a trip to Rocky
Mount, Henderson, Oxford, Roxboro and Durham. He will return to Raleigh
in about ten days. He was accompanied by former Lieutenant Roscoe
Turner, the acrobatic flier, who expects to give several stunt
exhibitions during the trip. The two aviators are making the trip in
connection with plans to develop aviation in North Carolina and to show
the public that airplane travel is just as safe as autoing.
Oxford Public Ledger, Oxford, NC, Tues., March 2, 1920:
p. 1, c. 4 -
LT. RUNSER IS HERE
----
Made Several Flights Tuesday--
Free Exhibition Wednesday.
Lt. Runser arrived here with his flying machine Tuesday and made
several flights from the aviation field at the Experiment Station.
A lady will accompany Lt. Runser up Wednesday and do all kinds of
acrobatic stunts.
Runser will be here the balance of the week. He has booked forty
people for flights to date.
Among those who made flights with Lt. Runser Tuesday were: Miss
Janie Hunt, Mrs. J.C.Currin, Mr. A.L.Capehart, Mr. Frank Young, Mr.
Hubert Turner, Mr. Pritchard and others.
AERIAL AGE WEEKLY, Vol. 10, #21, Mar. 8, 1920:
p. -
The AIRCRAFT TRADE REVIEW
-----------
Rolfe-Epps Flying Co. Report Aviation
Progress
The aeroplane passenger-carrying station and aviation school,
established at Athens, Georgia, by the Rolfe-Epps Flying Co., is proving
very successful.
L. Montague Rolfe, manager of the company recently flew from
Athens, Ga., to Goldboro, Me., and return, a distance of nearly a
thousand miles. It is interesting to note his report that the longest
distance flown on the trip without seeing other aeroplanes was 109 miles.
He reports that in South Carolina he found aeroplanes operated by
local companies in nearly every town he stopped at, and that great
interest and activity in aviation is being carried on in the South.
The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Mon., Mar. 22, 1920:
p. 8, c. 7 -
WILL GIVE AIRPLANE
FLIGHTS THIS AFTERNOON
----------
Above the flying field out New Bern avenue this afternoon
Lieutenants Runser and Turner, aviators making Raleigh their
headquarters, will demonstrate the ease of control and the safety of the
airplane in a series of stunts on the wings of the machine.
This exhibition has been announced in Raleigh several times. On
each occassion, however, weather conditions have made the flights
impossible. Lieutenant Runser stated last night that unless unforeseen
conditions again interpose, the exhibition will surely be pulled off this
afternoon.
The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Tues., Mar. 30, 1920:
p. 2, c. 5 -
WILL INSTRUCT AVIATOR
IN ACROBATIC STUNTS
------------
Instructing in the perilous art of aeroplane wing-walking and
acrobatics while the plane is in midair and speeding through space at
ninety miles an hour, is the new profession of Lieutenant Roscoe Turner,
who will coach Lieutenant Joe Murphy this afternoon in daring stunts at
the flying field on Asylum road, near the Yates farm.
The plane, the Oriole, three-passenger ship, will be piloted by
Ray Cullman while Turner is teaching the pupil to perform. The
instructor will walk all over the wings in the work and the pupil will be
shown the correct way of hanging from the wing, standing on the top of
it, and walking about on it.
The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC, Tues., Mar. 30, 1920:
p. 2, c. 5 -
LIEUT. RUNSER TALKS
TO COLLEGE AERO CLUB
-----------
"The greatest drawback at present, in the aviation game as
considered commercially, is the lack of adequate landing fields," said
Lieut. Harry Runser in an address before the State College Aero Club last
night. Runser gave a sketch of his aviation career and outlined the
future of commercial aviation as he conceived it would be.
Lieutenant Runser and his flying partner, Roscoe Turner, who also
spoke last night, have flown in twelve States. Runser told of his trip
from Kentucky to North Carolina and the journey across the Blue Ridge
mountains and Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak west of the Rockies. To him
belongs the honor of being the first aviator to cross Mt. Mitchell.
The aviators gave suggestions to the club to aid in starting a
big program of real flying practice and ground work to begin soon.
1920 CONTINUED -- APR - MAY
Abstracts (c) Copyright 1993 Stephanie L. Sandy
Data transcription by: Milton Sandy, Jr. Corinth, MS - July 13, 1993