Text on postcard:
"Unless someone comes along with evidence to dispute it, this is a photograph of South
Carolina's first airplane. It was purchased in 1911 for $1,000 by William MURCHISON of Dillon
and F.E. Rowe and C.W. Dudley of Bennettsville. It was assembled in Hamer's pasture at Dillon
on July 4 of that year. F.E. Rowe was the pilot. Note the three bicycle-type wheels on the
bi-plane and the horses and buggies in the background.
(Photo published by courtesy of C.W. DUDLEY, Bennettsville, real estate dealer.)"
1920
The Pee Dee Advocate, Bennettsville, SC,
V33, #21, Thur., Sept. 16, 1920, p. 1, c. 3
LIEUTS. RUNSER AND TURNER HERE
Lieutenants Runser and Turner, the aviators who spent some time
here last winter, and who have had many interesting experiences since
leaving here, arrived here again last Saturday. [September 11, 1920]
On acocunt of engine trouble, they were forced to land in D.K.
McColl's cotton field, east of the city. They arose and landed again in
an uncultivated area on J.O. Breeden and A.L. Breeden's Malpass place,
south west of the city. They remained there Sunday and took several
passengers to ride.
They have been flying over the county this week, distributing
campaign literature and other advertisements.
Later they expect to drop over the county a special aviation
edition of The Advocate.
The Pee Dee Advocate, Bennettsville, SC,
V33, #22, Thur., Sept. 23, 1920:
p. 7, c. 1-3
DEFENDS SUNDAY FLYING
Lieut. Turner Says Aviation Needs
Support of the People
There has been some discussion relative to flying airplanes in
Bennettsville and Marlboro county on Sundays. One of the ministers of
Bennettsville told me in a conversation that it was not right and
insinuated that it directly corrupted the morals of the people in the
town.
This minister also went to the sheriff and tried to get him to
put a stop to the Sunday flights, but without success. This has only
happened in two places out of the dozens of towns we have visited in
twenty-two states. There is no law to govern flying and personally I
cannot see why there should be. It is only a means of transportation,
such as many other vehicles are used for and I see no more harm in flying
in an air ship than in riding in an automobile. Besides this is not the
first time Bennettsville has been visited by a ship and I have never
known of any objections being raised when here for several months during
the first of the year.
The Aero Club of America is doing all it can to develop flying
and unless the people co-operate and help the aviators this wonderful and
useful machine cannot make the progress it has merited. We must remember
what it has meant to our country's defense to have a strong air force and
in order to maintain it the government and people will have to lend a
helping hand.
The people are not convinced as yet that aviation is here to stay
and will not invest their money in ships, considering them dangerous and
very impractical. In order to convince them, the flyers will have to
demonstrate the many advantages and teach the people to see the future of
aviation. The flyers deserve much credit for the efforts they have put
forth so far. The towns will not even prepare landing fields and almost
all of the accidents that happen are caused by trying to use unprepared
fields for landing and flying.
If the people will not give a landing field it means that there
is a lack of interest. If this be true, it is natural that the flyers
have a hard time getting a crowd to come out and see the ship
demonstrated. They will come only when out riding and with nothing else
to do. This is usually on Sunday and if the ships were not allowed to
demonstrate and fly on Sundays they could not stay in business.
This being the case it is up to the citizens to either put an end
to one of the greatest invention's progress or to look at it from a
different view point and encourage and help the men that are willing to
work for the advancement of aviation.
I realize fully that there are many dangers connected with flying
under certain conditions and it is not my desire to antagonize anyone or
to influence anyone to take any chances in any way. Neither do I want to
keep the people away from church. I am a member of the church and try to
attend services at least once every Sunday. In fact we seldom fly on
Sundays until the afternoon and there are no services held during these
hours in the churches.
This is to simply call your attention to some of the facts we
must face and I ask for your kind and unbiased consideration in the
matter. If I am wrong I want to right myself, but I can't see where I am
doing any more harm than the people that use various other means of
transportation, such as trains, boats and automobiles on the Sabbath day.
Respectfully yours,
Roscoe Turner, Aviator.
The Pee Dee Advocate, Bennettsville, SC,
V33, #22, Thur., Sept. 23, 1920:
p. 7, c. 4-6
(Advertisement)
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Big British Plane of Runsuer and Turner will
fly again on Sunday. The landing field will be the
same as used on last Sunday. That is, the pasture
on the farm of Mr. Covington, four miles from
Bennettsville, on the Clio road.
The French Plane belonging to the Airplane Company
at Dillon will also be on the field.
These ships will make flights in the afternoon and
anyone wishing to take a safe trip through the air
will have the opportunity to do so at this time.
Come and bring your wife, sweetheart or friend,
and take a trip together. The Ships carry two
passengers besides the pilot and are the Safest
Flyers to be Bought.
The Pee Dee Advocate, Bennettsville, SC, V33, #23, Thur., Sept. 30, 1920:
p. 1, c. 6
WENT UP HIGH SUNDAY
At the aviation field at W.J. Covington's Sunday [September 26,
1920], several contributed the money to pay for a ride for George Genes,
and he went up with Lieut. Turner and Rogers Moore, and took a flight
over Marlboro county, going over a mile high. Mr. Genes says that the
plane butted up against a cloud and stopped still for some time, finally
diving under the cloud. He says Pee Dee river looked like a yellow strip
about as wide as his hand.
Oscar Grosch also went up Sunday and flew still higher than Mr.
Genes. With him the plane shot through a cloud, and over and under it,
and did various stunts nearly two miles up in the air.
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