rutholiver

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Bancroft_Law "Ruth Bancroft Law (May 21, 1887 - 1970) was a pioneer American aviator during the 1910s." "Law's greatest feat took place on 19 November 1916, when she broke the existing cross-America flight air speed record of 452 miles (728 km) set by Victor Carlstrom by flying non-stop from Chicago to New York State, a distance of 590 miles (950 km). The next day she flew on to New York City. Flying over Manhattan, her fuel cut out, but she glided to a safe landing on Governors Island and was met by United States Army Captain Henry 'Hap' Arnold."

See www.earlyaviators.com/eoliver.htm and www.earlyaviators.com/eoliver1.htm

"Leonard Wood (October 9, 1860 – August 7, 1927) was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba, and Governor General of the Philippines. " Also tried for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1920.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Wood

see also

See for another picture that looks to be of the same occasion.
The San Diego Air and Space Museum has lots of photos of Ruth: www.flickr.com/search/?w=49487266@N07&q=ruth%20law

Ruth Law flew a modified Curtiss Model E "pusher" biplane. The story is that she wanted to purchase one of the newer Model R tractor biplanes but Curtiss refused to sell her one because (pick one or more) a) they were backed up on orders with war production b) Curtiss considered the Model R too much plane for a "girl" c) Curtiss was backing his own pilot, Victor Carlstrom. Law's Model E was modified with a larger engine (100hp) and prop (12"!), supplementary fuel tanks, and a short aluminum windshield. Since Law had learned to fly on Wright "wing warping" airplanes the cockpit was retrofitted with lever controls. She broke Carlstrom's record set only 2 weeks earlier. They both left from Chicago hoping to make it all the way to NYC in one hop. Carlstrom made it to Erie, PA (452 miles) before setting down to refuel. Law made it to Hornell, NY (590 miles.) Her brother, Rodman Law was a movie stuntman and might have been even crazier than Ruth. He made parachute jumps from the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge and once tried to ride a giant rocket.

Date on negative, 11-20-16
See note under

Anyone flying those machines had guts!

This photo was depicted in The Sunday Oregonian, December 03, 1916, SECTION FIVE, Image 66 with the caption: "Ruth Law arrived in New York recently after a flight from Chicago. Her first day's uninterrupted flight was to Hornell, 590 miles, which beat the record of Carlstrom on his first day out of Chicago. It also beat the long-distance cross-country record for this country and the woman's long-distance record for the world. After spending the night at Binghamton, she flew to New York, landing at Governor's Island. She might have made the whole distance in a day without stops if she had a bigger gas tank."

The Arizona republican., November 27, 1916, Page PAGE FOUR has a similar photo of her just after the landing in her "cold-defying costume".

Thanks for the link, B-59, and for connecting the images of Ruth Law. We'll add some information to the records the next time we update.