The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-20
But, Because of Trifling Technical
ity, He Was Not Awarded the
Deutsch Prize of 100000 Francs.
SAID TO BE 40 SECONDS SLOW
ACCORDING TO STIPULATIONS WHICH
HE REFUSED To ACCEPT.
Giver of the Prize, However. Is Sat-
isfcd the Aeronsut Complied
with Terms of Contract.

| PARIS, Oct. 19-M. Santos-Dumont, the
| Brazilian aeronaut to-day circled the Eiffei
tower and claims to have won the Deutsch
prize of 100000 francs offered for dirigible
balloon. There is dispute. however. as to
whether the tower was circled within the
time limit-thirty minutes. NJ. Deutsch
SAYS the aeronaut won the prize. The COM
| mittee however, declares that Santos-Du-
mont took thirty minutes, forty and four
sevenths seconds to make the trip.
Santos-Dumont started for the first time
at 2:29 but. leaving the park, his guide
rope caught in a tree and he was obliged
to descend He started again at 2:42, rose
$50 yards and then pointed for the Eiffel
tower the balloon getting in a straight line.
1t was seen through field glasses to arrive
at the tower and round it. The time. up to
that point, with the wind in the balloon s
favor, was eight minutes and forty-five
seconds. 1t returned against the wind and
! made slower headway, but still KEPT in the
true direction for St. Cloud, which II
reached in the total time of twenty-nine
minutes fifteen seconds But, instead of
descending Immediately, Santos-Dumont
made a broad swoop over the Aero Club
grounds, with the result that another min
before the workmen seized the guide-rope.
Thus, technically. Santos-Dumont exceeded
the time limit by forty seconds.
The enormous crowd which had gathered
inside and outside the grounds gave the
aeronaut a tremendous ovation. AS his
basket came within speaking distance
Santos-Dumont leaned over the side and
asked Have 1 won the prize?" Hundreds
of spectators shouted, Yes" but the Count
De Dion, member of the committee. ap-
preached and threw damper the en-
thusiasm by saying: My friend, you have
lost the prize by forty seconds"
Numbers of the ontookers protested
against this announcement in lively terms,
but the Count De Dion said: THAT is the
decision of the committee, in accordance
with the rules OF the contest The crowd.
however, refused TO accept this view and
the spectators taking the ground that
Santos DumOnt was entitled TO the prize
because he had reached the grounds within
thirty minutes, although he had not de-
scended The aeronaut, after protesting
against the decision, finally shrugged his
shoulders and remarked: Anyway l do
not care personally for the 100 600 francs
| intended TO give it TO the poor
The crowd persisted in declaring that
SantoS-DumOnt had won.
The number of ladies who were present
threw flowers over the aeronaut, others of
fer-ed him bouquets, and one admirer, 10
the amusement of the Onlookers. even pre-
sented him with a little white rabbit
At this moment NJ. DeutSch himself ar
rived at the club grounds, having only
shortly before that moment reached Paris
from Biarritz he advanced, embraced
Santos -Dumont, shook hands with him and
said: For my part, L consider that YOU
nave won the prize The crowd then gave
lhe two men a great ovation, cheering
heartily for Santos-Dunont and Deutsch
i SantOs-Dumont claims that he won the
prize because he reached the park within
the time, and that the original rules gov
erning the contest made no mention of
having to touch the ground. The dispute is
due 10 the action of the committee. which
some time ago modified the terms of the
contest by inserting the latter stimulation
santos Dumont. at the time protested and
refused 20 be bound by the fresh regulation.
and strenuOusly upheld this view with the
Count De Dion and other members of the
committee on descending to-day. finally de-
cIar!ag that he considered that ne had won
the prize and would not try again IL the
money was withheld IL was not his fault
NJ Deutsch said he would give =. 900 francs