The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-20
AIRSHIP A SUCCESS
s,xTos-DUMONT MAKES THE TRIP
AROUND EIFFEL TOWER.
THE TIME JUST 80 MINUTES
FRENCH JUDGES WITHHOLD PRIZE
ON A TECHNICALLY.

~ neufsch, Who Onered the Prize,
insists That santos-DumOnt Has
won-The Trip Made TO the Tower
IN AS and Rack Against the Wind
in 20a5-Then Made Broad
sweep Across the Aero Club
Grounds in 1;25-The Judges Make
their Point on This Extra Time.
paris Oct. 19.-The Santos Dumont
sirship ascended at st. Cloud at 2:3S
o'clock this afternoon and five minutes
efterward began to round the Eiffel
tower.
santos-Dumont completed his trip
successfully, but question has arisen
ss to whether it was done within the
time limit, thirty minutes. M. Deutsch
saws the aeronaut won the prize. The
committee, however, declares M. San
tos-Dumont took so minutes 40 Al Sec
onds to make the trip.
Santos-Dumont started for the first
time at 2:29 but on leaving the park
his guide rope caught in tree and he
was Obliged to descend. He started
again at 2:42 p. m. He rose 250 yards
and then pointed for the Eiffel tower.
the balloon going in straight line. 1t
was seen through field glasses to ar
rive at the tower and round it. The
time up to that point, with the wind
in the balloons favor, was eight
minutes and forty-five seconds. 1t re-
turned against the wind and made
slower headway, but still kept in the
true direction for st. Cloud, which it
- - min faS
Is seconds But instead of descending
Immediately, Santos -Dumont made
broad sweep over the Aero Club
grounds, with the result that another
minute and 25 seconds were consumed
before the workmen seized the guide
rope. Thus, technically, Santos-Du-
mont exceeded the time limit by forty
seconds.
Enormous Crowd Present.
The enormous crowd which had
gathered inside and outside the grounds
gave the aeronaut a tremendous ova-
ton AS his basket came within speak
ing distance, Santos-D -Dumont leaned
over the side. and asked: Have
won the price,"
Hundreds of spectators shouted
"Yesl Yes!" But the Count de Dion,
a member of the committee, approach
ed and threw a damper on the enthusi-
asm by saying:
MY friend, you have lost the prize
by forty seconds"
Numbers of onlookers protested
against this announcement in lively
terms, but the Count deDion said:
That is the decision of the commit
tee, IN accordance with the rules of the
contest"
A number of ladies who were pres
ent threw flowers over the aeronaut,
others offered him bouquets, and one
admirer to the amusement of the on
lockers. even presented him with lit
tie white rabbit.
At this moment M. Deutsch himself
arrived at the club grounds, having
only shortly before that moment reach
ed 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 great crowd then gave the two
men an ovation, cheering heartily for
Santos-Dumont and Deutsch.
AerOnaut Claims the Prize.
Santos -Dumont claims that he won
the prize because he reached the park
within the time, and that the original
rules governing the contest made no
mention of having to touch the ground
within the thirty minutes.
The dispute is due 10 the action Of
the committee. which some time ago
modified the terms of the contest by in
serting the latter stipulation. Santos
Dumont at the time protested and re-
fused to be bound by the fresh regula-
ton and strenuously upheld this view
with the Count deDion and other MEM
oers of the committee on descending
to-day, finally declaring that he con-
sidered he had won the prize and would
not try again.
If the money was withheld, it was
not his fault.
M. Deutsch said he would give $4,000
francs TO the poor, Notwithstanding the
oeclslon of the committee, but Santos
Dumont declined to accept the offer
as a solution of the difficulty.
Ihere was large assemblage Of peo-
PIE at the Eiffel tower and considera-
Die interest was manifested in the ex-
pertinent in other parts of Paris, groups
o. people gathering in the streets to
watch the progress of the elongated,
yellow balloon with its long guide rope
hanging and white canvas propellers
Mhlrling around, while those below
1Isunctly distinguished the loud buzz
ing OF the motor.
Santos-Dumont rounded the Eiffel
tower between the second and topmost
platforms at about rs yards away from
the tower.
Motor stopped in Midair.
Inc balloon pitched somewhat when
gong against the wind, and Santos
Dumont, when he descended, said the
motor suddenly stopped while the bal
.oon was a little distance from the
soWer. He thought he might have to
sessc,ehd but luckily he succeeded in
getting the machine started again.
from that time on during the trip the
ANo'or worked satisfactorily.