The Lewiston teller. (Lewiston, Idaho) 1900-1905, 1901-10-24
A|RSA|P C|RCLED The TOWER
TRIP WAS A PERFECT SUCCESS.
Deutscll Says the Aeronnut Won the
Prize. but Committee Says He Was
Too SlOw-Lar&e Crowd Present.
SautOs-DumOnt Loudly Cheered-
Ship Steercd by n Motor.

snip SteerCu Dy u NOtOfs
Paris. Oct. 21.-The Santos.Dumont
air ship assembled at st. Cloud at 2:3S
o'clock in the afternoon and five min
utes afterward began to round the
Eiffel tower. Santos Dumont complet-
ed his trip successfully, but question
has arisen as to whether it was done
within the time limit, 80 minutes.
NJ. Deutsch says the aeronaut won
the prize. The committee, however,
declares that Santos-Dumont took 80
minutes 40 Al seconds to make the
trip.
Santos-Dumont started for the first
time at 2:29 hut on leaving the park
his guide rope caught in tree and he
was obliged to descend. He started
again at ZAP p. m, rose ESQ yards and
then pointed for the Eiffel tower, the
balloon going in straight line. It
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 minutes
and As seconds. 1t returned against
the wind and made slower Roadway,
but still kept in the right direction for
st. Cloud. which it reached in the total
time Of 20 minutes, Is seconds. But
instead of descending Immediately,
Santos Dumont made a broad sweep
over the Aero club grounds, with the
result that another minute. and rs sec
onds were consumed before the work.
men seized the guide ropes. Thus
technically Santos-Dumont exceeded
the time limit by 40 seconds.
Crowd Was With Him.
The enormous crowd which had
gathered inside and outside the
grounds gave the aeronaut a tremend-
GUS ovation. AS his basket came with.
in speaking distance, Santos Dumont
leaned over the side and asked: Have
l won the prize?"
Hundreds of spectators shouted:
Eyes, yes" but the Count de Dion, a
member Of the committee, appeared
and threw a damper on the enthusi.
asm by saying: "My friend, you have
lost the prize by 40 seconds"
Numbers of the onlookers protested
against this announcement in lively
terms. but the Count de Dion said:
"That is the decision Of the commit.
tee in accordance with the rules of the
contest"
The crowd, however, refused to &C
cept this view and warm discussion
ensued. the majority Of the spectators
taking the ground that Santos-D umont
was entitled to the prize because he
had reached the grounds within the 80
minutes, although he had not de
scended immediately. The aeronaut
after protesting against the decision
OF the committee. finally shrugged his
shoulders and remarked:
anyway, I do not care personally
for the 100000 francs. I intended t.
give 1t to the poor"
The crowd persisted in declaring
that Santos-Dumont had won. A mum
her Of ladies who were present threw
flowers over the aeronaut. Others Of
fered him bouquets, and one admirer
to the amusement Of the onlookers
even presented him with . little whit
rabbit.
At this moment M. Deutsch himsel
arrived at the club grounds. havini
only shortly before that momen
reached Paris from Biarritx. He id
}. vanced, embraced Santos-D umont
shook hands with him and said: 'Fo
my part l consider that you have VOL
the prize"
The crowd then gave the two men [
great ovation. cheering heartily.
Santos Dumont claims he won tn
prize because he reached the parl
within the time and that the origina
rules governing the contest made n
] mention of having to touch the groun,
within 80 minutes.
The dispute Is due to the action 0
the committee. which some time ag
modified the terms Of the contest b,
inserting the latter stipulation. sar
tos-Dumont 1t the time protested an
refused to be bound BY the fresh regr
lations. and strenuously upheld thi
view with the Count de Dion and othe
members Of the committee on descend
| ing today, finally declaring that b
considered that he had won the pris
!. and would not try again. II the none
. was withheld. It was not his fault.
, M. Deutsch sSid he would give SIS
| 900 francs to the poor. notwithstandin
, the decision Of the committee, bu
Santos umont declined to accept th
offer ~ . solution Of the difficulty.
II There was . large assemblage (
: people at the Eiffe1 tower and consia
] cradle interest was manifested in th
movement In other nafta of parf