Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-18
HANDSOME AIRSHiP
Seen Flying at Will About Environs
of Paris,

Paris, June 17.-Those who We're pres
ent at Longcnamps. Sunday, We're
treated to veritable sensation.
While the PrX de Villeron was being
run, the occupants of the grand stand
and the people of society who were sit
ting on the lawn began pointing up into
the air. Everbody's attention was soon
attracted, and looking in the direction
pointed at, an airship was seen APP
preaching from the distance. Some
one called out: Santos Dumont!"
And sure enough it was. AS the air
ship came nearer it was seen to bear
the placard "Santos-DumOnt ~ and
Immediately, as though by common
consent, the betting on the next race
that had favored horse No. 2, was
transferred to horse No. on the race
card. The coincidence did not go
wrong, and No. 8 won.
To conclude this phase of the story,
the betting for the third race was also
placed on No. 8, and again the coinci-
dcnce was borne out and No. 8 won.
AS soon as M. Santos Dumont in his
airshlp was directly over the course he
put his balloon through variety of
maneuvres, sailing this way and that
aud then, and as easily as a bird
alights, landed in the center of the
course. Needless to say, great ova-
ton vas rendered him. After watch
ing the race then in progress, NJ.
Santos re-embarkcd in his airship, as
ccnded to a moderate distance and
went through q second series of evolu-
tons.
While these were in progress someone
shouted:
'"fhCre comes another" And from the
direction in which DUmont had come a
second balloon was seen nearing Long
champs. by the time this had lowered
over the race track, third shout was
raised of And here comes another"
The third airShip came easily along,
Joined its two fellows over the course,
and after mutual salutation, Joined NJ.
Dumont in his flight. ana all three Heated
off like a sky squadron in the direction of
l;agatcllc. When the balloons had depart
ed, attention was again given to the races,
but while the airships were present the
attention of the immense crowd was given
to them.
1t was remarked by many who We're
present that no more remarkable comhina-
ton of the different forms of locomotion
was ever presented to a representative
gathering of people than that furnished
at Longchamps, Sunday.
The primary cause of the attendance
waS the horse races and to witness them
people had come from Paris i'll the car
riagCS, afOOt. on trains and in their auto
mobiles. The latter, as recent unfortunate
events have shown. are still to be ranked
as an unsubducd quantity, and their APP
pearanccS, powers and progress still at
tract the attention that is accorded to IL
novelty.
70 a crowd thus assembled there comes
this squadron of airShbS headed by n
man whose laborS in the paths of aerial
navigation have made him famous. In
the face of failure after failure he has
pcrsevercd until he has met with success
after success And it is largely to that
pcrSrVcrance-at any rate such is the
opinion Of Parisians-that the great prac
teal interest in the conquest of the air is
due.
Headed by this man. then, as commo-
dorc, 50 to speak, comes this notilla of
dirigiblc balloons Instantly all interest
in the race that had attracted the vast
crowd is lost and it is conferred on the
flights of these new and strange convey
anccS that bring their passengers from
Paris to the course ut LOngChampS as
though it were matter of fact instead
of marking the accomplishment of an age.
1t was as though NJ. Dumont and his as
sociatCs in flight had quietly said:
Let us take our airShipS and go out
to the races as a few years ago on,
might say with the air of now invita-
ton, Let us astoniSh the boulcvardiors
Ivy showing them our latest automobile =
Today Paris is declaring that it has
seen the fuliillment of dream