The St. Louis Republic., 1904-08-31
Eight AerOnauts Have Paid the
$3.50 Entrance
Fee.
RACE FOR 100000 PURSE.
Rules Specify That Flights Must
BE Made Before October l.
Many Will Take Part in
Minor Contests.

Chief Willard A. Smith OF tho Depart
ment of Transportation Exhibits. an
nounced yesterday that eight entries. N
every one Of which tho entrance fee Of
500 has been paid. have been made for
the Grand Prize OF $780, go for the airship
contest
The names OF those who have entered
and paid the entrance fee are: s. NJ. VIII
liams. San Francisco: E,mry Davis and
George Curtis. Gillespie. y. Y: william
Roescher. Middletown. n. Y; Charles
Stiriz. New York City; Alva Reynolds.
Los Angeles Cal: J. c. Fremont Mccau-
ley. Fowler. Kas.: the Columbus Airship
Navigation Company. Columbus. o.; Hip
polyte Francois. st. Mande. Paris. France.
Besides these there are others who have
signifed their intention either to enter in
the race for the Grand Prize or other Of
the minor contests. but whose entrance
fees have not yet been put UP.
Many OF the aforementioned entries
for the Grand Prize are men of achieve
ment in the field Of aeronautic science
race by presenting, as the rules OF the
contest provide. satisfactory evidence Of
having at some time made flight over
Mt least q mile course and return. with
q machine similar in principle to that
which 1t Is proposed to use In the COM
petition.
As the rules for tho Grand Prize
specify that the competitive flights must
take place between the first day of June
and the thrtieth day OF September. in
elusive. those who have entered for the
greatest aerial race OF the ages VIII
pare for the flights within a short time.
The specific weeks for the trials will be
determined by the International Jury.
advance Zach competitor must make at
least one trial within each Of the deter
mined weeks.
Mr. Smith also put a quietus on recently
was to question the sincerity OF the Ex-
position regarding the entire matter OF the
airship contests In q statement issued
yesterday.
He prefaced the statement with the as
sertion that there are at least two aero
nauts In the United States who have quail
fled for entrance into the contest for the
Grand Prize. These. he says. are De
Greth and Baldwin. both OF San Fran
stated. has never entered in the contest
he has no airshp and has never had any.
Mr.. Smiths statement follows:
TERMS OF RACE.
Under the neronautic rules the EXPOSE
tion offers. among other prizes, one o.
5000 for a balloon, airship or aeronautio
vehicle Of any type. carrying at least one
person. for landing nearest the Washing
ton Monument. in the city of Washing
ton. u. c.. the start being made from the
Exposition grounds in st. Louis. In this
race each contestant may make as many
trials as he chooses prior to the first day
Of November. 1904, at which time the prize
shall be awarded. An entry fee OF $50
Is required for this contest. but the fee
Is to be returned whenever the competitor
takes possession of his place and Is ready
for the competition.
"The Exhibitors Association Of the De-
partment of Liberal Arts desired come
special attraction for Liberal Arts Day.
own arrangements direct with Mr.. Tom
lnson and Mr.. Myers for an ordinary bal
loon ascension to take place on that day.
end. It Is understood. paid them for max
Ing the ascension. Under the rules, these
parties had the right at any time to make
a trial in tho Washington Monument race.
agreed thai the trial to be made on that
date should be considered as an attempt
to win the prize.
NO entry fee was required because the
balloons were already on the grounds and
ready for the flight. and. as the depart
rnent has the right to pronuigate any ad-
ditional rules which may be necessary for
the proper conduct of the contests, real
izing that the balloons to be used were
small and not adapted for such long
digtance flight. the stipulation was made
that tho contests should not be considered
competitive In this contest unless a flight
of at least 800 miles was made. and u land
Ing made east OF the meridian OF tho
western boundary line OF the State of
Ohio. Both OF the contestants having
failed to make this. the fight was not con-
sidered competitive.
1.-The object of considering these flights
In the Washington contest is to promote
interest on the part OF other aeroDauts
and to lead them to bring their balloons
TO the Exposition grounds and prepare for
the contests. There was no authorization
by the Aeronautic Concourse OF any pub
lication OF a race NJ airshps or dirigible
balloons. The department is entirely igno-
rant OF who was responsible for these ad-
ver:isements. and it protested against
them from the moment that they were
first seen In the papers The responsibility
for misleading publications. II there Is any.
rests entirely with those who promulgated
such advertisements.
George T. Tomlinson. who made trial
last Saturday for the 5000 prize. returned
By rail late Monday evening, and states
that he intends making several more trials
for the prize. The next trial will probably
be made this week by A. X. knabenshue.
one OF the balloonists stationed at the
Worlds Fair.