The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-01
Machine Travels Like a Bird and AIights Without
 An Accident
PHOTOGRAPHERS BLOWN
 OVER BY PROPELLER
Farman Starts Machinery While Aero plane Is on the Ground and Several Men Knocked Down-Another
 BalIoonist on the Scene.

New York, July 31.-Rising from the ground like a giant bird and darting through the air at express train speed Henri Farmans aeroplane, the interesting heavier-than-air flying machine, brought here from France to demonstrate his ability to fly, made it's initial flight in this country late this afternoon at Brighton Beach. It arose from an es- pecially prepared runway at the will of the inventor and after attaining a height of 25 feet, flew straight ahead on a direct line, finally alighting with exquisite grace when the noted air pilot diminished the motive power.
 During the brief space of time in which the aeroplane was skimming over the center field of the race track, the few hundred spectators. most of whom were friends of the inventor or rival aviators. watched the flight with breathless inter est. The instant the trim looking ma- chine landed cheers rent the air-cheers far more enthusiastic and vociferous than those of a race track crowd. Farman was surrounded and literally hugged by the jubilant aeronauts. Members of the Aero Club of America, under whose aus pices Farman will conduct his public flights at Brighton Beach, wanted to carry the successful inventor off the field on their shoulders.
 There were skeptics in the crowd who did not believe until they saw, and they watched the arranging of the machinery of the aeroplane in doubting silence.
 Photographers Blown Over.
 Newspaper photographers crowded around the aeroplane to get pictures of the machine as it was about to make it's first flight in America, and 1t was at this moment that Farman decided to make an- other test of the motor before flying. He Instructed his French mechanics in their rRGiSA1 tongue to hold fast to the aero plane while he turned on the power. In- stantly the propeller began to revolve at the rate of 400 revolutions to the minute and breeze equal to a small cyclone was created. The photographers were knocked flat and plastered to the ground until the power was turned off So great was the violence of the breeze that sev- eral willow trees were bent double. Far man laughingly said he guessed the ma- chinery was working all right.
 Then, when the crowd had been waved
 
 away sped the aeroplane over the plank roadway It ran swiftly along on it's wheels for 240 yards and then Farman turned lever which sent it into the air like magic, and away it flew. The pro- peller made whirring noise as it turned 500 times to the minute. Only $50 yards was covered in the air in this flight, but a few minutes later Farman made another try and travelled 760 yards in the air. He could have gone further, he said, but feared striking pile of lumber.
 Many Exhibitions.
 These flights are preliminary to Far mans public flights, which will begin to- morrow He will give 15 exhibitions at the track, and it is probable that he will appear in other parts of the country.
 As a rival attraction to Farman today, Frank Hamilton, an American aeronaut sailed his dirigible balloon into the race course while Farman was preparing to make his flights. Hamilton's balloon scared over the track grandstand and circled the field. When it was coming back a blade of the propelor broke and the balloon was banged up against the grandstand, throwing Hamilton out. Far man was the first person to go to his as- sistance, and he shook his rival warmly by the hand when he learned he had not been injured. Hamilton secured new propeller and sailed away.