Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-06
Aero Club Anxious to Arrange
Contest at Fort Myer.
TROPHY WOULD BE AWARD
Wright, Herring and Curtiss Ma
chimes Possible Entries.
FORMER CONSIDERING SUBJECT
Broached to Aeronaut Now Under
taking Tests at Fort Myer by
Chairman Post of Committee.

Washington will witness real aero
plane contest, If the plans on which the
Aero Club of America is working can be
perfected
The second competition for the Scien-
tific American trophy, It Is hoped, can be
held in Washington before or about the
time the aerial tests now in progress at
Fort Myer are completed. Tests now be-
ing made at Fort Myer by the Signal
Service are in no sense competitive. They
are merely acceptance tests to ascertain
whether or not the machines submitted by
several bidders come UP to the govern
ment requirements. In this they are like
the acceptance tests of warships.
If the contest for the trophy is held,
however, It will be q real competition,
| though not exactly a race. as the COM
petitives will not all be in the air at the
same time.
The Scientific American trophy is called
cup by courtesy. 1t is really a great
silver globe, surmounted by an eagle and
with flying machines and other aerial
paraphernalia grouped around 1t. 1t is
worth intrinsically about s., 800.
No Contest Ever Held.
This trophy was turned over to the Aero
Club Of America to be competed for by
heavier-than-air machines under rules to
be formulated by the club. There has
been so far no actual contest.
The first trial for the trophy was held,
however. the 4th of last July. Curtiss,
with the Junebug, at HammondspOrt,
succeeded in meeting all the requirements
Of the club, and won the trophy for the
first time.
The conditions imposed in this contest
may vary greatly from year to year. Last
year the distance for the flights was one
kilometer.
Curtiss fell just short of the distance on
his first trial. but passed it considerably
on his second As there was no other
competitor the speed of the flight did not
figure.
By the rules formulated for the regular
contest, however, it is open to three or
more machines. and the award is to be
made for the longest flight. together with
the greatest speed and stability.
The date for the contest this fall was
September Z, There had been no en-
tries. In such case the contest commit
tee is empowered to arrange another con-
test at such time and place as it may
deem advisable.
The contest committee now consists of
Augustus Post. the secretary of the Aerial
Club! Lieut.. Frank p. Lahm of the Sig
nal Service and Charles NJ. Manley, for
merly chief assistant to Prof. Langley
Three Possible Competitors.
Post is anxious to have the date for
another contest fixed during the time
Wright and Herring will both be at Fort
Myer. 1t is thought there will be little
difficulty experienced to induce Glenn Cur
tiss, the present holder of the trophy. to
enter either the Junebug or one Of the
other aeroplanes of the Aerial Experiment
Association. This would give the re-
quired three competitors for a race.
Post preached the subject to Wright
yesterday afternoon. While Wright did
not promise to enter the contest, he said
his acceptance would depend largely upon
circumstances. One of these circum-
stances, of course, would be consultation
with his brother, Wilbur Wright, who
is now in Paris.
There is little question that Curtiss
would be perfectly willing to compete. If
A. M. Herrings machine. on which he Is
now working for the government, is as
great a success as its designer believes
there will be every inducement for him to
enter the contest.
The matter is now in the hands of the
Aerial Club committee and will be defin-
itely settled one way or other as soon as
possible.
Mr.. Beach of the Scientific American,
who, OF course, is interested in the con-
test for the trophy, has gone over to New
York to consult with Mr.. Manley, the
on the feasibility of holding the COMPETE
ton in Washington just after the con-
clusion of the government tests at Fort
Myer.
No Flight Yesterday.
There was no flight at Fort Myer yes
terday, though preparations were twice
made to take out the Wright machine. In
the early morning Wright did not arrive
in time to catch the most favorable wind
conditions. In the afternoon a rain
storm came up just as the machine had
been settled on the starting ways ready
for flight.
There was only small crowd present,
owing to the threatened weather. When
the rain commenced the machine was
wheeled back to the site of the balloon
camp and housed in the new shed that
had been built for it.
The balloon tent, where the aeroplane
has been kept. was taken down this after
noon for shipment to st. Joseph, Mo-,
where it will be used to shelter the Bald
win dir1gible.
The shed built especially for the Wright
machine has hardly been rooted over
When the plane was brought back from
the upper end of the field it was, however,
placed inStde.i 1t was then seen that
either the iquartermaster had made mis-
take in his plans in the shed or else the
War Department had been economical re-
garding lumber. The aeroplane could
scarcely be squeezed in its new quarters
without hitting the roof and both sides.
1t has not nbeef settled whether there
will be q flight Monday. The day
is a holiday. and Wright does not care to
practice in the presence of such crowds
as probably will be attracted to Fort
Myer. 10 jsus1a-H
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