Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-17
AUTO CLUB TO PURCHASE
FRENCH FLYING MACHINE
NEW ENGLAND SOCIETY BUYS
AIR CAR
First Practical Attempt to Bring
About a Realization of Serious
ness Of Art-Aeroplanes
Costly

The first practical attempt to bring about
a realization in America of the seriousness
of the art of flying has just been made oy
the New England club.
1t is planned to bring over one OF the ma
chimes which are now almost daily flying
miles at a time under the guidance OF Far
man, Delagrange and others in France, ana
make public demonstrations in this country
Various firms in France and England are
now advertising aero-planes at $4,000 and
$4,000. guaranteed to fly mile in circle.
In speaking of this plan member OF the
club. Henry Howard, said: Resort 10
France seems necessary because of the Sc
crecy of the Wright brothers here. Sc
crecy which is likely to be maintained by
the government when the machine 1t has
contracted for is delivered" This may also
be said of A. NJ Herring, who is even more
secretive, If possible. than the Wrights.
Professor w. H. Pickering of Harvard
university observatory favored Mr. How
ards plan that steps be taken to secure Tor
the club a French flying machine and
thought that by such method much more
would be done for the good of the art than
to try to raise prize money without this
stimulus.
Committee Appointed
After various discussions it was voted
that a committee be appointed to procure
for the club flying machine. after a con-
sideration of the specifications of the best
American and French machines rne com
mittee appointed for that purpose consists
of Henry Howard. chairman; Professor W.
H. Pickering and C. f. HELLER. The ciun
also appointed II. H. Clayton of the Blue
Hill meteorological observatory a committee
of one to raise funds to purchase balloon.
Having heen instructed by the Maxwell
Briscoe. Stanley people to select suitable
course for the mile match race between tho
racing cars of the above firms for the Sir
Thomas r. Dewar international mile record
trophy. w. J. Morgan this week Inspected
the Jersey coast beaches from Atlantic CITY
to Cape May.
On his return to New York Morgan stated
that the best stretch of sand for record
breaking automobile contests Is situated at
Avalon. a five-mile stretch running 10 sea
Isle City. The place is about mid distance
between Atlantic City and Cape May and an
ideal spot for racing purposes Its chief
drawback is the lack of hotel accommoda-
tions and train service OF more import
ance is the fact that there is no good road
for automobiles to reach Avalon.
At Cape May the beach was found 10 be
in bad condition. The heavy tides or the
winter cut out the beach to such depth
that black mud patches show when woulo
make racing dangerous. Mr.. Doyle of the
Cape May hotel says tibet the beach is i'm
proving daily and new surface OF hrm
sand will show itself by the summer
careful inspection of Ventnor Atlantic
City's three miles stretch of beach. showed
that II is the best on the coast Tor racing
at this time. Walter E. Edge of the At
lantic City Automobile club assured Mr.,
Morgan that his club and Atlantic City
would welcome the International trophy
race and would do all in their power In the
way of inducements to secure three days
tournament. 1t is expected that j. D. Max
we'll and BENJAMIN Briscoe. with repre-
sentative OF the Stanley company, will go to
Atlantic City shortly to test the beach
Long Island is anxious to have the race
and some sportsmen of Brooklyn have sue-
rested a choice of two or three coed
stretches of Long Island roads for the con-
test 1t is very likely that the board of
trustees for Sir Thomas Dewar in this coun-
trv will announce a race for the trophy
about the middle OF June and IL is under
stood that the contest will be open TO all
makes of cars that come within the inter-
national weight qualifications