Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1909-08-06
BLERIOT CROSSES
ENGLISH CHANNEL IN
HIS MONopLANE
Plucky Frenchman Gets $4,000
Prize and American Exhib-
It's Winning Machine.

bCNcT, July ko.-1Hib Sleepy scdPOEtl
town experienced the keenest thrill
known In a generation, when at SUNRISE
yesterday morning a white winged.
bird-like machine. with loudly hum,
ming motor, swept out from he haze
obscuring the sea toward the distant
French coast and circliag twice above
the chalky cliffs of Dover, alighted on,
English soil.
A F~renchman, Louis Bleriot, portly
and red mustached, calmly descended
from the saddle, limping on a bandaged
foot which had been burned In his pre-
vious overland flight. Immediately two
compatriots. who had been waving a
big tricolored flag as a signal for the
landing place. fell upon him enthus-
iastically embracing and pounding him
on the back.
They, with a few soldiers and others
who happened to chance on the scene;
were the only persons to witness the
performance Of a remarkable feat.
Bleriot left Les Baraques. three miles
from Calais, about 4:30 a. m. on n
OF the smallest monoplanes ever used.
He crossed the channel In a little lesa
h half an hour, twice as swiftly az
the fastest maflboat. His speed aver
aged more than As miles an hour; some1
times Ii Appropriated 80 miles. Ha
kept about $50 feet o the sea level
and for 10 minutes while about midi
CIiduuci, was Jul VI SlSut VI UOtu COdStS
and the French ~torpedoboat Destroyer
which followed him with his wife and
friends aboard. The wind was blowing
about 20 miles an hour and the SEQ
choppy. The aviator was swathed with
a single garment OF drilling impervioua
to the wind which covered him from tho
top of his head to his feet. only his
face showing. He wore also a cork
life saving belt.
Washington, d. c., July 2s.-On the
eve of making an a%eroplane flight, in
volving as great. IL not greater, dangers
than Bleriot risked In crossing the Eng
lish channel early yesterday, Orvilla
Wright expressed great pleasure when
he III Of the success OF the French
mar.
Il have said all along that Bleriot
would be the first to make the flight
across the channel one he decided to
attempt It," said Wright. 1T was a
great flight"
London. July 2s.-Louis Bleriot, the
Frenchman. who made history by fly
ing across the English channel from
Les Baraques to Dover, q distance of
II miles In a little less than half an
hour, and his famous little monoplane,
both reached london this morning. the
former to receive 5000 and the latter
" I've ptdCco ou cAliUiliOh W Tic HlduN
cial advantage Of both q London hos1
pital and the enterprising proprietor OF
the only American department store
here.
The aviator is finding hero worship
much more trying than the strain OF
navigating the air.
An ovation awaited the aviator In
London, his compatriots having gath,
cred at Victoria station In huge num-
bers. With the help OF the police, he
finally succeeded In getting away ana
cached his hotel, where he was pre-
sented with the check at a luncheon
party.
BIeriot Fever RACES.
"Bleriot fever seems to have seized
a large part OF the populace OF London.'
Those unable to see the flyer himself
have been beseiging the store where,
the compact little monoplane Is In
stalled among other travelling reduis-
ties. The machine is so small II looks
like a large toy rather than a practical
flyer.
Numerous honors and medals are
awaiting M. Bleriot on this side OF the
channel, the principal prize being a
gold cup offered by Captain Wyndham
for the first flight across the English
channel. 1t will be presented the
French aviator at the Aeroplane club
dinner, August 9.
experts here regard M.
Bleriot's feat as a v~indication OF the
monoplane type of machine over the
bi-plane. The Frenchman's machine
carries a greater weight In proportion
to It's plane surface thar any other
type. which is considered a great ad-
vantage.
Dover, England, July 28.-Remarkable
scenes were witnessed at Dover this
morning Whan M p1Qrtnt rQtt1rpad hAra
to attend a civil reception In his honor.
The Frenchman was mobbed by the
enormous crowds, and the police a to
come to his protection, so eager were
the enthusiasts to greet him at close
quarters. i