The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-09-02
CuRTISS WINS IN CONTEST.

The international cup of aviation
known also as the Gordon Bennett tro-
phy, was won Friday by Glenn H. Cur
tiss, American aviator, in the fastest
aerial journey of 1912 miles ever &C.
complished by man. His time, 10 min
utes and 80 3 ) seconds, was only 3'5
seconds faster than that made by Bleriot
over the same course. The other two
pilots who represented France, Latham
and Lefevbre. finished respectfully in II
minutes and 80 seconds and 20 minutes
and AZ 3.5 seconds The race lay be.
tween Bleriot and Curtiss, with Latham
as q possible outsider. Fortune favored
the American. An accident two days
before to Bleriot's machine, with which
he held the lap record, was serious
handicap, since he had no opportunity to
try out the repaired machine.
Curtiss decided at 10 o'clock in the
morning to make the race and after
trial trip, in which he circled the course
in 7 minutes and So / seconds, lower.
ing the worlds record nine seconds,
started Immediately on his attempt to
win the cup. He handled his machine
in mastery style, especially at the turns
which he took on the down grade The
first round measuring 6.21 miles, was
made in minutes and 81 - seconds
the second round in minutes, 53 1,5
seconds, another worlds record.
This remarkable showing on the part
of the American created CONSERVATION
in the Bleriot camp. The French favor
ite made the trial but could do no bet.
ter than : minutes, 5S 1.5 seconds for
the round.
Shortly after five o'clock Bleriot and
Latham crossed the line in quick success
sion. Bleriot went by the tribunes at
terrificpace and for moment the Amer
leans feared that Curtiss would be beat
en- He finished the round in almost the
identical time of Curtis fast lay, cover
ing the ten kilometers in Z minutes and
50 3.5 seconds, but his speed seemed ap.
preciably to decrease on the last round
and before he reached a final turn stop
watches showed he had lost. While the
French crowds were disappointed no
foreign victory could have been so popu'
lar rs that of an American.
The winning of the International avi-
alton cup by Glenn H. Curtiss, was re-
ceived at New York with great delight,
and preparations will be made to give
Curtiss hearty demonstration on his
arrival from abroad The American
winner of the James Gordon Bennett
trophy is expected to reach New York
by the middle of this month.
Glenn H. Curtiss, comes from Ham
mondsport. New York, and there he
worked out the ideas that led up to the
development of his marvellous aeroplane.
He worked quietly in his shop at Ham
mondsport day after day and his ideas
took definite form.
Curtiss had been practicing with a
biplane at Mineola near New York for
over month before he sailed for France.
His flights at Mineola convinced him
that his biplane could stand n higher
power motor He went back to Ham
mondsport and there built new ma
chine with which to compete for the
Bennett cup. This machine, according
to A. NJ. Herring, Curtiss' partner car.
ried the largest and most powerful mot
or ever installed on an aeroplane, 60
horse power affair, though the machine
itself is probably one of the smallest
that ever has made flights. Curtiss took
it abr Dad as his personal baggage rs it
only weighed 400 pounds.