The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-08-25
CURT|SS IS VICTOR
American Aviator Makes a
New Record at Rheims.
FLIES TRACK AT IS Mile CLIP
Eleriot Had Just Previously Low.
cred Lefebvre's Record by Six
teen Seconds In His Pow
erful Monoplane
FLIES TRACK At IS Mile CLIP

Rheims. France. Aug. 24.-Gipun II.
CurtiSS, the American aviator, and NJ.
Iuulham. representing France. divided
the honorS of the second day CT ava-
ton week. the former with thrilling
flight at the rate of forty-thrce miles
an hour. in which he lowered the speed
record for ne course. which measures
six and onU-iifih miles, 10 s minutes
80 - seconds. the latter making two
impressive high altitude flights of for
ty-ninc and "u.-half and tifty-siX kilo-
meters respectively in the endurance
test for the PriX de la Champagne.
CurtiSs' performance began just as
the time limit for the start of the priX
dr la Champagne was expiring, when
The American enthusiasts had ahan
doncd hope OF seeing their representa-.
tive take the field Amid the unbound
ed jubilation of the French spectators
Reriot only few minutes before had
clipped sixteen seconds off Lefcbvrc'S
record with his powerful eighty horse.
power monoplane.
Suddenly at one end of the field n
cry went up, The American is start,
ing" All eyes were strained to that
particular point where Cortlandt Field
Bishop. president of the Aero Club of
America. and a crowd of other ad-
mirers surrounded Curtiss.
With preliminary run along the
ground Of a hundred yards the ma
chine rose lightly and shot by the trih-
unes at height of sixty feet. 1t was
going at terrific pace, with the wing
level as plain. CurtSs made the last
turn under the mistaken impression
that the finish line was closer. He de-
scended so close to earth that many
thought he touched: but. perceiving
his error, he mounted quickly and cas-
lily. crossing the line majestically An
instant later the signal was hosted
that he had made record.
CurtiSs said that he had not pushed
his machine 70 the limit of its speed
and laughingly declined to say more,
adding that the most interesting incl.
dent of his flight was the view he rot
OF his fallen rivals Strewn around the
course
1t is the intention of the American
aviator now to await patiently the in
ternational event for the Gordon Ben
nett cup on Saturday. for which he is
again the favorite, after which he will
try for the PriX de In Vitesse, the final
OF which will be contested on Sunday.
Iaulham alone made a record i'm the
endurance test, but Lefebvre. Sommer,
SanchiS-Pesn, Beriot. Delagrange,
Lambert, Cockburn, Bunau Varilla,
Gobron, Latham. TiSSandier and Far
man qualified with flights varying
from 200 meters to twenty-five kilo-
meters, the majority contenting them
selves with covering sufficient distance
to get within the limit.
During Paulham's long flight chance
races took place between him and
Bleriot and I.efebvre, the two latter
outSpeeding the high flying Paulham.
! Rlerlot appeared while Paulham was
completing his fourth round and with
his eighty horsepower monoplane
swiftly overhauled and passed under
the biplane, leaving it far behind.
Two monoplaues having been put out
: OF commission by Il slight accident in
| landing, Latham succeeded in making
his best flight with an untried ma
chime with an aluminium propeller.
Until Saturday. when the interna-
tional event will be decided, the flying
is likely to be less interesting than dur
ing the first two days, but popular as
well as scientific and expert enthu-
SiaSm over aviation week shows no
! sign of Abatement
The policing of the course by French
soldiers and mounted Dragons is the
subject of general satisfaction. Squad.
rons of Dragons inside the field are
often compelled to escape on the gal
lap from some low flying machine.
Among the hundreds of Americans
here are Mr.. and Mrs. George Gould,
Mrs. w. X. Vanderbilt. Jr.; Mr.. and
Mrs. Nat Goodwin, William II. Crane
and Mr., and Mrs. Lewis Kittridge of
! Cleveland.