Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-09-30
WRIGHT AND CURTISS FLY
Former Makes Three Successful
Attempts and the Latter One.
BALLOON RACE IS FAILURE
BRIdwin's DirigibIe Drops Into Hud-
son River Near start and Tom
IinsOn is Forced to Descend
Near white Plains.

NEW YORK, Sept 29.-wiIbur Wright
circed the great Statue of Liberty at the
entrance of New York In his aeroplane
today, while in the upper part of the city
two huge dirible balloons failed ingloriously
in their task This, the first day of flights
of the Hudson-Fulton celebration, was a
victory for the heavier-than-atr machines
Both Wright and Glenn II. Curtiss scared
successfully from the aerodrome on Gov
ernors island in their motor propelled BIZ
planes. Both great dirigibles, manned re-
spectively by Captain Thomas Baldwin
and George l.. Tominson, and entered in
the New York Worlds New York to AL
bany race, were forced to descend because
of mechanical difficulties 9fore they were
well under way.
Wilbur Wright made I ree sensational
flights and Curtiss made ne brief though
successful spin of thirty dfonds' duration
Baldwin, with his dirigibla landed in the
Hudson river less than an hour after the
start, while Tomlinson after remaining
in the air from II S6 a. M until 1:SO p. m.
came to earth near White Plains. N Y,
twenty-five miles from his starting point.
Neither of the dirigible pilots was injured
nor was either craft seriously damaged.
With a lull In the General hudson Fulton
ceremonies, the eyes of all New York and
It's million visitors were turned toward
Governors Island, where the aeroplane
flights were held and toward Fulton
square, at one Hundred and Nineteenth and
Riverside drive the starting point Of the
New York-to-Albany race. Unfavorable
winds or rain during the last two days
had caused a postponement of all flights
and an impatient public hailed today with
eagerness when it became apparent that
weather conditions would permit the men
birds to try out their steeds.
Curtiss was the first to leave the earth
and at a time when dawn had hardly
broken. He spent the night on Governor
Island and at o'clock rose, but only for
a brief flight.
Three Flights by Wright.
Two hours later Wright made his first
! ascent encircling Governors Island and
remaining in the air for seven minutes
After an hours rest, Wright again went
aloft this time remaining in the air foI
six minutes and thirty seconds, attaining
a speed estimated at fifty miles an hour
and with a glorious sweep out over the
bay, passing entirely around the great EN-,
blem of liberty situated on Bedloe's is
| ldilu 10 iit lOTluNeSl NOl content WIZ
| these spectacular feats Wright made
| third flight this afternoon before a Grove
Of $4,000 persons, who by that time had as
! sembled on the island attracted by tht
| news of his earlier ascents. Yachts ex
| cursion boats and various craft had gath
cred on the aviation field and they footed
their whistles noisily as his machine ros'
| from the ground for the last flight of thu
| day. He did not attempt to fly over thu
water nor did he go TO any great height
| but executed two complete circuits In thu
air and then made an excellent landing
while the crowd, including his rival, Cur
tiss commented on the ease with which h,
manipulated his craft.
In all three Of his flights today tn,
Wright machine showed greater speed thar
that OF Curtiss but the Curtiss flye
seemed to keep its equilibrium better anC
remained on an even keel. Wright, in fact
met with one slight mishap in his firs
flight when a wing-up struck the grounC
on landing and considerably Jared his ma
! chine.
Wrights action in circling the statue o
liberty today is taken as a challenge t.
Curtiss for Curtiss it will be recalled
was the first to mention such a flight
From now on it is expected that the tw,
rival aviators will strive to outdo eacl