Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-26

flourishing a flag in a valley suitable for
a landing.
II made two circles while lessening the
speed and then dived down, and came into
contact with the ground sooner than l ex-
pected. Both the machine and myself were
badly shaken up. A few persons quickly
assembled and 1 was helped out, as my
injured foot was painful. 1 am exceedingly
glad to be here"
M. La Fontaine came to the signal land
ing, the spot which the newspaper under
whose auspices the flight was made, had
chosen, but he selected a cup-shaped de-
preston called the North Fall Meadow"
two miles east of Dover, where the airship
would be sheltered from the wind in alight-
ing. Here he planted the French flag.
Sailors on the ships in the harbor were
the first to discover hat Bleriot was ap-
preaching.
Airship Comes in Sight.
They heard the buzzing Of the motor two
or three minutes before they could discern
the aeroplane. Then what looked like a
big white butterfly glided over their heads
as fast as a train Of cars and with almost
as much noise. 1t reached the cliff near
the gray turrets of Dover castle, swooped
around twice in broad curves and disap-
peared.
1t was not long before half the popula.
ton of Dover, dressing as they went, wen
toward the North Fall meadow. Photog,
raphers and cinematographers were crest
fallen because they had missed the great
event for which they had waited so long
Among the first to arrive were two Gus.
toms officers,
HOnOrs for Aviator.
NJ. Bleriot's friends took him quickly in
an automobile to the old Lord Warden
hotel by the pier. Meantime his wife ar
rived. She embraced him weeping, but
they were soon sitting at breakfast, the
center of a great gathering Of French peo-
Pile. The mayor and other officials called
early and welcomed NJ. Bleriot in the name
of the city and nation as the pioneer of
international flight
The townspeople of Dover, who for three
weeks have been on the alert for the sig
nal announcing that one of the flying ma
chine had started, were caught mapping.
A gale was blowing last night and the
forecasts promised a strong wind and
squalls in the morning. Hence the oper-
ators of the sirens on the steamers, which
It had been arranged should be blown
when the flyer started, were absent from
their posts. Only a few persons received
the wireless warning Of Bleriot's ascent.
M. La Fontaine, a friend Of the aviator,
arrived at the Lord Warden hotel at mid
night. He declined a bedroom with the
cryptic remark that he had an appoint
ment to meet NJ. Bleriot at 5 o'clock. The
hotel people thought the mysterious
stranger was joking.
Close upon their heels were several police
and their services were needed 10 restrain
the curio hunters, who Immediately began
to pull the machine TO pieces for souvenirs
Many others. foreseeing that the mono
plane would be treasured as a historic
relic, wrote their autographs thereon. The
city officials conceived a happy thought
and with Bleriot's consent raised a tent
about the machine and charged pence
admission to view it The profits from
this enterprise will go to the hospitals
and the police pension fund and the ex,
hibiuon did a big business.
AerOpIane is Small.
Parts of the framework of the monoplane
were splintered on landing. Every one
expressed surprise at its small size. It is
no more than twenty feet across the wings
and its weight is about 400 pounds, the
motor being twenty-five-hOrse power. In
the same machine Bleriot recently made a
cross-country trip Of twenty-five miles
from Etampes to Orleans. 1t is the small
est Of three he took to Calais.
The machine is fitted with an air-tight
sausage-shaped rubber bag so that 1t would
float II it descended TO the sea. Bleriot
said, however. he had complete control Of
the machine and had no fear he would
fail. The only difficulty he experienced
was the force of the wind, which hurt his
face and eyes badly. and the wind eddies,
which twisted his machine about while
nearing the English coast.
Count De Lambert came from Calais by
boat to congratulate his rival. A telegram
arrived from Hubert Latham, who a few