The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-24

IN HONOR WITH
FRENCH AVIATOR
United States Representative at
Rheims Travels Over the
Course at Terrific Pace
PauIham for France in Long
Flight Accomplishes Re-
markable Achievement

~ HELMS. Aug 23.-Glenn H. Cur
tiss, the American aviator, and
NJ. Paulham. representing France.
OF aviation week, the former in
a thrilling fight just before dusk.
in which he lowered the speed rec
ord for the course. which measures
s1-5 miles. TO FIVE minutes S5 2-5 sec
onds; the latter making two impressive
high altitude flights of 491& and Sc
kilometers respectively in the endur-
ance test for the Prix de la Champagne.
Had Abandoned Hope
Curtiss' performance began just as
de la Champagne was expiring. when
the American enthusiasts had aban-
doned hope of seeing their representa-
tive take the field. Bleriot only a few
minutes before had clipped 16 seconds
off Lefevre's record.
Suddenly. at the end of the field a
cry went up: THE American is start
ing"
All eyes were strained to that par
ticular point, when Courtlandt Field
Bishop, president of the Aero Club of
America, and a crowd of other ad-
mirers surrounded Curtiss.
A Terrific Pace
With a preliminary run along the
ground of 100 yards the machine rose
lightly and shot by the tribunes at
a height of SO feet. 1t was going at a
terrific pace. with the wing level as
a plane Curtiss made the last turn
under the mistaken impression that the
finish line was closer. He descended
so close to earth that many thought he
touched. but. perceiving his error. he
mounted quickly. crossing the line ma
jesticaiIy. An instant later the sig
record
Curtiss said that he had not pushed
his machine TO its limit, adding that
the most interesting incident of his
flight was the view he got of his fallen
rivals strewn around the course.
to await patiently the International
event for the James Gordon Bennett
cup Saturday for which he is again the
favorite. after which he Will try for the
Prix de la Vitesse, the final of which
will be contested Saturday.
PauIham Makes Record
PauIham also made record in the
endurance test today. but Lefevre.
Sommer, Sanchis-Pesa, Bleriot, De Ia
/ Grange, Lambert, Cockburn. Bunau-
Varilla. Cobren. Latham, Tissandier and
Farman qualified with flights varying
from 200 meters to 25 kilometers. the
majority contenting themselves with
covering sufficient distance to get
within the limit.
During Paulham's long flight chance
races took place between him and
Bleriot and Lefevre, the two latter out
speeding the high flying Paulham.
Bleriot appeared while Paulham was
completing his fourth round and with
his eight horsepower monoplane,s swiftly
overhauled and passed the biplane.
leaving it far behind.
Denies Infringing
Curtiss today expressed great sur
prise at the decision of the Wright
brothers to sue him personally. He
/ insisted that the wrights never have
specified completely wherein he has
infringed upon their patents.
Cortland F. Bishop. president of the
Herring-Curtiss company, maintained
that the Wrights claim for a basic
patent is not good and that Curtiss
does not employ the warping wing
principle which is distinctive feature
of the Wright machine.
The partisans of Curtiss are mani
Testing considerable bitterness against
the Wrights for bringing this suit at
the moment when Curtiss is the sole
representative of the United States IN
a flying contest, especially as they
declined to enter this contest them
selves, and the Wright aeroplanes here
are classed as French machines.
! Wright Brothers Contention
1t is understood that the Wright
most of the foreign types of flying
machines were infringements. upon
their patents. but they purposely re-
Trained from bringing suit until avia-
tion week should have demonstrated
the superiority of their machines. Such
suits viii then be brought.
Up to o'clock this afternoon Paul
ham was the only man to make real
effort for the Prix de la Champa gne.
He covered 1880 meters in one hour
and three minutes. Several other men.
including Lefevre. who intend to com
pete later in the week. simply crossed
the starting line in order to qualify.
The Days Schedule
The events scheduled for today were
the Grand Prix de la Champagne and
of the City of Rheims and contfnua-
tions in the Prix du Tour de Piste and
the Prix des Aeronauts. The first event
y -