Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-30
CURTISS WINS
ANOTHER EVENT
ADDS PRlX DE LA VlTESSE TO
LAURELS
HISTORY MAKING AERoNAUTIcAL
WEEK ENDS
Americas Representative Takes Lions
Share of Honors In Most Remark
able Aviation CarnivaI-Coun-
tryman Urges Medal
tBy Associated Press. ]

BETHENY, Aviation Field, Rheims,
hans graceful monoplane, like great
white bird soaring above the plains
| this evening so high that it seems to
rise above the harvest moon over the
distant hills and the fleeting golden
! flier,' as the Curtiss machine has been
| dubbed, lowering another worlds rec
! ord in the PriX de la Vitesse, were
! the closing glories of aviation week.
The victory of Glenn II. Curtiss, the
! sole American representative in the
! contests, coming on the heels of his
great victory in the international cup
yesterday, gives the United States the
| lions share of the honors. The Prix
de la Vitesse, of 10000 francs $4,000,
divided into four prizes, was dis
| tributed to the four machines, making
three rounds of the course. thirty kilo
meters, at the greatest speed, the first
! prize being won by Curtiss, notwith-
standing his penalization.
Curtiss missed winning the speed
! lap contest from Bleriot by only a
small margin. He captured second
| place in that event, which was over
the full circuit of ten kilometers. or
| 6.21 miles, raising his total money
/ ,
| eight thousand francs, besides the in
| ternational cup, which goes to the
Aero club of America, inscribed with
| his name.
5Ieriot Is Injured
At yesterdays cup contest an acct
| dent removed Bleriot, the Americans
most dangerous competitor, from to-
| days three-lap speed contest. Bleriots
escape from death was narrow. He
| had passed the first turn in the PriX
| dc la Vitesse when the rudder sud-
denly failed to respond. The machine
| turned completely over three times,
| landing with such force the petrol tank
burst. and, catching fire from the hot
! motor. enveloped the machine and pilot
! in flames.
| Bleriot was burned about the hands
and face. but not seriously. Latham
| then remained Curtiss' only serious
| rival. Curtiss overhauled him in every
| kiometer. finishing less than 400 meters
| behind the Frenchman. The time by
| laps was:
Latham-S:47 3-5, 1913 As, 26: 80 20.
| Curtiss-7:59 4-5. 1900 2-5, 24:15 1-5.
| The committee first posted Latham 5
! time with one-twentieth penalization
as 27;51 2-5, giving Curtiss the victory
defeat and brought out Number 90"
With this he flew considerably faster,
his record being 1888. 1903, 25:1S 1-5.
| The penalization brought the time to
26:33 is. seven seconds less than that
made by Curtiss. The judges an
nounced they were awaiting reports
from the field commissioner at $3.50,
after which no start would be pos
sible.
Latham Wins Altitude Cup
With his penalization Curtiss' time
stood 25:49 2-5, and this gave hlm the
| race by almost a minute.
But when he learned that the second
round had been traversed in 7:4S 20,
| less than one second from Blerlot 8
| lap record, he insisted upon making
another effort. but failed to equal the
Frenchman's time by four seconds.
The Prix de latitude 1000 francs to
be awarded to the aeroplane attaining
the highest altitude, was won by
Latham. who reached a height of 155
meters (about 490 feet)
The passenger contest was
won by Farman. With two passengers
he made the circuit of the course in
10 minutes 80 seconds, and with one
| passenger in Q minutes 90 40 seconds.
The lap-speed contest went to Bier
lot, who covered the ten kilometers IN
minutes AZ As seconds. Custiss was
| second.
Varilla, with 100 kilometers,
won the PriX de Mechaniciens. Rougler
was second with 90 kilometers.
The dirigible balloon, Colonel Renard'
captured the Prix des Aeronautics, a
prize Of 10000 francs for the best time
in five circles of the course, 80 kllo-
meters. The time was l hour IA min
utes IA seconds.
Cortland F. Bishop, president of the
Aero Club of America, says he intends
to ask American cities to compete for
the honor of holding the meeting where
the international cup won by Curtlss
will be defended. He has cabled the
aero cIub. Offering a cash subscription
for gold medal to be presented to
Curtiss by President Taft.