Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-26
field today carrying a passenger. He
negotiated a trial round in minutes 81

field today carrying a passenger. He
negotiated trial round in minutes 81
seconds.
A representative of the Aero Club of
Italy arrived here today and is making
arrangements to take the aviators and
their machines on special trains to Bres-
cia next Tuesday. He is particularly
anxious that Curtiss go to Italy. ana
probably will offer him special conditions.
Fournier was about with broken
nose this morning. He received many
congratulations on his narrow escape
of yesterday. when fortunate Jump
from his machine. that had turned tur-
tie. saved him from being mangled o.
the whirling propeller blades.
Rear Admiral Raymond p. Rodgers
L.. s. ~, was here today. Accompanied
by Commander r. l.. Chaplin. the Amer
and examined all the machines and was
deeply interested in the progress made
i'm the science of aviation.
In the contest for the international cup
which takes place Saturday, Curtiss. the
American. and Cockburn, the English
flyer will compete against three French
men. Lefebvre, Bleriot and Latham. Inc
regulations provide that the racers must
start between 10 am and ) pm, and fin
sh not later than $50. In case of bad
weather the contests will be postponed
until Sunday.
Lathams fast time of this morning
gives MIN a Splen01U cndnce III DolI tliS
international cup and the speed contests
His time for the first three rounds was
- minutes and ID 30 seconds, which is
two minutes and twelve seconds less than
the best record by the Wright models
Curtiss Placed Third.
The fight made by Curtiss this morn
ing placed him third in the PriX de la
Champaign. The American tried a French
propeller, but, finding it unsatisfactory,
he replaced it by one modified as to
give the blades a slightly increased pitch.
He explained when he came down. that
he could have gone farther, but as the
machine is new he wanted to try 1t. out
gradually.
nounced today to permit Bleriot to use
either of his two machines in the con-
test Saturday for the international cup
has created considerable adverse criti-
cism. as the other competitors are linn
tied to the use of the machine with which
they qualified
This ruling allows Bleriot to fly with
the so horsepower machine with which he
made his speed lap record, while the ma
chine with which he qualified for the in
ternational is of Is horsepower. Curtiss
is inclined to regard this as unfair, but he
is not disposed to protest unless he is
joined by Cockburn.
Curtiss said today that there was reg
ular aeroplane graveyard in hollow of
the ground in the back turn. where the
wind forms veritable whirlpool AS he
Jew over this spot this morning he
noticed four crippled machines piled up
there.
Latham's fastest lap during his seventy
kilometer flight of this morning was
s minutes $500 seconds. His slowest
was covered in 8 minutes and I seconds.
Paulhan's New Feat.
Daring young Paulhan. holder of the
worlds hish-fiight aeroplane record, who
made his first flight less than two months
ago. established yesterday. in calm, wind
and rain. a new duration and distance
record for aeroplanes by flying over the
great aviation track on Betheny plain
hours, AZ minutes and "a seconds. The
official estimate of the distance is frac-
ttOn over eighty-one miles, while 1t is
calculated that the aviator actually flew
over 100 miles.
Roger Sommer made the best previous
record August by flying 2 hours. q
minutes and 10 seconds at MOurmelon.
While this record was not official, 1t was
conceded to have beaten Wilbur Wright's
record of 2 hours, % minutes and 50 Sec
onds, which he made ihe last day of last
year.
With the speed record to Bleriot's credit
and the height and duration and distance
records in Paulhan's possession, the
Wrights were stripped of every aeroplane
record, ana tne fTencH machines WreSteQ
from America the supremacy which for
two years was its pride.
Glenn II. Curtiss, the American avia-
tor, who lowered the record Monday
with a speedy Night, yesterday made a
plucky endeavor to win his champion
ship back from Bleriot, but failed to
equal his rivals time bysseven and one
fifth seconds He is very hopeful, how
ever. of making a much better show
ing, and says the struggle between
himself and his competitor has simply
resolved itself to question of motor
efficiency and propeller power.
First Accident Of the Week.
The first accident during the meet oc-
Cured yesterday, when just before
dark a Voisin biplane capsized in the
air and was wrecked In smashing on
the ground. The driver was only
slightly injured.
There are conflicting reports, due per-
haps to the twilight, as to who the un-
Rougier, others say it was Fournier.
Owing to the celebrity with which the
wreck was cleared away and the late
ness of the hour. the identity OF the
operator could not be fixed, but who
ever he was, he was not much hurt.
Paulhan's flight is considered remark.
able for many reasons. Not only did
another drop of gasoline in his tank,
but he held to his course through q
comparative calm, which changed into
a high wind blowing almost twenty
miles an hour and finally developed
into downpour of rain, ending with q
beautiful rainbow as the rain cleared
away.