The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-23
CURTISS SETS HEART
ON SATURDAYS RACE
Yankee Aviator Eager for
International Race
at Rheims.

RHEIMS, Aug. 23.-Improved weather
brought ccowd of nearly 5000 to the
Plains of Bethany today to witness the
seropIane flights OF the worlds greatest
aviators In the second day of Ava
ton Week.
The ground was much firmer and
smoother today and the aeroplanes,
w..ich experienced considerable difficult
" yesterday in getting under way pre-
paratory to mounting, rose easily.
The most important event in tOday's
program was the first "heat" Of the
PrIx de Vitesse. a race for speed ove~
thirty lgilometers- The race viii be cOm-
pleted tomorrow. The Prix de Paasen-
gers, first prize to the machine carrying
the greatest number Of passenge.3 a
distance Of ten HilOmeters, was also
scheduled to be held late this afternoon.
Early indications are that tie race
would not be commenced until late in
the day.
Glenn II. Curtiss was an interesting
figure in the great crowd. He showed
no sign of the mishap that befell MIN
last week. He announced that he would
hardly take part in any of the events
preceding the great Coupe Inter aation-
ale on Saturday Curtiss has his heart
set on the big race. and he does not
wish to take any chances in fnjuring
the only aeroplane that he has here
Lefebvre Dangerous Contender.
The French trio In the Coupe Inter
rationale has been definitely picked. II
is Hubert Latham, who will fly an An
toinette biplane; Lefebvre, a Wright BIZ
plane. and BleriOt, a BleriOt monOplane.
This will put two Wright machines
IN this event, as Louis Schreck viii also
sail cue of the Dayton brothers mach
ines. Lefebvre's work in the qualify
ing round yesterday makes his a dan
gerous contender He flew around the
six-mi1e course three times, one round
being made in minutes IS 10 seconds.
Bleriot, Latham, and LefebvFe were
chosen from thirteen French entries.
The limit Of entries by one country is
three In the Coupe InternatiOnale.
1t is believed that fully 500 Americans
were present this afternoon. The Amer
lean colonies in nearly all the European
capitals seem to be temporarily So
jour ains here.
Cortland +. Bishop, representing the
Aero Club of America, said today that
Jacques Verne had promised TO send a
small portable dirigible balloon for the
Hudson-Fulton celebration next month.
Wrights' Machines Win.
All Franco is ringing with ap-
plause for the Wright machines, and
for the three drivers, lefebvre. Tissan-
Cier and 6e Lambert. who sent them
over the speed course. taking the first
three prizes in the first speed prize race.
Lefebvre. in a Wright aeroplane, ranks
as the first chosen representative of
France in the tnterna1 tonai cup races,
while Bleriot and Lathgm are the 9TH
ers chosen for the honor Of France.
Spectators of the speed trials yes
terday afternoon were treated to the
greatest display of aerial navigation
since the world began. Flying about
their heads at one time in the progress
of the trials were six great machines,
driven by daring aviators. About the
course they flew like great birds. dip
ping down almost TO the muddy track
and then lifting again into aerial
depths that caused the timid specta-
tors to hold their breath in apprehen-
sion of the danger.
when Lefebvre finished his three
rounds of the course. he gave an eX-
hibitlon Of fancy flying with his Wright
Continued. on Second Pagel