Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-08-24
sMY CUTS DOWN BLERI0I'S TINE
Time Limit Had Almost Expired
When Curtiss Appeared and Many
American Enthusiasts Had Given
Up Hope of Seeing Their Favorite
Enter Speed Tests.
(By Associated Press.)

RHEIMS, FRANCE, Aug. %
Gienn- II. Curtiss, the American avia-
tor' nd NJ. Paulman, representing
france divided the honors OF the
secono 4 day of aviation week, the
forme r with thrilling flight just be-
fore dusk in which he lowered the
spe' ed record for the course, which
me. assures 1-5 miles, to 1875 %
SCI conds; the latter making two i'm
pr essive high altitude flights of 4S1s
ano Sc kilometres respectively in the
end urance test for the Prix de La
On ampagne.
Csurtiss' performance began just as
the time limit OF the start for the
Prix lie La Champagne was expiring
and when the American enthusiasts
mad aDTnndoned hope of seeing their re-
presen a. alive take the field
Am Ia the unbounded jubilation OF
the fench spectators Bleriot only =
few n linutes before had clipped 10
second. off Lefebrves record, made
yesterc lay with his powerful so horse
lower monoplane. Suddenly at one
end OF Che field a cry went up: The
America9n is starting"
iies at Terrific Pace.
With "a preliminary run along the
ground ofy 100 yards the machine OF
Curtiss rG5se lightly and shot by the
tribune aga a height of so feet. 1t was
going at e terrific pace with the wing
level as "A plane Curtiss made the
last turn Gfsader the mistaken impress
sion that th& field line was closer.
He descerG ded SO close to earth that
many thougf hit he touched, but per-
ceiving his error, he mounted quickly
and easily, 'rossing the line majestI-
cally.
An instant later the signal was
hciSted That he had made a record.
Curtiss said1 that he had not push
ed his machil ne to the limits OF It's
speed and lau agbingly declined to sa,
more, adding that the most interest
ing incident ciIf his fight was the view
he got of hi is fallen rivals strewn
around the course.
1t is the in' ternational event for the
Gordon Bennest cup Saturday for
which he is theta favorite. after which
he will try for I he Prix de La Levixe,
the final Of wig ich will be contested
on Sunday.
Pauiman MAKES Record.
Paulham alone kmade a record in the
endurance test to-day. but Lefebrve.
Somner, Sanchis- '-Pesa, Bleriot, De
Lagrange. Lamber IT. Oockburn. Bunr.
yarila. Gobron, l. latham. Tissandier
and Farman quail lied with flights
varying from 200 n.l'etres to $50 kilo-
metres.
During Paulmanfcs long fight,
chance races took pr zee 5etween him
and Bleriot and LefeNo rive, the latter
oEtspeeding the flyer pVsauIman. Bleriot
appeared while Paulr>-~san was compiler
ing his fourth rounel and with his
so horse power mo- fOplane swiftly
overhauled and passes under the BIZ
pIane. leaving it far tsehiud.
Two monoplanes hav, Alg been put out
OF commission by siit'oht accident in
landing. Latham SUCCEEDED in making
his best fight with arr untried ma
chine with an alumiauny propeller.
Until Saturday. wher 1.-THE interna-
;ionaI event will be de. tsed. the fly
ing is likely 10 be iesy interesting
than during the first t. . days. but
popuIar as well as scier--{fc and ex
pert enthusiasm over av--ltion week
shows no sign Of abater en;.
Among the hundreds CO Americans
here are Mr.. and Ms. CO rye Gould,
mrs W X. Vanderbilt p Mr.. and
Mrs. Nat Goodwin. Wiiliar1 II. Crane
and Mr.. and Mrs. LEWIS 'r lSittredge.