The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-08-31
GLEN 4. CURT|SS
WINS AIR SHIP RACES
American Aeroplanist Captures
Two Prizes at Rheims.
UNITED STATES HOLDS THE CUP
Height Prize to LathaIn--Farm
Wins in Passenger-C Carrying Con-
test-RIeriot Burned When Mon
oplane Falls and Catches Fire.

Wins in Passenger-C Carrying Con-
test-BIeriot Burned When Mon
Oplane Falls and Catches Fire.
Bethany Aviation Field, Rheims,
France. The last day Of the aviation
meet saw Glen H. Curtiss, the Ameri-
can, who won the international cup
the day before, the victor also in the
three-lap speed contest for the Prix
de Ia Vitesse, while Latham, who was
second in the speed contest, won the
contest for high flying - Prix de
latitude and Farman won the pas
senger-carrying contest Prix des
Passengers. Curtiss missed by mar
row margin beating Bleriot's single
lap speed record also. Bleriot was
eliminated from the Prix de la vi
Jesse by an accident to his rudder,
which flung his machine to the
ground, set it afire, and resulted in
painful but not serious burns for the
Channel flyer.
The concluding scenic effect of a
week fun of surprises was twilight
vision of PauIhan's graceful mono
PAAA40, LINZ q 81 Opt WAAtO I'll II, Dual
above the yellow disk of the harvest
moon, just rising above the distant
hills, and the fieeting golden flyer
as the Curtiss machine has been
dubbed, making its winning fight.
Thus the United States has the
lions share of the honors of the
10000 francs $4,000 is divided into
..st~. -,
the four machines making three
rounds of the course, thirty kilome-
tiers, at the greatest speed. The first
prize was won by Curtiss quite han
Oily, in spite of penalization heavier
than that of any of his rivals.
Curtiss won also the second place
in the speed lap contest, which was
over one circuit of ten kilometers, or
6.21 miles, raising his total money
winnings for the meeting to $4,000
francs ($7600), besides the interna-
tional cup, which goes to the Aero
Club of America, Inscribed with his
name
The only serious accident of the
meeting was that which removed Be
riot, the Americans most dangerous
competitor, from the days three-lap
speed contest. Blerot's escape from
death was narrow one. He had
passed the first turn in the Prix de la
Vitesse when his rud@er suddenly
failed to respond. His monoplane
turned completely over three times,
landing with such force that the pc
troll tank burst, and, catching fire
from the hot motor, enveloped the
machine and pilot in flames. Before
Bleriot could extricate himself he
was burned about the face and hands,
but fortunately not seriously.
With Bleriot out of the contest,
Latham remained Curtiss' only Sc
rious rival. Latham with his mono
plane No. 13 started only four min
utes ahead of the American, who gave
chase. Curtiss overhauled him stead
: lily, finishing less than 400 meters be-
hind the Frenchman. The time by
laps was: Latham-847 3-5, 1898
AS, 1852 2-5; Curtiss-7.59 As,
1900 rs, 24.15 1-5.
The committee first posted Lath-
ans time, with one-twentieth penali-
cation, as 27.51 rs, giving Curtiss,
in spite of his one-tenth penalty, the
victory, as the others who had taken
part in the event had not approached
the Americans speed Latham, how
ever, refused to accept defeat, and
brought out No. 20. With this he
flew considerably faster, his time be-
ing recorded as 8.33, 1903, 1918
is. The time, but not the amount of
penalization, was posted, and there
was excitement among the Americans,
as the penalization, which was only
one-twentieth, would bring the time
to 1888 1-5, seven seconds less (tak-
ing into account the Americans PEN
alty) than that made by Curtiss.
AT the time no official information
could be obtained beyond the fact
that the judges were awaiting reports
from the Field Commissioner at 80,
after which no start would be posi-
BILE. Curtiss, therefore, who said he
had been obliged thrice to muffie his
accelerator on the previous fight on
account of pitching, declared his con-
fidence that he could do better in an
other attempt, and decided to try
again. Within two minutes his ma
chine was out and speeding across
the line. He few higher than he had
ever gone before, keeping the throt-
tie wide open and making each round
at swifter speed than in any of his
previous efforts. The first round he
covered in 7.49 rs, the watches
showed 1877 AS at the end of the
second round, and they were snapped
at 1929 at the finish. With his pen
alization Curtiss' time thus stood at
1919 2-5, and this gave him the race
by almost minute margin.
Latham won the Prix de latitude,
10000 francs ($2000), for the aero
pianist attaining the highest altitude,
reaching a height of 155 metres
l(about 400 feet). Farman was Sec
ond, with Ito metres; Paulhan, third
with ninety metres, and Rougier,
fourth, with fifty-five metres.
Farman. mounting in great circles.
rose until he was three times as high
as the flag above the tribune. He
moved back and forth over the heads
of the spectators, amid the greatest
enthusiasm. Latham's feat was even
more spectacular, and set the people
wild. Rising. FIRST tosa height of 200
Detained Against Their viii.