The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-09-02

AMERICAN THE WINNER.

Aviation Cup Comes to United States
Glenn n. Curtiss Carried Off Hon
ors With Ills Flying Machine-Flew
More Than Twelve lilies at Rate OF
More than ~ Miles an Hour, al
Rheims, France, Beating the Wor Id q
Record.
Rheims, France, Aug. 2Sth.-The
contest for the international avia-
ton cup, known also as the Gordon
Bennett trophy, was won today by
Glenn II. Curtiss, the American avia-
tor, in the fastest aerial journey OF
twenty kilometres 12.42 miles, ever
accomplished by man. His time 10
minutes so 3-5 seconds TAT the rate
of 1855 miles An hour was only 3 80
seconds faster than that made by
Bleriot over the same course.
The other two pilots who represent
ed France latham and Lefebvre)
finished respectively in II minutes 80
seconds, and 20 minutes Al 3-5 sec
onds. The race Law
between Bleriot and Curtiss with
Latham as a possible outsider Lefe-
bvre on previous performances ap-
parently had no chance. Fortune
favored the American.
riots powerful fast machine, with
which he held the lap record, was a
serious handicap, since he had no OPP
portunity to try out the repaired
machine.
Curtiss stole march on his rivals
by getting away early. Finding con-
ditions favorable at 10 O'Clock in the
morning, he decided to take no
chances in the tickle weather and after
trial "trip in which he made the cir
cult OF the course in Z minutes 55 Is
seconds, lowering the worlds record
nine seconds, he started Immediately
on his attempt to win the cup.
He handled his machine which few
along at a speed never before wit
messed, in Masterly style, especially
at the turns which he took on the
down grade. The first round, meas
uring 6.21 miles, was made in min
utes, 81 % seconds, somewhat slower
than the trial time, but the second
round was covered in Z minutes SO
1-5 seconds, another worlds record.
Bleriot, the French favorite, whose
machine was equipped with four
bladed propeller, made trial, but
could do no better than Z minutes,
81 10 seconds for the round. Then
hesubstituted a two-bladed propeller,
but this proved slower still and the
French began to doubt the ability of
their champion. Bleriot replaced the
original propeller and tinkered with
his machine for several hours.
In the meantime Lefebvre, in a
Wright biplane, few over the course,
but his time was five minutes slower
than that of Curtiss.
The excitement grew steadily as 5
O'Clock, which the public understood
was the time limit forstarting in this
event, approached. A few
minutes later Bleriot and Latham
crossed the line in quick succession.
Bleriot went by the tribunes at
terrific pace and for a moment the
Americans feared Curtiss would be
beaten. He finished the round in al
most the Identical time of Curtiss'
fastest lap, covering the ten kilome-
tres in Z minutes SO 3-5 seconds, but
his speed seemed appreciably to de-
crease on the last round and before
he reached the final turn the stop
watches showed that he had lost.
The French crowds were greatly dis
appointed at the failure of their
countrymen, but largely owing to the
popularity Of the Wrights in France
and the general French recognition
of the wonderful stimulous Americans
have given to the science of aviation,
no foreign victory could have been so
popular as that of an American.
They Immediately ran up the Ameri-
can flag on the signal pole on the
timekeepers' stand in front of the
tribunes and the bands played the
Star Spangled Banner. There was
great rejoicing among the American
spectators.
When the American flag went up,
Curtiss, who had refused to accept
congratulations until it was officially
announced that Bleriot's time was
slower than his, was escorted, or rath-
er dragged from the shed, to the Am
bassador's box by several hundred
enthusiastic Americans.
Mr.. White congratulated Curtiss in
the name of the government and the
people of the United States and then
presented Mrs. White and Mrs Roose-
welt as we'll as the other members OF
the party who added their congratu-
latiOns in warm terms.
Only Lefebvre and Farnam appear
ed in the passenger-carrying contests
late in the afternoon. The former
| covered a lap with one passenger in
IL minutes 20 As seconds. Farnam
carried one passenger in 8 minutes
50 40 seconds and two passengers in
10 minutes 80 seconds.