The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-07-26
Remarkable Flight.

DoVei, July G0-IllS sleepy sea-
port town experienced the keenest
thrill known in a generation when at
sunrise yesterday a white winged,
bird like machine with loudly hum
ming motor swept out from the haze
obscuring the sea toward the distant
French coast and, circling twice above
the high. chalky cliffs of Dover.
alighted on English soil. A calm
Frenchman, Louis Bleriot, portly and
red moustached man of thirty-seven,
descended from the saddle, limping
on a bandaged foot, which had been
burned on his previous overland
flights. Immediately two compatriots
who had been waving big tri-color
flag as a signal for the landing place,
fell upon him enthusiastically, en-
bracing him, shouting and pounding
him n the back They, with few
soldiers and others who happened by
chance to be on the scene. were the
only persons to witness the finish Of
most remarkable feat.
Bleriot left Les Baraques, three
miles from Calais, about 4:3O a. M,
on one of the smallest monoplanes
ever used. He crossed the channel
in a little less than half an hour,
twice as swiftly as the fastest mail
boat. His speed averaged more than
forty-five miles an hour, sometimes it
approXimated sixty miles. He kept
about $50 feet above the sea level
and for ten minutes, while about mid
channel, was out of sight of both
coasts and the French torpedo de-
stroyer which followed him with his
Wjfo and Friends aboard
The wind was blowing about twen-
ty miles an hour and the sea was
choppy. The aviator was swathed in
a single garment of drilling, imper-
vious to the wind, which covered him
from the top Of his head to his feet,
only his face showing. He wore also
cork life belt.
/ An eye witness of the landing thus
describes it:
EARLY in the morning wireless
message was received from Calais
that Bleriot intended to make the
flight. Then in quick succession came
the news that he had left land, that
| he was flying high and was fast
making Dover. 1t was expected that
he would land west of Dover, but from
il the direction taken it was soon evil
dent that he would alight to the
eastward. Only few minutes after
the wireless announcing the start, the
laconic message out of sight, was
received at Dover. Hardly had this
been Transcribed when the keen eyed
coast guard, scanning the sea with
his telescope, shouted that Bleriot was
within sight.
Fastening to the cliff east of the
bay, was fortunate enough to arrive
just moment before the Eirship,
which was flying fast. like a gigantic
hawk. The craft approached the cliff,
growing larger every instant. The
noise of the engines was audible in
moment, SO swiftly did it come
Bleriot swooped overhead, glancing to
right and left and then turned his
machine to the east and came to the
ground in the meadow. 1t circled
with consummate ease and made the
landing gracefully, but even though
lit touched the land lightly, it was
slightly damaged"
BY his achievement today Bleriot
won the prize of $4,000 offered by the
London Daily Mail TO rthe first flight
across the English channel and stole
march on his rivals, Hubert Latham
and Count de Lambert, both of whom
had hoped to make the attempt to-
day.
Bleriot. who speaks little English,
described his remarkable fight very
modestly.
81 arose at 8 O'clock" he said, "and
went to the aeroplane shed. Finding
everything in order on the trial spin,
II decided to make the flight. The
French torpedo boat destroyed, which
was in attendance, was signalled and
| 1t put out about four miles. Then
rose in the air and pointed directly
to Dover. After ten minutes l was