New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-01
MRS. v. K. VANDERBILT,
JR., FLIES IN B|PLANE
Clifford B. Harmon Takes Her
Over MineoIa Course at
Terrific Speed.
THEN LANDS WITH A BUMP
Neither Aviator Nor Passenger
Hurt and Other Women Ask
To Be Allowed to Make
Flight.

Cheared by hundreds, of her neighbors
n Nassau County. Mrs. William K. Van
derbiit jr flew with Clifford B. Harmon
In his biplane over the aviation field at
Nireola yesterday afternoon. The ma
chine few over a mile and a quarter
course in record time and Mrs. Wander
bilt enjoyed the trip.
1t all came about at the suggestion of
several persons who were congra tulating
Mrs. Harmon on the trip which she made
with her husband early Tuesday morn
ing. one Of the most enthusiastic was
Mrs Vanderbilt and when it was sug
gested that she take the trip with Mr..
Harmon the aviator invited her to try
the air flight.
Mrs Vanderbilt took her place. When
MIR. Harmon was in position his mech
arician cranked the machine, and with
propeller blades whirrinP the biplane
skinned into the air as gracefully as a
bird. Mrs. Vanderbilt had been warned
To sit stesd y and she gave Mr.. Harmon
no cause for worry during the flight
They few 10 a height Of about sixty
feet from the ground and then started
off at terrific speed around the coGrse-
There was hardly any wind and the
weather conditions were perfect While
10 or three hundred auto horns honked
enoourag cement. the machine skinned
round the course and approached the
LAND, ~ place with an extra burst of
speeo From their places on the ground
the spectators could see Mrs. Wander
bilt calmly Watching Mr.. Harmon as he
manipulated his levers.
Flight Comes to Sudden End.
The flight. which Mr. Harmon had
planned 10 extend TO several circuits of
the course was brought to a sudden
end as the hiplane few over the heads
Of people gathered around the landing
place and he saw about twenty feet
beneath him Charles Russell, a recent
addition to the ranks of the aviators.
who was taking practice flight in a
fcurtiss bipiane.
Realizing that the Curtiss machine
might rise to the height of his own at
any moment, Mr. Harmon quickly set
his machine for a descent. Owing TO
the added weight aboard. the descent
was not so easy as it might have been,
with E bump. Neither Mrs. Vanderbilt
nor Harmon was hurt. Harmon helped
his guest from her seat and the ma
chine. with TWO or three parts out of
order. WAS taken to a shed, where il was
soon repaired
Follow ed by a crowd of her admiring
friends, Mrs Vanderbilt returned to her
automobile. Women gathered around
her about twenty deep and congratu-
lated her Mrs Vanderbilt clapped her
hands with delight, and said that the
flight was fine. She enjoyed thoroughly
the distinction Of being one of the few
women who have ridden in an aeroplane.
To a crowd Of friends she said.
1t was perfectly lovely. Never have
: felt afy thing as glorious as that On
first starting you seem TO think the
earth is leaving you. but you soon get
Used to it. and then enjoy it immensely
/ felt no alarm at the other biplane.
knowing that Mr.. Harmon could easily
handle mis- machine
Other Women Want 20 Fly.
Many women tried to get Captain
BALDWIN To take them up in his machine,
but she veteran aviator informed them
ia his gruff manner that he was not TAX
ing any chances. Captain Baldwin went
up in MS machine after the Harmon
fight He rose eighty feet and flew off
in the direction OF the Meadow Brook
Club with his engine working like a
eatline gun. He went to Westbury and
returned to the field in twenty-five min
l,tes.
I The crowd took advantage yesterday
of a grandstand which has been built
on the field. and the aviators were not
bothered to any extent Willard, Mar
mons mechanic, few the Harmon hi
plane after repairs had been made. He
Jew straight for the grandstand and
made 4 fine turn just as those watching
him thought that he would fly against