The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-02
Curtiss Flies From Albany to
New York at Rate of Over
Fifty Miles an Hour
NO .MISHAPS WHATEVER
Famous Aviator Won the $4,000
Prize Offered BY the New York
World and Received the Plaudits of
Th0usands-A Most Remarkable
TriD,

World and Received the Plaudits of
ThOusands-A Most Remarkable
Trip.
New York May 29.-Glenn H. Cur
tiss flew from Albany to New York
city in an aeroplane today, winning
the $4,000 prize offered by the New
York World. He covered the distance
of 1877 miles in two hours and thirty
two minutes and came to earth as
lightly as a pigeon. His average speed
for the distance--54.06 miles an hour
-Surpasses any record ever made by
an areoplane in long distance flight
and in its entirety his feat perhaps
eclipses anything man has accom-
plished in a heavier than air ma
The start was made from Albany at
1903 o'clock this morning under
weather conditions as near perfect
AS the most fastidious aviator could
demand. One hour and twenty min
utes later he had made his stopping
place rear Poughkeepsie, where
there was an hours intermission. Re-
suming his fight at 1926, he sped
southwark and landed within the
boundary of Manhattan Island at
1875. Thence he sailed to Governors
Island, a whim of triumph and the
concluding lap of a race already won.
PaulhanS flight from London to
Manchester-1S6 miles-eXceeded the
Curtiss feat of today in distance, but
not in speed and danger. The French
mans average was only 44.3 miles an
hour, and below him lay English
meadowland. Curtiss followed the
winding course of the Hudson, with
jutting headland. wooded slopes and
treacherous Palisades. He swung high
over the great bridge at Poughkeep-
sic, dipped at times within fifty feet
of the rivers broad surface and jock
eyed like a falcon at the turns. Only
once did his craft show signs of re-
bellion This was off Storm King,
near West Point, where at a height
of nearly 1000 feet, a treacherous
gust struck his plane. The machine
dropped like a rock for forty feet
and tilted perilously. but Curtiss
kept both his head and seat and by
adfiot manipulation of his levers re-
newed his equilibrium.
Curtis arose from the ground like
a rocket. There were no preliminary
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS was no trial
fight. The aeroplane ran hurridly
over the surface of the island and
darted straight for its goal to the
southwark, turning only for a mo-
ment to the westward so that Curtiss
might comply with the terms of the
competition under which he was fly
ing. and technically cross the Albany
city line.
Straight up scared the aeroplane
into the distance. When it reached
height estimated at 500 feet, it
seemed for moment to hold level
pace and then to rise again to further
levels. Perhaps 700 feet would be a
conservative estimate. Certainly
Curtiss was flying at a height which
he had never attempted before in his
life In three minutes he was speck
in the distance. In seven minutes he
vanished from sight.
With the signal that Curtiss was
off, the special train, five cars and a
locomotive, cumbersom now by COM
parison, gathered impetus and sought
to follow. But so quickly had he flown
that for twenty one miles southwark
the locomotive, though running near
ly a mile minute, remained lag
gard. At) 1926 however the train
came abreast of the aeroplane and
then to New York city those on board
kept the aviator in sight. But as he
did not reckon with curves of track
reduced speed through towns and
switches, the man above maintained
a substantial lead.
At S:06, 63 minutes after the start
he scared past Rhinecliff ferry, "a
miles from Albany. Here there is g
n turn in the river and Curtiss turned
y again to the west, passing overland
to shorten his course. Staatsbure
marked the Goth mile point and ht
had covered this distance in SO min
utes.
With Staatsburg behind the gian
bridge spanning the river at Pough
keepsie loomed ahead. The bridge 1t
self is PIP feet but Curtiss topped i
by 300. Thence he turned westward
and with the precision of bird set
tied softly in the field three miles
south of Poughkeepsie at 1926. HI
had flown "A miles in S3 minutes.
The landing place, known as thu
Gil Meadows, had previously beei
selected but because of last week
postponements Curtiss was not ex
pected this morning and there wer
no gasoline and oil awaiting him
But fortunately two automobile tour
lists happened by and were eager T.
supply him.
Fire alarm bells were rung as tn
aviator neared Poughkeepsie, but hi
progress was so rapid that but fey
people had a chance ii reach point O
vantage. On the Gill Meadows lit
tie group sighted him coming in tn
distance and sent UT cheer Fror
above he saw them as black as speck
and was thus guided to his landin
place. Coming down gracefully, hi
machine struck a grassy knoll, trun
died along for thirty or forty fee
then stopped.
With tanks re-filled and every wiz
and screw tested Curtiss took his sea