The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-11-23


 . business this morning. '
 
 The crowd which gathered at the Statd Fair grounds yesterday afternoon to wit ness the aviation meet in which two dar- ing Curtiss flyers took their lives in their hands into the clouds, was thrilled, not only by the wonderful triumph of man over the air, but witnessed that awe inspiring, -wracking incident-an aeroplane accident.
 While the plucSy 1S-year-old aviator, J. J. Ward, escaped uninjured, he treated the crowd to two minutes of breathless suspense. Time and again 1t seemed that his machine would dash against tele- phone pole but the nervy fellow kept straight ahead and would be flying yet had not certain hill, on which grew certain peach trees. and a fence, got in his way When the machine almost dis appeared behind the trees on the west side of the grounds. and then could be seen to come to stop like a ball thrown against a brick wall, the crowd picked
 
 wreck
 The new machine, which was hurriedly finished and shipped to Birmingham with out ever being tried out, and had nevei been put together before, was pulled Into position, the motor started and Ward rose few feet from the ground, but saw that he could not make it ascend Again al nclx to bo ct artip iri and this time MT Ward seemed deter mined to get up. His machine Is of 50- horse power, only half that of Ely's en- zine, and for this reason he could not get the same hold on the light air.
 Race Against Auto
 He reached a height of about 15 feet and before he knew 1t had got so close to the fence at the west end that he dared not attempt a turn, so kept straight ahead. going over the top of telephone pole by about three feet, and sweeping down In the field on the outside of the grounds almost to the ground. However. he managed to turn and started south, disappearing behind the trees. The ma chane again refused to rise. A little hill, cTOWneu DS dil OItntlu anu d ltilcc StOou in the way, and Ward sailed directly into 1t. The fence was torn down. both wings were crumpled against two peach trees, the rudder or elevator was smashed into another tree and Ward turned a somersault over his steering gear, land ing in the soft powed ground. There were a number of spectators who wit Al,1 ;t markable that Ward escaped uninjured.
 However he vaulted the outer fence of the fair grounds and ran easily back to the starting point, while within five min utes after the accident Ely was in the air racing mady around the track against an automobile driven by kapps
 The aviator maintained a sped of about track He had a lead In the beginning and in the four-mie race not only held it. but widened it. Flying about 100 feet in the air, he rode the wind like the eagle. banking on the curve and pass ing in front of the grandstand at ter rifle speed The little automobile scratching up dust on the track, seemed more like an ant than a racing machine although it was travelling at the rate oi nearly a mile a minute. At the end oi the fourth lap Ely turned in and alightec gracefully, having proved the supremacy of his winged bird over the automo- bile.
 Ely made two previous flights, of about 1o minutes duration each, rising about 60i feet. and crcling the field. The quick turns and ease with which Ely manip ulates his machine is more inspiring thar the work of the Wright aeroplane. The operator is easier seen, and as he sits with his hands on the steering wheel dashing hither and thither, there Is some thing weird and spirit-like about the scene.
 Young Lady to Fly Following his accident yesterday Wart declared that the machine was running perfectly, so far as he knew, but tha' the humidity of the air. and the faci that his motor was not of high power prevented him from getting up. He sait that he had gone too far to stop ant thought he had a good chance to gel over the hill.
 Neither running wheels. the engine noi the central part of the plane was injured It was hastily carried back to the hangar and five mechanicians worked on it un' iii midnight. repairing all the injured parts. Ely carries with him enough ma terial practically to make over thre' aeropanes. and he declared last nigh that Ward would be ready this after noon to compete.
 The lady who will ascend today, wh, is one of the most prominent in Bir mingham, is fully determined to go Sh' had consented to make the trip, and t allow the use of her name this morning hut dislil<ed the advertising feature an,