The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-31


Ely ........ ............... Ivy
Mars $1,000. ''.'..'-..''' ~ o0
dinner in honor of the aviators
will be given under the auspices of the
Aero Club of America tonight at the
Plaza hotel.
Sundays Races.
Three aviators flew from Belmont
Park, L. l., Sunday afternoon, circled
the Statue of Liberty in aeroplanes.
swept back through the upper air with
out a mishap and alighted, chilled but
eXultant.
Moissant used a 50 horse power
team. for $4,000. He had previously
smashed his own monoplane. He did
not start until 4:06 p. m, after both
LeLesseps and Grahame-W had fin
ished De Lesseps started at 1908 and
Grahame-W White less than a minute Ia
ter. The written rules prescribed that
no contest should start after $3.50 p.
m. but they were not enforced.
Hardly had the bomb announcing the
Statue of Liberty flight exploded in
midair when up from the field scurried
De Lesseps in his so horse power Bier
lot. Gracefully he rose with the motor
droning perfect attunement, circled
across the starting line and, as though
to make sure that his machine was
ship shape for the flight, flew about the
course and then pointed its PROV up
ward and west and went sailing ma
jestically over the grandstand.
Grahame-W White, in less than a min
ute, was in the air in a Bleriot of so
horse power, with no preliminary Skin
mishing. Once past the starting pylon,
the Englishman was off on his journey
and, fguratively speaking, at the heels
of De Lesseps.
Race in the Aair.
Grahame- Whites machine appeared
to be the faster of the two. Passing
the grandstand at an elevation of about
i 900 feet, both aviatorS headed above
the railroad tracks which took them
over Jamaica plain and across the town
of Jamaica. Here they were sailing at
an elevation of about 5000 feet, with the
Englishman still chasing the French
man, half mile astern.
On over Jamaica, still following the
railroad as d guide for their fight, De
Lesseps and Grahame-Whit held their
course into Brooklyn. The aviators kept
up their express train speed despite the
biting cold.
Grahame-W White was still gaining on
De Lesseps but the Frenchman was
first out across New York bay and
around the statue, about 1000 feet
above the big black balloon that had
shown him the course. The crowd along
the Brooklyn water front, on Governor
island, along the battery, shouted and
waved hands and handkerchiefs.
Then Grahame-White sent the nose
Oh MS BleT1OL around ABOVE the mead OF
Miss Liberty and started back along the
same course he had Travelled.
De Lesseps still had a slight lead out
with the wind at his back, Grahame-
White put on full speed and began eat
ing down his rival'S advantage. Midway
over Brooklyn the aviators were on
even terms, each at an altitude of be-
tween 1000 and 5000 feet, but reaching
the outskirts of the city, Grahame-
White forged ahead and set sail in earn
est with Belmont 9 his
tive.
De Lesseps kept directly in the Eng
Ishman'S wake and now and then could
be seen working his controls in an en-
deavor to get greater speed from his
machine, which was fast falling behind.
Both men continued to fly above the
railroad track. 1t seemed as though
they feared to lose it's guiding glimmer
of steel rails.
Passing back over Jamaica, Ora
hame- White had a lead of about two
miles.
Arriving at the aviation field, the
Englishman started his descent from a
height of about 5000 feet. He came
down in a graceful swoop over the tops
of the great trees with the nose of his
mechine pointed downward at an angie
of 40 degrees.
Moissant Flies Away.
Like Grahame-W White had done, De
Lesseps came down from a level of
tuning up his newly bought Bleriot,
preparatory to making a start. At first
its motors did not sing true. but final
~ they became attuned and he was
off over the grandstand.
Fifty miles an hour was the speed
the spectators reckoned he was MAX
ing against the cold wind. which was
blowing about 10 miles an hour. He
crossed Brooklyn at an altitude of
1000 feet. To those who had seen
Grahame-White and the Frenchman,
it did not appear that Moissant's ma
chine was as steady as theirs. Now
and then it seemed to dip or swing
from one side to the other.
If Moissant was having trouble he
did not show it. for he kept winging
ahead with never a let-up in speed.
Reaching East river Moissant swept
across to the New York shore and
passed almost above the battery Then,
describing pretty half circle, he
dashed out across the bay and around
the statue.
Above the massive figure he seemed
to stop momentarily, then shot ahead
for the return to the aerodome. Like
the two rivals who had preceded him,
Moissant had the wind at his back and
sped across Brooklyn at a mile a min
ute clip.
Once he deviated from his outward
course and followed the elevated rail-
road structure, but, finding himself go