The San Francisco call., 1910-12-19
FEARFUL BATTLE ENDS IN
THE BIRDMAN'S VICTORY
Brother Aviators Are HOrrifled
Spectators of Daring Per-,
formers SkilIfnl Hand
ling of Craft
PLANES TILTED DOWNWARD
IN SWOOP TO REACH SAFETY
[SeeeioI Dis .e..h VI. Can

Especial Dst 'c6i1 NE Call
ERESNC Dee fs-Dro
= from a as hs az n9rs ihan @.ooe
feet after asse hsd gons
dead and b, l-4eAine mad been LETT
to the mercy of the elements, J. c.
Mars, member of the Curtiss camp
of aviators, today came safely to earth
following one of the most sensational
exhibitions of aerial navigation ever
witnessed. The downward swoop OF
the plucky birdnan took place before
10000 persons at the fair grounds in
this city.
SkiIIfuIly Guides Craft
SO skllfully did the aviator guide
his frail craft. however, that reaii-
zation of the awful battle taking place
did not reach the big crowd until
Mars had returned to the earth
/ Mars had started out to break the
Pacific coast record for altitude made
by Louis Paulhan at Los Angeles.
Gracefully he rose into the air. and
as he swept around the field he
mounted higher and higher into the
sky until no longer could the crowd
below hear the whirr of his engine.
Darts Toward Earth
Suddenly the other aviators were
horrifed to see Mars suddenly dart
toward the earth. Involuntary cries
broke from the lips of both Curtiss
and Willard, and Mrs Mars, who was
seated in an automobile, shrieked with
/ horror as she, too, realized what was
taking place thousands of feet above
her. Once around the field MaSs
glided, his machine swiftly losing its
momentum. Unable to hold it in the
air any longer he tilted the planes
downward and swooped toward the
earth.
Mechanics made frantic efforts TO
remove Willard's machine, which
seemed to be directly in the path of
the oncoming aeroplane. but Mars
passed 800 feet over them heading di-
rectly for row Of automobiles which
lined one edge Of the field.
Saved by Cool Nerve
His cool nerve saved the daring
young birdman at the last moment.
Had his machine gone straight ahead
it would have crashed into the auto
mobiles, but Mars almost stood It Oh
end as he turned it right about and
glided down in perfect safety.
Glenn Curtiss described the drop as
one Of the most thrilling bits of aerial
navigation he had ever seen. He was
the first to grasp the hand of Mars
when he left his machine, and con-
graduated him on his success.
While climbing upward Mars struck
cold strata of air which froze his
engine and put his biplane out of COM
mission for the remainder OF the att
ernoon. Earlier in the day, however.
he made thrilling glide to earth from
height of about 100 feet.
Curtiss Makes Record
Glenn Curtiss added to the features
of the meet today by making the fast
est time for 1--WE miles ever made
by an aeroplane on a circular track
The time was SOS. Curtiss used his
new bipIane, and in circling the tracls
never rose to a height Of more than
20 feet at any time Three Of the
miles were made in three minutes.
The crowd was also entertained,
and frightened as we'll, when the avi-
ators ali made individual fights, Dip
ping and plunging, sometimes skim
ming close to the ground, and other
times shooting up to a height of so
feet.
On one occasion Mars almost struck
a dog that had wandered into the field,
diving down from a height Of about
20 feet to reach the animal
Fails to Lift Cup
ETAMPAs. France. Dec 1s.-Henrt
Farman. competing for the 1lIehalin