The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-08-19
nO|ssAN1 WON THE MONEY



been reserved for an American citizen
feats in the history of aviation. John
B. Moissant of Chicago few across the
English channel from Calais to Til
manstone yesterday with a passenger,
and by this achievement far surpassed
the feat Of B1eriot, de Lesseps and the
unfortunate English aviator Rolls,
who afterwards met his death at
BournemOuth.
The two-man flight from France to
England was the more astonishing for
1t was only month ago that Moissant
learned to fly, and he made so few
flights and was SO little known among
air men that even his nationality was
not disclosed. He was reputed to be
a Spaniard, and it was only when he
landed in England that it was revealed
that he is young Chicago architect.
To make the feat still more surpris-
ing Moissant was totally ignorant Of
the course. He had never been in
England and was obliged to rely en-
tirely on the compass.
DIsregards Warnings
The channel flight was an incident
in the aerial voyage from Paris to
London. Moissant left Issy with HUI
bert Latham and reached Amiens in
two hours. Latham's aeroplane was
wrecked, and yesterday morning Mois-
SAINT, leaving Amiens at an early hour.
headed for Calais His mechanician,
Albert Fileux, who had accompanied
him across the country. took his place
in the machine when the motor was
set in motion for the dash across the
channel.
Moissant cared nothing for the warn
ings OF the people and even the fact
that there was no torpedo boat in his
wake but only a slow moving tug, did
not deter him. He made the trip in
thirty-seven minutes. When he de-
scended his eyes were bloodshot and
greatly fnfiamed, as a result of the
heavy rainstorm which they drove into
on approaching the English coast.
Navigating by Compass
An average height Of between 500
and 400 feet was maintained over the
water. The aviator expected to land
at Dover, but was forced north by
the wind and made the coast near
Deal. The cold was intense, and both
Moissant and his mechanician were be-
numbed. Moissant seemed to take his
monumental feat as though it was a
daily occurrence When he revived
sufficiently he laughed and said to an
interviewer:
"This is my first visit to England"
Describing his accomplishment, he
said:
This is only my sixth fight in an
aeroplane. I did not know the way
or3C 70 Co1 lot
and do not know the way to London.
| would like to land in Hyde Park IL
1 can find it.
my mechanician, who weighs 1872
pounds. had never been in an aero
plane before this. and did not know
where 1 was taking him when we left
Paris
Machine Weighed 500 Pounds
Moissant is 35 years old. He first
visited Paris some months ago and be-
came interested in the study of avia-
tion. He had two machines built after
his own designs and found the subject
| so fashionable that he determined to
become practicable air man.
His flight was made on a Bleriot
machine. which weighs about 500
pounds.
| Fileux. the mechanician, a burly Pa
risian clad in overalls. did not know
where he was going when he started,
but says that he felt quite at home.
as he had the greatest confidence in
the pilot.
| Triumphant Arrival I'm London
| London, England. August 19.-John
Moissant, the Chicago architect, won
the sensational race from Paris to
London and the $4,000 prize offered
by the Daily Mail. With his mechani-
clan he landed within the borders of
London three miles from the Crystal
Palace.
half million people cheered as the
biplane shot into sight and circled
high above the city, selecting a land
ing place. He started from Paris yes
| terday morning and was the first to