The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-07-31
French Prize of Twenty Thou
sand Dollars Is Offered to
Bird-Man Who First Crosses
the Great Alps Mountains.
ONLY TESTED AVIATORS
CAN ENTER THE CONTEST
Epic Struggle Between Most
Famous Champions of Ayia-
ton Is Expected by Those
Who Offer the Great Prize,
TREATMENT OF CONVICTS
CBY GEORGE DUFREsNE)


Especial Cable 20 Republican,
DARIS. July 3O.-Nothing interests
the Parisians more at present than
the prospect Of great struggle
among aviators OF all nations to win
the prize OF $4,000 which has just
been offered to the daring airman
who first crosses the Alps. Nearly all
the French aviators Of fame have al
ready entered their names. and some
arc actually training already.
The route for this sensational aerial
voyage is from Breig. 2.400 feet above
the sea level. through the SimplOa
pass 10000 feeD, DomOdossola. over
Lake Maggibre. to Milan. 1t will take
plnce about September 20, during tho
Milan aviation week The start viii
be made from a meadow above Brieg.
close to Laueneu- The aeroplanes Will
follow the Saline valley; rising To-
wards the pass. and probably about
that time they will fly above the white
solitudes OF the SHOWS.
The first part of the voyage viii be
relatively easy. as the mountain rises
with a gentle gradient, AMI the de-
scent beyond the pass. as far as Iselle.
leads 70 a wide valley; But farther
on, towards POntecreOla. the route
becomes narrow and rocky, and as
sumes the Characteristic aspect Of IN
Alpine gorge. The aviators will fly
" mile apart. After Domodossoia
Is rassed, the journey is easy. The
valley is wide, green and level along
the course Of the TOce. The aeroDlanes
win cross Lake Maggiore from Fondo
Tnco 20 Aroma and, travsrsing the
plains Of Lombardy. viii fly above
united by telephone with Brieg and
odossola. will make reports re
EardiDg the aerial currents. Special
trans viii be run along the SimplOn
line. and endeavor to follow the flights
from the mouth Of the tunnel to the
goal. while motor cars win be stationed
long the route. The aviators will be
allowed twenty-four hours e. complete
tho Journey, with an unlimited num-
Der Of stops.
Only Experienced Avintors.
The competition will not oe open 10
ali pilots. but will be confined to those
who are invited TO participate. because
the committee IS DESTROYS to exclude
aviators who have not already demon
stratcd their skin in long ana dif-
ficult voyages. SO far, 1t seems 70 be
probable that this sensational flight
viii resolve itself into an epic strug-
sic between the most famous cham
Tions Of aviation. and tha- the hest
known types of aeroplanes viii en-
gage IN the contest for this triumph.
a great CRY Of Indignation has gone
up ali over France against the more
than inhuman way in which .cOnvicrs
are being treated while being trans
ported from France to the convict set
Elements in Guiana. and IL cannot be
denied that the treatment OF htese
poor devils is more than awful and an
absolute disgrace to France:
The wretched men are taken from
the citadel in the lie de RiX. escorted
By a battalion Of infantry with fixed
bayonets. Chained in pairs and wear
ing blouses. rough trousers. and black
wooden caps they wend their weary
way TO the quay. some OF the most
hardened affecting devil-may-ca
demeanor and whistling tunes. while
others. who are more refined. walk
with their eyes bent on the ground
and often with tears stealing down
their pale cheeks.
When the yreach the pier they are
put on barges, which carry them TO the
ship. and on a command from the Geek,
send the prisoners up they climb
board they lay down their bundles
and then descend by staircase 10 the
iron cages. or "haEnes, OF which tFere
are four between decks, separated
from each other by passage. in which
seamen ate on guard, fully armed As
soon as the Convicts have been thus
Installed the transport sails away.
How do they fare 10 the matter Of
food? Bread IS distributed every
morning. and twice a day party es-
cends to the deck with vessels which
are filled with provisions at the rate
Of twelve portions in each. At one
meal there may be Goldfish. cooked with
rice. at another bacon with potatoes or
beans or lentils. The pans having
been brought down to the cages. the
convicts devour their contents.
Get Some Fresh Air
In the afternoon. when the weather
is favorable. and IL they are well away
from land. they may go on deck in
parties Of 10 at a time for half an hour
and breathe the inviBOgatins air. When
evening comes a hammock rs deal out
to each convict. who suspcnds IL TO the
ceiling Of his "bagne, and so gets
what sleep he may.
As might be expected. great precau-
lions are adopted on board. as many
OF these men are miscreants OF the
most desperate type. -Four guns load
ed with grape stand in readiness to
work havoc in their ranks n they
should revolt, and when they are per-
mitted to go on deck hose connected
with the boilers is within reach of the
sailors on guard. who can promptly
play on them II they betray the fSirt-
est symptom OF rebeliing.
The site Of a battlefield at the
gates OF Paris. lie BOurget has been
acquired by an English company. with
a quarter OF a million capital, as n new
aviation ground under the name OF
"Aeropolis" The project Is TO cstab-
fish grandstands for the public and
sheds for the aviatOrs round n track
containing n thousand acres. On the
outer fringe. lots will be sold for
building purposes. and houses with
pretty gardens attached are project
ed. I hear that Sir Hiram Maxim
and the English admiral. Sir Charles
Campbell. are closely identified with
the enterprise and will become the