The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-11-01
.nO|SANT WINS
AmeriCanCap
Statue of Liberty Race.
THOUSANDS CHEER VICTOR
&c Defeats Grahame White and
Count De Lesseps in Daring
Flight by Less Than
Minute.

Minute.
New York, Oct 3l--John Mosant,
vi Chicago, exploded upward from the
International aviation meet at Belmont
park and few a iifty-horse power
pleriot from Belmont park west by
south seventeen miles in an air line 10
and around the Statue OF Liberty and
back to the park. thirty-four miles ir
all in "a minutes 3S4 seconds. for
cash prize OF $4,000, donated b>
Thomas F. Ryan for the srcediest TRIP
10 the statue and back during the avia'
ton meet.
Claude Grahame White. VINO on sat
uYday won the international speed race
and the James Gordon Bennett cup IL
his 100-horse power Rleriot made the
trip front he park TO the statue and
return successfully an hour earlier
than Moisant visited he bronze lady,
but il took the Englishman's 1OO-horse
power machine almost minute longer
to make the trip than il did Molsants
fny.hOrse power of the same design
Grahame- Whites time for the thirty
four miles was 30 minutes 2l3o sec
onds.
Just three minutes before Grahame-
White started for the statue from the
park. Count Jacques de Lesseps. OF
France, made the first start for the
Statue Of Liberty that has been made
at the meet Count de Lesseps got
away In a Bleriot mOnoplane OF nifty
horse power and made the voyage out
and return successfully. but his time
w.s Al minutes SOS seconds OF about
: minutes and Is seconds slower than
Moisant
Didn't Circle Goddess Of Liberty.
Moisant and Grahame-White cut for
the statue in a bee line as soon as
they got high enough in the air TO soc
the GODDESS and the captive balloon
which the bronze girl from France was
diving above the bay to guide the afia'
toys toward her De Lesseps left the
aviation field along a high air lan-
that headed directly into the west. or
somewhat to the north OF the course
AIKEN later by Grahame-White AM
Moisant Also when il came to swing
ing around for the return trip at the
statue, De Lesseps circled the statue
itself. flying so wide that his machine
ziDped above Black Toms island, over
near the Jersey shore; whereas MOI
SAINT and Grahame-White were content
10 circle only the balloon. which the
twelve or fifteen mile southwest wind
had blown out about 500 feet from the
statues head.
/ No mt and Grahame-White, there
fore. passed between the balloon and
the head OF the statue on their return
trip and didn't go around the Goddess
Of Liberty at all But according to the
rules of the contest they were reQuir
ed TO swing around the captive balloon
only
The Americans victory coming as
1t did after GrahameWhite's fight
which looked like winning time at the
late hour MOisant started out, sent the
crowds on both sides OF the field.
which totaled from $4,000 to 10000
people. into a state OF ecstacy that
might be conservatively be called 4
frenzy. The welcome home exercises
on grand stand. lawn and field when
Molsant's darning needle came back
home from the golden haze OF sunset
and lit up the grass tips Of the field
winner reminded one of the dear
dead days at Belmont, when Colin,
four.legged animal used for racing in
earlier days and known as the horse,
pounded past the grand stand with all
the money.
Moisant's victory came after his big
racing Bleriot had been smashed by a
collision with Clifford B. Harmons
Farman bipiane. 1t was the third COM
plete smashup for the little Chica-
goan. and he was in despair. In this
black quarter hour his brother. A. J.
Moisant, a banker Of the Central
American state OF San Salvador, ap
preached Alfred lie Blanc, the French
aviator, who was badly injured in SAT.
urday's Gordon Bennett cup race.
Brother to the Rescue.
What lie the price OF your fifty
horse power Bleriot?' asked the
banker
Il will sell it for $4,000"
"Will you give 1t to my brother right
away for that sum-"
"Ah, no, Monsieur; expect to win
one OF more prizes on Monday in 1t.
Then, too, can pick up several profit.
able engagements before returning to
France"
A. J. Moisant thought moment.
Compute for me. Monsieur" he
said, the amount of a bonus for which
you would make an immediate deliy.
cry"
lie Blanc figured while on the back
of an envelope
THAT is the sum-" he said. showing
the result to the banker.
The other tore a check from its stub,
filled It out for $4,000 plus the amount
of the bonus. scrubbed on lie Blanc's
envelope, and handed the check to the
| Frenchman.