Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-20
LONG CROSS.COUNTRY FLIGHT
Louis Paulhan Makes Trip to Bald
win Ranch and Return.
DISTANCE FORTY-F1vE MILES
Crowd freaks ThrouEh barriers on
lis Return to Grnndstnnd-All
Previous Records
Broken.

Los ANGELES, Ian. D-Louis Paulhan,
In his Farman biplane. made Tuesday what
aviation experts consider the most re-
variable eros~s-country flight in history.
On the wings of a wind that other
aviators hesitated long to face. the little
Frenchman rode from Aviation field to
Lucky Baldwin's ranch, twenty-three
miles away, ciTcled the old Santa Anita
race track and bucked his way back to his
tent.
In all he covered an estimated distance
Of foTty-seven and one-half miles in one
hour two minutes and forty-two and four
fifths seconds, He went down with the
wind In thirty minutes and cam back
against 1t in thirty-five minutes. When
he climbed out OF his car he said that his
motor was as cool as when he started and
that no could do the trip over again at
once.
In sheer beauty and contempt Of danger
the flight rivals that seen on any aviation
field Of the old world. The only test ap.
preaching 1t in this country was that made
by one OF the Wrights last fall, on a
flight with an army. officer from Wash
ington to Alexandria.
Bleriot, Latham, FHarman and Cody have
made flights nearly as long, perhaps, but
they have not come back. Cody flew forty
miles at Aldershot in sixty-three minutes
last fall. Farman took a twenty-mile run
TO spend a, day shooting with q friend, but
he landed at one end Of his journey.
President Cortlandt F. Bishop of the Aero
club Of America said tonight that he did
not know Of any flight equal to PauIhan's
1t is probable that the prize of $4,000 will
30 to him, There will much official pom
dering and cabling however. before a new
worlds record Is added to the glory OF
France.
Fauihan maintained an attitude OF from
1000 to 1900 feet on his way over the
valley. His highest point was 2,1sO feet, as
indicated by the instrument In his car.
Under him, speeding over country roads,
were automobiles and men on horseback
and motorcycles, trying to be near the ma
chine should Paulhan fall or have to de-
scend. Mrs. Paulhan was In an automobil
praying and crying.
When aulha reached the grandstand on
his return he was mobbed. The crowd,
broke through the barriers. The aviator
wal lifted up and borne over the field. His
countrymen kissed him and wept in Joy.
This event was the only one of great i'm
poTtanoe In the days meet. Curtlss did
not go INTO the air until after Paulhan had
been away for half an hour. Then he gave
a pretty exhibition OF fancy starting and
retired.
Upper Currents stendier,
The wind came up suddenly, and for a
time 1t looked as-though the program would
be spoiled At 3 o'clock nothing had hap
pened except a few skids over the field.
the crowd began to howl. Paulhan rose to
the occasion. Without any announcement
his machine appeared on the far west
course, beating against the wind. 1t came
around and over the heads of the crowd
with the wind at a speed of sixty miles an
hour. Paulhan came down as though he
had decided againstrfurther flying, but be-
fore the crowd had time to forget their
first wonder, he came over their heads
again and pointed the flat nose Of his big
white plane toward the mountains. 1t was
800 o'clock.
He's off for the cro~ss-country record o.
the world announced the megaphone man.
For ten minutes the machine flew onward
and upward straight toward the snowlihe
OF the Sierra Madre range. Old Badly peak
was the compass point. 1t lay in shining
white relief against the sky. Through the
glasses Paulhan could be seen rising above
the haze and taking a trail. so 1t seemed,