The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-12
Thousands At Atlantic City
See Aviator Perform Dar-
ing Aviation Feats
$4,000 PRIZE IS WON BY
cURT|ss FOR SPEED.
BrooIxins md Other Aviators Perform
Feats of Flying At Atlantic City
But None of Them Make Any
New Records

Atlantic City, N. J.. July 11-Glenn H.
Curtiss set an American record for
bo-mile flight in an aeroplane this aft
ernoon by covering half hundred meas
ured miles in five mile laps along the
beach in elapsed time of one hour, four
teen minutes and fifty nine seconds. Cur
tiss was In the air one hour and thirty
minutes and spent one hour twenty-one
minutes and five seconds on the course,
six minutes and six seconds being de-
Quoted for the turns at the two ends of
the two and one half mile course.
At the end of his fifty mile flight Cur
tiss swept his machine truck over the
waterways on the meadow side of the
city and made an entire circuit of the
resort before he descended.
In the early evening Curtiss set new
mark for quick climbing by sweeping
his machine 1900 feet in the air in five
minutes and fifty one seconds.
After a wait of hours for slowing
down of the sharp southerly wind which
swept in from the ocean, Curtiss rose
In the air at 1922 p. m. After a short
warming up spin. he swung back over
the upper mark made by range flags on
the board walk beginning at Massachu
setts avenue and started on his long
flight Owing to the cross winds. which
still held strong in the upper air, Cur
tiss never reached a faster speed than
fifty miles an hour and his average
being about 40 miles. The time for each
Of the laps was as follows First l0p
$40 1-5; second lap Sol rs; third lap,
7.37 1-5; fourth lap 1888 As; fifth lap,
6:33 "; sixth lap 7:S9; seventh lap 7:2711;
eighth lap 7:2s; ninth lap 7:21 S-1o tenth
lap 7:21 1-5.
The coruse laid out by the officials
for the daring aviator was along the
edge of the ocean from Massachusetts
avenue on the north to Dover avenue on
the south. thus beginning Curtiss and his
flag machine within the range of view
OF people from the inlet down to Vent
nor. Practically all of Atlantic City was
on the board walk or on the beach
watching the flight
Prize Left To Brookins
Curtiss contract ends tonight, leaving
Brookins in possession of the 5000 alti-
tude prize won on Saturday evening
when he made worlds record of 6175
feet, and which will be given to him
tomorrow. The Wright aviator has not yet
announced whether he will go after the
fifty mile prize of $1,000. which will 9TH
erwise go to CurttSs.
Curtiss' spectacular climb of 1900 feet
into the air, came at the end of a thrill
Ing series of exhibitions of flying that
kept the big crowd of spectators on the
board walk and beach in a succession of
cheers.
Brookins started up Immediately aft
erwards, and described sharp curves and
turns, ending with his first exhibition of
a triple turn that ALMOST stood his ma
chine end. Brookins and Coffyn then
went up together with Brookins driving
the biplane, gesting off well after a
false start, caused by a loose running
rail. Later in the day Coffyn went up
alone, giving another thrilling exhibit
ton of turning and swoopng. During
his lone flight Brookins made 1000
foot sweep along the beach just over the
heads of the crowd, ending by driving
his machine over the breakers, hardly a
foot from the surf.
The exhibition did not conclude until
long after sunset e>
Although Curtiss contract for f,ying
here ends tonight he will probably make
exhibition flights tomorrow and will prob
ably attempt to. drop sham bombs upon
the line of battleships to be marked out
on the sand. Brookins and Coffyn will re-
main until Wednesday. and will make an
attempt to break Curtiss' record for a
I quick altitude rise in their Wright ma
chine.
Harmon Has Bad Fall
New York. July 11.-Clifford B. Har-
mon. well-known as an amateur aviator,
| made an attempt this evening to fy in
Il an aeroplane from Garden CITY. L. IL.
4 across Long Island Sound to the residence
! of his father-in-law. Commodore E. c.
Benedict, at Greenwich. Conn
Not only did he fall, but his machine
fell distance of $50 feet and was wreck
ed Harmon was badly shaken llp but
not seriously injured. The branches Of
tree having broken the force of his fall.
After tuning up, Harmon was off at
b:o1 p. M, but the weight of pontoons.
which he attached to his craft to In
sure its floating, proved too much to
carry and he was forced to alight after
going less than a mile
The pontoons were removed and at
619 he was away again: But as he dis
appeared in the distance 1t was appar-
ent that his engine was missing strokes,
and when near Roslyn, L. T., less than
seven miles from his second start, the
aeroplane began to descend rapidly in Its
perilous drop to the treetops. W
When the crowd gathered Harmon was
among the wreckage
The engine was not damaged. He ex-
planned that just before he dropped only
three cylinders Of his engine We're work
Ing, and he decided to come down as best
he could
New British Record Z.
Bournemouth, England, July liza new
British record for high flying was made
by ]. Armstrong Drexel. son of Anthony
Drexel, at the aviation meeting here to-
day. He reached an altitude of 1850 feet.
Mr.. Drexel made another ascent about
sunset and beat his own record. He
achieved this time a height Of 2493 feet.
Aviation Meet Postponed
East St. Louis July 1.-THE opening
OF the first national aviation meet for
novices was postponed this afternoon un-
I'll Thursday, July IA. Several Of the con-
testants were not ready to begin their
trials st
White Attnins Success
London July l1.-Graham White the
English aviator who was beaten by Paul
hansin London to Manchester flight, made
an unbrolxen night today Of aoh miles to
Bournemouth IA tRo hours and th3ze eP-five
painutee - M