The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-12

Atlantic City n. J.. July u.-Whizzing
along the entire length OF the Atlantic
City beach. with thousands cheering him
on from the boardwalk, Glenn Curtis es-
tablished the first American record for a
fifty-mile fight in an aeroplane.
Sustaining an average speed Of exactly
forty miles an hour over the sea course.
the speedy little aeroplane covered the
fifty miles in one hour, purteen minutes
and hfty-none seconds. This time is for
the exact measured distance over the
course. which was two and one-half miles
long. six minutes and six seconds being
taken out for the time consumed in MAX
ing turns, as agreed by officials after it
was decided 20 run the race straightaway
in ,wo directions instead OF over trian-
gular sea course as first planned.
The change was decided on because of
the difficulty of keeping stake yacht in
exact position In the rough sea. The
course was marked by range fags placed
on buildings, with Judges to see that each
crossing was fully made
Loses Fifteen Miles an Hour.
A stiff breeze from the sea struck the
plane diagonally. forcing the racer to
point up into the wind and lose several
miles in distance and time in speed
Curtiss believes that he lost an average
of fifteen miles an hour on account Of
the cross wind, and believes that with no
wind. or favorable breezes. he could lower
the record TO an even hour or better.
Curtiss was in the air just one hour
and thirty minutes from the time he left
the beach unfit ne dropped safely down.
Including his turns. he was one hour,
twenty-one minutes. and I'VE seconds IN
covering the course.
Despite the fact that time was de-
Quoted for the turns. Curtiss whirled
around at dangerous angles in his ef-
forts to keep his time for the entire dis
tance down TO the lowest possible point
His quickest turn was made at the lower
range. where on his second lap he
rounded and started back over the line
IN s 2-5 seconds. The run being entirely
oyer the sea, Curtiss was forced to carry
his entire OUTFIT of life preservers and
pontoons. adding about seventy-five
pounds TO his regular racing weight.
Seems to stand on End.
Brookins started the thrilling series Of
flights soon after Curtiss landed. start
ing from the ocean pier into the air. the
daring boy, who celebrated his twenty
second birthday here to-day. whirled off
in series Of circles, which narrowed
until his machine appeared 10 stand on
end Then he swooped down over the
heads Of the spectators until the ma
chine was hardly ten feet from the
sand, whirled out again to sea, ana
skinned the breakers with hardly a
foot between his feet and the ocean.
BroOkins and Conyn. his flying partner.
then entered the Wright machine to-
/ gether and performed more fancy evo-
lutiOns before they descended. Later in
the day Coffyn took the machine up
/ alone and approached closely to Brook
ms spectacular feats, to the delight of
the crowd.
Not TO be outdone. Curtiss, Just before
nighlfall. first carried Lincoln Beachy,
Of Philadelphia, a dirigible pilot. as a
passenger on a flight, and then cracked
another record by climbing 100 feet into
the air IN minutes and 81 seconds.
Carries a Passenger.
The crowd gasped when they saw Cur
| tiss suddenly swop up from the beach
with his daring passenger standing
wedged in between the tight wires and
rods Of the machine behind him. Lack
| ing a place for a seat, Beachy had
climbed up close to thethrobbing engine.
where he stood throughout the fight,
which lasted for I'VE minutes.
Curtiss fight to touch or break the
record for quick climbing was measured
by the same barograph used to measure
/ the altitude of Brookins on Saturday.
The first glide from the beach took the
air navigator close to the Million Dollar
pier, but he rounded up with a short
\ turn and climbed almost vertically into
the air, appearing about 10 topple his ma
chine backward.
His intention was to go after the record
for 1000 feet, but the fine air conditions
tempted him higher and the delicate
needle showed full LOO feet In less
than six minutes time Brookins is ex-
peteed TO go after this record tomorrow.