Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-10-28
THE MOST DARING AIRMANSHIP
That has ever been Shown to an American Crowd
Fifth Day of the Aviation Meet at Belmont Park

New York, Oct. 27.-Such are the
caprices of October weather that Ralph
tombstone and Arch Hoxsey of the
Wright team of aviators went up for
altitude at Belmont Park this after
noon and brought down the record of
the day for distance.
Howling Wester Ended the Day.
The fifth day of the international
aviation meet opened full of promise
and closed with bowling wester that
filed the air with whirling autumn
leaves, slammed down benches in the
grand stand. ripped out the canvas
screens that bar the view of those who
have not paid, but hope to gaze; tore
a string of flags from the grand stand
and sent such a skirmish line of dust
devils dancing around the track that
the flare lamps had to be lighted out
side the hangers for the mechanics to
find their way about. 1t was a furious
end to day of postponements, disap-
pointments and scattered feats of the
most daring airmanship that have yet
been shown to an American crowd.
No One Dared Try for the $4,000 Spe-
cial Prize.
Officially. flights for the Gordon Ben
nett elimination trials, to pick an
American team which shall defend the
International trophy won at Rheims
last year, opened at 8 o'clock this
morning, buE nOOOuN cdIeu " COItlt oU'
for them in the wind that was blowing.
At 1.30 o'clock the special prize of $780,
600 offered by Thomas Fortune Ryan
for a flight from the field to the Statue
of Liberty and return was open to any
aviator but none of them dared try.
They chose to take advantage instead
of the latest largesse allowed them by
the committee-permiSS to compete
between 1.30 and 3.45 O'Clock any after
noon during the meet, provided only
that they should finish before $50.
Proved a IS Mile an Hour Gale.
That narrowed the programme down
to one hourly event for distance and
altitude. Latham in an Antoinette
monoplane, for distance. and Hoxsey
and tombstone of the Wright team, in
standard model Wright biplanes Of the
new headless type, were the only ones
to brave gale of from 20 to 25 miles
an hour.
1t was stiff going. tombstone and
Hoxsey tried to initiate the gull. to set
their wings and soar into the gale
without effort but they showed that
the ''way of an eagle in the air. is still
one of the four things man does not
yet understand. They kept their poise
beautifully. but though the speed of
the biplane they We're flying is normal
ly 80 miles an hour and their engines
We're running wide open, they were
pushed steadily down over the edge of.
the horizon. and finally vanished from
the range Of the most powerful glasses.
The upper gale they were Jamming
must have been more than forty miles
an hour. but neither was willing to
come down before the other, and they
stuck it out until forced to land by
sheer compulsion of the elements.
Driven Far off Their Course.
Both men were driven miles off the
course Word came from Hoxsey first
that he had landed safety at Brent
wood L. l., about % miles distant,
tombstone, still resolute that he would
not come down before that fellow
Hoxsey," stuck it out longer and was
carried SIS miles to Middle Island VII
Iage. L. l. Theirs was the two longest