New-York tribune., 1910-01-17
WIND NO OBSTACLE
FLY At LOS ANGELES.
Pauth0n UM Attempt to Hin
MichelR Gun To-dau.

Los Angelcs Ian. 16-Wind and rain con-
spired to-day to teNt the airships flying on
Aviation Field. The result was a victory
1or Glenn H. Curtiss and Louis Paulhan-
IN half gale of wind Curtiss; rose to a
height OF more than a hundred feet and
described circles In daring fashion, lifting
and dipping and beating against the wind
he finished by cutting a figure eight.
Paulhan strove to outdo this, going up 51a
feet and circling about like a hawk.
Then Curtiss, Paulhan and Charles K
Hamilton. each driving his own machine,
swung around in an aerial marathon At
times they raced together against the
wind. They flew under and over each
other and around each other
The aviators did not want to fly in the
WIND. They knew that the wind strains
the delicate silk planes and pulls at the
tastenings. but the crowd was there and
they had to amuse it.
The people Of Los Angeles gave an exhibi-
ton to-day of their enthusiasm for avia-
ton. Through the rain of the morning they
went in droves to the field. standing in mud
along the fence line or holding dripping
seats in the grandstand. BY the time the
events were scheduled to begin the biggest
crowd of the meet had gathered Even the
nearby hills were black with spectators and
the rain ceased.
The aviators waited as long as possible
out finally Hamilton awakened cheers by
rising in short flight to test the wind
PaulhaH was not long in following He
came UP with a rush and sailed past the
erandstand in two qualifying rounds. He
Neered and shot out of the course back
OF the grandstand. two hundred feet high
going over the field again after a short
drome. When he came down he said that
he had intended TO try ten laps for speed
but found the wind too strong on the west
ward course.
Then Curtiss came out in a preliminary
flight. Hamilton and Paulhan started to-
seuher in a wind bucking contest but were
sent out of the course, and they landed
back Of the grandstand. Paulhan, after
finding that his machine was standing the
strain we'll, made another trip for speed
In four rounds his best lap was 2:3s So
Curtisss record is 2:12
Finding that he could not win in this,
Paulhan tried to lower Curtiss's starting
record He made it on the soft turf in 1888
feet Curtiss's record is 9S feet.
Roy Knabenshue and Lincoln Beachey
brought out their dirigibles. They went up
and struggled hard against the wind for
half mile and then gave up, whirling back
over the grandstand at high speed.
Charles F. Willard. in a Curtiss machine
made a brief flight, but after feeling the
force of the wind he gave up. Curtiss, who
had announced that he would try for a
mile speed record. also quit. The crowd was
then sent home.
Paulhan was not content. AS the spec
tators were filing out he appeared on the
horizon with two mechaniCians behind him,
a dangerous feat in such a wind. After
short run with them, he took up Clifford
B. Harmon. the New York baIIoonist
Great interest centres in Paulhan's at
tempt to win the Michelin Cup for long
distance flight tomorrow. If the weather
permits he will start early. It will be nee
essary TO go over the new triangular course
more than thirty-fve times to beat the rec
ord of 144 miles held by Henry Farman.
Paulhan thinks it will be a great joke TO
win this event in a machine bought from
Farn1an.