The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-10-23
,obnny MoIssant is Crowned as the
Most Marvellous Aviator in tho
World For His
Act.
FLYING IN A STORM
rrenchman Climbed Trees When he
side the Airshlp Sheds While
Americans Flew
About.

TGate City Leased Wire Service.l
BELMONT AVIATION FIELD. l..
Oct 22.-The Most Marvellous
Aviator in the World is the title
bestowed tonight upon Johnny Mois-
SAINT of Chicago, by experts in sky
plotting.
Driving out into binding rain
and windstorm on the opening day OF
the second international aviation
tournament Moissant this afternoon
made the most remarkable trip in an
aeroplane ever recorded.
While the air men from the sister I
republic from across the sea, refused /
even to bring their machines from I
their hangers, the Chicago man sped
off across the uneven country, Drawing
the storm and cold to add to the
laurels of the country of his birth.
Last year, in order to sell his ma
chine to the United States govern
ment, Orville Wright was compelled
to fly from Fort Meyer, Washington,
to Shutters Hill and return, ten
mile fight. Before accomplishing
this trip Wright delayed for many
months awaiting for the weather to-
become propitous. Today within 19
minutes of the time set by the COM
mittee Moissant rose into the air and
B sped out across country for a fight
II OF 20 miles When he returned Mois-
SAINT had established the fact that the
heavens had been harnessed and that
mans will over them was established
that he could come and go as he
chose.
The fights began at / O'Clock,
though not officially due to start until
1880. Shortly after / o'clt <. P. @.
Parmalee, one of the newest recruits
in the Wright camp, came out to quail
ify for his pilots license in order that
be might fly in the international meet
Ing.
Promptly at 1.30 the first gun an
nounced the opening of the contest
As the gun doomed ]. Armstrong
i Drextel. the Philadelphian. stepped
into the air in his Bleriot monoplane
and began circling the course of a
mile and half. He was followed by
Claude Grahame White, the English
man in his big Farman biplane, and
then came Moissant in his Blerlot.
The rain was falling in torrents as
the three men birds began the hourly
duration contest, while the French
Flyers stuck to their hansars. DreX'
tel far speedier than either Moissanl
or Grahame White, made only nine
White and Moissant, however. stuck
to the air during the full hour, Ora
hame White circling the course TWEEN
ty times and Moissant seventeen. BS
this fight Grahame White won the
hourly prize of $3.50
At 2:20 "Archie" Hoxsey, with his
HHeadless" Wright biplane, took tt
the air in the hourly altitude contest
followed in few moments by Eugene
ELY in new model Curtiss biplane.
The clouds hung low and Hoxsey
Speeding straight upward, was lost t.
View as he reached the hundred foo
level. Ely, because of bad fabrication
was compelled to descend almost Inn
mediately. But Hoxsey ascendet
higher and higher. Hoxsey remaine'
alolt twelve minutes, having reached
an altitude of about 1900 feet.
The second hourly duration cor
Test which started at PAS was agail
won by Grahame White in his Fal
man biplane with Moissant second
White made 20 laps in the hour Will
Aloissant made 15.
Then came the startling fight c
'ne day. a cross country trip by Moi'
SAINT A captive gas balloon had bee
anchored above Hicksville, L, l., e.
actly 10 miles east of the aviatio
Held, The flyer must circle this ba
loon on the return. On clear da
mis- balloon would have been in sigf
Of the aviation field but today, whe
a man could not see one hundre
ieet anead the location of the turnin
point was problematical.
AT 419:19, the Chicagoan WEI
across the starting line alone. TIE
miles there and ten miles back spe
Moissant, with rain spattering h
goggles and the wind bowling In h
ears. In 80 minutes IS 1-5 seconds /
n mad completed the 90 mile fiigh
e while the hardy 5000 who had scor
eu the rain, cheered themselyt
& noarse. Moissant won prize of So
lor the feat. The tournament wi
continue for one more week.