Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-10-30
FRENCH COMPETITOR
MAKES 80 NILES AN HOUR
Alfred Leblanc In Lead for the Gov
eted Prize, When His Machine
Strikes Telegraph Pole, Breaking
the Timber In Three Pieees-Wal-
ter Brookins Has Serious mishsp.
(By Associated Press).


ham-White, flying for the Royal Aero
Club Of the United Kingdom, lifted
the Gordon Bennett international
speed trophy from tho custody OF
America today in the fastest time
ever covered for the full distance OF
100 kilometres. GAIA miles, around a
five kilometer course. His average
speed was a fraction better than 81
miles an hour and his fastest lap was
two minutes SET seconds, but the
captain OF the French team. Alfred
Leblanc, flying in a similar machine.
a 100 horsepower Bleriot, monoplane-
was making each lap Oh an average
of twenty seconds faster than Ora
ham-White. and would have won the
cup II he had not met with disas.
trous accident in his last lap. when
he had the race seemingly well In
hand.
His first lap was new worlds
record in itself for five Kilometres
two minutes 45.63 seconds, but he
exceeded 1t with a lap done in two
! minutes f4.32 seconds. Leblanc was
running before the wind under fu'l
power at an estimated sIeed OF eigh-
ty miles an hour, when the feed pipe
from his gasoline tank to the motor
loosened under the incessant Earring
Of the engine and he suddenly found
himself with nothing but momentum
to carry him. Leblanc was helpless
and panic stricken. He tried to lit
his plane so that the last few drops
/ of gasoline might filter down into the
T. cfr- 4, tteKl
I to make a landing His steerage way
was gone and when pun of wind
caught him he driftod side ways. still
/ driving at tremendous speed and
/ crashed foremost into a telegraph
| pole.
Breaks Pole In Three Pieces.
| The pole was IA inches thick. but
/ he broke it in three pieces as II IL
had been a toothpick. The chassis
I and steel shield. which encloses the
motor were completely crumpled. but
/ the stolid steel of the motor itself
withstood the shock. Had Leblanc
I hit the pole in any other manner II Is
I difficult TO see how he could have
possibly escaped death. His accident
was accepted with the greatest re-
grst. Graham-White admitted that
Leblanc would have won the race and
would have established a worlds rec
1 ord. even better than his own. ex-
cept for his mishap. Charles X. Ham,
| il'on. OF the American team. was en-
I thusiastic
Leblanc is the best track driver
in the world" he said THE way he
took those turns was a marvel. Ora.
ham-White would never have been in
il except for LeBlanc's accident and
no American machine had a chance
with MIN. am going TO throw my
/ machine into the scrap heap and buy
BIeriot before 7 leave this track.
The biplane is out of date and We
might as well admit IT,"
Hamilton will challenge for the cup
next year The Wright Brothers will
also build a new racer and go after
IL. John r. Moissant will be q third
challenger.
You bet" he said. I'm going after
IT, II 7 don't bring It back some
other American viii"
Brookins Has Accident.
In addition 10 LeBlsrc's accident.
today was marred by a serious mis-.
] nap 10 MdlTfT f1TtDtlUr- OF NDt NTlLal
team. who had taken up the rev
baby Wright racer for the first
tine Brookins vas just coming
| around the turn into tho home
stretch for a trial circle. preparatory
TO entering in the Gordon Reaue'
I race. when four OF his eight cylinders
ceased firing. With only half power
he tried FIRST 20 sustain himself ~
mounting. then decided Z was wiser
70 laud> and plunged 20 the earth
In the strict sense 81 the cord. no
did no; faii-he dived. And Il could
! almost be said that he made a per.
fect landing. that . T. the angie Al
which he bit the earth from = height
~ fifty feet. vas almost normal But
driven by The wind ard his engine 10
cane hurting thriugh the air ~ such
/ tremendous snccd that when Re touch
I'd the earth hts front wheel and Tor.
ward frame collapsed under him. The
machine stuck ifs nose into the dirt
slowly reared tail upward and finally
/ collapsed tous'fc rrdcTmosi. With =
fhud. Brookins vas thrown from rs
seat Ia the sorersauh.
Badly Hurt.
A great cloud Of yellow dust and
fragments Of toru turf vent shower