Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-05-30
Aviator Followed the Winding Course of the
Hudson River the Entire Distance
CURTISs WINS THE $4,000 PRIZE
Offered by the New York Word-Distance of 1877 Miles
Covered in Two and One-t1alf Hours-Aeropane
Shows Signs of Rebellion but Once-Came Earth
Easily and Lightly Pigeon.

New York May 39--Glenn H Cur
tiss flew from Albany to New York
city in aeroplane today. winning the
$4,000 prize offered by the New York
World He covered the distance of 137
miles in two hours and thirty -tw O
minutes and came TO earth as easily
and as lightly as a pigeon.
EeIipses Anything Man Has Attempted
His average speed for the distance
-5406 miles an hour-surpasse any
record ever made by aeroplane in
long-distance flight and in its entirety
his feat perhaps eclipses anything man
has attempted in heavier than air
machine
Early Morning Start.
Albany was quilted at 1908 O'Clock
this morning under weather conditions
as near perfect as the most fastidious
aviator could demand One hour and
twenty-three minutes later he had
reached his stopping place near Pough-
sxeepsie. where there was an hours in
remission Resuming his flight at
SIS, he sped southwark and landed
within the boundary of Manhattan Is
north Of the point on which his craft
settled stretched Spuyten Duyyel
creek, separating Manhattan Island
from the mainland. Had he failed TO
cross this, his flight would have been
81 vain, but as he swept over ii, the
r~zze was his Thence TO Governors
island his task was but = whirn of tri-
unph and the concluding lap of race
&1Tc11L VOL
The Flight.
PauIhsn's flight from London to
Manchester. 1S6 miles, exceeded Cur
1zss' feat Of today in distance, but
not in speed and danger. The French
mans average speed was only 443
niles an hour and below him lay Eng
81 mezdowland- Curtiss followed the
ending course of the historic Hud-
Son. With jutting headland. wooded
slopes and Ireacherous palisades. He
swung high over the great bridge at
FouEhkeepsie, dipped at times within
% feet of the rivers broad surface and
tockeyed like a falcon at the turns.
DEly once did his craft show signs of
rebellion This was off Storm King,
uesr West Point. where at a height of
nearly 1000 feet, treacherous gust
struck his planes. The machine drop
Fed ike rock for forty feet and tilt
ed perfloUziy- But CHFtiss, always
zeal. kept both his head and his heart
sud by adroit handling of his levers,
erought renewed equilibrium to his
1erla4 street
Remarkable Scene at the Start.
-rrriss was up before dawn today
18th favorable weather. Without
ayes and brain cleared OF the cob
webs OF sleep he went with his me-
chznic and q handful of spectators to
Ven Rennsselaer island in the Hud-
con. three miles south of Albany,
whence he was 70 start
Waiting at the river brink was a
AIrE- Curtiss and her party, who had
not accompanied the aviator to the is
land Prom the train they could not
see the actual start but those on the
island Witnessed a remarkable scene.
Curtiss arose from the ground like
= rocket. There we're no preliminary
nznoeuvrings-there was no trial
Tight The eeropiane ran hurriedly
over the surface of the island and
started straight for its goal to the
eoufhEard turning only for e moment
10 the westward so that Curtiss might
comply with the terms of the cOmpe-
ritions under which he was flying and
lschnically cross the Albany city line.
Straight Up Scared the Machine.
Straight up SCARED the aeroplane in
the distance When II reached a
ht estimated at 500 feet, it SEEM
a. or q moment TO hold a level pace
anti then to rise again to further lev
@ls- Perhaps 7eo feet would be a con-
Fervsrivs estimate Certainly Curtiss
~zs f.ving at a height which he had
never attempted before in his life In
three minutes he was minute speck
tn the dls<ance in seven minutes he
Vanished from sight The whole per-
formance Mas over in a twinkling
When the racer was wheeled from
bensath her canvas coverings shortly
before : o'clock the sky was blue and
clear aud what little wind was stirring
blew rom the north-a direction ia
H. a
hsps four miles an hour
The gasoline tank was Inspected and
tne sparkling apparatus was given a
Enai test Two assistants held the
e1rship in leash, while third cranked
the engine There was a roar Of the
exazust, the two blades of the fan,
angular and lean, ma gically merged
into blurred gray rose; the muscles
OF the assistants on each side tautened
rs the racer tugged against them; the
hair Of the assistant at the rear stood
out straight rrom his head in the gale
from the fan. Let goi" cried the pi-
Dt. and she was off.
Over the level runway the aeroplane
eustled on wheels. ike a partridge
runninE TO get its wings, and, like the
SEATING wings of a partridge, was the
fosr Of exhaust from the pulsating
engine With a little lift she had tax
en- the air, and as the ribbed wings
az her spread brown and dusty against
the sky the suggestion of a partridge
in tenunity Of sossamer surfaces and
TeeIy anatomy this was a locust
Swinging from the sands De Lesseps
the French aviator. must have had the
Same thought in mind when he named
the machine in which he recently
crossed the English channel the Scar
abee fbeetIe)-
Special Train Sought to Follow.
With the signal that Curtiss was off,
the Special train. five cars and a 10
cor7otive- cumbersome now by COM
I.aVis~7 gathered impetus and sought |
TO follow. But so quickly had he flown
1haI for twenIy-0ne miles southwark
the locomotive though running nearly
q mile TO the minute. remained a lag
49, AT --zs. however, the train came |
abreast Of the aeroplane and thence
To- 49, ssrk city those ON board kept |
IN aviator in sight. But as he did not |
rtra with curves Of track. reduced |
e through towns. and switches. the |
man sboVe maintained substantial |
iea1-
AT 1000 Feet Elevation.
swiftly Town apd countryside reeled |
6s Catskin was passed at 7-41 with !
rhe aerop;ane a thousand feet above !
The Hudson At sos Curtiss still I
1iriuE hiEh and veerinE well toward |
80 vest bark OF the river. The ex |
Eal.st Of his eQEine could be pIainly