Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-01-21
It Barely Missed Growing
By a Tragedy
HAM|lT0ws CLOSE SHAVE
The Final Meet of Curtiss
and Paulhan for Suprem-
acy Demonstrated Beyond
Doubt Superior Swiftness
of American Aeroplanes.

Los Angeles, Cal. Jan. 20.-As dusk
gathered over the old Dominguez ranch
tonight four flying machines that had
been circling in the air in rivalry of
the meadowlarks that for so many CEN
turtles have held dominion there set
tied softly o earth. The masters of
these newest air craft walked to their
tents. great crowd filed down the
roadway and the first international
aviation meet ever held in America
was over.
All was peaceful but few knew that
one man had been near TO death i'm
those last few minutes. Charles X.
Hamilton was returning from a fit
teen-mile flight toward the ocean.
While a mile from the aviation field
the crank shaft of his machine snapped
and Hamilton cut off the engine and SO
leyeled and swayed his planes that he
was waited gently down. touching with
scarcely more than a thud. 1t was the
best piece of emergency handling of a
machine that has been seen at the
meet.
Curtiss and Paulhan. the rivals of
the meet, furnished the excitement for
the day. Paulhan went up at 3:.5
O'Clock for an endurance flight. After
he had gone two or three laps of the
course. Cuttiss started on a ten-lap
speed trial. half a lap. or more than
three-quarters of a mile behind Paul
han. Instantly it was seen that a
great race was on. the first real race
of the ten days.
The two airships. full speed on, came
over the grandstand with the speed
an express train. Curtiss. il was plain,
was gaining. He crept swiftly on
Paulhan's heels. and on the third lap
after starting reached Paulhan, flying
above. The F'renchman for a few sec
onds held his own, then Curtiss, in an
American machine. forged ahead by
noselength, and finally half q lap. 1t
was no race after that. The American
machine was demonstrated as faster
beyond question. AS Curtiss rushed
over Paulhan he received the greatest
applause that any of his efforts have
brought
Paulhan went on until he had trav-
eled GA miles and had been in the air
near an hour and a half. Curtiss came
down after a thirtymile trip. This
race gives the whole story of the meet
The Curtiss machines have won all the
prizes for speed, quick starts and per-
feet landing and those events where
light, swift machines showed best
Paulhan has won all the cross-country
passenger carrying and endurance
tests, having a heavier slower machine
and engine which he trusts to the
ultimate, Paulhan has taken more than
$4,000 in prizes and has broken the
worlds record for altitude and for
cross country flights. and with
passengers. Curtis has broken no
worlds records and probably will take
less. than $4,000 in prizes.
Hamilton and Willard have taken
second and third prizes in most of the
events. The meet ended with a per-
feet day and parade showing the evo-
luton of travelling. 1t was headed by
old Ezra Meekeri of oregon trail fame,
seated in a prairie schooner that took
him over the plains. hauled by oxen.
After him came cowboys, automobiles.
burros. carriages, balloons, dirigibles,
and finally various builders of air.
ships. 1t ended with a multi-plane
that looked like a harvester. Curtiss
and Paulhan walked behind the band
like bashful school boys.
Clifford Harmon of New York and
Pilot George Harrison marked the
end of the aviation meeting 10 day
by establishing u balloon altitude rec
ord of 10.500 feet for the Pacific
coast.
The two aeronauts ascended in the
balloon shortly after noon and soon
attained an altitude of two miles.
Coming down at Hollywood long after
dark this evening. they lit on a house
top and nearly tore the roof off. NNei-
ther one of the aeronauts was hurt.