The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-01-26
AVIATION MEET CLOSES.
Curtiss Wins Speed Contest; Paulhan
Height and Endurance.

Aviation Field, Los Angeles, Jan. 81.
AS dusk gathered over the old Do
minquez ranch tonight four flying ma
chimes that had been circling in the
air in rivalry of the meadowlarks that
for so many centuries have held do
minion there, settled softly to earth
The masters of the newest air craft
walked to their tents, the great crowd
filed down the roadway, and the first
international aviation meet ever held
in America was over.
All was peaceful and but few knew
that one man had been near death in
those last few minutes. Charles K.
Hamilton was returning from q 15-
mile flight toward the ocean, and while
a mile from the aviation field the
crank shaft of his machine snapped.
To ship it would have meant help
less drift upon the sea. To the aero
plane it means so little that no one
in the crowd noticed anything wrong.
Hamilton shut off his engine and so
leveled and swayed his planes that he
was waited gently down, touching
with scarcely thud. 1t was the best
piece of emergency handling of a ma.
chine that has been seen at the meet.
Curtiss and Paulhan-the great riv.
ais of the meet-furnished the excite
ment for the closing day. Paulhan
went up at 1925 O'Clock for an endur.
ance flight. After he had gone two
or three laps of the course, Curtiss
started ON a ten-lap speed trial, half
a lap, or more than three-fourths of q
mile behind Paulhan. Instantly it was
seen that a great race was on-the
first real race of the ten days.
The two airships, full power on
came over the grandstand with the
speed of express trains. Curtiss, il
was plain, was gaining. He crept
swiftly ON Paulhan's heels, and on the
third lap after starting he reached
Paulhan, flying above. The French
man for few seconds held his own
then Curtiss, in his American machine
forged ahead by nose, length, ant
finally by half lap. 1t was no rae,
after that The American machine
was demonstrated as the faster be
yond question.
AS Curtiss rushed over Paulhan h,
received the greatest applause that any
of his efforts have evoked. Paulhal
went ON until he had travelled 64..
miles and had been in the air nearly
an hour and half. Curtiss cam,
down after a 30-mile trip.
This race gives the whole story O.
the meet. The Curtiss machines hav,
won all the prizes for speed, quicl
starts, perfect landings, and thos
events where a light, swift machin
showed best.
Paulhan has won all the cross-coun
try, passenger-carrying and enduranc
tests, having heavier, slower machin
and an engine which he trusts com
pletely. Paulhan has taken more tha
$4,000 in prizes, and has broken tn
worlds records for altitude and TO
cross-country flights, alone and with
passenger.
Il A medal presentation took plac
after this, then Paulhan went upon hi
endurance flight. The French machin
never seemed to run SO smoothly. N
E. Cleary, Paulhan IS distinctly Ems
lish manager, was filed with emotion
He broke out as follows:
Il "Look at her! There she goes
Watch the turn when the sun CLINT
the white planesl Isn't it mystical
something above men7 By George
like a magnificent albatross after
, thunderstorm. Now it's lost ON til
turn! It's great!"