The San Francisco call., 1910-11-01
tombstone, in Baby Wright
Roadster, Gains Altitude
of OLA Feet
TRIUMPH COMES AT CLOSE
OF INTERNATIONAL MEET
Thrilling Contests in Which
PrOpellers Snap. but Bird
men Escape Injury
MOISANT WINS ONE OF
MOST SENSATIONAL RACES

NEW YORK. Oct. 91-A baby"
IN Wright roadster with Ralph
Johnstone at the wheel. glided
gracefully to earth in the twilight in
/ the close Of the international avia-
tion meet at Belmont park this even
ling with the barograph registering a
new worlds record for altitude. The
little machine. of only 80 horsepower,
had been 9,714 feet exceeding by 52S
feet the height attained in France Oc-
tober 1 by Henry ". Wynnmalon Of
| Holland
( White Challenges Moisant
Johnstone's sky climbing feat was
not the. only notable incident of the
closing day of the meet. Claude era
hame-White, the British aviator. who
carries away the Gordon Bennett
trophy. sharpened the sporting appe-
tite with a challenge to John B. Moi.
SAINT of Chicago for another race from
the park around the statue of Liberty
and return. Moisant. who won $4,000
for his fast fight around the statue
/ yesterday. ignored the challenge.
/ Monoplane Turns Tnrtfc
Then Grahame-White, denied an.
other chance for visit to Miss Lib
erty, sent a thrill through the spec
tators. when, at the close of speed
race with J; A: McCurdy of the Curtiss
team, his propeller. snapped, his
monoplane dug into the ground in
front of the. grandstand turned turtle,
and buried be-aviator underneath. He
was unin5ured and won the race
| Propeller Smashed
Moisant's winning of the $4,000 dis
tance prize offered by the Aero club Of
America was the other big event OF the
day, He travelled Approximately s71 :
miles in two hours In landing. after
winning. the event he smashed his pro-
peller and broke running wheel, but
| escaped unscathed.
The Wright brothers were jubnant
J. at Johnstone's success. 1t was the first
tfme. he had ever flown their tiny road
ster,. and he had set new world mark.
Arch Hoxsey, his friend and rival.
was one of the FIRST. TO congratulate
I Johnstone
DrexeI Loses Prize
As the crowds about the judges
stand cheered and chsered the an
nouncement- of Johnstone's wonderful
air feat, J. Armstrong DreNel swoopeI
down to the earth. He. had been
battling in the air with the Wright
pupil. but had attained only $50 feet.
Johnstone had easily won the altitude
event with its $4,000 prize
1T was an ideal day The air was
clear and crisp. the sun shone from a
clear, blue sky. and there was just
enough wind to stir the row of flags
along the top of the grand stand. The
first event was the two-hour distance
race for purse Of ss,5OO. donated by
members of the Aero club of America. .
The purse was split into three prizes.
Wins Long Race
The report of the bomb had hardly
died away when far across the field
the white wings of a Honoplane shot
up from the ground and swept toward
the starting line. 1t was Moisant. and
he was flying the. same machine with
which he won the statue Of liberty
flight Bud" Mars of the Curtiss team
and Simon and Latham of the French
team followed quickly and soon were
chasing Moisant about the course at
almost a mile q minute clip. Mars was
soon down with a broken engine and
after a few laps Latham's engine he
came baIky and he was forced to de-
scend in front of his hanger Moisant
and Simon were alone in the air. flying
close to each other. When he passed
the grandstand Moisant let out his
speed notch and shot ahead. simon
came to earth before the lap was FIN
shed and Moisant was tagged. Then
it was announced that simon had pro-
tested that Moisant had fouIed him by
passing too close TO him in the air
The judges penalized the Chica goan
three laps. but in few minutes he
was up again whizzing around only
few feet in the air. Latham and simon
were once more IN the contest and
Moisant appeared 10 be keeping out OF
their way. 1t was a queer race. When
the finish flag was put up two hours
after the start. Moisant was declared
the winner. He had been round the
course 56 times. a distance of about
81 Il miles. AS he came 10 earth vic.
torious the accident occurred His raA-