New-York tribune., 1910-08-27
Augustus Post Couldn't Come
Down When He Wanted To.
MARS RACES ALL ALONE
Announcer Said He Had Two
Competitors, but 200 Spec
tators Didn't See Them.

Augustus Post began 1t. Spectators, two
hundred strong. at the Sheepshead Bay race
track, felt despondent about the value of
their wind checks until Mr.. Post went UP
in his aeroplane at s:12 p. N. yesterday
Until then the Curtiss aviators had
broken only one record during their metro
politan meet.
They had carried more newspaper re-
porters three hundred yards across field
than had ever been attempted by any other
aggregation Of professional flyers in this
country or abroad.
Mr. Post furnished the inspiration to
Mars, who few four times around the field,
and then the two hundred went home cold
and inclined to facetious comment on avia-
ton at 81 head
But Mr.. Posts achievement was worth
the price of the wind checks. II 1t was not
looked at in this way last night at the
Sheepshead Bay racetrack 1t was because
the spectators were not educated up to an
appreciation of the act.
Mr. Post was up and could not come
down He could come down in a sense. but
not TO stay. No one could call it coming
down-least of all Mr.. Post.
With him, touching ground meant an
other flight in his aeroplane-destination
unknown, but time of departure tmmedi-
ate.
The other aviators couldn't go up for
more than few seconds The spectators
had noticed this and become used to it.
Apparently there was nothing in the mat
ter Of Just perceptible soaring. accompa-
MED by a prompt landing, that Ely and
McCurdy had omitted to demonstrate.
Among the twenty-four events prom
ised In the programme, none of which has
as vet been reached nothing was men
toned about Mr. Post making three ascen-
sions in one flight.
The programme is not accurate. All fly
ing men have strong wills. Experts will
not always fly just because some pro-
gramme maker prints their names after a
specified event" Mr., Post has taken the
attitude struck by his fellows-that his neck
was in the aeroplane, not the neck of the
programme maker-and so until Mr.. Post
left the ground, at 6;12 p. m. the perform
ers had been about as aerial as goats,
as a. sad faced Scotchman put it.
Mr. Post and whiskers got away against
the wind. and did surprisingly well at an
altitude of twenty-five or perhaps thirty
feet The altitude varied a little, due TO
the operator of the forward rudder.
When in front of the grandstand, going
almost due west. it was seen that the only
bearded avia tor in America Farman is the
only noted one abroad was coming to
earth
The fight had been up TO standard as far
as it had gone. and no one was expecting
anything more than another talk by the
fzyI-
minutes enjoyment of the fresh air and
quiet.
The Post aeroplane did not do the usual
thing. 1t jumped thirty vertical feet and
kept going west, where there was first a
fence and further many things, including
the setting sun.
Mr.. Post turned to the right just before
he reached the fence. Aviators do not be-
lieve in turning to the right as a rule, be-
cause the propeller moves in that direc-
ton. and it is easy to upset. When there
is a fence in front and a erandstand
holding $50 persons. on the left. something
must be done. however, and Mr. Post again
came down while turning. only to again
jump up as before but this time pointed
northeast. When finally he got everything
shut off and was able to alight everybody
felt relieved.
Ely started the show at 4:S0 by straight
away low flight. Mars followed. making one
circle of the inner field. McCurdy gave a
good imitation of how a man could SEEM
insly be on the ground and yet be not
touching even the tallest weeds. Then
Ely and McCurdy, according TO the an
nouncer. raced" with Mars. but as only
Mars stayed in the air he had no one to
beat but himself. and he soon descended
The wind was so puffy 1t was almost a
fun at times, and so when Mars flew sew
cral times around the course at 6;45 O'Clock
at 20 10 $50 feet high, the spectators were
advised to come to-day, and departed