The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-10
Walter Brookins Rises
6, ,175Feet at Atlantic
City.
FEAT CHEERED BY
$50, 600 PEOPL E,
Police Have Trouble in Keeping
Back the Mighty Throng When
Daring Aviator Descends
After Record-Breaking
Flight Over Ocean.
In Air One Hour.
-[special to The Times- -pispatch, j


Especial to The Times-D -Dispatch,1
Atlantic City, N. j.. July 3.-Soaring
one and one-sixth miles high above
the ocean off the shores of this fam
Gus summer resort, Walter Brookins,
the nty-two-year-old Dayton avia-
tor, in his eagle-lika Wright biplane
late this afternoon, smashed all ex.
listing worlds altitude flight records.
Gradually circling upward In great
three-mile wide sweeps, which carried
him over the heart Of Atlantic City, as
we'll as over the ocean, he reached his
highest altitude of 6,t75 feet In the,
phenomenal time Of fffty-six minutes. 4
He made. his descent in seven minutes.
and at an altitude of 4,2o0 feet shut,
off his motor and Elided to earth like |
a bird.
When he landed he was obliged to
fight his way through the crowds by
physical exertion. The 100000 people
who witnessed the feat are simply
wild with enthusiasm tonight, and an
immense crowd is gathering in front
of the Chalfonte, where the daring
young aviator stops. He scarcely
! dares to venture out for fear of the 7
I strenuous reception which awaits
| him.
About o'clock this afternoon,
Brookins. despite a high wind. noti- i
| fled the committee that he would att
| tempt the flight for the $4,000 prize.
| Curtiss's Flyer Out.
| Just as Brookns was making ready
! for his preliminary flight. Glenn II.
| Curtiss brought out his flyer. The
two machines were lined up side by
| side. At 5:33 o'clock Brookins. In i,is
- .tSE~ - ,t.
Making wide circles over the ocean.
4 crowded with trim looking sailing
yachts. he sportively scared upward.
Four minutes later Curtlss sprang
into the air and darted on a fight
towards Nentnor. while Brookins was
steadily flying in the opposite direc-
4 tion towards the inlet. Then Curtiss
| wheeled around and came racing in
4 the direction of Brookins's course.
When curtiss completed his course, the
4 Wright flyer had started back at an
altitude of $500 feet Curtiss imne-
| diately took after him. and while
! Brookins was passing over Young s
Pier. Curtiss. flying 1000 feet below,
overlook him and darted speedily
| ahead.
Both aviators came down a few mo-
ments later. While Brookins was dom
ming an old brown sweater and his
mechanics carefully overhauled every
detail of the machine in preparation
/ for the great altitude flight Curtiss
/ started on short flight
Drives Craft Upward.
/ Brookins drove his great white ma
chine from the starting rail just eight
i minutes after o'clock. The moment
he took to the air the crowd lost all
/ interest in Curtiss. Wasting no time
on the spectacular turn for which he
| has become famous. Brookins steadily
drove his craft upward, flying towards
ventnor Never lowering his lifting
! planes for a second, he undeviatingly
slid up on the air until he had reached
/ the neighborhood of Ventnor
Here. still climbing. he gradually
swung seaward, rising slowly but
very clearly as he made a great two
| mile curve over the ocean as he came
| swinging around on his second circle.
Frank Coffin. another Wright avia-
tor, took hasty measurement and
/ announced that Brooklns had mounted
$500 feet into the air in seven min
utes Here Brookins flew on an even
i keel.
few minutes later. however, he
set his planes upward again and began
making wider circles as he bored his
way into the rarer attitudes.
Twenty minutes later. when he had
reached the height of 5000 feet, the
4 over the heart of Atlantic City. When
Brooklns had been in the air for.
thirty-siX minutes he reached the estt-
mated altitude of 1900 feet.
At this height the aeroplane bel gan
to look like a small kite. The sun.
had been shining full when he started.
but when he reached $500 feet, forty
two minutes after he left the ground.
the sun had dropped behind the mead
; ows west of Atlantic City. and at va.
rious times the machine could be seen
TO pass over the dim crescent of the
moon, rising early in the glowing, eve-
ming sky.
Speck In the Sky.
At the altitude of $3.50 feet. when
BrookinS had been in the air for fifty
two minutes. 1t was necessary to fol-
, low the movement Of the craft intent
ly in order to identify the minute
speck that wheeled eagle-like on the
aerial heights. When the aeroplans
!, had reached its ultimate pinnacle OF
i 6.l0O feet, even Roy Knabenshue. the
manager of the Wright aviators. could
not discern whether the craft was ris-i
| ing or falling,
After a short interval, however, Id
became apparent that the machine was
coming down in gigantic oorkscrew
III spirals, At first its speed seemed
!, slow, hut as 1t became palmer II could
be aseen that the machine was darting
/ earthward with terrific speed.
1 lust before he landed. Brookins
| made several of the perpendicular
!. turns which caused even his frienda
to cleneh their hands with suspense.
The moment the aeroplane touched
!, the ground, at eleven minutes after z.
!, the crowd closed in. But after giving
i his altitude register a has'y glance,
!, Brookins tore through the crowd like
/, mad, stopped second TO accept a
\, large bouquet of roses from AIrs,
: Frank Coffin, and plunged into the
: managers office on Young's Pier.
a where he locked himself In from tho
I pursuing mob, Five minutes later,
s minus his sweater. ne anpeared IN tho
$ edge OF the pier. and reluctantly per-
! mitted the crowd TO feast i'm eyes