The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-08
Hubert Latham Thrills
City With His Peril.
GUS Flight.
NEW PRECEDENT
IN A v | A t | O N
Dehes Predictions Of Disaster
and Death, Gyrating High in
Air Over Skyscrapers-Does
Fancy Flying for Wealthy
Invalid Who Had Never
Seen Aeroplane.

Baltimore, Nd, November 7.--This
morning Hubert Latham was proba-
bly, the only aviator in Baltimore, II
not in the United States. who believed
that he would accomplish fight OF
nearly twenty-five miles, about hall
of 1t over this city. Predictions that.
he would be killed: that he would
fail in the attempt. and that he would
not even make the venture were
abundant. Tonight Latham la hailed
on all sides as a hero who has ac.
complished the impossible, and. es.
tablishing new record for overcify
flight, has disclosed new possibilities In
aviation.
The incentive for the flight was a
prize OF $4,000 offered by the Sun and
the Evening Sun for a trip over d
prescribed route from and returning
TO the aviation field. where Baltimores
aviation meet is now in progress.
Latham was to follow the course of
the Patapsco River from near the avi-
alton field to Fort McHenry. whose
banner furnished Francis Scott Key
the inspiration for his famous poem:
up lit hittSt+ Ha1 W. ~ uhN
around the sun building. thence east
to the city limits, mile north, and
thence west to Druid Hill Park, down
Charles Street to Baltimore, and thence,
again west. and later southwest to
the aviation field.
Detour for Invalid.
There was to be a short detour for
the benefit of Ross Winans. wealthy
invalid. who, unable to leave hE home,
offered an additional $500 il Latham
would come within his range of
vision. All this Latham accomplished,
and into the program he injected some
wonderful evolutions. He varied his
altitude from 400 to 1000 feet, and
had to contend with wind blowing
at from seven to fifteen miles an
hour, He used his 5O-horse-powe
Antoinette and was In the air 42 min
utes. making no stop after leaving
the field until he returned thereto.
1t is estimated that the flight. which
is understood to establish a record for
overcity flying, was witnessed By half
a million people
At IL o'clock the whole citv seemed
to stop work and begin watching. and
the excitement was added to by tho
terrific hubbub which steam whistle.
Set up. Some minutes later word cam.
from Halethorpe that the airman was
ready, and then in a moment or two
the City Hall bell began signaling
that Latham had actually started.
In few minutes more those on tho
tall buildings saw a faint speck IN the
direction of Halethorpe. 1t was La.
than's great Antoinette floating east.
ward
Borne by the stirring breeze Latham
flew straight for Fort McHenry, and
y y. .S..x~
slowly curved around and heading In
generally northwestern direction
steered for the crowded "grandstands,
| in the skyscraper district.
! Curving round the Belvedere Hotel
| he flew to about the line CT Calrer
Street. and there, some 1000 feet in tte
| air, performed a series of aerial gyra.
| tions, wheeling hack and forth for the
! edtfication OF Ross Winans, who haf
offered $500 for the sight of one OF thu
greatest modern wonders, the aero
/ plane, In action. Then he struck of
/ for the skyscraper district again Owe
4 the sun building he wheeled westward
land near the edge of the city. bor.
away southwest for the aviation field.
Sets New Precedent.
Reaching there he was overwhelmed
4 with congratulations by his fellow
4 aviators and friends. Those well$oual
4 ided to Judge declare the feat the mos
4 remarkable in the aviation annals.
There were competitions atathe ayia
ltton field today. Here again Latham
came to the front by winning first i,
/ the duration. and also in the distance
contests
i Count Jacques De Lesseps. In hi
Bieriot, took second prize in the alti
tude and in the duration trials. and j
Armstrong Drexel sailing Bleriot
won the first prize for altitude. Eli
record was 1856 feet, while Count D.
/ Lessons scored 1922. Latham took frs
4 5lduration By remaining in the air aFtota
of 81 minutes 81 second. De Lessep
4 lremaining aloft 80 minutes 424-5 SEQ
onds. The latter tried for altitude. In
was compelled to descend after reach
z ing a height OF $40 fee1 because q
4, motor trouble. Three minutes hafor
the closing bomb was fired Willar
began short flight in aCurtiss bi
4 plane,
Lathams flight over the city did no
4 count In his duration score, as 1T wa
finished before the official opening d
the days nishts. s