Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-10
Man-Bird Out
for Big Prize
CLOGGED CARBURETOR INTER.
RUPTED THE TEST.
CHICAGO TO NEW YORK FLIGHT
Lone Entrant Forced to Descend After
Making Eleven MiIes-WiH Make a
Fresh Start This Morning.

Chicago. Oct. 9.-Eugene Ely, lone
entrant in the Chicago New York aer-
oplane flight, started on the test this
afternoon and remained in the air
only twelve minutes. At that Hae tray
eled eleven miles and landed where
fresh start will be easy tomorrow
morning.
Struck Rock, Tearing Away Wheel.
The young aviator descended be-
cause of a c1ogged carburetor. Repair
ing this was a matter of a few mos
ments. but in the rapidly gathering
dusk, in trying to start again he ran
the machine into rock and the front
running wheel was torn away. A new
wheel was brought up and the force
of mechanics began work, while Ely
went to Gary to spend the night in
a special car.
Another Start This Morning.
1T must have made you crazy to be
stopped by so simple thing sug-
gested a reporter.
ITO an aviator such mishaps are
anticipated; they are not even annoy
at six o'clock tomorrow morning, and
if the wind is like it was today I'll
not stop of my own will until l reach
South Bend, Ind, and not long at
that place
Most Ambitious Flight Yet Attempted.
Owing to the chilly wind and a
smart northwest wind, only small
crowd gathered at the Hawthorne race
track to see the beginning of the trial
which, Notwithstanding the original
field of eight entrants dwindled to
one. is still the most ambitious flight
yet. attempted in the United States.
This was realized by the specta tors,
who cheered themselves hoarse, when
the Boston Racer as the biplane is
called, made a short circuit, like
holning pigeon finding its direction
and shot away to the southeast.
Within four minutes the man bird
was beyond the vision of the crowd
Willard and Curtiss made technical
starts by flying over the race course
fence, but, as previously announced, it
was not their intention to make a race
of it. Their machines were quickly
taken apart and shipped to Gary, Ind,
to be ready to supply any parts which
Ely might need. 1t was from one of
these machines that the spare running
wheel needed by the Boston Racer
was secured
All Ready for the Start.
Two hours before the start. Cur
tiss. Willard; McCurdy. Ely, and "a
number of mechanics went over the
biplane with the most careful scru-
tiny. The propeller developed a
thrust" of $50 pounds, worn wires
We're replaced. and nuts and screws
were frightened. To make assurance
doubly sure. Curtiss made a trial flight
of a few moments, and upon aligIlt-
ing pronounced the machine ready for
the start. There We're twenty gallons
of gasoline in the tank to feed the So
horsepower eight-cylinder engine. and
lubricatirg oil in proportion-enoug
to have carried the flyer 1J0f miles.
Eleven Miles in Twelve Minutes.
Ely was garbed from head to foot
in light brown leather. on his right
wrist compass was strapped, and in
front of him, attached to the machine
was watch. The latter indicated pre-
cisely All o'clock when the propeller
aviator had left the earth, and after
a short turn set his course in the di-
rection of South Bend.
sna ppy wind was on his quarter.
almost at his back. That it was a
great accelerator of his speed was
shown by the fact that in the twelve
minutes he was in flight he covered
eleven miles.
125,ooo Disappointed Spectators.
A telephone messag from Laporte,
Ind, said that a crowd of 0.00G per-
sons awaited the aviator at that city
and another from South Bend said
that 5000 were awaiting his arrival
at that place, where he had expected
to spend the night.
Press dispatches telling of the de-
scent obliged the disappointed throngs
to hold their interest in check until
tomorrow.
Travelled Like an Express Train.
AS Ely related his experiences aft
lerWard. he had been in the air about
ten minutes. and was going like an
express train, when the engine be
gan missing. He was~a BILE to advance
his sDart, but the carbureter had been
permanently adjusted and he was un-
able to reach it. lie came down in a
prairie distant from a road but be
fore help arrived he had adjusted the
carbureter, and performed the difficult
feat of starting unassisted. Before he
had gained sufficient headway, how
ever. to leave the ground, his wheel
struck the rock and he gave up the
flight for the night.
Automobiles came up and Flv was
taken where he could catch a train to
Gary leaving the Boston Racer in
the hands of other members of the
Curtiss forces.
Seven Days in Which to Complete the
Trip.
1T was a great wind for speed but
one of the toughest I ever tackled" :"
Ely said "It was extremely choppv
and kept me on the move every ser
ond to retain the bala nee of the ma
chine
DO YOU think you will be able to
reach New York?' he was asked.
Il do more than ever II this wind
holds I'll make up lost time tomorrow.
Ely has seven days in which to com
plete the trip. Fhe prize is $4,000,
offered by the Chicago Evening Post
and the New York Times.
Widening West Main Street.