The Evening standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1910-1913, 1910-10-24
FRENCH REFUSE TO
ENTER THE CONTEST

NEW YORK, Oct. 23.-There were
two smashups, no flights and $500 dis
appointed spectators at the second
, day OF the international aviation meet
at Belmont Park, l.. L. today. The
wind was so strong that only two
aViators, Grahame-W White and Mol5
SAINT. cared to dare 1t, and both OF
them came to grief, though without
personal injuries,
But much as the management re-
GREETED to send away a good crowd,
1t was more concerned with the dis
entered for the Gordon Bennett speed
race.
Course Not Laid Our Right.
Alfred Leblanc, the champion cross
country flyer of France, Emil Aubrun,
his pupil and the only aviator who
lnishew with him In the recent Cir
cult de FEST, and Hubert Latham,
all complain that the course is not
laid out according to the rules of the
Federation Internationale, and Leblanc
wrote TO the Aero club OF France ten
days ago. asking If the French team
should compete.
They expect instructions by cable
tomorrow or the day after at the
latest.
The other four Frenchmen here 10
compete for the altitude, distance and
duration prizes are not affected, but
the Gordon Bennett Is the red let.
ter event OF the aeronautic calen-
daT.
Frenchmen May Quit.
hrn ,rrht 80
this country. and with it the second
international meet in the history OF
aviation.
To have the French cracks default
would rob the tournament of more
than half its interest. and so far as
It's important event is concerned of all
It's competitive zest.
Alan r, Ryan, son of Thomas f.
Ryan. and chairman of the commit
tee on arrangements, was asked il
he had heard anything OF discomfort
In the French camps.
No he said. "All know is that
some of the Frcnchmen tried to bring
fourteen or fifteen guests on the field
to show them their machines and
that we would not allow It, / should
nave not paid any attention to gossip
ii had heard It."
No Communications Received.
James a. Blair, one of the aviation
committee. admitted he had heard
some mutterings from the Frenchmen,
but added that nothing had been sub
mltted in writing and no notice would
be paid 10 informal communications
OF any sort
When the bomb and buglc sounded |
for the first distance event this aft. |
cTnoon the official code signal gave !
the wind from 90 TO 90 miles an hour. |
and it was freShenlng every minute. J
Damage TO Whites Machine.
The sky was clear and it was pain
FULLY cold. Four starters were an
nounced, but after eight minutes de.
lay only Grahame-White and Moisant
came out White chlvered his ma
chine into the wind and rose cautious
ly He needed all his caution. for
even at height of not more than
40 feet he pitched like shin In a
heavy storm, and in alighting ca.
reened to one side, and splinters went
Lying into the air. His whirring pro-
peller had touched, and both blades
were smashed to flinders.
molsante Machine Broken.
Moisant never got off the ground,
but his machine was much more bad
ly hurt. The wind picked It out Of
the hands of his mechanics and let It
fall again Both his planes were
crumpled. his rudder was broken and
his crank shaft bent
White said his damage could be
repaired in couple OF hours. Mols.
ant hoped TO have his machine re-
paired by next Tuesday. Both hit
machines are now ont of commits
sion. and unless he can borrow or rent