Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-07-16
cURTIss DtEIEs
A FIERCE GALE
Rides Out to Sea In a SqualIy
Southern Breeze.
DARING FIvE-MINUTE FLIGHT

Bnookins, the Hero of the Hour at the
Atlantic City Meet-Describes His
Thrilling Experience of Saturday
A Downward Rush Made Through
the Air at Hundred-Mile An Hour
Speed.
Atlantic City, July 11.-Despite the
protests of the Aero Club officials,
who advised against the fight over
the white caps as too rough 10 even
allow a Efeboat to stay on shore,
Glenn Curtiss made an exhibition
flight out to sea just before dark yes
terday evening, rather than disappoint
the big crowd that had stood patiently
along the Boardwalk and on the beach
for hours in hopes of getting peep
at an airship in action. The flight
lasted but five minutes, but it was a
lively exhibition of skillful flying, the
squally southerly breeze tipping the
plane dangerously as Curtiss describ-
ed circles over the breakers. The
crowd cheered the plucky exhibition.
Walter Brookins, hero of Saturday s
6,175-foot flight into the air, made no
attempt to go upward, having receiv-
ed by wire from the Wright brothers
refusal to allow their machine to
go into the air on Sunday
Curtiss was to have made try for
the $4,000 prize for speed over the
fifty-mile course, but waited at the
request of the club officials for the
arrival of the big crowd of Philadei-
phians who came to see the flight. BY
the time the morning trains had
emptied their cars the wind had risen
TO a snappy half gale that absolutely
preclude6 flying and made the even
ing flight last night dangerous in the
extreme.
prize Flight Today.
Curtiss announced that he will
make an early attempt TO cover the
course today, if weather conditions
are at all suitable and feet OF
yachts manned by volunteer yachts
men will go out and cruise under the
sea course to pick him up in case OF
accident. The rough sea forced the
stakeboats to make for harbor after
they had dragged their anchors and a
new line for the fifty-mile course has
been laid out by means OF ranges
placed On housetops.
Brookins has arranged a spectacu-
lar flight for today with himself and
Frank Coffyn together in The biz
Wright plane. Coffyn will probably
drive ON the trip during which the
two expect to make the entire cir
cult of the city
Brookins is still the aero hero OF
the resort, and thousands waited for
hours to get glimpse at the plucky
younster who made the new attitude
record of 6,175 feet
Brookins had entirely recovered to
day, and smiled over his thrilling ex-
perience of Saturday, when his en-.
CINE stopped nearly 5000 feet in the
air.
'T feel fine" he said. "Of course
the strain on my nerves was terrific
but I was all right after few hours
sleep. When ] landed ] had 4 split
ting headache from the rush through
the air as ] came down without pow
er. but / never felt any real fear until
was forced to make my last SHARP
turn at high speed 10 prevent my ma
chine dashing me into the ocean. ID
my supply of gasoline had held out,
firmly believe / could have added sew
eral hundred feet to the record Of
which I am prond.
A Thrilling Descent.
my fear during the trip was that
would not be able to swing far enough
out to sea to allow the engineers tC
get my measurements after my gaso
line gave out ] realized when
heard my cylinders beginning tc
pound that l had only a few seconds
to stay at the altitude which ] had
reached, and ] simply swung cut or
the level until | was sure that ! haG
crossed the measuring line and then
got back to earth in the best way
could The machine behaved splen
dldly both On the long climb and
while | was tearing down through the
air at a speed that must have reach
ed close to 100 miles an hour at the
swiftest point"
Brookins declared that in spite Of
the heavy sweater coat and gloves
which he wore he was nearly frozen
during his stay above 1900 feet.
People thought me crazy wheI
they saw noe bundled up, but ] needed
every bit of clothing before came
down." he said.
Reports reached here today chat G
X. Hamilton had announced in New
York that he had severed all relations
with Curtiss and would start the built