The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-08-25


PARIS--Special.- Thegreatest
air race ever held ended Wednes-
day when M. Leblanc aligt-
Ell at ISsy les Moulineaux, the
winner of the $4,000 prize Offer
ed by lie MatiB for the shortest
time in the 4S9-miIe crOss-cOun-
try race over Northern France,
which began on August 9TH. Au-
burn finished twenty minutes
later. Both men used monO-
planes.
The failure of Charles Wey-
mann to be I'm at the finish was
disappointment to the many
Americans, residents and tourists
In the throng ut ISsy.
But all were enthusiastic, neverthe-
less. The crowd cheered with the en-
thusiasm of a British crowd giving
" elcome to a naval hero, but they
we're no more enthusiastic than the
little band of army men who, in plane
and automobile, followed the race
step by step, noting the evolutions,
the comparative worth of monoplanes
and biplanes, and all other matters
Of use to the military birdmen. They,
with majority of the sportsmen,
gave the palm to the monopIane.
The final stage of the race was run
from AmHens. The distance to Paris
was little more than siXty-five miles.
Leblanc arose at 500 A. NJ, and
two minutes later, before he was out
of sight of the cheering Amiens
ter him. Ten minutes later followed
LeGagneux. the only biplanist to
make a favorable showing with the
drivers.
Leblanc Displays News.
At GAO the watchers at Issy called
lNn
Just five minutes later
Leblanc, cool amid the plaudits of the
crowd, was standing beside his motor
on the ground, asking for a cigarette.
His sangfroid equaled that Of Hubert
Latham, who in his attempt to cross
the English channel year ago. was
found sitting in his plane on the sea
surface smoking a cigarette.
Leblanc was the faVorite and he
GOT faNorite's reception, but Auburn
had no cause TO complain of lack Of
warmth in his welcome when he
swooped his machine down TO a spot
near that where his conqueror had
landed.
In the van of the watching crowd
was Leblanc. AS Auburn took in the
he vaulted from his seat, ran
TO Leblanc. shouting congratulations.
They kissed one another. French fash
ion.
The great race started on August
9TH with eight competitors. More than
half of the entrants had failed to
snow up, but eight set off for Troyes
the first stop. In the first leg Le-
Blanc and Auburn took the lead.
which they maintained throughout
Besides them there were Mamet, also
monoplanist; Lindpainter, Bel
gian; LeGagneuX and Charles View
mann, the American entrant, all OF
whom used biplanes, and Bregi and
Busson. The last two had bad luck
before they reached Troyes and drop
PED out OF the contest. Others fell
by the wayside from time to time.
Over Northern France.
The route lay from Troyes to
Nancy. to Mezieres, to Douai. to
Amlens and back to Issy, the suburb
OF Paris, where the contest started.
This path marked an immense irregu-
lar circle over North and Northeast
ern France.
IL had been expected that Hubert
Latham would compete, but indispo-
sition kept him out.
IN the first stages storms and fog
brought out the resourcefulness of the
racers, Weymann, the American. at
tracing attention by his nerve in TAX
ing up with him q raw passenger "a
guide, and using his compass when
the passenger had to be landed be-
cause of air sickness. All the others
az times were compelled TO use their
The actual distance marked out was
1S2 kilometers by air nne-a little
more than 4SS miles. Through losing
thelr way on several occasions and
pelng driven from their courses by
nigh winds, the actual distance COW
ered by those who finished was TODAY
declared to be we'll over 500 miles for
each. -'-