Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1910-06-03
FLIES FROM ALBANY
TO new YORK CITY
GLENN H. cURTIss MAKES AIR
JOURNEY OF 1877 MILES IN
1852 MINUTES.
AVIATOR WINS PRIZE OF $4,000
Man BirG Breaks Worlds Record for
Speed in Long Distance Test
Alshts Gracefully Upon
the Sands.

new 1Ork Cluy.--'feS coming!
He's coming!" The cry that went up
from Governors Island at noon May
20 made even the stolid sentinels
forget their training for the moment
and drop their guns to gaze into the
sky in the indicated direction. Like
great dragon fly, soaring at leisure
over the sky scrapers and the harbor,
western side of the island where on
the sand Colonel Huff waited to well
come the daring aviator. Curtiss flew
in an aeroplane from Albany to New
York, distance of 1877 miles, in 152
minutes. Never before had this trip
been made by man in the air. The
flight of Curtiss broke the worlds rec
ord for speed in long distance test.
He maintained an average of 54.7S
miles an hour and in spurts frequent.
ly exceeded the rate of a mile a min
ute. The success of this flight brings
Curtiss the prize of $4,000 offered by
the New York World.
The scores of boats that dotted the
surface of the shining water shrieked
their congratulations to the man who
had demonstrated his mastery of the
air. Over on the sunny docks the
thousands of Sunday visitors shouted
their welcome. Handkerchiefs and
hats were waved as the aviator disap-
peared from the sky line, behind the
buildings on Governors Island. Col
onel Huff, the guards that paced the
sands gun in hand, and the group Wis.,
itors and newspaper men riveted their
eyes on the flying machine. Curtiss,
his hands dexterously maneuvering
the levers, scared ever nearer the
ground. He guided his aeroplane
toward the tent which had been put
| there to shelter his machine. He
glided within six inches of the sand
and then shot upward, circling about
again and again until he alighted as
| gracefully as bird upon the sand.
| Colonel Huff ran forward and
proffered his congratulations as Cur
tiss stepped from the car. 1--WE had
almost given up hope of expecting
you," he said, as he shook his hand.
81 stopped up at Spuyten Duyvill to
get a little OIL" were the first words
Curtiss uttered at his journeys end.
Until Curtiss went into his tent to
change his clothes he was kept busy
shaking hands and giving brief COM
ments on his flight. When his aero
plane had been wheeled under the
shed he gave the following brief
sketch of his Hudson Valley trip:
"The flight was about ideal. When
l started from Albany 1 went up high
and kept along by the west bank be-
cause the air seemed to be the calm
est there. The machine was working
we'll and there was not enough air
stirring to give me any bother.
stopped at Poughkeepsie and took on
some more gasoline. About the only
time on the whole trip that there was
any difficulty was in the vicinity of
what is called the Storm King at the
Highlands. There the air currents
were troublesome and / came down
near the water as 1t seemed to be
easier flying and I knew If / had to
drop it wouldn't be very far. When
neared New York City noticed that
the oil indicator showed that the oil
was out, but / knew there must be
some left yet. However, it seemed
best not to take any chances, so
landed near Spuyten Duyvil in lit
tie lot where there is some kind of a
motor boat house where / got some
more oil. / consider that the end OF
the fight. stayed at this place some
little time as it was hard to get away
| finally slid off of a bank toward the
river The planes caught the air and
/ came on down the river to Govern
ors Island"