The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-30

The start was made from Albany at
1908 o'clock Sunday morning under
weather conditions as near perfect as
the most fastidious aviator could de-
mand. One hour and % minutes later
he had made his stopping place near
Poughkeepsie. where there was an
hours intermission. Resuming high
flight at 1926, he sped southwark and
landed within the boundary of Man
haitian island at 1875.
Paulhan's flight from London to
Manchester-186 miles-exceeded the
Curtiss feat in distance. but not in
speed and danger. The Frenchman's
average was 44.3 miles an hour. and
below him lay English meadow land.
Curtiss followed the winding course of
the historic Hudson with iutting head
land. wooded slopes and treacherous
palisades. He swung high over the
great bridge at Poughkeepsie, dipped
at times within so feet of the rivers
broad surface and jockeyed like a fall
con at the turns.
Only once did his craft show signs
of rebellion. This was off Storm King,
near West Point. when at height of
nearly 1000 'feet a treacherous gust
struck his planes. The machine
dropped like a rock 40 feet and tilted
perilously. But Curtiss, always COOL
kept his head and by adroit manip-
ulation of his levers. brought equi-
ltbrium to his steed.
No Trial Flights.
Curtiss arose from the ground like
rocket. There were no preliminary
maneuvers; there was no trial flight.
The aeroplane ran hurriedly over the
surface of the island and darted
straight for its goal to the southwark
turning once for a moment to the
westward so that Curtiss might com
ply with the terms of the competition,
under which he was flying, and tech
nically cross the Albany city line.
Straight up scared the aeroplane in
to the distance. When it reached a
height estimated at 500 feet it seemed
for a moment to hold a level pace and
then to rise again to further levels.
Perhaps 700 feet would be a con-
servative estimate. Certainly Curtiss
was flying at a height which he never
attempted before in his life In three
minutes he was a minute speck in the
distance. In seven minutes he vanish
ed. The whole performance was over
in a twinkling.
beneath her canvas coverings shortly
before 7 o'clock the sky was perfectly
clear, and what little wind was stir
ring blew from the north-a direction
favorable to Curtiss-at a speed of
perhaps four miles an hour. The
gasoline tank was inspected and the
sparkling apparatus was given a final
test. Two assistants held the machine
In leash while third cranked the
engine.
There was a roar from the exhaust;
the two blades of the fan angular and
lean, magically merged into a blurred
gray, rose; the muscles of the assist
ants at their side tautened as the racer
tugged against them; the hair of the
assistant at the rear stood straight
from his head in the gale from the
fans; Let CO." 'cried the pilot and she
was off. With the signal that Curtiss
was off the special train, five cars and
locomotive. carrying Mrs. Curtiss.
gathered impetus and sought to fol-
low, but so quickly had he flown that
Tor twenty-one miles southwark the
locomotive, though running nearly a
mile to the minute, remained a lag
gard.
Race With Train.
At 1926, however, the train came
ABREAST of the aeroplane and thence
70 New York city those on board kent
tne aviator in sight. But as he did
not have to reckon with curves or
rack switches and reduce sneed
tnrough towns the man above main
talned a substantial lead.
S"Htly town and countryside reeled