The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-26
The French Aviator Flies From
Paris to Madrid
Completing the Trip Within the
Limit of Time.
KISSED BY THE WOMEN
He Is Showered With Roses Fol-
lowing His Arrival.
The People Garry Him Away on
Their Shoulders.

Madrid, May 26-Pierre Vedrine, the
French aviator, arrived at the Span
ish capital from Burgos at sos this
morning, being the first contestant to
complete the third stage of the Paris
Madrid aviation race. He covered the
distance of 14O miles between Madrid
and Burgos where he landed yesterday
from st. Sebastian i'll two hours and 45
minutes. Gilbert and Garros are still
stalled in the mountain Businesses and
it is not probable they will be able to
finish within the time limit
Vedrine on landing at the Getafe
aerodrome jumped from his aeroplane
and flung himself on the ground to
rest. A frantic crowd soon rushed up
however, and bore the victorious avta-
tor on their shoulders to the tribunal
On reaching the judges platform ne
was Showered with roses and kissed
repeatedly by women.
Later on complaining that he was still
numb from his fight he was removed
to an infirrnary where he received med
ical attention and short but mucn
needed rest. On reappear1ng at lnS
aerodrome the Frenchnan smiiingiy
delivered the messages which he hac
brought with him from Paris ana was
congratulated on his magnificent night
by the civil governor of Madrid on De-
half of King Alfonso
Vedrine left the suburbs of Burgos
in ideal weather and flew over Aranda
de Duero. 48 miles south of Burgos,
at a good height and great speed.
At Bocequillas where the airman was
greeted by a great crowd or wildly
shouting peasants, Vedrine buckIeo
down to the task of crossing the dread
ed Somo Sierra pass, which is 1900 feet
high. Higher and higher he climbed
until he had attained an altitude OF
| $500 feet. The aviator then straight
as an arrow flew over the crags and
snow capped peaks until ne reacned the
Having left the mountain ranges be-
hind him Vedrine dropped closer to the
earth and finally reached the aerodrome
| at Cetafe. where he alighted with the
greatest ease, amid the plaudlts or
| thousands CT enthusiastic spectators.
Vedrine said he, like Gilbert also
was attacked in midair by a large
eagle. The incident happened while
| the aeroplane was passing over the
| Sierra De Guadarrama, chain OF
mountains in CASTLE, one of the peaks
| of which attains an elevation of 1900
| feet. The eagle, which was nuge
creature, seemed furious against the
and again trying to reach the a1rman.s s
| face with its powerful beak. Vedrine's
greatest fear was that his attention
would be diverted, which would cause
Finally the aviator outmaneuvered
and lost his feathered foe by swiftly
dipping and rising to new levels.
The Madrid race was be-
gun May 21 under the auspices of the
Petit Parisien, which offered a prize of
$4,000 In addition, the Spanish
Aero club gave prizes amounting to
$4,000 and King Alfonso offered a
special prize for the fastest speed
ney was divided into three stages,
Paris to Angouleme, Angouleme to
San Sebastian and San Sebastian to
Madrid, total distance of about 600
miles.
Twenty machines were entered for
the race, but as a result of the tragic
accident when the start was made
from the Issy-Les- Moulfneaux aviation
| field which resulted in the death of
NJ. Berteaux, the French minister of
war and the serious injury to Pre-
mier Monis, all but three of the avi-
ators withdrew. OF these three Pierre
Vedrine, who reached the Spanish cap
| ital this morning, was the favorite. He
covered the first stage of the contest,
| 279 miles, in 8 hours and 80 minutes,
| breaking all records for a long ols-
tance country flight.
On the second stage. between An
gouleme and San Sebastian, Vedrine
had a narrow escape from death. One
of the planes of his machine grazed
the peak of a huge rock near the
| Snanish town of Fuenterrabia AL
though the plane was bent, Vedrine
continued his fight and safely reached
| San Sebastian. The distance of the
second leg of the contest was about
200 miles.
The third stage Of the journey, San
Sebastian to Madrid, was the most diff
fcult of the entire fight. The 266 miles
of the route was almost entirely over
desolate ranges, the crags varying
from 1000 to 5000 feet in height. A
fall meant certain death and it was
practically impossible to make fresh
start in the mountainous country.