The Sentinel=record., 1911-08-15
AVIATORS ACCIDENTS
lCHIcAGo MEETING MARRIED BY A NUMBER OF UNFORTUNATE
 ACCIDENTS.
Two Machines Fall Into Lake Michs- uan But Both Air Men Are Prompt ly Rescued by Motor
 Boats.

Chicago, Aug. 14.-A series of acci- dents any of which might easily have proved fatal, kept the crowd at the third day of the international ayia- ton meet here on tip toe of excite ment all the afternoon. Two ma chimes swooped into Lake Michigan whence their drivers, Rene simon and Lee Hammond, were rescued by motor boats, calm and collected, but mourn ing the loss of their machines.
 Earl Ovington, driving new bi- plane, grazed too close to one of the lplyons marking the end of the course. lore plane of his machine was wrecked and the plane started to fall. By sticking to the car, however. Owing ton managed to force the engine into action and the bi-plane glided to the ground.
 Ovington was uninjured, but 1t was necessary to add new plane to his machine.
 J. A. D. McCurdy. flying near the ground. approached too near the club house of the Chicago Yacht club. The planes of luis car struck number Iof high voltage electric wires, run ming to the club house and In min- ute the canvas and oil covered wood of the planes were on fire. McCurdy leaped out and reached the ground uninjured. The aeroplane fell a few feet further, but too late for the fire to be extinguisned and lit was consumed. The wires cut trailed ayer tho free seats, in which 10000 persons were seated, but the dangling wires were surrounded Dy police until electricians could repair the damage and insure safety. Simon's escapade in the water was more sensational, although possibly less serious, than McCurdy's. While flying over the water mile from shore, his engine stopped and the plane glided into the lake. It remain ed upright, the broad planes holding all but the lower wheels out of the water.
 Simon, carrying for life preserver an inflated automobile tire, was in nc immediate danger and when offered aid by the hydroplane which had been flying near. refused to leave his ma dhine. With the aid of hydroplane Simon's plane was started and left the water successfully. A minute later 1t fell again, this time overturn ing. Guards in a motor boat who rushed to rescue Simon found him perched on the remains of his bi- plane, cheerfulIy smoking. He was taken asnore in the motor boat and the machine lowed in.
 Lee Hammond fell nearly 300 feet in his biplane, made high dive as the machine almost reached the water and swan half mile to meet the rescuing motor boat.
 The plane floated few minutes and then sank n 100 feet of water. Divers and tugs with graphing hooks have been unable to recover it and t is believed 1t cannot be brought to the surface.
 The weather today was the best since the opening of the meet. With the hope of meeting Harry Atwood, who it was known went in to the air. and at one time more than score could be counted hov- erng within sight of the judges stand
 Both Oscar A. Brindley and Waitel Beatty went after the altitude recort for the day and remained out of sigh most of the afternoon. When tn, meet closed Brindley could be seer Thigh in the clouds. He did not de scend until it became so dark it was necessary to build bonfires to see tho landing place
 The following were the results il the third days events at the Inter national Aviation meet here: Earle Ovington won 12 mile spec, contest for monoplanes. Time Io:5I Rene Simon. second. 13:s3 IS; Thos Sopwith, third. Time 13:s4 2-5.
 Fastest lap in monoplane race mil, and one third. made .-- --,~le Owing ton. one minute 27.44 seconds.
 Starting event--John j.. Frtsbi< first left the earth in 8S feet, and inches. Andrew, second 91 feet. J lC. Turpin, third. 92 feet, inches