The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-13
OPENING DAY Of
AVIATION MEET
Series of Accidents Puts Three
Aeroplanes Out of COmmis-
sion at Chicago.
DRIVERS OF MACHINES
ESCAPE SERIOUS HARM
Earl L. 0vington Winner in Two
Chief Events: Beachey's
Spiral Glides.
By Associated Press.

BY Associated Press
CHICAGO, Aug. ia series OF ac-
cidents that put three aeroplanes out
of commission without injury to their
drivers, together with an overcast SKY
that threatened TO develop INFO down
pour of rain at any minute, did not
serve To mar the success of the open
inp OF the international aviation meet
here.
While no records were broken, the
number of aviators participating and
the total time spent in the air exceeded
the anticipations even of the filers.
Arthur b. Stone and his mechanic
in Queen monoplane, suffered the most
serious accident, their fall resembling
that in which Moisant met his death.
The men had risen to height OF forty.
five feet when sudden gust of wind
struck the car and both men fell un"
der the aeroplane. but missed the en-
gine and escaped, practically unhurt'
Almost Immediately afterward Frank
C. Coffyn. by an earthward swoop,
struck the monoplane in which Rene
Simon was rising, disabling Simon S
car so it could not be used.
AvIators Unhurt.
The machines driven by St CEoix
Johnstone, James Y. Martin and Cap
tain Paul w. Beck also sustained in
iurias while alighting. In no case was
the aviator hurt
Incomplete arrangements for han"
ding the avIators and lack of prepara-
ton for events necessitated doing away
with the programme, and only part
of the listed events took place. Inst lead
the aviators started at once after en-,
duranee and altitude marks, attracted
by the - offered for each minute of
sustained flight.
Earl l.. Covington was the winner IN
the two chief events that were started.
In his monoplane he defeated Thomas
Sopwith in the 20-mile monoplane race,
making the Is laps in 23 minutes and
81 seconds. Sopwith ended the race in
seconds greater elapsed time, Simon
and Stone both were entrants in this
event, but both met with accidents.
Covington also won the l4-mile race
across water, the course being two trips
from the judges stand around crib
completed the course i'll IL minutes and
l3 seconds. Sopwlth again was second
with u minutes and 20 seconds. Stone,
who had obtained another machine,
was third in Is minutes and 30 seconds.
}. j. Frsble entered protest to the
decision, having been called down by,
the frantic signals OF q judge who had
been told the race ended.
Confusion of Cars.
Unofficial estimates gave both the al
tiiude and endurance contest to w. G
Beatty, Owing To the confusion OF
cars, the Judges were unable to kee;.
rack of their identity or starting time.
and at A late hour had been unable to
figure tho official winners of either.
Unofficial timers recorded Beatty as
having been in the air 2 hours and 45
minutes and having reached an alti-
tude of 1900 feet.
\. l.. Welsh was second, with total
of hours aud minutes; c. P Rod
gers was third, remaining in the air
. hours and ] minute, 1t was reported
among, the aviators tonight that Lin.
coin Beachv probably would be dis
ciplined for violation Of the associa.
tion S rules hibIting taking unneces.
sary risks. Twice Beachy descended
from high attitudes in sharp spirals
that brought the occupants Of the
grandstands TO their feet. At one time
his car stood nearly perpendicular and
IL was feared he would be unable to
recover. He also had narrow escapes
in the general speed contests. when he
made score Of trips around the course
driving not more than ten feet above
the ground.