New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-18
HAS CLOSE CALL
Machine Runs Out of Gasolene
1000 Feet in Air.
WATER FLIGHTS CHANGED
Wright Brothers Bring Suit for
infringement of Patent Against
Meet Officials.

Chicago Aug 1.-THE results OF the con-
test. AT the international aviation meet to-
day are az follows:
Nine miles speed contest for biplanes-
Lincoln Beachsy won: time. 10 minutes s4.i
seconds: ]. A. D. McCurdy second; time,
10 minutes 30 seconds.
Fastest lap of one mile and a third-Ln-
coin Beachey: I minute 2I0s seconds.
Starting-John j. Frlsbie, I91 feet inches.
Bomb throwing-J. a. ID. McCurdy, B
points out Of a possible q.
Passenger carrying speed contest for
neutrality-suspicious. j. Sopwith. 13 min
utes ASP seconds.
Beachey firted with death again In his
fight to-day. and was forced TO make an
other spectacular descent, from which even
his brother ayiators scarcely expected him
TO escape alive. When about two thousand
feet high his engine ran out of gasolene.
A stream OF smoke could be seen stretching
behind the acroplane, and II was at nrst
thought the machine was on fire. He
reached the earth by a steep glide, which
threatened to dash him to pieces but he
brought the machine to a standstill and es-
capped mistaken.
AS a result OF the accidents which have
marred the cross water events. the course
has been changed from the crib course OUT
into the lake, and future races viii be
flown along the shore
An appeal to the United States courts to
settle a claim that is said to bear the
same relation to the aviation world that
the Selden patent case did to the automo-
bile world was started here to-day. Suit
was filed by the Wright company in the
United States District Court against the
International Aviation Meet Association,
its officers and members of the executive
committee, claiming an infringement OF
patent by every one Of the twoscore aero
planes at the meet and asking prospective
profits and damages.
Arthur Stone, the aviator who fell INTO
Lake Michigan with his aeroplane yester-
day from height Of more than l,Vr teet'
narrowly escaping death, told last night
how II feels tc drop that distance ana
what his first thoughts were after Striking
the water.
MY first thought was. when l saw no
tugs in sight and the storm coming on
said Stone. IN bet / won't get home LOT
dinner In time. Funny, isn't 1t, wheh one
is facing death, but that was my htst
thought"
Describing his accident, Stone continued
I first noticed that something was wrong
with nv machine after | had made the
first turn on the second lap. About Two
miles out | pulled my controls. lheS uIu
not work. l pulled and pulled, was ori.-
ing off the course into the May mist over
tho water, and then | concluded my emu
had come. l pulled frantically at the con
trolls again and that time they responded
Instead of making the left turn as
wanted 10 the machine dartcd up into the
sky at terrific speed. | was gong OUT
rast the line [ knew il was running Wild
/ kept pulling the controls and trying 10
come back TO earth. Then suddenly some
thing happened TO the controls. 1elt the
machine turn and then speed Ike an arrow
for the lake | tried 10 turn it tail first
but couldn't do it, Then | saw the lake
water 1t seemed TO he coming up TO me
| wasn't afraid Again ' Thought or John-
stone and his being dragged down beneath
the water. In the few seconds time L was
falling l did a thousand and one things. |
held my hand over my face and stood up
i'm the cockpit When the machine was
thirty feet from the water | diyed head
first and away from II. it hit about the
same time | hit with a great crash. had
OH life preserver and was able to Keep
afioat until the tugs came.
The funeral Of st Croix tombstone. who
was killed by g fall from an aeropane last
Tuesday, was held to-day. Several of his
were present. A monoplane. made OF fow-
ers, was among the floral pieces. The body
will be cremated.