Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-08-24
AVIATOR RACES WITH A
SPEEDING MAIL TRAIN
Atwood Darts 80 Miles Ahead in Contest While
Passengers Rush to Windows to Watch
F'lght-Flyer Forced to Land.

Swanvill', Pa. Aug lS-What he called
one jump brought Harry y. Atwood, the
aviator from Cleveland. Ohio, to Swon-
Vile Pa, Thu. afternoon, and landed him
81 miles nearer his destination in his pic
turesque aeroplane flight from St Louis
to New York. Atwood was % have come
on to Eric, but Il lack Of gasoline forced
him to land here II miles west of Erie.
He came down without accident and GID
ed into a cornhcld in the twilight His
biplane is now moorcd beneath the trees
on the lake shore. Starting from Glove
land after many delays, the Bostonian
Went through the air at high speed.
y fast mail train which left cleveland
twenty minutes after him failed to over
take MIN and he made such headway
that he got thirty miles ahead OF the
train. AS soon as the passengers We're
aware Of the aeroplanes progress they
rushed eagerly to the windows Train
dispatchers who were keeping account of
the airman's progress shouted to the
train:
He's thirty miles ahead and gaining
on YOU"
The train crew were aware of At
woods gain on them but It was not
known whether they put on extra
pead, Sailing high over the edge OF
Lake Erie and tho stretches of vine
yard which dot the shore after one
leaves Cleveland, Atwood alighted in
the corn field in Swanville Mt Gao p.
IN" central time. He had left Glove
land at 400 p. m. and his actual time
for the 81 miles from Cleveland was
nd p,Ta
To-day's run entities him to the
credit of having flown through parts
of five States Missouri illinois, In
diana. Ohio ana PENNSYLVANIA. He is
now 721 miles from his starting point
Ia St Louis and 53s miles from New
York, having been IN the air since he
left last Monday, actually 10 hours
and % minutes. A large portion of to-
days flight was over tho lake. Soar
Ing far over the water with the light
ness of swallow, yet Weighing with
It's passenger, l,1o2 pounds, the swift
ly moving air craft presented n pic
turosque spectacle,
Atwood's departure from Cleveland so
late in tho afternoon that he faced a
prospect Of being overtaken by dark
ness was under great difficulties. First
be had to ascend from n narrow strip
Of fcnced-in sandy beach. He glded
down Hill and, almost touching the surf,
flew out over the lake into a treacherous
wind BY skilful steering he took a
spiral upward course and landed In the
country club golf links. on the golf
course he made three unsuccessful starts
before he could rise high enough to skim
over the tree tops Safely in the air he
swung out over the lake, came back 20
p point over the land. and at an altitude
II so feet struck out on his course, fixed
By the Lake Shore and Michigan South
orn railroad tracks, with the Intention Of
reaching Erie before shutdown.
The fact that Atwood's biplane is to-
night hitched up under a grove OF trees
N a lonely spot on the lake shore caused
Keen disappointment In Erie, For two
days the city had been making elaborate
preparations TO watch the aviator sail
over the depot and land in the circus
grounds Announcement that Atwood
was at swanville was followed by many