Evening star., 1911-08-12
Clouds Threaten to Mar Chi
cago Aviation Meet.
MANY EXPERTS ON HAND
Thirty-Fve Flyers Ready to Partici-
pate in international Contest.
EXPECT TO BREAK RECORDS
Every Known Kind of Machine Has
Chance to Share in
$4,000 Prize.

CHICAGO. August IA dark. dis
NAL morning. with frequent thunder
showers. threatened to mar the open
ing of the international aviation meet
this afternoon. In spite OF the assur-
ances by the weather bureau that nine
days OF fair weather and clear skies
were due. the present outlook is that
but few flights can be made before to-
morrow.
Nevertheless, the thirty five aviators.
the best known in this country and t,u-
rope. were up at daylight making their
final preparations. overseeing the last
possible touches to their machines and
assuring themselves that no mechani-
cal defect would prc,ent their having
a fair trial for the SSo.ooo in prizes to
be given.
The meet will be the first big dem
onstration the middle west has seen.
and the promoters declare II IS 10 De
a genuine competition. not mere eA-
hibition Of flying. 1t viii embrace
races and contests every day, contests
in accuracy in flying over prescribed
courses. in quick stopping and start
ing, in duration of flight. in alightinG.
maneuvering, in passenger carrying
and IN such warlike Developments as
sending messages and dropping bombs
All Kinds Given Chance.
The program was framed to give every
known kind of flying machine an equal
chance at the prizes. whether II WAS
built for endurance. stability, hftlnS
power or ease of control.
Aviators declare that there is every
likelihood that many records Will be
broken. All OF the better known
Y ratcy,.
will be pitted against each other, the
aviators, many OF them record holders.
will have the incentive OF seeing their
rivals in the air, and the prizes them
selves have sufficient value 10 Warrant
| the utmost efforts.
The first event scheduled today Will
| be the speed test for monoplanes. The
machines are due TO rise at 3:io CLOCK
At $50 o'clock the biplanes will rise
| for a pa passenger-carrying speed contes,.
From to 4 o'clock there will be alti-
| tude tests for all OF the cars. together
with cross-country and over-water races
There also will be passenger-carrying
exhibitions and exhibitlons OF the
hydro-aeroplane and other air craft:
A minimum of s. minute VIII be
| paid each aviator for the time he ac-
tually is in the air. This is in addition
to the prizes and other rewards ana
was arranged to insure daily nights
and prevent disappointments.
Thirty-Ffve in Contest.
Thirty-five licensed aviators are en-
tered in the meet They are William
r. Badger. Thomas S. Baldwin. Rene
Barrier. Lincoln Beachy. Capt. Paul
| W. Beck. Walter Brooks. Leonard
Bonney. Frank T. Coffyn. ]. A. Cum
mings. Andrew Drew. Eugene Ely. w.
f. Beattie. Earl Ovington, John J.
Frisbie, Howard Gill. Lee Hammond.
ST Croix Johnstone. J. c. BUD Hars.
James V Martin. J. a. u. McCurdy,
George Mestach, Louis Mitchell. f. o.
Parmelee. Hugh Robinson, c. p. Rodg-
ers, Rene Simon. Z. Simmons. Tipwith.
Arthur stone, J. C. Turpin. James
Ward, Charles F. willard. {. c. Wit
mer, a. l.. Walsh and Lads Lewkow
les.
Five nationalities are represented in
tho list of entrants. II weather condi-
tiCns are favorable it is expected
number Of air records will be broken
Chicago is crowded with visitors
| Special trains have been run from New
Orleans, Omaha. Pittsburgh and st.
Paul.