Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-27
Army Aviator Cannot Be
Shared to Attend Races at
Rheims in September.
WILL REMAIN HERE
TOTEST NEW MACHINES
Harold Kantner to Take His Place
and Handle Largest Horsepower
Motor for This Country.

Owing to the local changes in the
army aviation situation, 1t has been de-
cided that Lieut.. Thomas Milling, who
was to be allowed to go to France to
fly the American challenger in the
Gordon-Bennett aviation race at Rheims.
in September, cannot be spared from
this country. The leave that was grant
ed him for the trip will not, therefore.
be given. and he will remain on this
side to test out some of the higher
powered machines that are being bought
for the army this summer.
It has been settled that Harold Kantner
Of the Moissant Company, who was fly
ing at College Park last summer, will
go to France and handle the American
machine This aeroplane is to have a
200-horsepower engine. the largest horse
power that has yet been announced for
the race. The Gordon-Bennett race will
not be flown till September 20. SO Kant
which to practice handling the big ma
chine.
Capt. w. I. Chambers in charge of
navy aviation, has just returned from
the Curtiss factory, at Hammondsport
and tells one of the latest stories about
Glenn Curtiss who has been well known
in Washington ever since he started fly
ing. Curtiss makes motors. and when
ever he gets hold Of strange one al
ways has to pull 1t apart to see how
the wheels go round.
Brings Latest Curtiss Story.
He got new one recently and decided
he would improve 1t little by putting an
extra release valve on 1t. The motor
proved quite economical of fuel, and
Curtiss declared he could fix 1t to run
an automobile to Bath and return. six
teen miles. on a gallon Of gasoline.
1t Is more or less like a big family at the
factory and flying school. They gave Cur
tiss the laugh at his claim. and he
promptly bet 800 he could do it. He
was instantly taken up, and a lot of
the workmen and students made side
bets of hats and trousers and the like
They started one evening with two gal
! Ions of gasoline in the tank and Capt.
Chambers was made referee and sent
along. He says that after running the
auto for a while Curtiss remarked
dreamily that he hated to take the money
| from the boys. After thinking it over,
he said he had decided to pool the
money and buy cup for the furtherance
Of aviation. This was the chief topic
of conversation on the ride, and Bath
had not been reached.
Gave the Laugh Too Soon.
When they returned, the referee opened
the drain tap on the two-gallon tank and
only a trickle of gasoline escaped. The
| crowd gave Curtiss the laugh. but he
| leaned negligently on the machine and
| asked pleasantly If any of them wanted
to increase their bets. Nobody did and
he laughed and took his thumb off the
vent hole in the tank and enough gaso-
| line escaped to show that he had made
the round trip over hilly country on three
quarts and a pint
The cup has since been bought and
has been put up as trophy at the Ham,
mondsport factory.
1t has been decided that the tests Of
the new army aeroplanes to be bought
this summer will take place at the Wright
factory in Dayton. All of the foreign
motors to be used are much higher horse
power than have been used before In
army machines. The trials will take
| place about the middle of September.
Lieut.. Thomas Milling will witness them
| on behalf of the army.