New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-30
Wanamaker's Transatlan-
tic Boat Breaks the
Worlds Record.
RISES WITH 4,607
POUNDS FROM LAKE
Lieutenant Porte Expects to Get
Away for Newfoundland in
Two Days, He Announces.
TBy Telegraph TO The Tribune. !


Hammondsport, n. Y, June %
Carving ten men and lifting a weight
OF 4.GO7 pounds, the America, Rodman
Wanamaker's transatlantic flying boat,
left the surface of Lake keuka at T:2'
o'clock tonight, thus breaking the
worlds record for number of pas
sengers carried in a flying boat. se,
sides Lieutenant John c. Porte and
George T.. A. Hallett, who are the
pilots selected for the voyage TO Eng
land next month eight newspaper men
from New York and Boston were
aboard.
The fight. although short one, de-
monstrated the value of an extension
to the planning surface of the machine
which was attached this morning.
Within few days the few remaining
details in the construction of the ma
chine will be completed and she vii.
be taken TO the Curtiss factory and
packed for shipment to Newfoundland.
The fight tonight came as sur
prise. In the afternoon Porte had an
nounced that he would not attempt to
do anything special, but If he went
out at all would confne his expert
ments TO testing the new hydroplaning
board But at $3.50 p. m. hurry call
was sent out by William D. Cash, who
represents Rodman Wanamaker, and
the newspaper men fastened to the
field.
Ten Of En- Get Aboard.
Mr.. Cash and Lieutenant Porte in
vited all of the correspondents TO
climb aboard the America. Porte an
uounced that he did not expect 10
make flight but would try planning
only, and al signal from Porte Hal
lett started the big motors. /
Running before a thirty-hve-mile
wind, the monster machine headed
down the lake, with Glenn ii. Curtiss
and Lieutenant J. II. Towers speeding
abreast of her in a 100-horsepower
scooter. Porte opened the throttle
bit and the flyer lifted her nose from
the water. Down the lake she sped.
Her big blunt nose rose higher and
higher, while an uncnding procession
Of verdant hills flashed by on either
side.
Porte smiled and opened the throttle
a little more. The flying boat leaped
forward and the little auxiliary pom
toons at the tips of the big red wings
left the water entirely. The boat was
skimming along on the tiny step under
AHt CeIllIt Ol tue udCHlHG. Inc NIdlb
seemed straining to take the air. The
spray which had been dashed against
the celluloid windows on either side
OF the pilot house disappeared and by
half rising one could discern the thin
wake made by the single step, fine
line of white on the bosom of the
darkening waters.
Overhead lowered the massive
struts, topped by the broad surface OF
the upper plane. But no one thought
OF the machine in parts. 1t was one
great live monster, bearing down the
lake, prepared to sweep before it any
thing that disputed its right Of way.
She Was Flying.
Porte eased back on his throttle
levers. The thunderous roar became
less deafening, then diminished into 8
soft purr as the lever was drawn back
to the extreme. The flyer turned. The
whale-like nose swung about in a wide
circle and headed back for the field
and the crowd Of watchers. Porte
glanced back to note how his ship was
trimmed. Apparently satisfied, he sud-
denly threw on full power. Once more
the motors roared and the America
sped over the lake like flash.
pened next. Little by little the boat
rose in the water until she was planning
again. But she. did not stop there.
Suddenly the vibration under our feet
ceased. A wonderful steadiness was
there in its place. The America was in
her own element. She was flying.
There was no particular sense of ex-
element. 1t seemed perfectly natu-
raj; much more so than when riding
the water The feeling of security in
creased as the machine sped on toward
the purple hills, which she would scorn
if Porte would only pull the lever over
a little more. II seemed like dream,
and as in all dreams, the awakening
had to come. In this case it was the
flick, flick of the waves as the boat
topped them, and once more the spray
streamed along under the pilot house
windows as the machine resumed her
planning.
Back then to the ways on the shore,
where a dozen helpers waited. Men
with high boots came into the water
and the passengers were carried ashore
before the boat was hauled on the
cradle. The cheering thrOng departed
and the America had another record
to her credit.
Curtiss said tonight that there were
few minor changes to be made before
he was satisfied. He added that the
America would rise from the water
with her full load under good condi-
tions.
"But," he said, 1--WE want her TO be
able to rise under adverse conditions,
and that is what we are working fol-"
Lieutenant Porte hopes to get away
within two days and the remaining
trials will be rushed TO that end.