The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-03-30
A Race at the
Aero Club
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

ho"h at Wellington they've cof the
der"p'ane craze. There's a concern
that las made "A machine with a lot of
safety appliances that is especially
u'teu Tor amateur aeronauts The wo.
iieh nave taken up the fad the same
rs me men. They've organized a club
win first rate starting grounds and
although its all brand new. there are
uozeh members who own their ma.
chlies, and In good weather some of
mem are lying all the while Those
VINO haven't aeroplanes sit on the club.
house porch with opera glasses IN tbeir
hahds watching the fliers and flirting.
race between two individuals
Beverly forke and Jim Springer. took
piace Not long ago. on which there was
iot OF money placed. Ii wasn't n
ialr race, but there was nothing that
came within the rules as being foul.
-tp mile course was laid out. start
ing from the clubhouse. II first went
TO Arlington, then south 10 Jonesville.
then southeast Ia Merryman. then
northeast 10 Hilton. then straight west
10 harrington, then 10 the clubhouse
The Hers We're TO 20 over certain
ehurch Spire IN each town. except
JoneSville. whore there was n biz
factory. and they were to PASS above
the 200 foot chimney that belonged 70
H. Norke WIS 10 start westward and
Springer eastward The one who got
back "a the clubhouse first was 10 be
declared the winner As 10 the tllcrS
ohscr' ing MI the rules his VAS So
"ured 10y q club member being station.
ed nj the different points they were To
pass over
The machines, being merely for
pleasure, were not especially powerful.
There were machines with strong en-.
gines IN the club. but this race was
limited to the pleasure class. 1t wasn't
expected thas the race would be made
IN less than three hours At 10 o'c oci
the club grounds were full of members
and guests To see the race, and a mum.
Der of machines were flying about.
dashing hither and thithcr. rising.
ducking and doing different stunts.
One Of these belonged to Kate Win
terton, who In the air topped every
other woman member for flying and
on terra tirma topped them all for
flirting. She had every man IN the
club 10y the ears. and II was generally
conceded that when She undertook to
bring Il man To his marrowbones he
might as well come down at once
lorlle WAS the fayorite AZ odds of
five to four At leas, these were the
odds up to the day before the race
But that night they suddenly changed
TO two 10 one on Springer. The queer
thing about II was that no one could
find out why this change should have
come about There were rumors about
lorke not being in IA condition Ia race
or his machine having been found
wanting In some particular, but they
were nothing but rumors and were
looked upon as mere jockeying for
odds
AZ II o'clock the two machines were
rolled out on the starting grounds. the
one pointed west. the other east The
racers took their seats, and half II
dozen men did the starting for each
machine at the same moment. As
they rose the aeroplancs that were
fitting about to see the fun started off
In different directions. either 10 inter. |
cept the racers or To take some central
u 80 ~. q
machines in sight 10y means of glasses b
Kate WiRterlon's last victim was
Jim Springer She had been seen on !
the clubhouse porch during the even
ing before the race spooning with him. |
and II was expected 10y their observers /
that she would keep Ia touch with !
him in the contest To Ell ourage him
But IN this they were disappointed !
she followed neither of the llicrs.
lowering over the club grounds and
10y signs communicating with those be.
low how the race was going When
the racers had been out couple of
hours she was seen to fly away in the
direction of Merryman and was soon
nut of sight.
When she came within seeing dis
lance Of the hicrS they had met and
Yorke bad passed the halfway point
greatly ahead of Springer Kate made
A bee line for Yolke. who had started
westward aud was nearing Hilton. lie
had met his opponent so far ahead Of
The point he should have been aud felt
20 certain Of winning that he WAS not
pressing his machine Kate sailed ~
within hearing distance.
"Oh. Mr. Yorke." she called. I'm So
,ad,'
Glad about whatT'
You're going to win"
That's very nice Of YOU"
They sailed along in company for
while when something seemed to go
wrong with Hates machine. II Gu
'cencd C.st o. one side. then ON the
ltLer.