Evening star., 1927-09-23
1OOPLANES ENTER
SPOKANE A|RDERBY
Prizes Total $500 in Open
ina Events-Non-Stop Race
Proves Fizzle.

| BY the ASS0cldteu fTess.
| SPOKANE. WASH, September %
With approximately 100 airplanes on
Felts Field, including prize winners OF
| the national air derbies, Spokane
turned it's attention today to the open
ing events of the seventh annual ma
tional air races and parachute con-
tests.
The fifth and most featured national
air derby. a nonstop race from New
York to Spokane. fizzled yesterday
when both entries, Eddie StinsOn and
A. C. Duke" Schiller, landed In
Montana, and the race was declared
no contest.
$500 in Prizes at Stake.
Prizes totaling $500 and nu-
merous trophies were at stake IN
three commercial plane and two mill
tary events, in which several derby
victors were entered. Races today
included one of 100 miles, two of 100
miles, two Of 80 miles and one OF ~
miles.
Among entrants in the commercial
plane races were G. w. Holman. ST.
Paul; L. E. Ballough, Chicago; N. b.
Manner, Spokane. land John F. Wood,
Waueau, Wis, who won first to fourtn
places, respectively, in the class A
New York.to.Spokane derby. c. w.
Meyers, unofficial winner Of the New
York-to. Spokane class B derby. was
entered in two races.
Although the air races attracted
most attention. air stunts and the ex-
pected arrival of Stinson's big mono
blame also held interest. Stinson ar
rived here in another plane after leav-
ing his ship at Missoula, where he
was forced down by engine trouble.
The ship was to be repaired and
brought here today.
Stinson said he might have been
able to have reached his goal. Twice
during the transcontinental fight in
company with Fred Koehler. his re.
lief pilot. Stinson few for several
hours nursing q bothersome motor.
The second time he decided to turn
back and land at Missoula rather
than take the chance Of being forced
to come down in the mountain fast
nesses, where q safe descent would
have been difficult and where the use
Of their parachutes might have cost
the flyers their lives.
Gould you have made it," he was
asked.
"Oh, yes." he replied. II had plenty
of altitude. But didn't want to take
a chance on my motor going back on
me in the mountains, where we
couldn't have landed and where we
wouldn't have. been able to use the
parachutes we had.
Air derby officials also expected
Schiller to fly here in the monoplane
Royal Windsor. Schiller dropped
out Of the race at Billings, Mont,
because of low gas supply. Be-
cause planes making stops We're dis
qualified under the race rules. no
prizes will be awarded. officials said.
The race stakes were $4,000 for first
prize and $4,000 for second.
Belated Arrivals Due.
The belated arrivals Of entrants
in the class A and B New York to-
Spokane race were expected today.
Tex Rankin Of Portland. Greg, class
A, and NJ. II. McMechan Of Yakima,
class b. advised derby officials they
would leave Montana today for Spo-
kane. All other transcontinental and
coast entrants had arrived or drop
ped out of the races.
Four Of today's Ave events will be
flown around q ten-mile course, with
the shortest race taking a SIX mile
course. Prizes OF !. $4,000 will be
awarded in each Of the three COM
mercial events. Because Of service
regulations entrants in the two mill
tary events can compete for trophies
only. The commercial prizes are
$1,000 for first, 5000 for second. $400
for third, $3.50 for fourth, $3.50 for
fifth and 500 for sixth.