New Britain herald., 1930-09-03
ly and slid into three point land.
Seek s25,ooo Prize

1 was announced lHey Noulu take OH in their scarlet plane tomorrow morning for Dallas, Texas, and the $25,000 pot of gold that has waited for three years at the end of the great circle rainbow connecting the Texas city and the capital of France. The prize is that offered by Col. William Easterwood for the first Paris-Dallas flight, with stop per mitted at New York city.
 A crowd estimated as high as 1o,- 900 persons, many of whom had waited for hours at the field, was grouped along the guarding fences as the clouds which had erupted hail and rain but two hours before, clear ed away and the half disc of the moon showed it's faint outlines in the southern sky. AS the Question Mark came out of the east and darted to earth. they surged against the guard ropes and the fences. testing the strength and the temper of hundreds of police.
 Viva Cost" many shouted in the best Long Island French, "Hooray for Costay," the plain Americans yelled.
 Sensing the danger in the whirling propeller of his ship and fearing that any moment the wall of blue might break and let through a flood of humans, Coste stopped his engine while still 100 yards out in the field and he and Bellonte climbed wear fly from the plane.
 Carried By Mechanics
 Their faces were burned from the sun and wind and lines of fatigue were etched in the red skin. They fumbled clumsily for the rungs of the ladder with their feet, their legs numbed by the day and half in the cramped cockpits of the little plane. They stumbled toward the hangar But willing hands helped them along and they rode the last few feet astride the backs of stall wart mechanics, happy to carry so famed burden.
 Their fatigue was forgotten when they reached the hangar and found there to greet them a tall, rather stopped young man, white teeth flashing in a face burned almost as red as their own-the man whose path they retraced.
 Tt was a great flight, Captain" said Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh, and although Coste probably did not hear or understand the words, he could not mistake the meaning and his face lighted with a happy smile as he grasped the hand of America S most famous flier.
 Whisked through. the formalties of welcome from officials of their own land, New York city and civic organizations. and having broadcast their thanks and thoughts to the lis- | tening radio audiences of two con- tinents, the fliers were borne swiftly to the city behind an escort of 1 motorcycle police and put to bed in their suite at a Park avenue hotel.
 Sees Reporters There. clad in orange striped pa jamas. Coste greeted reporters a few moments later. first cautioning them to be quiet so as not to awaken his companion, already blissfully sleep | ing in the adjoining twin bed.
 Their trip? Oh, it was just a flight. Yes, the weather was bad in spots, but they had tailwinds part of the way. Was he glad to be here?
 "Ah, Oui Oui."
 'Lindbergh was there at the field,' he said, smiling broadly, and noth- ing gave me greater pleasure than ts see him and talk to him.
 Neither Americas flying colonel nor Coste would talk in terms of comparison of their flights, although one almost exactly traced that of the other. Lindbergh flew alone. Coste with a companion. Lindbergh flew the road to Paris in 33 and one-half hours, Coste and Belonte took four hours more. But, as the flying col onel pointed out himself, the east to west crossing is the most difficult because of the prevailing adverse winds.
 Each achieved the goal he set for himself-in that they are almost alone in the field of transatlantic aviation-striking squarely at the spot, almost on the time planned.
 Heartache for Coste
 There was heartache as we'll as joy for Coste last night, for his boy ish idol and war time companion laid down his life in attempting the feat he carried through so success ] fully.
 Three years ago last spring Capt. Charles Nungesser and Francois Coli set out from Le Bourget for New York. They passed over Ireland and headed out over the North At lantic into eternity. Nungesser was Costes idol. He flew three-quarters of the way around the world in a ! plane named for the two French aces-frst man to dare the North Atlantic gales in a nonstop flight from Paris. Little wonder that his face was grave as he set his wheels to earth and realized, as one avak- ening from a dream, that he was safe, his journey ended. He. had won through where Nungesser had failed.
 From the presidents of the United States and France congratulatory messages came for the two flers.
 The news of your successful flight thrills the people of the en- tire American nation, and upon their behalf and my own I send to you and your gallant companion our heartiest congratulations" President Hoover messaged Coste.
 Happy to send you my warmest congratulations for your magnificent | exploit wirelessed President Dou- mergue.
 Appears at Dinner Last night a dinner was given in the fliers' honor at the Ritz Tower, where they are staying, and Coste appeared there for a moment before returning to bed.
 Today New York city prepared a welcome for its distinguished visit