Grand Forks 1910 Fair Day 4

Page 1. Great Fair Is Over; Grand Forks Has “Made Good.” Race Between Wright Aeroplane And An Automobile A Feature. Everybody Is Well Pleased. There was Not a Hitch in the Program from First to Last. Children Admitted Free Yesterday. The Younger Generation Enjoyed a Chance to See the Aviator. Fair Was a Success in Every Way – M. C. Bacheller, the Secretary Deserves Much Credit – Accident of Minor Nature in Evening Motorcycle Race – Dismantling Process Is On This Morning. It was not to be expected that the attendance for the fourth day could keep the pace set on the other three days and there was, therefore, no disappointment when yesterday’s attendance fell off considerably. Many of those who came were late arrivals determined to see Hoxsey and his Wright aeroplane. The rest of the crowd was made up in the most part of the enthusiasts over horse racing and those who have caught the aviation fever. It was a good crowd and an enthusiastic one.

Every performance that merited notice got a good hand and the aeroplane flight was cheered loudly and often, especially each time Hoxsey swept by the grandstand in his race with Bacon’s high power automobile. The other activities and attractions of the fair received their share of attention throughout the day but the people began to leave for their homes about five o’clock and the grounds began to assume the familiar aspect of the closing hours of a fair. The concessionaires commenced to pack their goods and tear down their stands preparatory to moving on to the next fair. The barkers could hardly bark and were using what was left of their voices to gather in a few more shekels before the fair was over. Some of the “lemo” men changed the cry to “two for five” to close out the stock on hand before packing up. Others held on for the evening business.

Aeroplane Chief Event. Although the day’s program was not wanting in other good features the flight of the aeroplane was again the chief event from the spectator’s point of view. When three o’clock passed without the appearance of the aviator and his machine the people began to be impatient and feared that perhaps the wind was too high for a flight. But shortly before 4 o’clock the shelter tent was thrown open and the flier pulled into the infield. The track had been laid at the west end of the infield to permit Hoxsey to rise against the wind. The aeroplane was pushed down to that point on its detachable trucks and made ready for the flight. In the meantime J. D. Bacon’s speedy fifty horse power automobile had been brought out on the track ready for the five mile race with the aeroplane. At 4:04 Hoxsey rose from the earth and after a short preliminary flight circled back for the start and they were off with the big automobile a few lengths in the lead. In the ten turns around the track the spectators had an excellent opportunity to realize the speed of the aeroplane.

The automobile was driven skillfully and as fast as the half mile track would permit and still the biplane, battling with a twenty-five mile wind, kept close behind. Several times Hoxsey gained enough to pass before the grandstand almost straight above the auto and once toward the end of the race in rounding the west end of the track Hoxsey was ahead. Coming down the stretch he was buffeted by strong gusts of wind and was at the same time forced to rise in the air to pass above the wires across the track and lost his lead. He was unable to regain it and finished a speedy and exciting race about fifty feet behind. Many times the audience broke out with cheers and seemed anxious that Hoxsey should win and there are a great many who believe under better conditions that he would have pulled out ahead. He was flying under great difficulties. The speed of the wind and the gusts that caught the big planes would have caused most of the men in the business of aviating to refuse to make an attempt to carry out the race part of the program. The splendid manner in which he handled his machine filled the hearts of the people with admiration for his coolness, nerve and daring. Maneuvers in Wind. At the close of the race Hoxsey rose higher in the air and gave the people a splendid series of maneuvers following out the program that has become somewhat familiar to those who have attended the fair every day and witnessed all his flights. Hoxsey seems to delight in overcoming difficulties, and did not allow the sweep of the wind to force him to abandon his thrilling short circles, smoothly executed figure eight or the amazing dives from far heights. It had been

Page 3. rumored that two flights would be made yesterday and with better conditions this would have been the case, but seeing that the wind was getting higher, Hoxsey concluded to give a long flight in the afternoon and not go up in the evening. His flight, including the time taken up by the race, lasted 23 minutes, and in coming down, caught a lull in the wind and made an easy and graceful landing. Hoxsey Packs Up. As soon as the aeroplane was back in the shelter tent Mr. Hoxsey and his assistants busied themselves getting the machine ready for shipment. In order to get it in a car, the smaller planes in front and the vertical and horizontal planes behind, which act as a rudder were taken off and with them their supporting framework. Last night the partially knocked down machine was loaded into the same large car which brought it here from Atlantic City, the loading being done through the end door. Mr. Hoxsey has not received definite instructions from the Wrights and in the absence of orders to the contrary will ship to Dayton, Ohio, today.

Aviator is Pleased. Speaking of his series of flights here Mr. Hoxsey said it was highly gratifying to him to note the enthusiasm of the people who attended the fair and that he was very grateful for the uniformly kind and courteous treatment accorded him. He was well pleased with the success of his exhibition here, and admitted that he considered the flights highly successful, especially considering the weather and the fact that the maneuvers were performed in the field of a half mile track. He spoke in glowing terms of the good treatment given him by the fair officials and paid high tribute to Grand Forks city and to the quality of this year’s fair. He further called attention to the fact that Grand Forks had had at least one thing in aviation that was entirely novel. It seems that the flight made Thursday evening with Mr. Kent as a passenger was, on account of the delay in getting the engine started, the first flight ever made under a searchlight. The big fair is over and it has been a great success. The results were even greater than the most optimistic ones had expected. Grand Forks has again made good. The thousands of visitors have been well taken care of and well entertained and they go away well satisfied and waiting for another opportunity to be with us on a similar occasion. (Grand Forks Daily Herald, Saturday Morning, July 23, 1910, Volume XXIX, Number 226)