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South Mountain Takeoffs Today To Launch Event
Soaring Experts Hopeful Weather Conditions Will Be Favorable This Morning For Initial Gliding- News Reel Service Representatives Are on Hand- 20 of Gliding Machines Entered for Contest.

   J.Norton Wood, chairman of the aviation committee of the Association of Commerce, received the following telegram late Saturday evening from Edward S. Evans, honorary president of the National Glider Association:
   "Congratulations on the opening of the 1931 national gliding and soaring contest at Elmira. Convey my deep interest to all the officials, contestants and citizens who made this meet possible. Best wishes for a safe and successful contest."

   The second national glider contest makes its debut in Elmira today.
   A score of pilots whose names are the warp and woof of the aviation world will focus the attention of the country on this city where eons ago a glacier scooped out the Chemung Valley leaving a natural soaring bowl.  
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   These pilots, with a few exceptions, comprise the gliding talent of the world. Among them are such outstanding names as Captain Frank M. Hawks, C.E. "Casey" Jones, W. Hawley Bowlus, Albert E. Hastings, "Gus" Haller, Captin Russell E. Holderman, Mrs.Holderman, Mr. and Mrs. Okey Bevins, Major William L. Purcell, Mrs. Ralph S. Barnaby, Martin Schempp, Professor R.E. Franklin, Burchard Wilson, Warren E. Eaton and Wallace Backus.
Seek New Records
  Shortly after dawn this morning the contest was scheduled to get under way. At a final meeting Saturday evening in the Mark Twain Hotel, the early arrivals agreed to[[cutoff]]

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[cutoff]]assemble early on South Mountain in the hope that weather conditions will permit them to establish new records and attract additional contestants to the meet.
   If the weather permits, Elmirans will be assured of seeing the gliders in acton [action] at most any tme [time] of the day from dawn to dark. Department of Commerece rules prevent pilots from remaining in the air after dark.
   The 20 gliders which are entered in the meet present a regular kaleidoscope of color. Warren E. Eaton of Norwich, N.Y., has entered two, a new black and white Franklin which has never been in the air, and an orange Franklin.
   The Evans-Dunton machine which will be piloted by Albert E. Hastings, is a brilliant red and white, and the Providence, R.I., ship is green and yellow. Others are equally colorful.
   The meet has been heralded internationally by press, magazine, radio and news reel photo services. Two representatives of newsreel services were on the field yesterday obtaining advance pictures of [[cutoff]]