Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-04-16
EYE OF FLYING MACHINES
AERIAL NAVIGATION NEAR, SAYS
FRANK n. LAHM.
Public Demonstration Expected Soon
From the Wright Brothers-Predic.
ton that Their Work Will Be Ac-
cepted by the Public.

ton that Their Work VIII Be Ac-
cepted by the Public.
Scientists are expecting soon a
public demonstration of the Wright
brothers flying machine. whose re-
ported success has been a subject Of
continued controversy on both sides
of the Atlantic Frank H. Lahm, an
American resident of Paris, who will
be the foreign representative of the
Aero Club of America in Europe this
year, believes that this trial will set
tie once and for all the actual value
of the Wright brothers invention.
Mr. Lahm is not given to fads, nor
has he wasted much time in idle
theory. He is a conservative Ameri-
can business man, representing one
of our largest industries abroad At
the same time, he is an enthusiastic
balloonist. While at home in Ohio
on visit, he called upon the Wrights
at Dayton, and talked with bankers,
business and professional men of that
city who have seen the Wright bro
theirs operate their invention at will
in the air. and make both long and
short flights. Mr. Lahm declared
without reservation his belief in the
success of flying machines, that their
permanent use is assured, and that
the public must take them seriously.
"The public can hardly realize what
the Wright brothers have accomplish
ed" said Mr.. Lahm. i am so thor
oughly convinced of their results
that predict the fling machine will
be accepted publicly before the end
of this year. Not many years will
elapse before it has become practic-
able. 1t may seen premature to talk
about aerial lines of transportation,
but the near future holds surprises in
store in that direction.
Il was already convinced before |
went to Dayton that the Wrights had
accomplished everything they claim
ed to have done, but | had never in
terviewed any one who had seen
them in actual flight. During my
recent visit | talked with a number
of witnesses, and received full con-
firmation of the most enthusiastic re-
ports sent me- Persons have asked
me why, if the Wrights have flown,
do they not make public demonstra-
ton. That they have flown, and
claim the longest continuous flight
twenty-four miles made in a circuit
around a large field, such is the
truth, but the Wrights are not yet
ready for a public demonstration, for
reasons best understood by them
selves.
Nevertheless, we will not lose any,
thing in waiting for them. The
Wrights are making the best use OF
the intervening time to perfect their
motor, in order that when they do at
tempt public fight, the results will
in all probability go far beyond what
they have already done. In order that
there may be no hitch in the working
of their machines when the time
comes, they are rebuilding two COM
olete machines-motOrs and alI-each
with duplicate parts, so that in case
of accident they may not be delayed.
as they have already been on one
occasion.
1T is doubtful if they know them
selves when this next trial will be
made, or if they can predict what the
outcome of their invention will be.
One thing is certain-the Goverum ents
of the leading countries can no 'o::g-
er afford to ignore what has been ac-
complished by these flying machines,
as there is no doubt but that it would
be of great auxiliary value in case
of war.
my confidence in practical flying,
as expressed above, is based entirely
on what l know of the Wright broth
ers' machine and the faith ] have III
the two men themselves. They are
modest. intelligent, honorable gentle
men, whose names will certainly be
honored in the future more than we
can foresee at present, for patriotic
pride is admissible when we consider
that these two young men have IN
reality solved the problem that has
attracted the attention of scientific
men of many countries, and interested
humanity almost since the beginning
of time We are on the eve of prac-
teal aerial navigation; and, without
in any way wishing to detract from
the brilliant results that others have
accomplished, | can say with conf
dence that the Wright brothers have
gone much further and obtained
greater results than any other inven-
tors | know.
so much for the scientific side of
the subject. AS for the sport, l know
of no other which is 50 calculated
to tune up the nerves, fit men to
make prompt decisions, and teach
them confidence. have only one son,
but if / had several / would expect
each one to make at least one balloon
ascension and encourage them to con-
tinue the sport if it appealed to them.
just as l would expect each one of
them to learn to swim.
1.-THE sport, while calling out in an
eminent degree the qualities we like
to see in young men, is 10 more dan
gerous than most sports, for, given
the proper material and a capable
pilot with ordinary precaution which
must always be taken, there is no
reason why there should be any acct
dent. We have proof of this in tse
long list of aseensions made by the
Aero Club of France, amounting to
more than a thousand. without any
serious accident ever occurring.
4 have just returned with other
members of the committee who went
to ST. LoIis with a view to locating
the big international race of this year.
We found what we wanted-most valti-
able assistance and encouragement