The Washington times., 1908-10-01
Records Show That Philadel-
phia Man Asked Exclusive
Franchise in Air.
WANTED RIGHTS
ONLY OVER u. S.
lanes Bennett Had Idea He Could
Monopolize Aerial Traffic for
Forty Years-Petition Lost.

Just eighty-six years ago an effort
was made TO obtain from Congress an
appropriation to promote the invention
OF flying machines.
But the lawmakers in those days /
were more skeptical than they are /
now, and the petition Of James Ben
nett the inventor Of a machine which |
was to navigate the air, died in a |
House committee Just as many meri- |
torf0us measures die today. The his
tory OF the Bennett petition for Con-
gressional aid is thus told in the an
nails of the first session, Seventeenth
Congress:
Monday. March %. Among the Pc
titions this day presented was the fol-
lowing by Mr. Minor. James Bennett,
a mathematician Of the city Of Phila-
delphia, TO the honorable. the Senate
and House Of Representatives Of the
United States Of America in Congress
assembled, most respectfully shOweth:
Patent No Good.
e That your petitioner, having in
vented a machine by which a man can
dy through the air, soar to any height,
steer IN any direction. can start from
any place, and alight without risk Of
injury; and, whereas. a like machine
has never been invented in any coun-
try or age OF the world so as 10 be
applied TO purposes OF practical utility.
and as 1t is more than probable thai
artificial flying would not, for d thou
sand years TO come. be brought to the
same degree CT perfection had not your
petitioner under Providence accomplish
cd it, and, as IT is most evident TO
all that Letters Patent would De OF
little use TO the inventor in consequence
o. of various notifications OF improve
nents which might be made. and which
never would have been thought of, had
not the way first been opened by your
petitioner. he therefore SOHcltS a Spe-
Cial act Of Congress Of the United States
To secure to him and his heirs for the
term Of forty years. or for such other
terms as ia their wisdom may be deem
ed just, the right of steering flying ma
chimes through that portion OF earth s
atmosphere which presses on the United
States. or so far as their jurisdiction
may extend.
by granting your petitioners re
quest the honor Of the invention sh-fi
be conferred on the United States.
J. BENNETT. A. and NJ.
Philadelphia. Feb. Is. 1922
Mr. Minor moved to refer the petit
tiOn to the Committee on the JudicA,L
He said that that COMMITTEES did y OF
soar into regions so-high. Their duties
were nearer the earth He moved 10
lay IL on the tabIe--LOst.
Mr.. Walworth moved to refer IL TO
the Committee on Roads and Canals
Lost
Running on Mr.. Minors motion 20
refer to judiciary, Mr.. Sergeant opposed
II on the ground not only that il was
above their reach, but also that they
had so much business before them OF a
terrestrial character. that they could not
devote their time 70 philosophical and
aerial Investigations
Then laid on table
To Select Committee
petition on March q referred to a
Select Committee.
"On Monday. April l. Representative
Keys presented petition of David b.
Lee. Of Philadelphia, setting forth that
he is the original inventor of the flying
machine mentioned IN petition Of James
Bennett. and praying that no right OF
privilege may be granted to said Ben
nett on account Of said invention. but
that Congress grant him. Lee. exclu-
sIve right and privileges Of navigating
the atmosphere either with flying ma
chimes or with navigable balloons
throughout the United States. Referred
10 special committee"
The foregoing record is taken from tbs
pages Of the annals Of Congress. II
the Select Committee ever made a re-
port on the Bennett petition or the Lee
petition II does not appear in the
records. Representatives William NIL
nor and John Sergeant were from Phila-
delphia as was Represent alive Kevs a nd
Representative Reuben Hyde NValwortt
came from New York city.
1t would seem that Inventor Bennett
anticipated Inventor Wright by more
than three-QuarteTs OF a century but
then there is no evidence of record that
Bennett ever constructed a flying ma
chine except on paper.