Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-06
I AERONAUTICS
AVIATION RACES
WIDELY SOUGHT
MANY AMERICAN CITIES GO
AFTER HONOR
LOS ANGELES CAN PROVIDE BEST
NATURAL ADVANTAGES
Event Impractical Elsewhere in Mid
winter, and Boiling Air Currents
of Midsummer Do Not
Prevail Here

Dick Ferris idea for a great aviation
and aerostatic week in Los Angeles
in midwinter, securing if possible the
international aeroplane contests for
Los Angeles, is proving extremely
popular. The Pasadena Tournament of
Roses association wants consideration
of the time so that all or a part of
the program may be held at Pasadena
in connection with the famed cclebra-
tion at that city.
Il consider Mr.. Ferris suggestion a
splendid one" said Rev. Baker P. Lee
;and l should like to see it carried out
on a large scale. Supposing, for in
stance, it could be made big enough to
attract the attention of the Zeppelin
company and to induce them to send
Zeppelin airship to this country for
trial at crossing the mountains
There are possibilities to the plan
which are practical ,and yet would
mean a great deal of advertising
throughout the world for Los Angeles"
In case the Aero Club of America
should be found determined to keep
the aviation contests IN the east, as
has been hinted by officers of the club.
providing an eastern city can be found
willing to swing the event, Mr.. Ferris
believes Los Angeles should take up
on a big scale an American aviation
and balloon week designed to show
what advantages Los Angeles. pos
sesses in midwinter.
IF we get at 1t right away we stand
a good chance of getting the interna-
tional aviation contests he said yes
terday, although several other cities
are hot after it, realizing its immense
benefits in an advertising way. If
desira BILE we can hold this contest at
Los Angeles at a time when aviation
is not practical anywhere else on the
globe, a feature which should attract
the attention of aviators everywhere
and assure them cooperation in our
behalf.
"If they don't want to hold it inemid-
winter we still have the best show, for
we can give them perfect weather in
summer absolutely without rain or the
boiling air currents likely to be found
in midsummer anywhere in the east In
hot weather That was a feature at
Rheims and bothered the aeroplane
drivers considerably, causing the
wreck of Bleriot's No. % machine. It
is a condition likely to be met in st.
Louis or New York or elsewhere in
the east because of the summer
weather conditions. but it will not pre-
vail at Los Angeles at any time.
1.-THE next contest will be an inn
mense affair That at Rheims was in
troductory; it called attention to what
can be done. The fact that Curtiss
won makes the foreigners keen to beat
America next time, especially on our
grounds, and there will be the most
wonderful contest that can be con-
ceived. In addition some new types
are likely to add speculative un-
certainty
"The first international races at
Rheims used up columns and columns
in papers all over the world. The New
York papers devoted in fact both first
and second pages In full to the event
on two separate days. The second
contest will be a bigger affair all
around; nobody can calculate how
many thousands of dollars In adVertls-
ing It will give the city where 1t is to
be held. In addition, it will bring
tremendous crowds, and If held at Los
Angeles thousands of people Will
come to see the aerial contests and to
pass some time in California after
ward.
people all over the world are talk
ing flying machines You have no idea
how widespread the interest Is and
how everything about them is being
read This will be intensified when the
first international aeroplane contest to
be held in the United States for the
worlds air championship will be
fought out. 1 firmly believe it would
even be a greater benefit to us in the
way or aUI6nQdnCe anu liiOIISy lioh
Flks' week, immense as that was.
at is a big thing and must be
handled as such if we go after it, 1t
is too big an affair and is participated
in by too many wealthy people to
make it a matter of small prizes. and
the chamber of commerce ought to
have it in charge"
Eastern cities are falling in line to
go after the contests. ST. Louis. ap
preciating the advertising the interna-
tional balloon race brought that city
in 1907, is making an effort. Mayor
Breitmeyer of Detroit is arranging to
present the matter officially to the city
council. He has already been as
sured of financial backing from the
Detroit Aero club and a number of
automobile manufacturers and believes
the city will make a decided appro
priation. The Aero Club of America
hopes to arouse New York to an ap-
probation of the Importance of the
contests and will not let them go else
where until every effort to retain them
at New York shall have failed. The
Aero Club of Washington, d. c., is
confident that they can be brought to
the national capital and is plannins
for the use of the army aviation field
at College park. Spokane, Wash, and
Denver already are in the field. and
Denver has a large fund subscribed as
a starter.