Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-24
TO HOLD
AVIATION MEET
tc.ontinred from pare onel

CONTINUED from rage Dpel
ostensibly characterizing it as an ex-
hibition, 1 wonder what their reply
would be if the aviation committee OF
the Merchants and Manufacturers as
sociation should wire that club as fol-
lows: The state of California has
about two million inhabitants and
would like to see the world-famous
aviators participate in the contests
such as can only be held in its glorious
climate in January. Please exercise
your precepts and urge the aViatorS
to come out here and fly for us in the
name of true sportsmanship only. We
will entertain them royalty, cover them
with medals, load them down with
silver trophies and pass all kinds OF
commendatory resolutions
Guarantees Demanded
"The facts are, however, that when
we wired Mr., Curtiss and members of
aero clubs affiliated with the Aero
club of America, asking If they could
participate in our international meet
here they replied demanding guaran-
tees ranging from $4,000 to $l0,OOO each'
1 even went so far as to assure them
our prizes would aggregate, at the
minimum, $4,000, and that the con-
tests would be held in strict obedience
to the laws and rules of the Aero club
of America. DO you think this had any
effect? No. Their replies were, Keep
your prizes-we cannot lily unless
guaranteed real money
Personally, l do not blame them TOT
demanding such an indemnity for fisk
ing their lives, but how do their de-
mands harmonic with the dictation of
the Aero Club of America? We wish
to abide by and will abide by the regu-
lations of the Aero club Of America,
but when they nominate conditions
that become as oppressive as the dlc-
tum of a business trust we mean TO as
sert our American citizenship and eX-
ercise every right granted us under
the constitution of the United States.
Mr.. Ferris is the doner of the Fer
ris trophy" now on exhibition at the
automobile show in New York, said 10
he the handsomest and most valuable
trophy in America. 1t was won by
the exhibiting firm in the Santa Monica
road race by establishing new Worlu
record, and will be competed for as
perpetual trophy.
The site for the aeroplane contests
and dirieible events was finally ap-
proved yesterday by the Aviation week
committee. The field, which will be
officially named the Aviation camp,
is located adjoining Dominguez sta
tion, on the west of the main line of
the Pacific Electric to Long Beach,
Balloon Events at Aero Field
The balloon events will be held from
the Aero field, as it will be officially
named, and a definite site Will be
chosen early next week. 1t probably
will be on the Pasadena short line of
the Pacific Electric, inside the city
limits.
Active arrangements for erecting
grandstands and the carrying out OF
In n
crowds. as we'll as the surveying or
the grounds and planning the limits
of the aeroplane course, have been
placed in the hands of a grounds COM
mittee consisting of Dick Ferris, w. h
Bixby, William Humphreys, j. L..
Vignes and Arthur w. Kinney. This
committee already has taken up
number of details, including the sur
veying of the grounds preliminary TO
laying out the course.
A number of concessions nave been
taken up. A concession has practically
been granted to the Pacific Coast
Amusement company for theater and
other amusements, which will be con-
Quoted independently of the aviation
events. but will be available to the
crowds on the grounds.
There will be no trouble about
handling the crowds on the way to
ANldllOn pdihB StAAu - - -
genral passenger agent Pacific Elec-
trio Railway company yesterday. I'VE
can take care of all the people that the
aviation committee can induce to go
out there without a hitch"
Mr.. Munger and Thomas McCaffrey
general superintendent of the Pacific
Electric Railway company. went to
the grounds at once after the commit
tee and worked out plans for the in
stallation of sidetracks, overhead
switches and other facilities for
handling the additional service which
will be required. The Pacific Electric
road will be able to run trains from
Sixth and Main streets every two min
utes, hauling 700 to 800 passengers on
each trip.
Transportation Facilities Good
An important consideration from a
traffic standpoint is the electricity, and
the exhaustive tests made by officials
of the road demonstrate there is ample
for any emergency on the Long Beach
line. The road will be able to handle
two hundred thousand people day,
and it is estimated by the aviation
committee good weather should bring
that attendance.
On the occasion of the visit of the
Atlantic fleet to the harbor, the Pacific
Electric road carried 254,000 people
without delay or accident on the San
Pedro line alone. The lines to the Avi-
alton camp practically give a four