Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-13
DISCUSS MERITS
OF AEROPLANES
AS WAR SCOUTS
WRIGHT BROTHERS BASHFUL-
LY CONSENT TO TALK
NOTED AVlAToRS ON WAY TO
HOME IN DAYTON
OrviIle Gives Estimate of Prices in
Speech Before Aero Club-Mini-
mum Cost $500, Declares
Aeronaut
fBy Associated Press.l

NJ EW YORK, May 12.-The Wright
brothers, Wilbur and Orville, left
~ New York shortly before o'clock
this evening for their home in Dayton,
Ohio, after a day passed in receiving
the tributes and compliments of friends
and admirers.
However much at home the brothers
may be amid the perils of the upper
air, they showed again that they are
extremely shy as guests OF honor.
At the luncheon rendered by the Aero
club of America, at the Lawyers club,
both had consented, with evident re-
luctance, to allow their names to go
down on the program of speakers.
But their speeches were models of
brevity and the pair appeared I'M
mensely relieved when the ordeal was
over. Wilbur spoke first-three sem
tences that lasted less than sixty sec
onds.
Orville followed, and his speech was
lust half as long as his brothers.
Assailed by interviewers, the Wrights
had little to add to the few things they
said yesterday. Orville referred all
questions to Wilbur, and Wilbur turned
them over to Orville.
Together they said that in their opln-
ion the use of the aeroplane for drop
ping hombs or explosives into a hostlle
army was impracticable.
Only Practicable Use
1.-THE ony practicable use of aero
planes in warfare will be as scouts ana
messengers, they said. '"The planes
must rise 1000 or 1900 feet above the
ground in order to be safe from sneli
fire. and at that distance you can't
dron anything with accuracy from
machine moving at forty to fifty miles
an hour
The minimum price of Wright aero
plane has been established at $1,000.
But if a high-speed machine, sulta-
HE for war purposes and carrying two
messengers besides the aviator, IS de-
sired. the price may run to $25OOO. rms
schedule of prices was announced py
Orville Wright.
"Of the sixty aeroplanes which we
now have under construction at our
Dayton plant" said Orville Wright,
''the cheapest will be $1,000. We nave
received orders for a number of these
from individuals, and they VIII pc ue-
livered as rapidly as possible.
1--WE are not at liberty at present to
announce the names of the purchasers
but among them are several well known
Americans and Europeans.
The Principal Trouble
line D11nclpdl JIOQplC WIZ pC ~
teaching the purchasers the operation
of the machine. We recognize the fact
that we must enlist a number of aero
plane teachers.
"Our friends in America should disre-
gard the stories which have preceded
us concerning the vast amounts OF
money we are said to have received.
1.-THE only money we have received
came from the government of France,
amounting to 100000. OF course we
have contracts with Germany, Italy and
England, but they are entirely tenta-
tive, and should not be considered as a
direct income to us until weShave COM
pleted the stipulations called for in
such contracts
&. The machine which is to be delivered
to the United States government is said
to be almost completed at Dayton, and
after being tested will be taken to
Washington by the Wrights for the
official tests. These tests must be made
by June 2S, and then after several
weeks of experimental work the
Wrights purpose to go to Germany to
fulfill their contracts there.
Following that they will go to Eng
land.