Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-15
HARD WORK MAKES WINNER
Impressive Features Of the Struggles
of the Wright Brothers.
SUCCESS ABROAD, HONOR AT HOME
American skkpticism shamed by
Achievements In strnnge
Story of OhiO's "ConauerOFs
Of the Air."

achievements In strange Lands
Story of OhiO's "ConquerOrs
of the Air."
when the wnght Bros, Wilbur and
orville of Dayton, o., stood in the east
room Of the White House and received the
medals and homage of a distinguished
company, the American "oonquerors Of the
air. must have experienced mingled
emotions over belatcd appreciation at home
for Encouragement and success won abroad.
Something like four years ago Wilbur
and orville Wright. working upon their
plans for aerial flights. conceived IN idea
that was almost an RnaGhronism in these
days of get all you can and keep 1t. When
they had fully demonstrated the utility of
their invention they then realized that the
net result, IL turned to account, might
make this country invulnerable to attack
or certain OF victory wherever a foe sailed
the seas or set foot upon American soil.
National indifference.
II was the first thought that came to
the brothers. The possibility of CONNER
cial gain, or great wealth. were ideas
foreign to the little home circle Of the quiet
family. With that idea in view they in
dited a better to the War department. This
is the substance Of what they wrote:
I I'VE have constructed an aeroplane that
will navigate the air. We offer this in
~vention, the plans and construction Of
which are known only to us. to the ex-
! elusive use and ownership Of the United
States for a period of years, and at a cost
which will enable the government TO
! build q M ArnonIapo no ma hIa nf CARRYING
200 pounds Of dynamite for what is now
one-fortieth the cost of a single battle
4 ship"
THESE are not the exact words, but It
is the substance OF the offer they made
I to the Washington authorities. They were
4 willing to build the aeroplanes themselves
and prove their claims as to the utility
OF the invention. This they were willing
A to do for a sum that would enable them
to continue their work upon the secret
plans, and which they further agreed to
I turn over to the government. They re-
ceived in reply a curt refusal to consider
the proposition, nor did it have time to
send a board TO Ohio to investigate the
I claims Of "a couple Of cranks."
1t was some time after this refusal on
the part of the government that the
Wright brothers came by appointment to
u the residence Of Charles r. Flint OF New
York. Mr.. Flint had long been impressed
with the importance of forehandedness IN
matters concerning war. 1t was he who,
prior to the outbreak of the Spanish
American war, succeeded in obtaining
options on many vessels then under con-
struction in foreign shipyards-possible
warships for this government-and it was
he who held the Russian governments
. power Of attorney for $3.50, OOO. 900 for the
lr,,-olnrn 90 ,-o- r,u4,,ia I,.t nu1.Go,,z a.
the R-usso-Japanese war,
A Friend Indeed.
He had his eye on, the Wright brothers
from the beginning, So 1t happened that
T., Ulysses S. Eddy Of his firm was visiting
e Dayton at a psychological momnet, and
rendered an Invitation to the young In
8 ~ventors to visit New York and breakfast
with Mr.. Flint. At the breakfast many
. things were commented upon, from avita-
ton to the weather and back to aviation.
The brothers impressed their sagacious
host as earnest, practical men, who were
not too scientific to ignore the import.
ance of experimental work and not toe
e|xperimentaly to undertake aerial fligh'
d. without determining scientific possibilities
~ and limitations. They also impressed hin
as, men who knew what they were talkinl
-. about. ..
- The conversation progressed, and though
many questions were asked and answered
there was no word mentioned about con
- tracts, exclusive Fights, ownership and sucl
matters. But when they left the breskfas
room Mr.. Flint quietly said:
You may draw upon our firm to tn
v. amount Of SO, OOO."
Thus 1t was that the Wrights wer
launched, Patents were taken out, an,
co they we're no longer compelled to bull
bicycles TO keep up their experiments wit
az aeroplanes.
" Among the anecdotes Of the Wrigh
brothers which one picks up in Dayto
- today, relates the American Magazine, /
, the story of a huge tandem bicycle whic
they built, and upon which they rode a
re over West Dayton. 1t was made out U
two old high wheels which were connecte
by a gaspipe fifteen feet long. 1T wa
mt a better sight to see than a circus tn
IN proud townsman tells you.
ice 1t seems to me 1t was the most natura
II thing In the world that they should be
of come interested in flying. 1t happened /
,te this way: Wilbur, always a great reader
- and Orville, always a great enthusiast, &c
interested, in the summer Of 1896. in tn
- experiments OF Lilienthal, a German fore
=, runner OF successful aviation, who died tina
INT year. They read everything they could la
CT, their hands on. 1t is possible that tn
TX memory Of the flying toy which their fsthe
In brought to them from New York in child
ur, hood, and the recollection Of the great kite
ng which they built and flew all through boy
ats hood, may have had a share In attractin
to- them to the subject. 1t is much more prot
able, however, that their eager minds wer
simply selling upon a new idea, as tn
-. case has been so often before,
working Together.
They took hold OF the thing togethe,
lam They had done everything together froI
the days of their childhood, when Wilbu,
the older by four years, used to make up
stories and pour them out in a stream fC
the entertainment Of Orville, each separai
story ending. and then the boiler burst,
For five years they studied the theory {
the flying-machine at odd times. But stl
for fun. In the meantime they kept u
- their bicycle business, earning a fair II
come. AMI living regular, everyday, reason
able lives.
Although the most useful informatio
they gained was obtained from books an
from practical work on the problem carrie
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