Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-11

winter.
Aviation received a big forward i'm
pulse in Los Angeles yesterday when
Dick Ferris addressed the Rotary club
on the possibilities of securing the sec
ond annual international contest for
the Gordon Bennett Coupe Information
ale d'Aviation. After stating that the
contest would not only make history
that would bring honor to the city
selected, but that il would also bring
greater crowds than were attracted by
either the Shriner convention or Elks'
reunion, Mr.. Ferris urged that efforts
to secure the contests be made by a
united effort of business men generally
without the least Intervention of profit
for any individual.
Several members of the club spoke
for the plan proposed by Mr.. Ferris,
and the club unanimously adopted a
motion to further 1t. It was suggested
by Mr.. Ferris that a bank or trust
company receive the funds subscribed
until such time as the civic bodies or
the chamber of commerce might agree
on a standing committee. Newton j.
Skinner president of the All Night
and Day bank, who was at the Rotary
club dinner. volunteered on behalf of
his bank to accept subscriptions. Sec
ing to have subscription blanks
printed. and they will be circulated
today by members of the club. More
than $1,000 has been raised as a starter
Glad Hand City
Charles E. Bent, who presided, said
that Los Angeles had been termed
city of the "come-on-Join-us" type,
and he introduced Mr.. Ferris as the
most representative of that kind Of
boosting citizen.
There Is no better way of adver-
tising Los Angeles than to make the
Associated Press pay for It," said Mr.
Ferris ITO do this you must have
news worthy of their attention. We
have had all sorts of conventions and
meetings, tournaments and everything
else, but we have not had anything
like an international aeroplane contest
The city that secures that will have a
feature which will bring visitors from
all over the world and will put the
eyes of the world on its enterprise.
Nothing approaching this coming con-
test has been dreamed OF heretofore.
Just a few years ago people said.
you couldn't pay me to ride in one
of those things when an automobile
was mentioned, but now everybody
wants a ride. That will be the case
with flying. Inside of ten years you
will see equipment like a Pullman linn
tied train going east through the air.
This air tournament, big as it looms
up can be made a much greater thing
at Los Angeles than elsewhere. It
can be held in midwinter under ideal
conditions, which is not practicable
ANYWHERE else This should enlist the
corporation of other cities, where avi-
alton will be at a standstill in mid
winter, hence the dates here will not
interfere with their own activities.
May Develop Sport
I'VE have conditions and climate
here which will not only permit the
most remarkable record d-breaking aero
plane contest possible, but we can have
pleasure ballooning that Will excite
great interest The men who have
balloons for pleasure are men of
wealth, who can be of considerable
service in booming Los Angeles, and
who will certainly do so If they come
out here once for trips in the middle
of winter.
"And it will be possible to give them
facilities for an endurance trip east
ward across the mountains. This is
feasible and will be accomplished some
time, but 1t cannot be handled as
show proposition. At the air tourna-
ment facilities should be granted per-
mitting balloonists to take advantage
of conditions that suit them, so they
may go at any hour of the day or
night If this is done it will make a
record that will stand as calling wide
attention TO Los Angeles.
''This thing is too big to be handled
except on the basis of an exposition.
It should be taken up by the whole
city, everybody joining in, and not by
a few men. Arrangements should be
made whereby any sum desired may
be received by a bank or trust COM
pany toward the fund to assure the
contests, and so that thousands may
subscribe small sums. I believe we
could find a sale for $4,000 tickets in
advance among Los Angeles citizens.
Need Quick Action
IF anything is to be done Los An
geles must proceed at once. Denver
already has started fund to go after
the contests Detroit and other cities
are thinking of making municipal ap-
preparations for that purpose. Half
dozen cities and more are in the race;
we ought not to start Los Angeles
late. Let us get together on this, and
make Los Angeles fly ahead of all
the rest"
"The Rotary club should signalize
its boosting ideals by fathering this
proposal of Mr.. Ferris" said I. S.
Hurst. 1T will bring honor to the or
ganization that is first in on it,"
H. j. Brainard urged that the club
take UP the plan, as did Garner Cur
ran, whose motion to that effect was
unanimously adopted. Before the club
adjourned several had given subscrip-
tions to the secretary.
Following the address, the Rotary
club plan of boosting each members
business as we'll as the general pros
perity of the city was taken up. Nearly
100 members were present, and each
arose in turn, stating his name and
business and what he had to sell. This
plan is followed once a month and
serves to bring Rotary club members
much business.
Secretary H. C. Quick announced
that larger ideas for stimulating busi-
ness interchange had been Initiated in
establishing a business clearing house
I.cl.