Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-13
LOYAL LEGION PAYS
TRIBUTE TO LINCOLN
T0ASTS DRANK IN HONOR OF
DEAD PRESIDENT
Remarkable Paper on Aeronautics by
Professor Lowe Read. by Major
DonneII-Document to Be
Sent to Congress

One hundred and twenty-five mem
berS of the military order Loyal Le-
gion of Union soldiers in Southern Cal
ifornia assembled last night in the
banquet hall of the Hotel Alexandria
at one of the most remarkable meet
ings in the history of the local legion
for the purpose of cOmmemorating the
one hundredth anniversary of the
birth of Abraham Lincoln.
Appointments of the banquet hall
were exquisite and elaborate and ap-
propriate decorations arranged for the
occasion drew forth exclamations "
surprise and admiration from the as
sembled guests.
Brigadier General Charles D. Viele,
U. S. A, president Of the legion, pre-
sided, while Companion George H.
Stewart acted as toastmaster. After a
silent toast to THE President" Major
Fl. t. Lee responded to the toast
Abraham Lincoln In simple and
effective language he told of Abraham
Lincoln, the president, soldier and man
as he knew him personally. He brought
tears to the eyes of the old officers and
the younger generation of sons of the
revolution with his account of the
American flag which he carried
through the war and which on one oc-
casion had entangled the head of Lin
coin as he rode near on his prancing
horse.
Major Lee holds that historians have
not chronicled correctly the Gettysburg
speech of Lincoln, which the newspa-
pers of that time reported as falling
fiat. Major Lee heard the speech and
he asserts positively it was the great
est speech ever made to the Anglo
Saxon race up to that time" and that,
while it did not bring forth applause,
it aroused a mighty sob of sympathy
from all the men and women who
heard it,
Paper on Aerouautics
One of the most remarkable papers
ever written was read by Major Don
nell for Professor T. S. c. Lowe in re-
sponse to the toast aerial Service in
War" Professor Lowe is the father
of American aeronautics. He built the
largest balloon in the United States
before the war and Travelled in it a
long distance carrying a large amount
of munitions of war.
Mr.. loves paper follows in full:
Mr.. President, secretary. ladies and COM
panions of the Loyal Legion:
1 have been asked by President General
Viele and Secretary Gilbert to prepare a paper
on the2 use Of aeronautcs for military and
naval purposes, to be presented at this meet
ing on the occasion Of the celebration of the
one hundredth birthday of the immortal Lin
coin.
shall be able to conclusively show to you
that to Abraham Lincoln is due primarily the
introduction of the very first practical balloons
for war purposes, and since its valuable use in
the United States army during the Civil war,
other nations have copied after those days, and
now the popularity of aeronautics for war pur-
poses is certain to develop the best methods for
general aerial navigation the world over, and
will be the means of bringing about a lasting
peace among all the higher civilized nations
OF the EARTH and unitedly compel the
peace Of the weaker nations, as l shall en-
deayor to show. Thus the great work of Lin
coin will, including this branch, go on through
all ages to come
How 1t Began
In 1857, and 9 1 was engaged in studying
the upper air circuits, while Lieut.. Maury of
the Washington observatory was getting out
his charts of the ocean currents.
In 1859 | began the construction of the largest
balloon in the world, and in 1860 l made a trial
trip with it from Philadelphia to the Atlantic
coast, carrying a weight including the ma
chine, Of 1900 pounds. Had hydrogen instead
Of coal gas been used it would have carried
fourteen tons, being inflated only three-fourths
of its entire capacity.
Under the auspices of the Franklin institute
of Philadelphia and the Smithsonian institution
of Washington, at the special request of Prof
Joseph Henry, made, April 20, 1851 one
of the most remarkable high altitude balloon
trips in history to make a final test of the
upper air currents, starting at 3;45 a. m and
landing on the Southe Carolina coast at
O'Clock p m. the same day (nine hours and
fifteen minutes).
All of these scientific tests and especially
the last trip so impressed Mr. Lincoln that he
requested Secretary Chase to telegraph Mr.
Potter, publisher of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial, to have me go TO Washington and have a
conference with him. After satisfying himself