The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-08
BIC AERIAL EVENTS
BOOKED FOR MAY
Curtiss Will Fly At Morris Park, and
Wright Brothers At Fort
Myer, Virginia.

NEW YORK, April lit Is no
longer the custom to deny that the
aerial age has dawned. Just now
you can only perceive the faintest.
grayest glimmering. II you are not oil
the initiated. But beginning with May
you will see. the day break with the
most glorious brilliance. Simultane-
ously there will be Curtiss lying Tor
the Aeronautic Society up In motifs
Park race track. there will be the
Wrights filling their contracts down
at Washington and there will be capt.
Baldwin duplicating his feats oil last
fall with his new dirigible over III
Arlington, ~ j.
Curtiss Is bound In hard and fast
legal terms to deliver "A machine tnat
viii fly four miles. and he must not
only prove that II can ny four miles,
but he must take guest up with him.
But Curtiss will not stop at the tour
miles. You can readily gamble heav.
lily en the wager that he is going 10
break some records for this season.
While Curtiss Is flying up in Morris
Park. the Wrights will be dying down
in Washington.
The machine that viii! be seen at
Morris Park is the first specimen that
will come from the factory of the new
Curtiss- Herring Baldwin Bishop aerial
merger. Neither Curtiss nor any one
else-except the congressmen--has
any hard feelings against the Wrights.
But business is business Here are
two rival manufacturing combinations
exhibiting at the same time. In strik-
IN, kat ha Ia In, 70 IF
the Wrights They have priority. for
eign prestige, success and celebrated
records in their favor. On the other
hand. Curtiss knows an aeroplane III
about the same way as you might
know the number of steps on your
front stoop. And he is ambitious. Not
only is he eager for success. but ne
possesses that hne combination OF
cool, daring, level-headed common
sense and self-respecting modesty
that spur this kind OF man To win. SO
what is more natural than that Cur
tiss should attempt TO break all rec
crds for endurance flights. height
flights. speed and cross country
flights? II will be very much worth
while to keep an eye on Curtiss and
incidentally for the Curtiss Herring
machine There have been no flaws
In the June Bug and the Silver Dart,
which Curtiss built. and he is just the
kind OF man to take the theoretical
dreams OF Herring and make them
brilliantly practical
IL is foregone conclusion that the
Wrights' performances will be inter
esting. They have every Incentive to
do their best. Not only will they re-
celve substantial remuneration from
the war department. but the govern.
ment Is going TO hand them gold med
ais and c-aaer them the freedom OF
the halls of congress. This is really
a rare distinction. Besides, the Aero
club of America, through President
Taft, will decorate them with gold
medals modeied by Victor ID. Bremen
and cast at the mint. And the Smith
sonian institute will present them with
gold medals for their contributions To
science. Incidentally this is all rath-
er interesting when one remembers
the disdain which was their portion
four years ago
Capt Baldwin. who will perform in
early May at Arlington. n. j.. will arso
be the recipient OF a gold medal. The
Aero club Of America has Instituted
a medal which will be given TO per-
sons who render important services
in the cause OF aeronautics. The first
medal, made OF gold, Is the decoration
he will receive from the Aero club
In this connection IL Is interesting 10
remember that he was the first man To
receive a gold medal from the Aero
nautical society OF Great Britain.
His flights from Arlington are
bound to arouse worldwide comment,
for he proposes to sail south over the
course of the Passaic river to Reward,
perform evolutions over that city. then
turn eastward and sail over the Hack
ensack meadows, passing over Hobo
ken and Jersey City, and after cross
ing the North river, he intends TO CIR
Gle around among the canons OF
down town New York. and then turn
the prov OF his aerial boat westward
again, sailing until he reaches his
starting place in Arlington. The to-
tai mileage will be somewhere in the
neighborhood OF % miles. This Is the
same distance he covered In the gov
eminent tests last fall at Washington,
when he sailed II I'm a fraction less
than an hour. As this trip will be
punctuated with evolutions over the
various cities passed en- route II will
consume more time