The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-06-19
NATION HON0RS
WRIGHT BROS.
PRESIDENT TAFT PRESENTS MED
AIS OF THE AERO CLUB
OF AMERICA.
SISTER ALSO Lt0N|zED
DISTINGUISHED GATHERING OF
STATESMEN, DIPLOMATS, AER-
oNAUTS AND SCIENTISTS.

Washington.-The appreciation. good
Will and congratulations of the Ameri-
can people We're Thursday extended TO
Wilbur and Orville Wright, the Amer!-
can aviators, by the President of the
United States.
The occasion was the presentation
OF the gold medals awarded 10 the
Wright brothers by the Aero club of
America to commemorate the con
quest of the air
In the presence of distinguished
statesmen, foreign diplomats, members
Of the cabinet, noted scientists AMI
prominent aeronauts and aviators, the
two inventors Of the first successful
flying machine heavier than air, re-
ceived the first public recognition of
their achievement from their fellow
countrymen. President Taft expressed
keen admiration for their work and
yentured the belief that their machine
will be the basis for the future efial
craft and prophesied that the dawn of
the age of aerial flight is here.
The Wrights We're introduced to the
President by Representative Herbert
Parsons of New York, who paid n
glowing tribute to their personal quail
f1cations
A. Holland Forbes. winner of the re-
cent national balloon race, and acting
president of the Aero club of America,
turned the medals over to the press-
dent on behalf of the Aero club.
Miss Catherine Wright, sister of the
aeroplanists, accompanied her hua-
band and was quite as much lionized.
President Taft said to Miss Wright:
'And I want to congratulate the
most important member of the fam
ily."
The day was one of celebration in
honor of the Wrights from the time
they arrived until Z o'clock at night,
when they left for Dayton.
The two brothers consulted Gen.
James Allen, the chief signal officer,
about the official trials of their areo-
plane, which are to be resumed by
Orville Wright.
c. E. Taylor, the mechanic who ac-
companied Orville to Fort Myer last
summer, will set up the aeroplane at
Fort Myer and 1t Is expected the
flights will be resumed June 21st. The
tests must be concluded by June %.
but it is believed the time will be ex-
tended if necessary.
Orville Wright said the machine will
be practically identical with that used
by him last year, with the exception
of an improvement on the guy wires
supporting the rudder. The same mo-
that IN m ri inc that
was wrecked will be used in the new
aeroplane. 1t will be sent to Washing
ton early next week. Their contract
requires them to complete the tests by
June 2S.
In presenting the medals President
Taft said:
Il consider it a great honor and an
opportunity to present these medals TO
you as an evidence of what you have
done. 1t is especially gratifying thus
to note a great step in human discov-
cry by a course that we OF America
like to feel is distinctively American
by keeping your nose right at the job
until you had accomplished what you
had determined to do.
1T has been said that this is the
first presidential recognition of aero
nautics since President Washington
Well, all have to say is that have a
PREDECESSOR who if aeronautics had
proceeded as far when he left office as
they have today, would not only have
gone down under the water in sub
marine boat, but would have gone up
into the air in a flying machine. No
one had a more earnest interest, a
more active interest, and a greater de-
sire to see into the things that make
for progress than my predecessor.
Il don't like to think, and 1 decline
to think that these instrumentalities
that you have invented for human use
are to be confined in their utility to
war. l sincerely hope that these ma
chimes will be increased in usefulness
to such point that even those Of us
who now look at them as not for us
may count on their ability to carry
more than thin passengers in times
of peace.
You planned what you wished to
find and then you worked 1t out until
you found it.
I congratulate you on the result. l
congratulate you on the recognition
you have received from the crowned
heads of Europe and congratulate
you that in receiving it you Rain
tanned the modest and dignified- de-
meanor worthy Of American citizen.
ship"