Evening star., 1909-09-02
TO GET THE Av|AT0RS
Chamber of Commerce Wants
Next Meet for This City.
COMMITTEE is APPOINTED
It Will Confer With the Washington
Aero Club.
MESSAGE SENT TO CURTISS
Asked to Use His Influence to Have
the Races Here-Possible
Courses Discussed.
MESSAGE SENT TO CURTISs

At the meeting Of the Chamber of Com
nerce last night the plan of securing the
next aviation carnival for Washington was
taken up in earnest and committee was
appointed to confer with the Washington
Aero club as to the most effective steps
TO take to secure the big meet for W ash
ington. The committee consists of Ben
ia min Graves. Joseph Richardson aud A.
I.eftWici! Sinclair. This committee Will
discuss the matter both with tine Aero
Club members ard witt, the officers al
the Signal Corps, who are. of course, di-
rectls interested in the matter
II is not certain what site for Tie races
will he recommended. The word Of Glenn
CurtisS will have n great deal OF weight.
He has been here and has flown over the
surrounding country in the Baldwin diri-
gible so that he is more or less familiar
with the looks of things from aloft. The
idea of using the drill ground AT Fort
Myer for the flights IS, OF course. i'm
practicable unless the drill field were
used merely for Il rising and landing
ground The experience of aviators
abroad is that q course of at least ten
kilometerS, little over six miles, Is
necessary 1t has been the habit OF for
eisn aviators to fly over fat country, and
there Is question whether they would
be willing to compete over such rolling
country a; was covered by the NrlghtS
in their flight from Fort Myer TO Alex
andria-
Two Courses Discussed.
There is the ground at Cailege Park,
Md. that is to be used by the Signal
Service in its training flights, and this
also could be used for a landing place
If the course were laid over the sur
rounding country. Both of these places
are accessible from Washington, but they
would not accommodate such a crowd
would be sure 10 attend the meet. There
were over 100000 visitors at Rheims. and
these could by no means be cared for
eli; her at Fort Myer or at College Park
There is the scheme for using the river
valley and Potomac Park for the course,
and although this has the disadvantage
that part of the course would be over the
water. it would make an ideal place for
the course, and would not only be in
the heart of the city. but would offer
| unrivaled facilities for accommodating
as many spectators as were likely to
attend the meet.
Message to Curtiss.
As was indicated in The Star yesterday
would he the case, the Chamber OF Com
merce last night sent cablegram TO
Glenn Curtiss. the winner of the Gordon
Bennett cup, asking him to use his per-
SoHstl lilflUtitt III SeCutlIt5 tie dNlGllDH
meeting for Washington. There is good
reason to believe he will do this. 1t IS
known also that President Taft Is per-
sonally interested in the subject OF aerial
flight. and it is believed that he can be
induced to lend his influence to the prof.
ect. His word would have a great deal
OF weight with the officials OF the Aero
Club Of America. 1t is thought that the
influence OF Holland Forbes, Courtland
Field Bishop and Augustus Post of the
u
personal and official representation, and
as for the financial Inducements the
business men Of Washington and the
others here interested in mechanical flight
say that they will be able to offer as
much as any other city.
There can be no question OF the inter-
est that such meeting would arouse
here, and the scientific center of the
country there could be more done here
than in any other city in the way Of en-
tertaining the distinguished visitors.