Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-15
WANTS Bic CARNIVAL
Aero Club Meeting Today to
Consider Plans.
PICTURES FROM RHEIMS
Mr.. Totten to Explain Success OF
International Aviation Meet.
GREAT CARD FOR WASHINGTON
Declared to Equal an Inauguration
in Size of Crowds and Enthu-
siasm-Much Money Spent.
GREAT CARD FOR WASHINGTON

There will be a meeting this afternoon
in the office of Gen. Oliver. at the War
Department. of the special committee of
the Washington Aero Club. to consider
the question of bringing the next avia-
| ton carnival to Washington. There will
be present at this meeting, besides the
regular members Of the committee,
George Okley Totten. who was the rep
resentative Of the Washington Aero Club
at the recent race meeting at Rheims
Mr. Totten took many photographs there.
not only of the machines and the avia-
tors. but Of the grandstand and other
arrangements. which will be Of interest
| to members Of the club in case the car
nival is held In Washington.
Mr. Totten said that the meeting at
Rheims not only brought over 2OO,OOO
spectators from the outside, but that
the residents of all the surrounding coun-
try gathered at all points along the
route of the races to view the various
events SO it was hard to tell how many
people all told were attracted to the
meet.
1t was like great automobile meet in
many respects and yet differed in that
there was something doing or likely to be
doing at every hour of the day. For
this reason there was one variation from
the orthodox grandstand and that was
its name implied. a restaurant built In
! terraces wide enough to accommodate
chairs and tables and where the specta-
tors could gather all day if necessary
watched the events or waited for the
aviators to fly.
Money Freely Spent.
The restaurant privilege was literally
worth q small fortune and probably will
be a great feature Of the aerial race
meets to be held in the future. There
was an immense amount Of money taken
in here because the carnival was unlike
the base ball game or even an automobile
meet which would be confined to more
or less certain hour Of the day.
There was likely to be something of In
terest at almost any hour and many OF
the spectators practically lived on the
aviation field SO that they were ready Tor
ready for them. There were also covered
grandstands and open seats corresponding
to the bleachers at base ball game, and
a great amount Of money was taken In at
all of these places in spite of the fact
that there were SO many thousands OF
spectators who roasted on the surround
ing scenery and paid no gate money at
all.
One Of the facts gathered after the
Rheims meeting. was that there was
surplus of about $4,000 after all the ex-
penses had been paid. There was a ques-
ton what should be done with this money,
and it was suggested that it be used for
| the establishment of a small permanent
prize or else that the principal should be
| used next year for two or three big
| prizes.
Nothing definite has yet been done
| toward applying for the aviation carni-
val In Washington. Some action may be
taken at the meeting this afternoon, but
| the members Of the Washington Aero
Club say that there is no hurry about
action, as they do not think anything
| will be done in New York before Court
land Field Bishop. the president of the
! Aero Club of America, returns to this
country