Evening star., 1909-09-04
AERIAL RACES SOUGHT
Aero Club of America Asked to
Delay Decision.
CLAIMS OF THIS CITY
Maj. Squier Directed to Examine
Possible Courses.
LAND NEAR BENNING VIEWED
Many Places Competing for the
Meet of the Foremost
Aviators Next Year.
LAND NEAR BENNING VIEWED

The committee of the Aero Club which
will cooperate with the Chamber of Com
merce in bringing the aerial races TO
Washington If possible next year. met In
the office of Charles ]. Bell this forenoon.
There were present Charles ]. Bell. DR..
Albert Zahm, John Barrett, director OF
the bureau of American republics, and
Prof. Willis Moore, chief of the weather
bureau.
The committee appointed as a subcom-
mittee Maj. George o. Squier of the
signal service. who will examine the sites
around Washington. where the aerial car
nival might be held and report at the next
meeting of the committee. This meeting
will be held in conjunction with similar
committee of the Chamber of Commerce
next Tuesday at 11:30 in Mr.. Bells offce.
He is a vice president of the Chamber OF
Commerce, as we'll as a member of the
board of directors of the Aero Cub, and
thus will in a measure represent both
bodies.
Message to Aero Club.
One thing that was done by the meet
ing was to send telegram to the Aero
Club of America in New York saying
that Washington intended to make bid
for the aviation carnival next year, and
asking that any decision as to the place
of holding the meet be delayed until
Washington could be heard from.
There is already great deal or COM
petition for the meet among the cities.
New York. Chicago, st. Louis, 1ndianap-
oils and Cincinnati are already In the
field and they are all prepared 10 of1er
big guarantees for the prizes and other
expenses. There probably will be moth
ing definite decided until after the 'prin-
cpal officers of the Aero Club of Ameri-
ca are all reassembled in New York, but
the people in Washington who want the
meet here, are trying to be prepared for
quick action when the time comes.
Inspecting Ground Near Benning.
OF course the first essential for the
aviation meeting in Washington is
proper course. 1t looks TO the outsider
as though almost any location ought to
do for sky race, as all roads look alike
in the air. but aviation is not yet near
enough TO an exact science for the pilots
Of heavier-than-air machines to alto
gether disregard the ground. and they
wish tolerahly level stretch OF coun-
try 10 fly over.
Dr. A. +. Zahm of the Washington
Aero Club yesterday went over part of
the ground around Benning and promised
today that he would inspect the ground
north of the race track as far as College
Park where the government will hold its
training flights. This locality promises
well so far the ground for the course
is concerned In case this stretch We're
selected the finish line would be inside the
race track grounds, and the course would
be north toward College Park. The track
has the advantage that there is not only
a good stretch for starting and landing,
but there Is also abundant building room
for housing all the machines and men
likely to be present at the meet.
Potomac Park Courses.
The other two possible courses are
around the Potomac Park and from the
Potomac Park across the river into Vir-
ginia. If the aviators do not mind cross
ing and recrossing the river there is no
reason why abundant space could not be