The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-18
Wright Brothers Are So Modest That They Are Least Part
 of Programme
BIG PARADE TAXES PLACE
 WITH ELOQUENT SPEECHES
orvIlIe and Wilbur Wright Come Out of Their Shop For a Little While Then Go Right Back to
 Their Work.

Dayton, June 17.-In the city in which a few years ago they began in obscurity their first experiments with flying ma- chimes, Orville and Wilbur Wright, the aviators, today received the homage of their townspeople. Escorted by brass bands, led beneath triumphant arches, through streets decorated with models of their aeroplanes and praised in public speech, the Wright brothers appeared the least conscious that anything unusual was going on when that part of the pro- gramme was reached which read, Re sponses by the Wrights," Wilbur and Or vile each arose and said:
 Thank you, gentlemen"
 In the first of the two-days' celebra- tion in their honor, this is what the Wright brothers did:
 What They Did.
 g a. m.-Left their work in the aero plane shop and in their shirt sleeves went out in the street to hear every whistle and bell in town blow and ring for 10 minutes
 9:10 a. m.-Returned to work.
 10 a. m.-Drove in a parade to the open ing ceremony of the homecoming cele- bration.
 il a. m.-Returned to work.
 Noon-Reunion at dinner with Bishop Milton Wright, the father; Miss Katherine wright the sister; Reuchlin Wright of Tongonoxie, Kan, a brother, and Loren' another brother.
 a:s0 D. m.--Reviewed a parade given in their honor in the downtown streets. { D. m.-Worked two hours packing up parts of an aeroplane for shipment to Washington.
 D. m.-Attended public reception and shook hands with as many Daytonians as could get near them.
 D. m. saw a pyrotechnical display on the river front in which their own portraits. 80 feet high and entwined in an American flag. were shown.
 Let's Hurry Home.
 When the fireworks were over Will bur turned to Orville and said:
 Let's hurry home, you know we have to get up early"
 Fluttering in banners and gay decor ations, Dayton left nothing undone to honor the aviators. Business was sus- pended except for the sale of toy air ships and postcards illustrative of the
  frame dwelling in Hawthorne street and Huffman's prairie eight miles east of Dayton, where in 1905 the Wrights made their first long aeroplane fight. Lemans, France, the scene Of many of the European flights of the Wright machine, was remembered in banner which bore these words:
 "The three great cities, Dayton, Washington and Lemans, France"
 After the salute of cannon, ringing of bells and blowing of whistles, with which the day began, the opening cere- mony was held in park beneath trees. Jonathan Dayton" represent ing the founder of the city and dressed in a colonial costume and wig, with a cast of characters presented page ant.
 Crowds Are Great.
 The crowds were so great that peo- pie viewed the spectacle from fences. trees and house tops. Casting his eye skyward, Jonathan Dalton said:
 "Methings 1 see two great objects like gigantic birds coming from the eastward as If riding on the wings of the morning. What manner of brids can these be?"
 They" interposed another charac- ter, ''are none other than two of Dayton's illustrious sons coming home from foreign triumphs with the great est invention of the age. Let us well come them."
 It was after receiving this welcome that Wilbur and Orville, sitting as spectators on the platform, arose and said:
 Thank you, gentlemen"
 A few minutes after the. ceremony the Wrights were back in their work shop, where the windows were cov- cred with canvas to keep out the gaze of the curious.