Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-17
DECISION MADE TODAY
Winthrop Will Not Take Response
bility of Purchase.
TRAINING GROUND NOT CHOSEN
Wilbur Wright Departs for Dayton
to Await War Department
Decision.

No aeropanes for the navy at present
was the decision reached by acting Secre-
tary Winthrop today. Plans and specifi-
cations for two machines We're prepared
by the officers of the bureau Of equipment
about year ago and the request was
turned down by Mr.. Metcalf. who was
then the Secretary of the Navy. After
the success Of the Wright machine for the
signal service these specifications. were dug
out again and forwarded 10 the Secretary
with the Endorsement of Admiral Cowles,
the chief of the equipment bureau. Secre-
tary Meyer saw several of the demonstra :
tions of the Wright machine at Fort Myer
and was much impressed. but acting Sec
retary Winthrop, who is now in charge OF
the Navy Department. decided that he
would not take the responsibility of au-
thorizng the purchase of the two ma
chimes while his chief was away, and the
whole matter has gone over till the re-
turn of Secretary, Meyer, which Will be
some time this fall.
There was no decision reached late to-
day on the subject of training ground
for the officers of the War Department
| who are to handle the Wright aeroplane
but it was thought at the War Depart
ment that this would be closed up in a
| few days.
Wilbur Wright's Short Stay
Wilbur Wright did not stay i'm Wash
ington long. After talking over the pros
poets of flying field with the officers
of the signal service he departed last
evening for Dayton, where he will re-
main till field for flying is rented and
he is summoned to instruct the officers
He looked over the plans of the aero
plane shed that will be erected to house
the machine and approved them. Beyond
this he had no particular interest in the
| trouble that the War Department is hav-
ing over securing flying field.
Aeroplane companies are beginning to
spring up over. the country. The officers
OF the War Department who are most
In touch with real flying developments
say that the most of these enterprises
are not apt to get further than the stock
| issuing stage. There is one department
| store in San Francisco that has already
/, listed dirlSlble balloons and aeroplanes
among its sporting goods. 1t has one
dirigible balloon on exhibition and offers
| to secure aeroplanes on order But il is
not on record that 1t has yet done any
business.
| There are so many applications for
patents on aeroplanes and dirigible bal
| looms in the patent Office that a special
division has been established to deal with
them. There are great many patents
many OF them antedating the Wright
patent. and some OF them approaching
very closely TO 1t, but what the final out
come of the conflicting claims will be the
sourts will have to decide.
Another Dayton Inventor.
! One of the latest applicants for support
in the aeroplane business is J. NJ Biggs
of Dayton. Ohio. who has sent out a cir
cular to newspapers and boards of trade
asking for financial support and a fac
tory site He does not go deeply into the
details of his invention, but explains that
| II will make sixty miles an hour, and
that the planes are painted with the stars
end stripes.
| He says that this is patriotic and