Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-27
FIRST Alit.alsiiIi FaiIsittA
IN KANSAS At ABILENE
Parkerls AeropIane WIN BE Here IN
April.

'H-N-~TF--s@-~~ if
d. W. Parker returned this morn
Ing from Los Angeles where he went
to visit the aeroplane flights and
with d view Of purchasing an air.
shin for exhibition with the Great
parker shows. The dispatch already
published in the Reflector to the eff
feet that he had purchased a Far
man bipIane is confirmed by Mr., Par
ker who announces that the machine
will be shipped from Paris direct to
Abilene within 80 days and will make
its first flights in Abilene next April
IN connection with the Great Parker
shows, The machine purchased py
Mr.. Parker Is to be an exact duplicate
of the one used by M. Paulhan IN his
sensational flights at Los Angeles
where he broke the record for both
height and distance.
Mr.. Parker went to Los Angeles
| in a rather sceptical frame OF mlnd
as to the practical utility Of the air
shin but is now an enthusiastic en-
bryo aviator. Mr.. Paulhan won
nearly all the principal prizes at Los
Angeles, including the 100000 Of
fered for the highest flight attained
and a similar amount for the longest
distance flight. In the former event
| he attained a height Of 4665 feet ana
In the latter covered a distance OF
I47 miles which could have been con-
siderably heightened had his supply
OF gasoline held out The gasoline
engine furnishing the motive power
for the Farman machine is made
entirely Of chrome nickel steel (tne
same material used for armor
PLATED, has seven cylinders with d.
| rect attached propellers, and is In
| every respect a model Of lightness'
strength and power. This engine
alone cost $26OO.OO I. o. b. Paris.
~ I ! -. 4
The price asked for the bipiane
| was 100000 but on account q
the advertising which Mr.. Parker'f
machine will receive through the
medium of the Great Parker Shows
he was given quite d reduction IRON
this figure. Mr.. Parker says ne wai
agreeably surprised to find how near
ly perfect these machines are and thu
few difficulties connected with a sue
cessful flight.
In starting from the ground tn
machine was run over plowed field
and bitches nearly two feet deel
without the slightest jar to the avia
tor or damage to the air craft. Thi
is due to an ingenious system o
springs made up entigely Of rubbe
bands. The flights were witnessed
daily by crowds Of from 10000 t.
10000 which we're admirably hand
led by the Los Angeles street railwa'
system. Mr.. Parker says that Their
4 Is much rivalry between Western
| cities for the location of the mex
meeting of the Aeronautical associa
ton of America. Denver seemed 7
! be in the lead, but in Mr.. Parker
opinion Kansas City would be pre-
ferable on account Of the lower alt
tude and more central location.
The Los Angeles papers are print
ing pictures of G. W. Parker as tn
only real sport among the ayiatio
crowd. The Times has this story;
The story of whats the matte
with Kansas?" has to be write
anew every few days.
Today it is c. W. Parker of Abb
lene, Kan, who assaults the world
attention.
For Mr.. Parker of Kansas ha
bought one of NJ. Louis Paulhan'
French biplanes. Now, what's tn
HldlIeI WILL IdhDaS'
Mr.. Parker, when he heard of thi
aviation meet in Los Angeles, put o
his hat, stuffed a big roll of bills l
e his pocket, and bade Abilene wait pa
d tiently for his return. 1t did net TAX
him long. after seeing Paulhan ru
to San Pedro and back, to make u
his mind that a Farman biplan
would be Just the thing for the KaT
sas prairies.
So Mr.. Parker of Abilene, who
man Of action and breezy Kansa
y ways. peeled off $500 from his ro
q Of greenbacks and thrust the bundl
Of paper at Paulhan. Paulhan ha
b to talk 1t over with his manager an
y the agent OF the Farman machines
They all had a conference at tn
hotel last night and Mr.. Parker an
% nounced that he would go home wit
\. new biplane. The only questIo
y open is whether he will pay $3.50
!, for a biplane f. o. b. Paris, or Civ
r $40, 600 for the machine that's nO'
;, in Los Angeles.
d He is not going to travel back +