Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17
AFTER THE WR|GHTS.
An Attack Probable Upon
Their Airship Patent.
PRIOR CLAIM TO BE FILED
Prof. J. J. Montgomery's Develop
ments in 1908.
FLEXING WING EXPERIMENTS
Inventor Declares He Will Prevent
Monopoly in Aviation--Not
One Mans Work.
WING EXPERIMENTS

Machinery has been set in motion that
may result in breaking the threatened mo-
nopoly in the art of navigation now appar-
emily being sought under the Wright pat
ent. The man who proposes to bring 1t
about Is Prof. j. J. Montgomery of Califor-
MIA, who left last night for New York after
spending nearly two weeks in Washing
ton in connection with patent business.
The name of Montgomery Is not well
known in the east outside of scientific cir
Giles, but he has been known to aviatOrs
all over the country for a good many
years, and the question has frequently
been asked and remained unanswered as
to what had become of him and his fly
ing machine. which promised SO we'll in
California in 1905.
Develops Gliding Machine.
The fact is that Prof Montgomery has
been working on the flying machine prob
lem longer than has any other man in
the country except Octave Chanute. He
developed a gliding machine that util-
lied the principle of fiexing wings as far
back as the date of the Aeronautic Con-
gress in Chicago, in 1893. His researches
were published to the world at that time.
and since then pictures of the machine
and full description Of it were pub
lished in Prof. Octave Chanute's book
Progress in Flying Machines" His ap-
paratus and experiment stations were
wrecked in the California earthquake of
1906, and for two years past he has been
engaged in other scientific work that
has just been finished on the present
trip to Washington
Prof Montgomery is going to New York,
where he will have a meeting with the
officers of the Aero Club Of America. and
then his steps toward working forward
on the lines that he has already develop
ed will depend on circumstances and the
advice Of his lawyers.
Exhibition Given in 1908.
Prof. Montgomery employed the prin-
ciple Of flexing wings in his flying ma
chimes and gave exhibitions in California
as early as 1903. He secured a patent
on his machine in 1905. it is stated. just
prior to the Wright patent, but he had
published the results Of his experiments
In the proceedings Of the International
Aeronautical Congress at Chicago in 1888.
and after talk with Prof. Chanute In
the same year gave rough account OF
his experiments which. as previously indi-
Gated. was published In Chanute's book.
In speaking of his work last night, he
said:
II do not want to go into details as to
what I am going to do. l have certain
patents that I ought to protect. but the
principle Of the fiexing wing has been
thrown open to the public, and I do not
want to see it monopolized by any one
man or set Of men.
when Prof. Chanute and had our
talk that resulted In the publication of
my researches, It was done with full in
tent and realization Of just what 1t
meant. Chanute then said: This work
is not for any one man, it is for the bene-
fit Of mankind That was the way felt
about it then. and it is the way feel
now Any man is entitled to a reward
for hts labor. but he must not try to
stand in the light and prevent mankind
at large from progressing along any one
line.
No One Mans Work.
Suppose Chanute and Langley and
had taken out basic patents and tried to
prevent any one else or the. world at
large from profiting by it. Where would
the art be today or what future would