The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-02
WILLARD is HERE.
Second Aviator Who Will Fly
Next Week Arrives.
Says Taylor Tract Is Ideal Place
2 for Flights.
USE FLIERS IN WAR.
With One Could Destroy Topeka
in Four Hours.
Invaluable Aids for Purposes Of
Scouting.
USE FLIERS IN WAR.

c. F. Willard. pupil of the clever
Glenn Curtiss, and a well known avia-
tor who is to fly here next week. reach
ed this city from Joplin, Mo, this morn
ing. Willard went at once to the Hotel
Throop which will be his headquarters
while in Topeka.
In company with a State Journal re-
porter and others interested in the COM
ing meet, Willard made trip by au-
tomobile to the Taylor tract in North
Topeka where the flights are to be
made.
Il am very much pleased with the
ground chosen for the work of Mars
and myself SAID Willard. and if the
weather conditions are right we will
try to break some records. The field
is an ideal one for our work for many
reasons. 1t is one of the finest 1 have
ever seen.
"All that is needed to make our
flights a success is good weather. Give
us a day like today with little less
wind and we will show the people of
Kansas what can be done with a Cur
tiss machine"
Asked as to the value of the airship,
iE war he said: 1.-THE biplane will
in time become a terrible instrument
OF destruction. The leading nations
of the world are giving much time to
the construction of air fleets or rather
to plans for the same and within the
next few years every first-class power
will be developing this branch of its
III midair will decide the wars of the
future. 1 say this for the simple rea-
son that the world moves forward and
battles in the clouds are but one step
above the combats of Dreadnaughts.
Value for Scouting.
1.-THE great nations of Europe are
rapidly coming to see the value of the
airship. Germany is taking the lead i'll
this matter and England and France
are following her example. One of the
greatest points in favor of the use of
biplanes and other mode of aerial 'boa-s'
is their fitness for scouting. Two men
may be sent up in an airship and see
more and learn more about the enemys
position than a hundred men could I'M
der the present conditions. Not only
that but they would be in less danger
of capture, and would be able to travel
faster.
LAS to the destructive powers of the
airship I have only this much to say.
Give me the right kind of weather con-
ditions and 1 can destroy this city in
four hours Under cover of darkness I
could do it in less time and have far
better chance of escaping. 1t would he
the easiest thing in the world for me
to sail over Topeka and drop a bomb
mere ana there. Ihere would be 10
way of preventing me.
THE danger Of the airShip in modern
warfare is giving the powers much con-
Germ and they have engineers at work
trying to make some kind of gun that
will put them out of business. The
German war office is spending a large
sum of money to this end but up to this
time the ideal airship artillery has not
appeared. Then again searchlights are
being made with stronger lens in order
to prevent night attacks and surprises.
LAS to the commercial value of the
airship there is not much to say just
at this time. The airship is new but
it is being developed. Who can saw
that in 20 years time we will not have
an airship service between the great
cities of this country? A hundred years
ago the locomotive was unknown but
toda- it is a back number for electric
power has taken its place Why can't
the airship do the same thing? There
is no reason why it can not and will
not"
Willard was busy this afternoon ar
ranging for the transportation of his
machines out to the Taylor field, where
they will be assembled within the next
two or three days. His large boat" rs
he terms the bipIane will arrive here
tonight and will be taken to the avia-
ton grounds Friday morning.