Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-02
MANY CITIES AFTER
GREAT AERO MEETING
ST. LOUIS FINDS SHE HAS RlV-
AIS IN THE FIELD
Philadelphia, Washington, Cincinnati
Chicago and Los Angeles Are n
Declared to Be Among
the Bidders

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 1.-St. Louis has
several formidable rivals in the fight
for the international aeroplane meet
of 1910. In ten cities aero enthusiasts
and business men already have done
more toward getting the meet than
has been done in st. Louis.
Kansas City and Cleveland are talk
ing about the meet, but nothing def
mite has been done there. Dallas, Tex,
San Antonio, Omaha Oklahoma City,
San Francisco and Dayton. o., have
done nothing so far toward getting
the meet, though in each of these
cities they expect to hold local aero
plane meets this year.
st. Louis has an excellent site for an
aviation field-the Columbia Bottoms
south of the Chain of Rocks. But SO
far nothing definite has been done here
toward the financing of the meet.
Here is what has been done in the
cities that are rivals of St Louis for
the meet which comes to America this
year because of the winning of the
Gordon Bennett aviation cup by Glenn
Curtiss at Rheims last summer:
III New York q half dozen million
aires have pledged themselves to fin
ance the international meet if held
on the old Belmont race track on Long
Island: August Belmont who con-
trolls the park, has offered to put $780,
900 toward the prize fund Several Of
the financial magnates interested in the
Wright company have come forward
and offered to double the amount
raised by any other city for the meet.
The Belmont race track is surround
ed by low meadows which would offer
advantages to flyers. The variable
winds on Long Island is the one draw
10 pI or
New Workers are of the opinion Mr..
Bishop has decided to give them the
meet and this in order to stir up COM
petition which will help the areo-
nautic game in this country.
In Philadelphia the mayor and other
officials have pledged their support to
the Aero Club of Pennsylvania. The
business men are prepared to raise
$780, 900 for the meet.
Indianapolis believes that in the
motor speedway $500, 900 could be raised
from gate receipts. Representatives of
the aero club are on their way to the
st. Louis conference with a guarantee
of SIS, 1000.
In Cincinnati fund of 100000 has
already been subscribed. Charles p.
Taft brother of President Taft, and
Max Fleischmann, the millionaire, are
backing the movement.
Rival Syndicates in Chicago
Washington and Baltimore are CO.
operating in their efforts to have the
international aeroplane meet held at
College park, suburb between the
two cities, where Wilbur Wright has
been instructing army officers in driv-
ing the army Wright machine. Both
cities have agreed to raise $4,000 each
as a guarantee fund.
In Chicago two rival syndicates of
promoters are planning to build track
which can be used for motor and aero
plane racing.
In Denver a site has been selected
in a natural amphitheater near the
city and the business men say 100000
can be raised if necessary. The aero
enthusiasts at Denver say Mr.. Bishop
already has promised them the inter-
national balloon race for 1910.
Los Angeles Claims Pre- emnence
Los Angeles believes that because it
was the first city in the country to
hold real aeroplane contests it will be
given the international meet. The
field at Dominguez has proved that it
is practicable. The business men at
Los Angeles say all the money neces-
sary will be raised.