The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-08
What Ovington
Was Given For
His Exhibition
Capt. Paul BOyton Makes State
ment : Scores People Who
Could Afford to Pay and
Didn't

Captain Paul Boyton, manager OF
Steeplechase Island, made the follow
ing statement today, regarding the
flights of Ovington at the island: l
want to correct the impression that
Ovington came here without a guar
antee and on a percentage contract
only. Before he flew On Friday I
handed his manager. William A. Par
sons $1,000 in cash. Then the contract
gave him so per cent of the gate and
we took 40 per cent In addition to this
the island paid all of the expenses of
the exhibition, such as newspaper ad-
vertising, preparing the grounds, help.
etc. which is considerable 1 would
not make this public but for the
statement attributed to Ovington in
which he is made to say that he
worked on a percentage. / do not be,
lieve that any newspaper man would
have misquoted him TO such an ex-
tent despite his declaration to me
yesterday that he never said such a
thing.
In Justice to the island I believe
that l should further state that Owing
ton knew all about the Curtiss meet.
He is out for the money just
as they are. Our meet was COM
plete success and the lions share OF
the credit for making it successful
financially, belongs to the wage earn
ers. who predominated in the atten-
dances. Without them we would have
lost money. L am pleased at the sue
cess of the exhibitions from an aVla-
tion standpoint and it will be years
before the equal of Ovington's flying
is seen in Bridgeport.
''7The exhibitions were made success
full without any assistance whatever
from associations of any kind. l can
prove by trustworthy people that Geo.
c. Tilyou had flying events planned
for this summer at SteeplechaSe ISL
and at a time when he had no in
tention of opening up the resort for
summer amusementS, last fall All Of
the amusement weeklies have since
carried advertisements of flights of
summer parks and the Curtiss team is
included in the list. If Mr.. Curtiss has
a representative here that is shrewd
enough to induce civic associations
to do his work for him and save him
the expense and is able to get away
from Bridgeport with the cash, he is
entitled to credit as commercial
agent.
1.-THE island is spending money in
Bridgeport where all of it's supplies
are purchased and there is a weekly
payroll that is circulated mere we
claim the right to present any kind
of amusement at the island and L
maintain that exhibitions by flying
machines are in the same category as
a circus. and the future will bear out
my statement. L am glad that George
c. Tilyou gave the people of Bridge
port the first real flying exhibition,
the quality of which no one can ques-
ton. Those who saw the flying from
Seaside park and other places, who
are wage earners, l have no kick
against but / do believe that it was
pretty small potatoes for automobile
owners to sit in their machines and
see the flight for nothing when they
could we'll afford to pay.
1--WE are satisfied with the outcome
and I guess the public have no kick.
I did my best to make the admission
fee % cents but Ovington would not
agree to it. a quarter would have
been enough but we had to accept his
terms"