Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-21
CONTRACT MADE FOR
AEROPLANE At THE FAIR
Flying Machine to be. Seen at
Lancaster.
Manag ement of Grant County Fair Feel
Confident of Big Exhibition
This Year.

Up to this time the Grant County
Fair Society has given very little
publicity to the fact that they have
again contracted for an aeroplane to
make a number of flights at the fair,
to be held In Lancaster September Is,
10 and 90.
Publicity has been purposely Withheld
in this matter because of the un-
fortunate situation arising last year
when the Curtiss company failed to
provide the flights that had been con-
tracted for, to the disappointment and
disgust of thousands of people who
went to the grounds to see it and the
loss of confidence in such exhibitions
which naturally followed the aeoplane
company's failure to fulfill its con-
tract.
There are always many people in
any community who. if they are once
disappointed in such a matter, are
very quick to attribute bad faith to
the fair association and declare that
they have been swim died deliberately.
No matter what evidence may be at
hand to show that the association was
not to blame; that everything possible
had been done to secure the flights
contracted for and that the fair had
suffered financial loss much greater
than the individuals in the matter,
hundreds of people refuse to be con-
WINGED and hold to the belief that it
was put up job by the association
to beat the people.
Realizing this unfortunate fact the
fair people have gone slow in the
matter and for time thought they
would put the attraction on as sur
prise, saying nothing about about it
until the aeroplane and the aviators
we're actually here and had made one
or more flights. This would prove
beyond any further doubt that the
society was acting in good faith with
the people, as it actually has been
doing in the matter throughout.
A contract was made several months
ago with the Mills Aviators Company,
of Chicago. reputable company, one
of the mem bers of which is Mr. ssHar-
ding, a personal friend of w. j.
Sehade of this city.
They agree to make written guar
antee that they will make a certain
number of flights during the fair, and
will put up bond of $1,000, to be
forfeited in case they fail to make
their guarantee good This would
seem to make the Fights an assured
fact so far as business precauti on can
60 toward assuring good faith.
The aviator who is to make the
flights here is NeIs Nelson, who has
made many successful flights through
out the country this season. He IS
undor contract to fly at Monroe. Wis,
at their fair, which Immediately
pr cedes the one here, and says he
will fly from Monroe to Lancaster SO
that the people may see in advance
that he is here and intends to carry
out his contract
Nelson made several successful
flights few weeks ago at GAINESVILLE
and Secretary Rowdon, Of this fair
society went to that city and saw
him do it 10 view of all this the
fair society thinks it can make good
in the matter this time and prove to
the public that it was in no sense to
blame for the Curtiss company failing
80 keep its contract last year.
The fact that following last years
fair the suit brought by this fair
society against the Curtiss people was
compromised by that company paying
to the society 5000 and costs in order
to have the suit withdrawn, should be
sufficient to show where the fault laid
in last years's event.