Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1917-04-06
.AEROPLANES
FOR OUR TROOPS
And Air Ports for
Our Towns

Aero Club of Vermont, was formed at
Camp Governor Gates, Fort Ethan AL
len, on the 9th instant. This 10 the
outgrowth of propaganda headed by
Major Wallace Batchelder In COM
mand of the First Vermont Cavalry
The primary object Of this scheme ID
to give chance to those who wish
TO cooperate in doing all that may BIO
done to protect our troops by assist
ing In furnishing funds and dissent
mating information regarding aviation
opportunities and needs,
The Importance Of aviation for pre-
paredness for Vermont and the eco
nomic development OF each OF It's
towns cannot be over emphasized. II
is fully evidenced by the fact that
the meeting was addressed by Cover
nor Gates, Rear Admiral Robert n.
Peary. discoverer Of the North Pole
and now in charge of developing aero
nautics for coast patrol Of the UNI
ted States; and Augustus Post who
has been at the forefront of the de-
velopment Of aviation, These three
gentlemen addressed the meeting, and
there were also present Adjutant Gen
eral Tillotson, Major Batchelder with
his cavalry regiment, Mrs. Batchel-
der, Mother Of the Regiment, General
Peck and Commodore Wadhams,
many ladies and other distinguished
guests.
The Club starts out with member
ship Of 40 and with the following
Board OF Directors: Governor Gates,
Col. Ira L. Reeves, Major Wallace
Batchelder Horace F. Graham, Red
field Proctor w. o. Schoheld OF Bur-
lingon, Clarke N. Fits of Brattleboro,
James p, Taylor and James Hartness.
The officers elected we're James Hart
ness, President; Adj. Gen. Tillotson,
Vice President; Dean II. R. Roberts
Of Norwich University, Treasurer and
James p. Taylor Of Burlington, Secre-
tary.
The way in which this new organ
ization offers an opportunity for YER
monters to cooperate along the lines
above indicated is through sending
in names applying for membership
in the Club. 1t is not necessary to
be an aviator or to be especially in
terested in this subject.
To those who cannot conveniently
assist in this way there Is another
way by which very valuable assist
ance can be rendered along the lines
Of preparedness and protection for
Vermont, and that is by sending in
formation to the Secretary of the
Club that will lead to establishing
suitable landing place for each town.
To understand this last phase, 1t is
only necessary to point out that in
case of an invasion Of Vermont our
aviators would be sOrely handicapped
by the contour Of the country, and
the fact that trees, stone walls, tele-
graph wires, bitches and other things
| frequently cross the only natural
places near town on which ma
chine could land and from which 1t
could fly.
In the present state Of the art It
takes very expert aviator to land
on a piece Of ground that affords less
than run Of quarter Of mile,
and the landing place must be nearly
level, fairly smooth and hard. 1t
must measure at least a quarter Of
mile in every direction in order to
make it possible in any wind, for
the aeroplane takes flight and lands
most favorably facing the wind. If
there are two narrow pieces Of land
in town, one affording landing
places for winds north and south, and
another for winds from east and west.
these two fields together will con-
stitute an air harbor for the town.
The rapid development of the air
craft makes it necessary for Boards
Of Trade and individuals who are
planning for the future growth of the
town to have an eye out to the pre-
paredness, not only along military
lines, but also to catch the wave of
prosperity that the air craft Is to
bring to the inland towns. Our great
est cities were first established at
seaports, afterwards at railroad juno
lions, and now 1t takes no prophet to
see that 1t will be but short time
when towns most favorable for air
craft will have a distinct advantage
over other towns. This Is not an
occasion for any one to buy up all
such sites. It Ia not an occasion by
which a grasping person can mako
any special benefit out of the stu
alton. The real benefit comes to
the owner Of such a landing to do
whatever he can, cooperating with
town authorities and Boards Of
Trade, to eliminate bitches, walls,
wire fences, telegraph, telephone and
electric wires and those things that
would prevent a machines landing.
In event Of hostilities many such
things could be quickly removed, but
there are other things that might be
difficult to change after once estab-
lished. The Air Harbor or Port will