The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-09-25
LOngren Aircraft Corporation
Purchases Factory Here.
Topeka WOOIen Mills Property
for New Big Institution.
FIRST PRODUCT IN 90 DAYS
Passenger and Commercial
Ships viii Be Built.
Large Landing Field To Accom-
mOdate All Flyers.

Contracts have been closed by the
Longren Aircraft Corporation for i'm
mediate purchase of the building for
merly occupied by the Topeka Woolen
Mills in Oakland. The building is to
be overhauled Immediately and ar
rangements made for a landing field
near the plant. Closing of the deal
means the location in Topeka of the
Longren factory which will devote al
most its entire attention to the produc-
ton of one and two passenger pleasure
and commercial cars.
In addition to landing the first air
craft factory in this state. Topeka will
secure the manufacture of a model
that has been perfected thru many
tests and Lcngren's experiences in
government service at McCook field in
Dayton, Ohio. 1t is believed that pro-
duction will be started in less than
thirty days and that the Topeka made
planes will be ready for the market in
ninety days In other words the To-
peka and Kansas plane will be seen in
demonstration tests and ready for de-
livery by January 1.
Machines Popular Soon.
Longren, who will direct the max
ing of the new cars, is a strong be-
lever in the theory that one and two
passenger pleasure and commercial
cars will be the popular machines of
the next few years. His factory in To-
peka will produce these planes and
will be equipped for high production.
Much of the machinery for the plant
has been purchased or is under con-
tract. 1t will be installed as soon as
the new plant is. overhauled and re-
paired to meet demands of the air
craft company.
Plans for securing landing field in
the neighborhood of the new factory
n lr7ew NW~lr
the airplane company. 1t is the pur-
pose of the company to provide its
own field which will be used as a
starting and landing field for demon
stratioas. The Washburn field, pro-
posed for landing of government mail
planes. will not be used by the Lon
gren service.
Made the Billiard Plane.
A. K. Longren. head of the aircraft
company, is a widely known Topekan.
He has been in the air service for sew
eral years and has built number of
planes which are now in service. 1t
was with a Longren made plane that
the late Phil Billiard flew from To-
peka to Kansas City in thirty-two min
utes. The record of air circus flyers
was forty minutes.
Following the organization of the
Longren Aircraft Corporation, bids for
location of the company's factory
were made by Wichita and Kansas
City. After several weeks of investi-
cation Longren decided to launch his
plane production in his own home
town and state. a large block of the
| company's stock is said to have al
ready been sold and production and
marketing of planes will be started as
soon as the building is equipped and
materials secured. 1t is Longren' S
| plan to bring a number of expert
planemakers and flyers to Topeka to
| aid in the manufacture and demon
stration of the new All-Kansas plane.
The Longren corporation is capital
lied for 100000. Recently the blue
sky department authorized the sale OF
t$3OO. 600 worth of the company's Sc
curities. 1t is probable. tho, that most
of the corporation stock will be with
held from the market after production
| 10 started