The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-30
BUYS CANADA'S
$10,O0O,000 AIR
WAR EQUIPMENT
Roy I. COnger Now Owns
$50 Planes, 700 Engines
and Accessories.
RECORD AERO DEAL
Plans to Utilize Machines
for Commercial Routes
in the Provinces.
BRITAIN GIVES BARGAIN
Young New Yorker Donates so
Aircraft to Dominion for
Training Courses.
BRITAIN GIVES BARGAIN


BY the stroke OF pen a young New
York business man became yesterday
the greatest individual owner OF air
planes and airplane equipment in the
world.
Roy U. Conger. a nephew Of Edwin
II. Conger. United States Minister to
China at the time Of the Boxer rebel
lion, gave his certified check TO Sir Jo-
seph F1avelle, representing the British
Ministry OF Munitions, and Director
Morrow OF the Imperial Aircraft Board,
and thereby became the owner Of the
entire aircraft equipment. costing more
than slo,0o0.o00, which was provided
by Great Britain and used by Can
nda in training Canadian air fighters.
Only four nations perhaps-England.
France, Italy and the United States
own more alrplanes than this individ-
ual New York business man.
Yankee shrewdness at picking up a
bargain, combined with enthusiastic
faith in the commercial possibilities OF
the airplane, prompted Mr.. Conger to
a speculation which is no doubt unique
In business annals. The transaction
was closed yesterday at Toronto, and
the job OF assembling $50 airplanes,
700 airplane engines. millions of spare
parts, thousands Of spare propellers.
wings, cameras and thousands of gal
Ions Of acetate dope was at once begun
under the direction OF r. G.. Ericsson Of
Toronto, Mr.. Conger's Canadian rep
resentative.
Will Assemble Them at Learide.
The whole equipment will be moved
from the Royal Flying Corps training
fields at Armoru Heights, Rathburn.
Mohawk Beamsville and Borden TO the
field Mt Leas.de, the use Of which, rent
free. has been granted to Mr.. Conger
for ak months By the Dominion Govern
ment.
Mr.. Congers plans for the use and
disposal OF the stupendous equipment are
merely in the making; but the greatest
feature OF them is the immediate devel-
opment Of airplane commercial routes in
Canada. Absolutely convinced that
heavier than air machines are to be the
principal Transporting mediums and
vehicles OF the future for passengers,
mail and express, and in time, indeed,
for heavy freight. the New Yorker pur-
poses to establish ont Of his new equip
ment regular commercial service by air
plane between the principal Canadian
cities. He has already taken measures.
he said yesterday. TO secure landing
! fields in tho larger Canadian cities, and
will have the sympathy and cooperation
| Of the Dominion Government In the
project.
! AT the same time Mr.. Conger be-
comes the greatest individual potential
dealer In a vast number Of articles con-
nected with airplanes and motor en-
g!nes in North America, II not in the
world, and expects 10 set up large es-
Establishments in this country and Can
ada for the disposal OF such parts Of
the equipment turned over to him by
the British Ministry OF Munitions as
will not be- necessary or desirable for
| his commercial eirplane project
The story OF the deal is unusually in
| teresting. When the war began in 1914
the Government of Great Britain re-
Quested the Dominion Government 10
cooperate in the cost of providing air
plane equipment for a large force OF
Canadian aviators The Dominion Gov
ernment. under heavy financial strain
felt unable to provide the millions
necessary, so the British Government
tsok over the entire cost of providing
eirplane equipment for Canada and
Canada furnished the personnel. thou
sands OF young men that became among
the most famous of British flers.
100000 Oncr Is Refused.
When the war ended the equipment,
airplanes. parts and the whole vas,
' supply remained the property of the
British Government, not the Canadian
Government 1t was naturally sort
of white elephant, likely to dlslntegrate
with great loss in time OF peace. Great
Britain desired TO sell and offered an
extraordinary bargain to the Dominion
Government, which. however. could no,
see its way clear to purchasing even at
song rates Then a Canadian syndicate
offered 100000 for the $50 planes the
100 engines and the rest OF the eouip-
ment. but this offer was rejected be.
cause II was learned that the prospec.
tive purchasers intended to offer the 10,
at auction. Both Great Britain and
Canada saw that this would not do for
Inc reason that airpianeS would be Ger.
tain to fall into the hands OF inexpe.
rienced. incompetent or reckless persons
Injuries and deaths would likely resul,
and these might cost the countries
heavily in damage suit verd!cts. as wei
as causing other distressing problems.
Mr.. Conger who has been one OF III,
largest manufacturers OF airplane part
in America, maintaining n factory a
Erie, Pa. and offices in So Vanderbilt
avenue, this city and who has numer
Gus business connections in Canada