The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-12
Opportunity Is Now Knocking
at TOpeka's Door.
Location Of LOngren Plant
Here Would Mean Much.
RIVAL OF AUTO INDUSTRY
Air Machines viii Soon Be
Within Reach of All.
Local Builder Hopes To Be
Able To Turn Out % a Day.

Airplane production and develop
ment for commercial and pleasure
service will make more rapid progress
than has the automobile. That was
the statement today of A. X. Longren.
head of the new half million dollar
Longren Aircraft corporation. Lon
gren, whose air record in Kansas and
in government service has attracted
attention, will go in for production
OF light one and passenger planes.
He declares these machines will soon
be on the market at prices competitive
with those quoted by automobile
manufacturers.
It is probable that Longren will de-
eide in short time as to the location
OF plant which he declares will
within a year reach a maximum pro-
duction of twenty-five planes a day
Al this time Longren is considering
Topeka and Kansas City. He believes
the opportunity for development of the
air service lies in the middle west and
not in the east
vital importance to Topeka in
aerial service concerns the location of
the Longren industry. 1t may deter
mine the location of an air station at
Topeka for transcontinental mail de-
livery. In addition to securing posi-
tive and recognized station on the air
map, Topeka would be given oppor-
tunities for development as an aerial
center.
Would Establish Field.
Longren's plan at this time is for
the location of a flying and demon
stration field in connection with the
plant proper. Under the plan which
Longren has presented to the state
charter board, $4,000 of the capital
of the new aircraft corporation would
be used in esta blishing and equipping
a plant for the building of parts and
assembling of planes
The airplane WILL make more rapid
progress in gaining public approval
than has the automobile" said Lon
greTi. "I believe the one and two
scatter will prove the popular plane for
general business and pleasure pur-
poses. 1t will be Highland not too
highland will be moderate priced"
Longren's plan is the production in
Kansas of a plane which will attain
and hold an air speed of 100 miles an
hour and will make landing speed
of thirty miles. The machines. will
be one and two-seaters, and will weigh
less than 500 pounds.
THE plane will be equipped so that
landings may be had on public high
ways without danger to operators and
passengers" said Longren. II be-
lieve every part of the machine has
been made as nearly perfect as pres
ent day aircraft construction permits
And Longren made this statement
with knowledge of scores of makes OF
domestic and foreign planes which
were tested while he was an officer al
McCook flying fields. Dayton. Ohio.
Employ Number of Bird Men.
Under the Longren plan a number
of bird men would be employed il
connection with the production in
dustry. The flyers would be employed
as demonstrators and instructors. Il
is probable that an aerial instruction
school similar in many ways to motor
car schools. would be established il
connection with the industry Lon.
gren declared that plant such as hi
proposed to establish would, within &
year. employ not less than 800 men
He said a capacity production fol
such a plant would mean an output O.
twenty to twenty-five machines a day
The average person is not aware O
the developments which are beinI
made in aircraft" declared LonRren
The plane Of today is even safer thai
the automobile. Accidents seldom &C
cur except where spectacular and haz
ardous stunts are tried. If a man ap
Piled himself to his plane with tn
same caution used by a careful m otor
list. air accidents would be most rare
II is Longren's plan to submit tw,
models OF his plane to the government
at an early date. Six of his machine
are already in use in the United States
man DOuknl ii nldCnlne ant
shipped it to Texas three years ago
Recently Longren received a lette
asking prices for second plane. An
other plane was sent to Colorado an
until 3 year ago was the only machin
to make successful flights in tina
state.
His Planes Successful.
The late Lieut.. Phil Billiard used
Longren made machine in a flight I
Kansas City several years ago. :. Tn
trip was made in so minutes as agains
n recent record by machines in IN
governments flying circus of fort
minutes from Topeka to the mouth q
the Kaw
A thousand dollar machine will b
possible, Longren believes, as soon a
production reaches an establ.she
standard.
And if there is any doubt as to tn
demand for business and pleasur
planes" said the Topekan, ''it mirf
not be amiss to mention that ever
producing company in the Unite
states has sold their output I'D TO m
middle of this summer"
a Genuine Thirst Quencher
HORGEnR AcrD DrJAer,r, . ~,