The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-10-13

president Of the congress He accepted the posi-
ton, turned over his business affairs to his partter
and went to work The first step was to get
twenty-five Omaha business men to back the
project for 1000 each This wars easily done.
It was also easy to get the Endorsement Of all
Omaha business and social organizations A
speakers bureau was formed 10 educate the citi-
Gems. Arrangements TO raise funds for financing the
congress were made. Attention was then turned
to the preparation Of a program worthy of The
occasion
incidentally It became necessary to provide a
landing field large enough to stage the program.
A little thing like this however, did not deter the
air men, who located a farm Of 1856 acres showing
possibilities as a field although it was uneven and
contained $50 large trees.
field day" was duly announced, and the mir
men and their friends rolled up their sleeves and
with the assistance Of two Holt caterpillar trac-
tors donated FOR the occasion pulled the trees and
levclcd the land
An open drainage ditch trayersed the center Of
the field, which Hes on the edge of one of the
residence districts only fifteen minutes ride from
the heart Of Omaha The city council was induced
to vote unanimously to build covered sewer
through the field at cost Of $21 900. SO the
problem Of flying field satisfactorily solved.
In the meantime an Office force was busy mall
Ing thousands Of invitations and pamphlets to
the mir men ana celebrities, such as President
Harding Marshal Foch. OrylIle Wright, Glenn
Curtiss ana Judge r. NJ. Lands
The graduates Of Fort Omaha balloon school,
the center of Americas wartime ballOOnng were
invited for their first reunion. Squadrons and
escadrlDes Of flyers were asked to hold their first
reunions in Omaha The Gfty-two American aces
were invited as well as everyone else interested
IN avlation,
The aid of Kansas city was enlisted in sending
| IN
Omaha The Endorsements Of national headquar-
ters Of the American Legion, Of the Aero Club Of
America, OF the Worlds Board Of AerOnautlcnl
Commissioners and Of the Aircraft Manufacturers
Association were obtained The cooperation of
the Army and Navy air headquarters wns asked
for ana received
The railroads helped out by offering a fare and
Il half rate for the round trip from all parts Of
the country to Omaha Gutzon Borgum, world
famed sculptor, offered commemorative medal
design symbollcal Of the work of the American
mir man during the war; as his "blt" james
Haucy song writer Of New York, wrote special
song prnsIng the work OF the flyers, to be sung
for the first time ut the congress-
In preparing ITS program Omaha had piece
Of rare good luck right at the outset As every
one knows the Pulitzer Trophy Race became the
worlds most famous air event with IT'S first run
ming In November Of 1920 at Mitchell Field, New
York under the auspices Of the Aero Club Of
America There were twenty-five Army eight
Navy. seven Marine Corps and one civilian en-
trants I'm the contest The winner was Lieut.. Q.
G. Aloscy Of the Army mir service, who flew l32
miles IN u Northumberland machine at an average
speed Of rs miles an hour, The Army won seven
NJ the first ten places In the contest and the Navy
two There were 10000 spectators, including celeb
rifles from an walks Of HE
Well the Pulitzer Trophy Race for 1921 had
been scheduled for Detroit but difficulties had
arisen ana the Aero club Of America had can
cclIod the ruce for the year Omaha stepped In
aud offered the necessary funds In consequences
the FIRST announcement on the program is this
"Thc First international Aero Congress an.
uouucrs the second annual aerial contest for he
Pulitzer Trophy, in connection with the first con.