The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-11-05

president Of the congress. He accepted the posi-
tion turned his business affairs to his partner
and went to work. The first step was to get
twenty-five Omaha business to back the
project for 1000 EACH This was easily done.
It was also easy to get the Endorsement of all
Omaha business and social organizations.
speakers bureau was formed to educate the citi-
sens Arrangements to raise funds for financing the
congress were made. Attention was then turned
to the preparation OF program worthy Of The
occasion PEA ~ ~>ser-,
Incidentally it became necessary to provide a
landing field large enough to stage the program.
little thing like this however, did not deter the
air men, who located farm Of 1876 acres showing
possibilities as fielc although it uneven and
contained $50 large trees.
A field day" was duly announced and the air
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
leveled the land.
An open drainage ditch traversed the center Of
the field which lies 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 a covered sewer
through the field at a cost of $21 900. So the
problem Of flying field was satisfactorily solved.
In the meantime. an Office force was busy mail
the air men and celebrities, such President
Harding, Marshal Foch Orville Wright, Glenn
Curtiss and Judge X. NJ Lands.
The graduates OF Fort Omaha balloon school,
the center OF Americas wartime banooning, We're
invited for their first reunion. Squadrons and
escadrilles of flyers asked to hold their first
reunions In Omaha. The ifty-two American aces
were invited. as well as everyone else interested
In aviation.
The aid Of Kansas City was enlisted In sending
the American Legion convention delegates on to
Omaha The Endorsements Of national headquar-
ters Of the American Legion, of the Aero Club OF
America. OF the Worlds Board OF Aeronautical
Commissioners and of the Aircraft Manufacturers
Association were obtained. The cooperation of
the Army and Navy mir headquarters was asked
for and received
a half rate for the round trip from all parts Of
the country to Omaha. Gutzon Borglum, world
famed sculptor, offered commemorative medal
design syubolical Of the work Of the American
air man during the war, as his bit" James
Hanley song writer of New York. wrote special
song praising the work of the flyers to be sung
for the first time at the congress.
In preparing Its program. Omaha had a piece
az rare good luck right at the outset As every
enc knows. the Pulitzer Trophy Race became the
worlds most famous air event with its 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 in the contest The winner was Lieut.. G.
G. Mosely OF the Army air service who few l32
miles IN a verville-Packard machine at an average
speed OF 178 miles an hour. The Army won seven
IL the first ten places In the contest and the Navy
two There were $4,000 spectators. including celeb
rifles from all walks OF life
Wen. the Pulitzer Trophy Race for 1921 had
heen scheduled for Detroit, but difficulties had
arisen and the Aero Club Of America had can
cel,ed the race for the year. Omaha stepped IN
and offered the necessary funds. In consequence.
the first announcement on the program Is this:
srhe First International Aero Congress an.
.rra~ rho second annual aerial contest for the
p.,,t,er Trophy. In connection with the nrst con-