The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-03-09

citation and the opinion Of many
eminent Americans that the original
Wright plane should find perman.
ent home i'm the Congressional monu-
ment to the birth of aviation TO be
erected at Kill Devil Hills on the
North Carolina coast. ''"H''
The plane in which fhe Wright
brothers made the first flight Of
man in heavier than air power
driven flying machine OIL Dec. IL.
1903 was badly damaged after its
second take-On at Kill Devil Hills
on that eventful morning; but its
motor and undamaged parts Of the
frame work were taken back 10
Dayton by the inventors and the
plane restored.
Because Of the failure of the
Smithsonian Institution TO give
proper recognition TO the work OF
the Wrights and because of con-
troversy between Mr.. Oryille Wright
and the officers of the Smithsonian
Institution, there is little likeli-
hood Of the original Wright plane
finding Judgement in Washington.
To-day the plane Is in the British
National Museum. a loan from Mr..
Orville Wright until such a time rs
a suitable home may le found FOR
it on It's native soil.
To-day the National Museum in
Washington and the city Of Dayton,
o, are bidding for the Wright plane
and Mr.. Wright is said 10 bs inclin-
cd toward making Il gift OF the plane
TO his home city.
But il is pot believed that Mr..
Wright has given serious thought 10
the Wright Memorial to be erected
at Kill Devil Hills on the spot.
where he and his brother Wilbur
made their first flight aIEl where
their early experiments were made
and their Invention perfected.
Original plans for the Wright,
Memorial contemplated a structure
to cost $1ll.000 and which was TO
have been a hybrid monsirosity COM.
bining II lighthouse and coast.
guard station and looking more like
nnausolcum with tower on il
than like monument. The Ma.
tic nal Fine Arts Commission re-'
jectcd these plans utterly. Fol-
lowing the rcjcrtiOn of the plans
Congress appropriated S25.NW for.
preliminary surveys and plans for
the monument and authorized an.
expenditure Of substantial part of
this sum for u design. enabling the
Fine Arts commission 10 invite com y
pet;tivc designs from the natiCn's
foremost architects and sculptors. I
If Mr.. Wright will consider II
proposition 10 deposit the orislna \
plnnc i'm the monument at Kill Deyi
Hills. the Fine Arts Commission.
will ask for designs for monu
mrnt which will provide n chambcv
10 house the plane for all time ami
give it the distinctive depository
that it deserves. Z
THE museums Of Washington arr
loaded ny with such Il heterogeny OF
things that in neither the National
Museum nor the Smithsonian Instr
tuition could the Wright plane b,
given the exclusive and pretentiou
setting that its value deserves.
The city of Dayton, d., has al
ready honored the Wright brother
by dedicatiug che Of the world
largest flying fields TO them ahJ'
will honor them in time by the cree.
tion of an imposing memorial. bus
DAYTON will do this regardless ct
what disposition is made of TIL
original plane. But regardless q.
what Dayton does to honor Its dbt
ting,lishpd SONS. the fact remaiDy
that il was at Kill Devil Hills this
mans first flight was made an
Kill Devil Hills will be forever In.
shrine Of aviation 10 which Amer
cans and humanity at large will pa. /
its homage.
Kill Devil Hills is the one spf
ON earth made famous and sacres
forever by the Wright Brother
daring triumph and the millions 9
tourists who will bc attracted .
flat romantic and historic spot
the years TO come should beho4
there. not only an impressive gol
crnment memorial to the genius y
the Wright brothers, but the origin
product of their genius as well.
ON his way to Dayton Mr.. Saun
ers will stop in Washington for
conference with Congressman WA
rem. members of the Fine Arts Cor
mission and others interested in VI
Kill Devil Hills Memorial. ~
Right Place for Wright Plane J
While 1t Is too early for q reactle,
from the press of the nation to "
proposal to establish the Wrlgf
Continued on page Fcrr)