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The Aeronautic Society of New York

in the light of its disappointments upon expectations that ought never to have been formed, and was not given the recognition its serious work deserved. It is a curiously interesting fact that the newspapers in England and on the continent of Europe readily printed details and pictures of machines at Morris Park while in course of construction, and gave every possible encouragement to builders. But the attitude of the papers at home was, "Wait. till they fly!" 

This withholding of encouragement was anything but a help, especially as it went on side by side with the booming of men who were talking. but were not even trying to do anything. But the men who had the grit to try to solve the problem of flight, and to try to fly, had also the patience that enabled them to wait for recognition. They knew how long it had taken the Press of America to get over its general attitude of disbelief on human flight. 

It is certain that if any body of men had been working upon any other problem, spending the same amount of time, energy, and money upon it, and with no risk to life or limb, their efforts would have been taken more seriously. But the Aeronautic Society had to suffer the indifference that is always the lot of pioneers in a new field. It had, in addition, to brave some ridicule, and even some little slander, such as is also usually the lot of pioneers. The fact that a body of New York citizens had leased the great space of 327 acres of open land, near the subway terminus, right on the border of the city, for the purpose of trying to fly, was allowed to pass, in those early days, without attracting very widespread attention. Yet, then, it was the first time in the history of man that land had ever been taken with such an object. That faces that make history are often unrecognized at the moment of their happening!

[[image - black & white photograph of Wilbur Kimball's helicopter]]

[[caption]] Wilbur R. Kimball's Helicopter. View showing Propellers [[/caption]]

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