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The Aeronautic Society of New York

of aerial apparatus, contracts were made with Carl E. Myers, of Frankfort, N.Y., for a dirigible, with W.H. and Mrs. Martin, of Canton, O., to bring their big monoplane glider, with which they were reported to have made a number of sensational flights at home, drawn only by a farmhorse, and also for a number of parachute drops, and kites, and other attractive features. There was every prospect of having a remarkably fine exhibition.

But both ill-luck and that outside influence which has never missed a chance to strike at the Society, now became very busy. Postponement after postponement was made necessary, week after week, by the delays in the delivery of the Curtiss machine. Proposals were hinted which suggested avoidance of delivery altogether, until in the end the public ceased to believe that the exhibition was going to take place at all. At the same time another exhibition was got up in the vicinity of New York which threw ridicule and discredit on all such attempts.

Nor was that all. In the week before the exhibition, Mr. Kimball met with an accident, and entirely smashed up his machine, destroying all hope of its taking part in the program. Then a wind storm arose and badly damaged the bag of the dirigible just as it had been filled. When Mr. Curtiss did come, although he brought a beautiful and perfect machine, he did no flying. Nor had any of the other machines been able to be got ready to take the lead. Large prizes were offered, but they were not announced sufficiently early perhaps to have the effect they otherwise might.

The accident to Mr. Kimball was one of the most distressing blows, for it happened just when he had got the machine perfectly balanced and acting excellently. Mr. Kimball indeed, has been a strong runner in the hard luck stakes all year, and several times the sympathies of the Society have gone out to its genial and dauntless Secretary. In March he reconstructed a glider, which had originally been used by E. LaRue Jones, Editor of "Aeronautics," and in a trial from the catapult, a strong upward just caught the front

[[image - black & white photograph of people gathered around and working on an bi-plane]] [[caption]] Making a Test of The Aeronautic Society's "Curtis" machine [[/caption]]

control of the glider, and, before the apparatus could be righted, it crashed backwards down on the monorail. Mr. Kimball fell across the rail, and, though he escaped serious injury, he badly hurt his back. During his practice with his power machine he several times met with nasty smashes as the wind carried him into the ditches or fences, and it was in that way that the machine was eventually damaged beyond all hope of repair. Fortunately,