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her husband, a U.S. Army captain, to watch the flights.  One day in October they arrived some time before the flights were to begin, so Wilbur Wright took Mrs. Van Deman for a short ride.  At the end of the flight, Capt. Van Deman expressed his gratitude: "I want to thank you, Mr. Wright.  Now it will be possible for me to keep peace in our family."

The "Detroit Free Press" carried lengthy accounts of an air meet which was being held at the Detroit Country Club.  Frank Coffyn, a Wright aviator, was performing in his Wright biplane, making exhibition flights and carrying passengers.  A great deal of coverage was devoted to the many women who flew as passengers.  Mrs. Russell A. Alger, wife of the President of the Michigan.  Her fourteen-year-old daughter Josephine, who went up shortly after her mother, was the youngest person in the U.S. ever to fly in an airplane, up to that time. 

Since women were involved, the newspaper was unable to resist a short fashion commentary:  "Miss (Elizabeth) Loomis was the fourth passenger.  There was not a trace of fear in her walk to the machine, only an eagerness to take her turn at flying.  She was dressed in white, with a small red hat pinned firmly on her head, and the right ear, which during the flight is within a few inches of the roaring motor, stuffed with cotton."  Miss Loomis, by the way, was extremely enthusiastic about her flight:  "It's the greatest fun I ever had.  I'm simply mad