Viewing page 50 of 102

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-48-

She quickly said, "I'll spread a sheet on the ground, you will know this is the place where we live."

Baldwin said, "why, of course he'll do it."

On a later flight, at the time I met Professor Lowe, I made a landing in her back yard, and on the sheet as promised, and did not realize until after landing that it was her property.

Back at the park, we started working on the motor, Ralph Hamlin finallyadjusted it so that it would run successfully.  I was satisfied he knew just what the trouble was, and it was with a feeling of security that I made my next flight.

We had other troubles however.  the ball park had many high obstructions around it and we were pocketed in a depression out of which it was my job to fly without striking any objects and to get back in again without disaster.  On the Washington Street side was a line of high tension wires, on the Main Street side was a giant swing and theatre, on the south side was the theatre, and tall eucalyptus trees and to the west was the grand stand with flag poles.

On Sunday January 1, 1905, the park was full of people, the wind was blowing and the flags on the grandstand were  out straight.  I had doubts as to the possibility of flying back into the park again.  We delayed getting started as long as we could and then moved the machine from the hangar onto the field and warmed up the motor.  Again, Ralph Hamlin was on the job to see that the motor would run properly.  With the machine headed into the wind and the motor started the word given to let go  We ascended rapidly and cleared the trees with room to spare, then steered directly toward the downtown district which was reached very quickly with