Viewing page 57 of 102

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[strikethrough]]-81-[[/strikethrough]] [[strikethrough]]54[[/strikethrough]] 
55

[[underscore]]LINCOLN BEACHY CALLS[[/underscore]]

   While Tome was absent I amused myself building a small shperical balloon.  One day a young red cheeked boy presented himself and told me he was the pilot of another airship at Stockton, California.  He asked to be permitted to fly the Baldwin airship.  He was disappointed to learn we had shipped the machine but he waited to witness the first trip in the small balloon.  I was glad to know him because he possessed many qualities which make a good flyer.  We agreed to keep in touch with one another but I did not see him again until the spring of 1906.  This young man was Lincoln Beachy.

   Baldwin had become very careless about money matters, especially as to paying me.  He always put me off with one excuse after another, until I became suspicious that all was not what it should be.  I was without money.  I needed to send cash back to the family and had expenses of my own; therefore, it was up to me to do something about the matter.  I called on Henry Cook, the manager of Chutes Park, and made a deal with him to make three balloon ascensions from the park for which he was to pay me the sum of $125.00 for each ascension.  He paid me $50.00 in advance.

   On the first ascension I was able to utilize the different air currents and crossed Main Street three times, and after an hour in the air, landed near Chutes Park.  This trip aroused unusual interest and on the day of the second trip there was a crowd at the park equally as large as those attending the airship flights.

   Baldwin was away most of the time.  He came back unexpedtedly and found me ready to make my first ascent.  He was embarrassed but stayed around until I returned to the park and then asked