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papers were three cents. And I knew at once they were putting on a campaign for subscriptions and advertisements. I went over to the Record Herald office and asked to see Mr. Kohlsatt who was the proprietor. I presented my card and was ushered into his office immediately. 
He said, "I am very happy to meet you, Mr. Knabenshue. I was curious to know whether or not you were any relation to S.S. Knabenshue of the Toledo Blade?"
I said, "Oh, yes, he is my father."
"Well, well, how is your father?"
I told him he was in fine health and wished to be remembered to him. We then got down to business. He was interested but said he could not possibly back an enterprise such as I suggested because he had financed "Walter Wellman to the North Pole" and his friends had not failed to remind him of it ever since.
I said, "Mr. Kohlsatt, if you would agree to an exhibition on the lake front for two days, make two flights on each day, give this to the public free, and on the third day fly from Chicago to Springfield, we'd really have a show! I'll use my crack flyer and we'll make these flights right on the tick of the watch."
He said, "Well, let's have some lunch and we'll talk it over further."
We went over to his club and there we met quite a number of people, including the president of the Illinois Central Railroad. We jointly discussed the possibility of this flight to Springfield. I told him what we would like to have, a baggage car on the daylight special which ran between Chicago and St. Louis and on it we would carry all the spare parts, fuel, oil, and two or three mechanics. Well, after considerable argument, pro and con, Mr. Kohlsatt decided to do it.