Viewing page 5 of 13

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

KNABENAHUE #5

During the 1910 meet at St. Louis our ex-president Teddy Roosevelt was taken for a short ride by Arch Hoxey,  amid considerable fanfare, and I noticed on getting out of the machine Mr. Roosevelt was bathed in [[crossed out]] prespiring [[/crossed out]] prespiration [[perspiration]].  We were pretty lucky and had few accidents.  Of the twenty four ships we used in the exhibitions over a couple of years, I think we turned back to the factory six that were in flying condition.

Incidentally, I was making so much money under my contract that the Wrights talked me into rewriting it; the new figure was a flat $10,000 a year and my expenses.

Our Aviators were signed on as mechanics in the factory at a salary of $20 per week, this seemed to be fair at the time as it would give each flyer the training necessary to make his own repairs out in the field if it became an issue, and in addition to this he would be paid $50 per exhibition flight, plus his expenses and a Christmas bonus.  We had no signed agreement, but it was understood that they were not to touch liquor in any form, and that they were to retire early in order to get a full nights rest.  Aviator[[crossed out]]y[[/crossed out]]s were romantic figures in those days and I had my troubles, I would get the boys bedded down, then turn in myself, when they were sure I was asleep, out they would go, and get back all worn out sometime in the wee small hours.

Our contracts usually called for one flight a day, of not less than twenty minutes duration- and we were the sole judge of the weather conditions, and wheather [[whether]] or not it was safe to make a flight, we seldom missed making the scheduled flight.  We carried as passengers Mayors, Governors, newsmen as well as ladies and almost without exception made airminded enthusiastics [[enthusiasts]].