Viewing page 20 of 38

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

circuit, then as the year ended shipped to Florida with the Benoist staff and flying boat equipment where he helped to inaugurate the celebrated Tampa-St. Petersburg Air Line [[strikethrough]] by Benoist [[/strikethrough]] in January, 1914. This early successful air line operation was truly noteworthy and was undoubtedly the [[strikethrough]] FIRST [[/strikethrough]] first such venture in the United States operating on a fixed daily schedule, carrying passengers, light express, and some food commodities. There in daily scheduled operations Rodger soon became a very competent [[strikethrough]] water [[/strikethrough]] flying boat pilot, and a short time later Benoist also established a winter school where Rodger assisted with the instruction of a class of students.[[strikethrough]] through the late winter months. [[/strikethrough]] Among them were J. D. Smith, Glen I. Smith, Henry Railsback, W. H. Evers and B. M. Latham. That winter Rodger had the opportunity to get much valuable flying experience and he became a very expert pilot. 
  
[[strikethrough]] After the winter season was over [[/strikethrough]] Rodger returned to St. Louis with the Benoist crew. That spring a wealthy Duluth, [[strikethrough]] Wisconsin [[/strikethrough]] Minnesota grain trader and sportsman, W. D. Jones, purchased a new Benoist flying boat and in June, 1914 Rodger left the Benoist Company to fly for Jones, doing social flying and making commuting trips. Jones named his new craft the "Lark" and operations started on June 8th and Fritz Ericson as mechanic. Later Rodger gave Ericson some instruction and he went on to work for the Jannus Brothers in their later projects. Rodger also gave Jones some instruction in the operation of the Lark and a very active flying season resulted. 
   
About August 1st Rodger purchased the Lark from Jones and he and Ericson left on an exhibition jaunt. They first went to Cedar Point, Ohio, to join Tony Jannus who had also left the Benoist Company and was operating a thriving passenger carrying business there. Rodger and Ericson also filled some exhibition dates later that fall, first at Muscatine, Iowa, then to Burlington and Ft. Madison, Iowa. They spent several days at each point carrying passengers and giving exhibitions. In early October Rodger [[strikethrough]] made an appearance [[/strikethrough]] was in Pittsburgh, Penna., then flew down the river, 140 miles, to Bellaire, Ohio for an exhibition. Following that Rodger and Ericson joined Tony in Baltimore to start a business of their