Viewing page 5 of 15

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

The first plane arrived in St. Petersburg late that month and the trial run was made on January 1st, 1914. The service was well patronized and two additional planes arrived later that month. Benoist soon decided to also start a flying school and this was put in operation about mid-January at the North Break-Water Beach of the Yacht Basin with five students: Heinrich Evers of Germany, Lloyd Smith of Indianapolis, Indiana, J.D. Smith of Johnstown, Pennsylvania and Harry Railsback and Glen I. Smith, both of St. Petersburg. Tony and Rodger Jannus and Weldon B. Cooke were flying there for the Benoist company and all acted as airline or instructor pilots as needed. 

Latham was watching this local aviation activity with much interest and soon signed up for instruction at the school. He started in late March and made his first solo flight on April 26th, 1914. He continued his practice and with L. E. McLain bought one of the Benoist Flying Boats when the airline and school operations closed in the spring of 1914.

Latham and McLain decided to put their craft to work that summer and contracted to make exhibition flights and carry passengers at Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania Resort for twelve weeks, with Latham flying. He started operations there about May 30th, and during his engagement had a wing failure in flight and he and his passenger crashed into the lake, but were not injured. Latham repaired the plane and completed his contract. 

Following this he gave up flying and returned to the Electric Company at St. Petersburg as General Manager until it was sold to other financial interests. Latham then became President of the Pinellas County Power Company, and later the Florida Power Company. In 1926 he resigned from the Power Company to become First Vice President and General Manager of the Gandy Bridge Company. Two years later he resigned and moved to New York City to look after several patents in which he had a substantial financial interest. He remained there until 1939 when he returned to St. Petersburg to live.

During World War II Latham was Liaison Officer between the Army Air Corps

2

[[left margin]][[stamp]]
FROM THE
FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES
OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE
[[/stamp]] [[/left margin]]