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198

BIRD M. LATHAM
Early Benoist Flying Boat Sportsman Pilot

Bird M. Latham was born at Mahaney City, Pennsylvania, July 5, 1885. He was educated in the Philadelphia public schools, then entered Drexel Institute.  While at Drexel he was selected by executives of the General Electric Company to take their Electrical Engineering Course and was sent to Lynn,Massachusetts, where he completed this advanced schooling in 1905. He was then employed by the company's Philadelphia Engineering Department.
  In 1907 Latham moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, to take over the faltering management of the City Electric Light and Power  Company and the St. Petersburg and Gulf Electric Railway, both companies being badly run down and under-financed. He found they were burning pine waste wood to fire the boilers and the service was frequently interrupted by failures of old and obsolete station equipment.  Latham succeeded in making many improvements, extended the trolley system service and in 1913 constructed a new City Power Plant.  
  During this period Latham became interested in aviation when several early flyers made exhibition flights in the vicinity. In December, 1913, the Benoist Aeroplane Company of St. Louis, Missouri, arranged to conduct an early experimental winter over-water airline from St. Petersburg to Tampa, using Benoist flying boats.  They proposed to cater to the winter tourist trade and also carry light express package shipments.
  The first plane arrived in St. Petersburg late that month and the trial run was made on January 1, 1914. The service was well patronized and two additional planes arrived later that month. Benoist soon decided to start a flying school and this was put in operation about mid-January at the North Breakwater Beach of the Yacht Basin with five students: Heinrich Evers of Germany, Lloyd Smith of Indianapolis, 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. 

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Transcription Notes:
Mahanoy City, PA is the correct spelling. insertions of a in Phildelphia - paragraph 1, switched letters in improvements - paragraph 2, strikeout o in ever-water - paragraph 3, strikeout of c in Breackwater and insertion of e in airlin both in paragraph 4 (All reflected in blue edit marks)