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[[stamped]] FROM THE FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE [[/stamped]]

N.Y., and began grass-cutting practice there. Apparently this plane was old and in such poor condition that Morris was unable to do much with it. He did salvage the engine, however, which, incidentally, was the second one built by the Roberts Company. About this time, Morris teamed up with another New England aviation enthusiast, Robert Simon of Providence, R.I., and they built a new Curtiss-type biplane, using the Roberts 4. With this plane, Morris succeeded in flying well enough during the Summer of 1912 to take on a two-week exhibition engagement at New Haven, Connecticut, about October 1st. On October 12th, Morris had a bad smashup, which resulted in a broken ankle and some injured ribs. After a period of recovery, he decided to take some flying instruction and entered the first Spring class at the Curtiss Flying School, Hammond-sport, N.Y., on April 15th, 1913. His instructors were Francis Wildman and J. Lensing Callan, and Morris completed his course of both land and water flying by late May. In view of his former experience, he was an apt pupil and on his solo flight climbed to 1200 feet and was judged ready for exhibition work.

At this time he joined the Curtiss Exhibition Company and filled his first exhibition date at Hershey, Pennsylvania. Followed by several dates in Canada with Curtiss aviators William S. Luckey and Charles Niles, starting at Kingston on June 3rd. When Morris started flying exhibitions, his former associate, Robert Simon, became his mechanic and continued in this capacity through 1915. During the early Summer of 1913 a number of well known wealthy easter sportsmen were buying Flying Boats for social prestige and entertaining. Among them was Mr. Gerald Hanley of Providence, R.I. who engaged both Morris and Simon at once as pilot and mechanic. A well equipped Flying Boat hanger was established and operation started on Narragansett Bay in early August. There, Morris taught Hanley to operate his boat and carried on a very active flying program for the remainder of that season, carrying social passengers and making many noteworthy commuting trips. On October 29, 1913, Morris obtained Hydro License No. 12 on the Hanley Curtiss Flying Boat. As the season closed, there he has flown some 125 hours and over 6500 miles.  

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