Books › The official blue book of the Jamestown Ter-centennial Exposition, A.D. 1907. The only authorized history of the celebration. Illustrated, 1909 › scan 779
Scan 779
The official blue book of the Jamestown Ter-centennial Exposition, A.D. 1907. The only authorized history of the celebration. Illustrated, 1909
41 lines. Read by computer on 29 August 2026. Printed page 765. See the scan on archive.org.
1Congress and Special Events.
3J. G. Maas Attempting Flight with Aeroplane
5Copyright, Jamestown Official Photograph Corporation.
7twenty-five feet wide was constructed and mounted on boats made of water-tight canvas. During the month of August an attempt was made to fly this kite. A rope hawser three hundred feet long was attached to the kite and to the Navy tug "Potomac," but the tug proved too slow to raise the aeroplane in the air and during the trial the pontoon boats became waterlogged. The next trial was made by mounting the aeroplane on two sixteen-oared cutters and a torpedo boat was to tow. On the second occasion, ten soldiers of the Signal Corps helped in the experiment. Four of these soldiers were in the cutters to assist the flight of the aeroplane, and J. G. Maas, a professional balloonist, acted as aeronaut. Two flags were carried, one with a red center and one with a blue, and the instructions were that when there was any danger to wave the red flag and when everything was going well to wave the blue. It was found that when the boats were towed at a speed faster than fourteen or fifteen miles an hour, they would swamp. The aeroplane and cutters were towed out into Hampton Roads, where a run of several miles could be had through deep water and in the direction from which the wind was coming. The torpedo boat was sent ahead at full speed. Very quickly a speed of twenty-two miles an hour was gained. The aeronaut and soldiers gallantly waved the blue flag, although they knew what the result would be, but after a run of several hundred yards the cutters, aeroplane and soldiers went under the water. The torpedo boat was stopped and the soldiers and aeronaut, all of whom wore life preservers, were picked up. A new aeroplane was constructed by the soldiers of the Signal Corps and was tried on Lee's Parade. This time it was towed by six artillery horses attached to a gun carriage and about two hundred feet of rope was used. On the first trial, the rope broke. On the second and third trials, the aeroplane rose in the air to a height of one hundred feet and after going half way across Lee's Parade it swerved and struck the earth with force enough to wreck it. This accident was due to a faulty attachment of the bridle.
9The safe landing of the aeroplane is one of its most difficult problems. Though seemingly a failure, the Exposition experiments were of great value by reason of the knowledge obtained of the action of the aeroplane's surface when moving at different velocities and at various angles of inclination. Sooner or later these different problems will be solved, as the result of painstaking effort.
11BUREAU OF MUSIC
13On February 8, 1907, Mr. Sexton made a number of recommendations to the Board of Governors, among which were the appointment of Sydney Lloyd Wrightson as Honorary Director of Music and the employment of William Wall Whiddit as Superintendent of the Bureau of Music, the duties of the latter to consist in the direction of organizing choruses, assisting in the making up of musical programmes and to act as the official organist of the Exposition. He requested that authority should be given to him to contract with not less than four of the principal concert bands of the country and organize a permanent chorus of forty voices to sing at the Auditorium from two to three times a week. After several weeks delay Mr. Wrightson and Mr. Whiddit were appointed. On March 22, 1907, a musical programme for the Exposition was outlined.
15There were ten recommendations:
17First—The organization of a chorus of between three hundred and five hundred voices to take part in the ceremonies on April 26 (Opening Day), June 10 (Georgia Day), June 12 (Virginia Day), and July 4 (Independence Day) and such other days as might be determined.
19Second—The organization of a chorus of forty or more voices to sing during organ and piano recitals.
21Third—The organization of a children's chorus to sing on May 13 (Jamestown Day), July 4 (Independence Day) and on Public School Day and such other occasions as might later be deemed desirable.
23Fourth—That on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, either afternoons or evenings, the Auditorium be utilized for the holding of organ and piano recitals and other musical events exclusive of band concerts and the twelve concerts to be given under the terms of the contract with the Stieff Piano Company.
25Fifth—That on one of these three afternoons or evenings a chorus of forty picked voices should render a programme, assisted by local or foreign artists, either vocal or instrumental.
27Sixth—That on the other two afternoons or evenings, vocalists, violinists, pianists and organists of recognized ability should be engaged.
29Seventh—That on certain tentative dates—May 22, June 21, July 17, August 21, September 13, October 19 and November 20—arrangements should be effected with such high class artists as Schumann-Heinek, Emma Eames, Nordica, Sembrich and other great vocalists; Rosenthal, Gabriolwitch, Peppercorn, Patricolo, Sherwood and other great pianists; Arthur Hartman, Sauret and other great violinists, and Clarence Eddy and other great organists, with a view of having these appear at the Exposition.
31Eighth—That a cup of the approximate value of two hundred and fifty dollars should be offered for a choral contest and another cup valued approximately at one hundred and fifty dollars for a glee club contest, and that a board of judges consisting of five prominent men be appointed, one each from the cities of Norfolk, Washington, Richmond, Baltimore and Atlanta, to decide on the merits of the competitors.
33Ninth—That the Bureau of Music be authorized to arrange for twelve concerts to be given under the terms of the contract with the Stieff Piano Company.
35Tenth—That the Bureau of Music be authorized to negotiate with the leading organists of the country through the American Guild of Organists or any other source, with the view of securing the best and the most prominent organists for recitals.
37Authority was given for the organization of a chorus of from three hundred to five hundred voices, and Mr. Sexton pays tribute to Mr. Whiddit for his good work in enlisting the interest of singers through the southern section. He says also that Mr. Whiddit was very successful in organizing a splendid children's chorus.
39SYDNEY LLOYD WRIGHTSON
40Honorary Director of Music
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.