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The Wright Company Papers
Fill the Gaps
in Aviation History
What's in the Wright Company documents that makes them so valuable? You can't tell
the complete story of early aviation without them.
"The history of the Wrights, Glenn Curtiss, and early aviation in America cannot
be truly understood without the information in these ledgers, files, and almost 900
letters," says Dawne Dewey, curator of Special Collections and Archives at Wright
State University in Dayton, Ohio. "It is our hope that the collection will remain
together intact and eventually be opened for serious research and scholarship."
These documents have been reviewed by scholars at the Smithsonian and the Library of
Congress. "Like Tom Crouch at the Smithsonian," wrote Leonard C. Bruno, science
manuscript historian at the Library of Congress, "I concur that the Wright materials
are of major significance to the history of American aviation and contain details of the
Wright Company unavailable anywhere else."
The papers tell a very different story of the development of early aviation in this
country than what is widely assumed, according to Joe Gertler, who found the documents and
saved them from being auctioned off piecemeal. "Most historians believe that the
Wright brothers held back the progress of aviation with their patent suits," said
Gertler. "But the papers show this is not the case."
He goes on to say that the papers reveal many things that were never known about the
Wright's business practices. "The overall impression I get from reading their
business correspondence is one of integrity," said Gertler. "Orville and Wilbur
Wright were the most honest and conscientious businessmen imaginable."
Are you interested to know what's in the Wright Company papers? Here a re
few excerpts printed by Joe Gertler in the November 1994 issue of The First Warplanes:
TO: Mr. B. Fisher, March 23, 1910. Re: his purchase of a "foreign made
aeroplane". "...We of course cannot permit the sale and use of foreign made
infringing machines in this country until an agreement as to royalties is made...it would
be inadvisable for anyone to purchase such a machine.
TO: Potential Customer, March 24, 1910. "...We could not make delivery
before September or October. The price is $7,500.00, 20% with order...We expect to
instruct purchasers in the use of the machine, and believe that anyone can learn to fly
successfully within a very short time -- say a week."
TO: Russell, Mgr., Dayton. From N.Y. Office. June 13, 1910. "...The show at
Montreal is, of course, very disappointing...The Wright Company has established all
records for Canadian territory with exception of cross country flights. Today I received
from the Atlantic City Aero Club a check for $5000., the contract price for the
exhibition, and another check for $5000., the altitude prize won by Brookins.
TO: F. H. Russell, Mgr., The Wright Co., Dayton. From A. F. Barnes, The Wright Co., New
York Office. June 28, 1910. "The receipts of our first Meet are certainly rather
disappointing. And there is nothing left for us to do but put the money in the bank with
the best grace possible.
TO: Russell, Mgr., Dayton, from A. F. Barnes, N.Y. Office. July 21, 1910. Re: Toronto
exhibition. "I was unable to collect anything.
TO: Russell, Mgr., Dayton, from A. F. Barnes, N.Y. Office. Night letter telegram,
September 13, 1910. Re: Parkersburg Exhibition. "Did Parmalee fill contract. Why did
we not get full payment.
TO: Russell, Mgr., Dayton, from A. F. Barnes, N.Y. Office. September 14, 1910.
"...From my recollection of Coffyn's flights (at Asbury Park, NJ) I should say he is
not entitled to any Day whatever...I do not like to put all this in a letter but owing to
my inability to get to Dayton, I feel it necessary to do so. So far as discipline and
order went, I was thoroughly disgusted and chagrined at Asbury. Coffyn as manager of the
camp was a dead failure. I preferred to give instruction regarding flights through him,
for the sake of organization, but once in the air the boys disregarded all instructions
and did as they pleased, without regard to the nature of the flight scheduled...On a
number of occasions they took the matter into their own hands and made flights without
authority and without announcement to the public or anyone else.
(Continuing in same letter) Re: sales of aeroplanes and "prospective
purchasers" ...Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt is the only man in New York as far as I know,
who had serious intentions to purchase. As we have had no inquiries for months, it is
certain that we must advertise and let the public know we are ready to make delivery,
and the reduced price, etc. (Note: The price was then $5000.00 per
machine.)
Other letters describe the first woman passenger, the first black student, a sportsman
paying for his chauffeur to be trained, and countless other inside views into the history
of the first years of the Wright Company.
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on the picture to enlarge it.
A portion of the sales ledger of the Wright Company. |
