"Whereas, the undersigned Alexander Graham Bell of Washington, D.C., U.S.A., has for many years past been carrying on experiments relating to aerial locomotion at his summer laboratory in Beinn Bhreagh, near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, and has reached the stage where he believes a practical aerodrome can be built on the tetrahedral principle driven by an engine and carrying a man, and has felt the advisability of securing expert assistance in pursuing the experiments to their logical conclusion, and has called to his aid Mr. G. H. Curtiss of Hammondsport, N.Y., an expert in motor construction, Mr. F. W. Baldwin, and Mr. J. A. D. McCurdy of Toronto, Engineers, and Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge, Fifth Artillery, U.S.A., military expert in aerodynamics, and
"Whereas, the above-named gentlemen have all of them given considerable attention to the subject of aerial locomotion, and have independent ideas of their own which they desire to develop experimentally, and
"Whereas, it has been thought advisable that the undersigned should work together as an association in which all have equal interest, the above-named gentlemen giving the benefit of their assistance in carrying out the ideas of the said Alexander Graham Bell, said Alexander Graham Bell giving his assistance to these gentlemen in carrying out their own independent ideas relating to aerial locomotion, and all working together individually and conjointly in pursuance of their common aim 'to get into the air' upon the construction of a practical aerodrome driven by its own motive power and carrying a man.
"Now therefore we the undersigned, Alexander Graham Bell, Glenn H. Curtiss, F. W. Baldwin, J. A. D. McCurdy, and T. Selfridge, do hereby agree to associate ourselves together under the name of the 'Aerial Experiment Association,' for the purpose of carrying on experiments relating to aerial locomotion with the special object of constructing a successful aerodrome.
"We agree that the 'Aerial Experiment Association' shall be organized on the first day of October 1907, and shall exist for the term of one year from the date of organization unless otherwise determined by the unanimous vote of the members.
"We agree that the inventions relating to aerial locomotion made by the members of the Association during the lifetime of the Association shall belong to the Association; and that any applications for letters patent for such inventions shall be made in the name of all the members as joint inventors.
"We agree that inventions relating to aerial locomotion made by the members of the Association before the organization of the Association shall belong to the inventors, and not to the Association, unless specially assigned; and that only such prior inventions shall be claimed by individual members as shall be substantiated by the production of written memoranda, drawings, photographs or models existent before the date of the organization so that the proofs of prior invention shall not rest on recollection alone, or upon verbal statements unsupported by documentary or tangible evidence of earlier date than the organization of the Association.
"The said Alexander Graham Bell agrees to place his Laboratory at Beinn Bhreagh near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, at the disposal of the Association for the purpose of carrying on experiments relating to aerial locomotion, together with all the buildings, tools, materials, and appurtenances belonging to the Laboratory, without charge, so long as the Association desires to carry on experiments at Beinn Bhreagh: Provided that the running expenses of the Laboratory, including the salaries of the Superintendent and men employed shall be paid by the Association during their use of the said Laboratory, the number of men employed other than the Superintendent to be at the discretion of the Association, and that any new material or apparatus not in the Laboratory at the date of the organization which may be desired for the use of the Association shall be acquired at the expense of the Association.
"We the undersigned agree to appoint one of our number as Director of Experiments to be our medium of communication with the Laboratory.
"We agree that the Laboratory workmen shall receive their instructions from the Superintendent of the Laboratory alone, that the Superintendent of the Laboratory shall receive his instructions from the Director of Experiments alone, and that the Director of Experiments shall receive his instructions by vote of the Association of which he is a member.
"We agree that the headquarters of the 'Aerial Experiment Association' shall be at Beinn Bhreagh, near Baddeck, Nova Scotia, and that, on or before the first of January 1908, the headquarters of the Association shall be removed to some place yet to be determined within the limits of the United States.
"This agreement can only be modified by unanimous vote of the undersigned.
"Witness our hands and seals at HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, this thirtieth day of September, A. D., 1907.
William L. Payzant
Notary Public
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
G. H. CURTISS
F. W. BALDWIN
J. A. DOUGLAS McCURDY
T. SELFRIDGE
1st Lt. 5th F.A., U.S.A.
Authenticated by David F. Wilder, Consul General of the United States, September 30, 1907.