Chicago, October 7, 1903
I duly received your letter of Sep. 19th and I just got that of Oct. 1st.
I am very much pleased; first by the inference that none of your material was caught in the fire which destroyed the railroad freight house at Elizabeth City, and next at what you have accomplished in hovering flight. This is great as a beginning and I hope you will next turn a full circle in soaring, as a preliminary to your more ambitious projects.
I begin to fear that I will not be able to visit your camp this year. Some of my business has gone wrong, one of my managers of works is down with typhoid fever, and I have several calls to go over various lines of railroads to gather data for possible contracts. One of these is for the 21st of October and following week.
Pray keep me advised of your achievements and projects, and I will come and see you if I can compass it.
Best respects and compliments to your brother.1
1 An unidentified, undated newspaper clipping, pasted to the upper left hand comer of this letter, reads: "Prof. Langley accused of using government time and money on visionary flying machine tests; congressional investigation likely . . . . 11 The first unsuccessful test of Langley's aerodrome, October 7, is referred to.
Wilbur Wright to Octave Chanute, October 16, 1903