Chicago, September 18, 1903
Capt. Ferber is in trouble, and I send you a translation of a letter just received from him.1 It seems evident to me that he has not located himself correctly in the machine, so as to bring the center of gravity under the center of pressure, but there may be other reasons, of which you can advise me. I do not send the photograph (which shows very little), for fear that you may already have left home.
I also send a circular2 received for you this morning, with a translation I have made. I do not suppose that you want to exhibit.
1 The letter enclosed was Ferber to Chanute, Sept. 7, 1903, which reported that Ferber's glider was demonstrating a "disgusting instability," having a "tendency to upset in both directions completely."
2 The circular mentioned in the last paragraph has not been identified but it probably originated with the Aero Club of France and related to the gliding cornpetition that Archdeacon and his clique were attempting to organize.