Chicago, July 4, 1904
I have yours of 1st inst.
The author of the injury inflicted upon the Santos Dumont airship is still unknown. The present theory is that it was done by a secret personal enemy of his. He sails for France on the 7th, and expects to be back with the repaired balloon in 6 or 8 weeks, leaving his men & machinery in St. Louis.
This incident leaves the rules as they were, as the object of making concessions was to get an exhibition on the 4th of July, and subsequent weeks, in order to increase the gate receipts. No public announcement had been made of the concessions made to Santos Dumont.
He told me that he was not afraid of you, as he knows how tedious and slow was the working out of a new machine.
I hope you will have good luck, and keep out of the newspapers.