Dayton, June 5, 1904
Your letters of May 28 & 30 received. We thank you for so kindly obtaining the information we desired. We had also written Mr. Smith but were uncertain whether we would reach him promptly. We have made repairs in our machine and expect to be ready for trials on Thursday of this week. After a few flights we will know better what we will wish to do about entering at St. Louis. I have written Mr. Smith that we wish to test the machine before taking up the matter of entering the race.
The newspaper reports seem to indicate that Santos Dumont had made no flights as yet, but only shop tests of the machinery. He will probably not sail for America without a thorough trial of his new system of hanging his engine below the car, so that it would seem doubtful whether he does much flying at St. Louis before August. Is his shed finished?
The fact that we are experimenting at Dayton is now public, but so far we have not been disturbed by visitors. The newspapers are friendly and not disposed to arouse prying curiosity in the community.