Chicago, November 17, 1905
I enclose a letter from Mr. Montgomery,1 giving an account of his accident. He confirms the statement which I had already given you that the mast had been broken by a balloon rope.
I understood you to say that such an accident would follow arranging the surfaces radially. Would this occur in your judgment if placed on the same line as Langley did?
How far should surfaces be apart longitudinally in order not to interfere with each other?2
1 John J. Montgomery to Chanute, Nov. 12, 1905.
2 his letter was used as Defendant's Exhibit No. 35 in the suit of Montgomery vs. the United States.