The History: While the Wrights were interested in flight, they still had to attend to the bicycle business. However, in early June they hired some help - Charlie Taylor a machinist. Charlie's wife was the niece of the Wright's bicycle shop landlord, Charles Webbert.

C. Webbert's Name On Top Of The Wright's Cycle Shop Building In This Photo.

Taylor had opened a machine shop in Dayton and from time to time had done some work for the Wrights. Taylor had sold the shop and was hired as a supervisor with the Dayton Electric Company. But Charlie missed working with tools.

At the turn of the century most people worked six-day weeks and stores like the Wright's cycle shop stayed open late on Saturday's. Charlie dropped in to talk with the Wrights.

The outcome of this chance conversation was that Charlie began working for the Wrights full time the week before Chanute arrived. His wages were 30 cents per hour - a raise of 5 cents per hour over his pay at the electric company.

Taylor's assistance at the bicycle shop would free the Wrights time for their aeronautic experiments.

Taylor would later build the first aircraft motor - the engine which powered the 1903 Wright Flyer into infamy - and introduced the world to powered flight.