The History: Octave Chanute wrote to Wilbur in response to his letters of September 19th and October 1st.

Chanute was delighted to learn the Wrights' freight was not destroyed in the Elizabeth City depot fire. He also is pleased to hear that the Wrights' hovering experiments have gone well. "This is great as a beginning and I hope you will next turn a full circle in soaring, as a preliminary to your more ambitious projects."

Chanute acknowledged that his own business matters might prevent him from visiting the Wrights' camp this year. In particular, one of his managers has fallen ill with typhoid fever.

He asks Wilbur to be sure to keep him informed of their progress and that he will try and visit them.

Farther north on the Potomac River in Virginia, another experimenter attempted human flight today. Operated by his assistant, Charles Manly, Professor Samuel Langley, secretary of the Smithsonian Institute attempted manned powered flight in his machine called the Aerodrome.

The Aerodrome was designed to be launched over water from an elevated catapult. The machine moved down a track developing speed and then [hopefully] would fly under its own power.

Unlike the Wright brothers who were relatively unknown and experimented in an extremely obscure and isolated area, reporters followed Langley's progress and were skeptical of human flight.

Manly operated the machine wearing automobile goggles and a cork life jacket. With press reporters looking onward, skyrockets were launched to alert photographers as the engine started and the catapult released.

Unfortunately, the Aerodrome sped to the end of the track and then simply plunged into the water. While Manly waited to be rescued, a reporter reached him in a rowboat and insisted on an interview [or else the reporter would print his own thoughts on what happened].

The newspapers capitalized on Langley's failure. The New York Times newspaper stated human flight "would eventually be evolved if mathematicians and mechanics worked steadily for the next one million to ten million years."

The "more ambitious project" Chanute mentions is the Wrights' powered machine. The Wrights' will achieve the first manned controlled powered flight in two months. How would you interpret Chanute's comments? Do you think Chanute realizes that the Wrights are close to success? Do you think he has underestimated the Wrights capabilities?

First quotation from the book The Papers of Wilbur and Orville Wright, Volume 1 by M. McFarland.

Second quotation from the book Wilbur And Orville by F. Howard.