1911-10-12-sc-p6-reuben-bowers-flys-in-spokane
October 12, 1911 Spokane Daily Chronicle Page 6:
BOY AVIATOR IN SPOKANE TO FLY
--- Reuben Bowers Skips Over Prairie, but Is Unable to Ascend Into Air. --- Utilizing the prairie east of Spokane as an aviation field, Reuben Bowers, the Lincoln county farmer boy, Is busy completing the final adjustments to the biplane which he hopes will give him fame as an inventor and aviator.
Bowers, who made several successful short flights in his father’s grain fields near Harrington, Monday soared for a short distance above the prairie near the upriver pumping station, He has not however, succeeded in making adjustments for an extended flight.
May Fly Tonight.
The machine, which combines features both of the Wright and Curtiss machines, has a 60-horsepower Elbridge motor. Bowers tested the machine today, but was, unable to get sufficient speed out of his motor. He skipped merrily over the rock-strewn prairie, but could not leave the ground. Suspecting defects in his carburetor, he sent to the city for a new one and was confident of making a more ambitious flight this evening.
Bowers has executed a bill of sale to his machine to Max Mecklenburg, a wealthy farmer, living 10 miles west of Davenport. Mecklenburg is helping Bowers to get the machine in flying condition. The two will crate the machine tonight and ship it to Colville, where Bowers has a date to fly at the Stevens county fair.
