115 Years Ago, 1911, transcribed as originally published in the Youngstown Vindicator

“Local man, Wright pupil, will fly over this city. Albert Elton had displayed unusual ability as a bird man and has interested Orville Wright, who has been giving him lessons at Dayton — Exhibition will be given here on Labor Day — will be given a pilot’s license.”

“Youngstown has a real bird man. He is Albert Elton, one of the best known automobile dealers of the city.

“Mr. Elton is at present in Dayton, Ohio, learning the fine points of running an aeroplane from the famous Orville Wright, and is coming back here to give his fellow townsmen a real exhibition of the art of flying on Labor Day.

“Mr. Elton, who resides at 23 Glenaven Avenue, has been in the automobile business here for several years. In fact he was one of the pioneers just as he is going to be one of the local pioneers in negotiating the lofty atmospheric heights in the flying machine. He has been an agent for the Cadillac automobile and other leading makes of cars and has been a student of the motor car business, but two years ago when it first became likely that man was going to surmount the difficulties of flying, he decided to investigate the subject for himself. As a result he has been studying with increasing enthusiasm and perfecting himself in the work. Elton went into the question quietly and only a few of his friends knew that he was thinking of entering the aviation field.

“A week ago he decided that he was qualified to take up the actual practice of flying and determined that instead of risking a Darius Green stunt he would go and sit at the feet of one of the masters. So Elton went to the shrine of the aeroplane enthusiasts at Dayton, Ohio, and joined the constantly increasing group of students of the Wright Brothers.

“The local man at once demonstrated to Orville Wright that he was no novice in the knowledge of the theory of flying and the mechanism of the various parts of the aeroplane. The Wrights have a number of instructors who generally take charge of those who come to Dayton to learn to fly but Orville Wright became so interested that he took up the task of instructing Elton himself.

“Elton, who is absolutely fearless, took to flying like a duck to water. He is an expert on gasoline engines and consequently had no trouble with the feature of running an aeroplane. Orville Wright himself took two flights with Elton Saturday and the king of the bird men declares that they never had so apt a pupil. He is in fact enthusiastic over the Youngstown man. At the same time that Wright has been learning, Lt. Hall of the United States Army and Brewer, the famous author of ‘Eagle of the Air,’ were taking lessons but they had to take a back seat for Elton.

“Weather conditions permitting, Elton will be through with his course of instructing and take the final test on Tuesday. If he passes this rigid examination he will be awarded a pilot’s license by the Wrights after a remarkably short period of tuition. This license by the American Aeronautic’s Association and only those who hold it are entitled to enter the big meets of the bird men throughout the country.

“Elton told a local friend who has returned from Dayton that he would positively make a flight in Youngstown on Labor Day weather permitting. He has invested several thousand dollars in the venture and has already ordered a special 60 horse power machine of the latest approved type. Elton has several contracts to fly elsewhere and will probably devote all his time to the business from now on.”

• Compiled by Dante Bernard, museum educator at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.