September 20, 1894

My dear Sir,

I mail you with this 12 numbers of "Aeronautics" containing all the proceedings of the Conference on Aerial Navigation in Chicago.

This publication has now ceased to exist, but it has led to the establishment of an Aeronautical department in the "American Engineer" of which I am to be the Associate Editor.

You will soon be writing the report of your experiments this year, for publication in the "Zeitschrift" or other German paper, and there is the utmost desire in this country to learn of your experiments, which have been looked upon by myself and others as the most valuable thus far made.

I beg that you will do the "American Engineer" and myself the favor of having a full copy made, at my expense, of your proposed article, and send it to me in advance of its publication. I will have it translated and hold it until the time when it is to be published in Germany, so that it may appear simultaneously in the two countries; say at November 1. For that purpose, I should have it here about October 15, or otherwise it can only appear in America on the 1st of December.

I will remit the amount of the expense upon heating from you.

I again request that you should send me a photograph of yourself. I see your picture in "McClure's magazine" for September, but I want one for myself. I learn also that you have been so liberal as to send plans of your apparatus to an Engineer in New York, and to one in Massachusetts, and I am confirmed in the esteem which led me to write the editorial about you which you will find in the April»Aeronautics».
 

I wrote to your brother July 5 and sent a copy of my book, which I hope you have received.

Respectfully
0.Chanute

If you will write to me in German Iwill have your letter translated.

(Subsequent to the letter shown below, Chanute compiled a list of bicycle manufacturers who might be interested in purchasing Lilienthal's patent and marketing his glider in the USA. Charles M. Lamson was one of the persons on the list.)

                                                                                                       Sep.24, 1895

Dear Sir,

I have received your two letters of 9th and 11th inst.

Contrary to the usual practice of European inventors, I think you make a fair offer for the sale of your American patent, but it may take some little time to find a purchaser with the requisite commercial instinct to make money out of so unusual an invention.

I will try to find such a person, as I recognize that it would not be in my line to organize the business so as to make it a popular sport. Meantime I have put a paragraph into the «American Engineer»,of which I sent you a copy, stating that you have improved your apparatus so that unskilled persons can learn its use. I shall be glad to have further information in confirmation of this.

Respectfully
0. Chanute