John Whitehead remembers, his brother, Gustave, was building a 60hp motor for a customer in Fresno, California. John couldn't recall the name, except that it sounded "something like... Hill".
In 1902, the number of aviators in the USA was small. And Fresno was a tiny community with perhaps only one or two aviators. The probabilty, the Fresno aviator with a name sounding like "Hill" was actually the known Fresno aviator, Whipple S. "Hall", is high.
John Whitehead to Stella Randolph, 1934-09-03, p.5 (numbered 4)
San Francisco Call, April 24, 1910
Article accompanying above newspaper clip:
FRESNO, April 23.— Whipple S. Hall, son of Judge Hall of the district appellate court, who is to make his debut as a professional aviator in Fresno April 30, has been a student of Charles K. Hamilton for the last four years. For four months he has been almost continually with Hamilton and during that time he learned to drive an airship.
When Hall purchased his machine he made a few trial flights near Tacoma and then brought it to Mendota, where he has made many successful flights. This aviator weighs more than 200 pounds and has the distinction of being the heaviest man who ever rode in an airship.
After his performance in Fresno he will leave for San Jose, where he is scheduled to fly at the rose carnival. Hall intends to follow aerial navigation as a profession and takes a keen delight in the sport.
"It beats automobillng all to death," he declared recently, in speaking of his
experiences.
"Until the aeroplane is automatically balanced it will never be a conveyance of common use," declared Hall. "For some time I believe it will be used only for sport by young men who enjoy taking risks."
Hall is enthusiastic about his work and his machine and shows no hesitation in talking about it. He is particularly gratified because of the success he has had thus far in the heat fields near Mendota and believes that he has mastered enough of the art of aerial navigation to be able to give a good public exhibition. He will make experimental flights daily until April 30.