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 I, Anton Pruckner, residing at 79 Scofield Avenue, declare the
following to be fact to the best of my knowledge and belief:
Picture no. 32, showing boatshaped plane with propellers on either
side, a group of four men in the foreground with steam motor on
the ground before them, was taken on the then vacant lot on Cherry
Street across from the Wilmot and Hobbs Company (now the American
Tube and Stamping Company) where later a small shop was built
in which Gustave Whitehead pursued his construction of airplanes.
It was at this shop that he was visite don several occasions by
the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, during the period between
1900 and 1903. I believe the time of their visits was actually
prior to 1902 because I left Bridgeport from two years, going
sometime in 1902. Upon my return I again worked with Gustave Whitehead
at times with his experiments. Picture No. 25 shows the shop which
was constructed on Cherry Street where the Wright Brothers visited.
The folding winged planes shown in pictures No. 2 to No. 2-C were
the ones in which we tried out the gunpowder engines. Mr. Whitehead
cranked the engine and i ran. i heard it puff and puff, then all
was quiet, we thought nothing was going to over, when all at once
there was a terrific explosion. The engine was too dangerous and
we gave up trying it. The planes were built on Pine Street.
The engine pictured in No. 4 was constructed about 1903.
Picture No. 6 displaying a man in a glider does not appear to
be Mr. Whitehead.
Picture No. 11 belongs to a period earlier than 1901, but I do
not know just when.
The engines with copper wound upon them to irradiate heat, Nos.
5, 5-A and 37 were constructed about 1902. No. 37 was earlier
than the three cylinder engines. They were not very successful
in the airplanes and Mr. Whitehead sold them.
No. 2-C shows an automobile towing a plane. The car is a TB MacDonald,
I believe.
No. 9 and 9-B flew, but not over the Sound. They were used in
flights, straight ones, over the ground.
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