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Anton T. Pruckner - January 4, 1936

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.