Amos Root saw nothing.
Wilbur Wright built his first working plane in France during the summer of 1908.
A letter dated July 24, 1908, sent from France by Hart O. Berg (a business representative of the two brothers) to Orville Wright, who was in Dayton, US, clearly states that Wilbur was building his plane in Le Mans, France and the Bariquand factory had just tested a motor, for Wilbur, that had run for 58 minutes and reached 1440 turns per minute.
Before the end of July 1908 the two inventors from Dayton did not have suitable engines for their machines and could not have flown.
1908-07-24, Hart O. Berg, “Letter to Orville Wright”, Paris, July 24, 1908, 1 page.
"HART O. BERG, TÉL 565-56 32, AVENUE DES CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES, PARIS, 24th July 1908
TELEGRAMS HARTOBERG LONDON, PARIS, BERLIN, ST. PETERSBURG.
Orville Wright Esq., 1127 West Third Street, DAYTON, OHIO.
My dear O.W.,
I enclose confirmations of cables received and sent. It is too bad that the papers will not stop butting into our business. I have had all I can do to keep matters straight with them.
I went down to Le Mans on Monday to see Wilbur, and worked with him there for several days, returning here the night before last. Wilbur’s arm is as well as can possibly be expected. He was badly scalded of course; but the idea of gangrene and an operation is ridiculous. I hope my cable of today was perfectly plain.
I telephoned Wilbur this morning, he was at the shop at Bollee’s, and of course he laughs about the newspaper reports, except that he is worried that it should have worried you and your good family.
I did not think it worth while to cable you when the accident took place, as I had the Associated Press attenuate the seriousness of his reported injuries. You may rest assured that if anything serious happened I would be the first to let you know directly. Please tell your Father and Sister that both Mrs. Berg and myself are here to look after Wilbur, and not to be alarmed at any reports that they may see in the paper. You and they know perfectly well that newspaper reports concerning the Wright Bros. are very wild.
The machine is about completed. Wilbur has his arm bound up; but as soon as he can use it freely I think that all will be ready to make his first trials. I shall return to Le Mans on Monday, and we shall then take the machine out to the shed on the racecourse.
Bariquand’s motors seem to be turning out alright. They ran one of them yesterday for 58 minutes. There was no heat, and they got as high as 1440 turns, of course with your regulation fan attached.
Bleriot smashed his machine pretty badly yesterday. He got caught in a twist of wind, and came a cropper.
I see in this morning’s paper that Farman has cabled you a challenge for $10,000. I suppose he will back out of this when he sees what you are doing at Fort Meyer.
Trusting that you are well, and progressing quickly with what you are doing on your side, I am, with best regards, in which Mrs. Berg joins,
Ever faithfully yours, Berg"