Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-09-18
WAS 1T ANDREE'S BALLOON?
Scientists Much Interested In The
Report From Siberia.


NEW YORK, Sept. ia special t.
the Herald from Washington ssyi:
Arctic explorers and scientists here
are much Interested In the report that
q balloon, supposed to be that OF An
dree, the explorer, has been seen over
the village OF ANTI fro wskoje, in thu
province OF Y6niseik. Professor vii.
liam Hsrkness OF the Naval Observa.
tory, was asksd as to the location oil
this village and the gnihcance OF the
report, anu SAID that he hal not been
able to locate the village exactly on
the map at his C mmanu, but he
found on one OF tho maps a place
marked Aniziferovsk, which he as.
sumed was ditierent spelling OF tue
lame OF The same village.
This place 10 In north latitude about
81 degrees aud lie about 200 miles ives.
Of north from krasnoirsk, the town
from which tbs telegram was sent an
Douncing that the balloon had bee
seen. Prof. Hardness said that Ms
Anuree had started in his balloon from
Danes Island to the north OF Spite pei-
gen, 1t was clear that II 1t was his
balloon he did not succeed In crossing
Wv AohhOis VI
north from his point Of departure his
general direction since he LETT TrOmsoe
has been towards the east and siu,h.
Comm odore Geo. w. Melville, u.
A., the Arctic explorer. esiC: cit IL
possible that Andres's balloon may
have been seen ana reported from the
Yeniaesk district oil Siberia but 1 am
Inclined TO doubt II the explorer ever
reached the vicinity or that the new 8
Of his being there could be communal.
Gated MT this time TO the outside world
am OF the opinion that the balloon
never went very far from SpitEoergen
ami l have for come time feared that
Andree has already met his death In
the Atotio, though even II he came
down on the lanu in the far north the
chances are he never would be heard
from.
"rhe region wheLce the news OF the
sighting OF the balloon COMES Is little
travelled from April TO October, aud 1t
would be d I'll cult Tor the Dews to be
carried to the nearest telegraph station
at this season and the natives would
mol know what the balloon was II they
saw It In the air."
Walter Wellman, the newspaper
correspondent who has made q special
Investigation of the practicability OF
Arctic bailooning discreLits the 81.
DetiAn story Though he dOss not coin.
eide with the prevailing belief that
Andree 10 lOst. In his opinion An.
dres's chances OF safety are about one
to two.
Concarnipg the latest tidings via 81.
Petetebu rR he said:
"Thers Is nothing i'm probable In the
story so far Us the geographical posi-
lion OF the Siberian village Is oDn-
cerned, and toe distance tue balloon
must have travelled to get there. The
distance which the balloon must have
Travelled from the north west OF spitz-
bergen to the Siberian village, assum.
ing that Il crossed Franz Joseph land
and tusn out TO the Arctic sea, IL some
thing like $500 miles. This he might
havu done IN much less time than
Mae weeks. Until further evidence
comes to hand the Siberian story
munt be disbeIievsd, not because OF
the distance, but because OF tue time
which has elapsed. IL would be mitsc'
ulous n Andree's balloon had retained
the power 10 float in air sixty.four
days. Aud Audree himself did not
reckon upon his ability to remain IN
the air more than forty days and twsn-
~, or at the Outside, thirty days Ia the
estimate OF otnerh familiar with aer-
notes.