The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-01-05
WAR BALLOONS.
An Interesting Government Exhibit
at the Omaha Trans-Mis-
sissippi Exposition.

Among the many interesting fea-
lures of the United States govern
ment's exhibit at the Trans-Mississip
pi exposition at Omaha, none is attract
ing greater attention than the war
balloons. Besides the monster cap
American forces at Santiago, there
are four other large balloons, each
with a capacity of $1,000 cubic feet,
sufficient to carry three or four per-
sons, and a score of small signal bal
looms. In charge of the balloons and
the half dozen carloads of apparatus
accompanying them are Capt. A. War
rem Yancey and a detachment of %
members of the United States volun-
teer signal corps, of whom about one
half were engaged in the operations
before Santiago.
The big balloon used at Santiago is
an object of intense popular interest.
One or other of the big balloons
makes several ascensions daily from
the exposition grounds.
These balloons, as stated above,
have capacity of $1,000 cubic feet of
gas. This is sufficient to raise about
500 pounds. The balloon itself, with
the car and ropes and cable. weighs in
the neighborho0d of 1900 pounds,
Each balloon can carry four persons
of average weight.
The balloons are equipped with COM
plete telephone and telegraphic APP,
paratus, communication with the
ground being obtained by means of
insulated wire paid out as the balloon
ascends, Capt, Yancey has with him
at Omaha two coils of this wire, each
$500 feet long. The wire is five
eighths of an inch in diameter and
consists of IS strands of nickel steel
and twelve strands of copper. 1t is
used for the double purpose of hold
ing the balloon and of establishing
telegraphic or telephone communica-
ton with the ground. The wire is
wound on reel connected with brass
bushing and so arranged that the com
munication is not interrupted as the
balloon ascends or descends. The daily
ascensions are made to about the linn
it of one of these coils of wire. and
from a height of from 1000 to $500
feet an excellent view of the eXposi-
ton grounds, the cites of Omaha and
Council Bluffs and the surrounding
country is obtained
A building 40 feet square on the
ground and so feet high has been
erected on the north tract to house
the balloon over night. 1t costs in the
neighborhood of $50 to initiate. and ii
is cheaper therefore to retain the gas
from day to day than to generate
fresh gas for every ascension. In or
| der that the gas may not be allowed
| to escape it is necessary to protect
| the balloon from the weather. for the
vanished silk of which it is made is
very quickly ruined when little rain
| gets to it.
In addition to the quarter of a hun
bred balloons, large and small. Capt
| Yancey has with him at Omaha two
stationary generators and one port
| able field generator and portable boil
er, two gasometers, one of which was
made in Omaha, and $50 tubes, each oil
| which will hold about $50 cubic feet
| of gas compressed.
Of almost equal interest with the
balloon ascensions are the daily ex-
hibitions of visual signaling which are
given by Capt. Yancey's men. Every
| member of the United States signal
| corps is an expert signalist, either
with the telegraph or the Photograph
or with the flags. The flag signaling
or wigwagging as it is termed, is very
| interesting to watch. The signalmer
are provided with small colored flags
with which they do their talking.
| dip to the right or the left or some
combination of such movements rep
| resents each letter of the alphabet ir
accordance with what is known as the
Myer code. The two squads of men are
! separated by the lagoon at sufficient
/ distance to prevent any verbal com
| munication. but near enough for the
| public to watch both operators at the
same time. The exhibitions with the
Photograph, or signaling by means Of
| sun flashes. are also of great popular
interest. 1t is interesting o note that
both the wigwagging and the hello
graph systems of signaling were de
rived from the Indians.-Expositio
Press Bureau.