New-York tribune., 1906-08-27
NAMES BABY NIRTANA.
DR.. Thomas also Had Tsuo Ndrro10
Escapes on Balloon Trip.

Or. Thomas ended long balloon trip late yes
terday morning in Sullivan County the chief In
cident OF which was his giving two-days-old baby
girl the name Of his balloon Nirvana. This
when he and his brother, jefferson Davis Thomas,
landed for the night at Beenerville. in Suffolk
County. The propeller attachment 20 the balloon.
devised by DR.. Thomas proved OF considerable
throughout the long flight. and in modified form
Will be attached 70 his new airship 20 aid in its
ascent and descent.
After leaving the gas works in East lssth street
Or. Thomas kept experimenting with the propeller.
He found that he could speed the propeller up 70
nearly four hundred revolutions a minute. Not
until he had reached an altitude Of about five hun
dred six hundred feet did he begin 20 feel the
effect of the rareed air seriously as 70 interfere
with his working the machine.
The balloon crossed the Hudson about 1i5th street
In the middle of the river a square rigger was
being towed upstream and the balloon. the gas be-
ing condensed by the cold air began 20 descend
rapidly. directly toward the top of the ulainmast-
The propeller failed 20 check it's drop. and not
until three bags of ballast-about 125 pounds-had
been dropped overheard did it begin TO rise again.
Il just escaped being impaled on the mast
J. D. Thomas then mounted the bicycle frame
from which the propeller is worked and acted as
motornan until the party had passed over Hacken-
sack Paterson and Ridgewood. Then the balloon
ran into a fog bank. and the two men had no way
Several toy balloons were thrown over ana as vas
learned subsequently, travelled little ahead OF the
know. however. until an hour later, when they ap
preached the ground enough to drop the drag
rope, whether the toy balloons were travelling
faster or slower than the Nrvana. After that
when they ran into the clouds they could deter
mine their direction with some degree OF eXactneSs
At Beemersville the balloon brought down
near the farm house OF John G. Newman. he ana
his family had idea what the balloon was. ana
were decidedly frightened. After z-uch persuasion
they finally caught the drag and pulled the balloon
70 the earth.
After DR. Thomas and his brother had gone to
the Newman house for supper they learned that
q girl had been born a couple OF days before The
entire family in consultation concerning Its
name and whether to call It Abigail or Genevteve
was still being debated. DR.. Thomas suggested in
Jest that the girl be named Nrvana IN honor OF the
was the prettiest and most stylish name innag
Unable, and the baby will be named Nirvana New
man. BY the time she is ready to go to school
che will probably be known as Nervy Newman
When this suggested to DR.. Thomas, however,
he displayed not the slightest sign Of rernorse
trip was resumed Much gas had been used and
DR. Thomas at once went above the clouds so
that the warmth of the might expand the gas.
Practically all the rest Of the trip was above the
clouds.
out effect and the balloon finally struck on a
wood covered hill No house was in sight. j. q.
Thomas got out. and other weight was removed,
allowing the balloon to rise and travel to the farm
house Of Willard Case, about two miles away.
Dr. Thomas landed there without difficulty, al
seriously. His brother. when they landed. had
been thrown against the anchor, and one OF its
points had penetrated both his coat and his collar
but without scratching him.