Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-04-16
REFUSED TO GO UP.
Balloon Ascension From Pittsfield
Mass. Did Not Take Place.

Pittaficld Mass. April 15.-tncXpect-
cdly Saturday afternoon Count Henri
dc In Naulx. the French balloonist. re-
fu"c1 to make an ascension in lie Cen
taur. balloon, claiming that the wind
made the start dangerous and that he
did. not care to risk the safety Of the
balloon or to imperil the lives of the
officials of the Aero Club who We're to
have accompanied him in his aNcen-
s,icn.
With everything apparently running
smoothly for the most-advertised bal
locn ascension this country has ever
known. with the balloon more than
thrcc-qu;irters filled with gas. the OFF,
ci&la Of the Aero Club of America or
hand and ready to make their maiden
ascension under the direction of the
World-famous balloonist, something
happened. That something has not yet
been fully explained in Pitsfield, and
the secret Of it the members Of the
Aero Club carried with them to New
York to which place they departed at
go o'clnck the ascension having been
declared off at 1.30.
Ii was said Saturday night that the
real reason for the action was that
Count NaulX refused to ascend without
q guarantee of sum Of money suffi-
cicntly large to cover any possible
damage to the balloon. 1t was said that
the amount demanded was 1000. AS
this was not Forthcoming the aeronaut
packed up and left the city.
When the decision not to make the
fight became known the split between
the officials of the Aero Club and Dr.
Thomas being fresh in mind. men on the
outskirts Of the crowd of 300 people who
had gathered to cheer the balloonist be-
gan cheers for DR.. and Mrs. Julian l..
Thomas of New York. who on last
Wednesday in the Orient sailed from
Pttsteld to Connecticut. and whose as
ccnsion had been followed by revelations
that apparently showed feeling on the
part of members of the Aero Club over
the Pittsfield ascension made by the
ThomasCs.
The big balloon was placed in position
for imitation early in the morning. At 1e
o'clock gas was turned on and ii looked
like an early flight There We're south
easterly winds which began shifting dur
ing the morning and were variable for
hours. Then the wind freshened.
de Ia Vaulx, who had been at Curtis
Hotel in Lenox, arrived on the balloon
field. He came along with eyes flash
ing and apparently very angry. There
was a heated conversation between the
count and Charles Levce, the French
acronaut, in charge Of the initiation Of the
balloon.
The count gesticulatcd vigorously anil
rcbullcd Lcvcc for filling the balloon. He
claimed that to make an ascension with
the wind blowing in gusts would be dan
grrouS. He said that he would not trust
the safety of the balloon or imrcril tn"
lives Of the officers Of the Aero Club by
an ascension.
After conference with the officials Of
the Aero Club the gas was shut off and
il was advocated that the initiation ceas"
for a time to sec il the winds did not III"
out. But the count was inssteut that =
start was dangerous He would have
nothing to do with an ascension. and
therefore the only thing for the club to do
was to dtflatc tho envelope and retire.
Charles Levcc, who was pilot for DR..
ana Mrs Thomas. is quoted as saying
that tho ascension could have been made
tic I2fuc Hill observatory in Boston SAID.
that II" had seen ascersiOnS made in
Faris when the wind was heavier, ana
New York newspaper mon stated that
when Dr. Thomas made his first aScen-,
sion from New York the wind was as
gusty as Saturday.