Gilpin observer., 1906-10-04
BALLOON TESTS
JAMES GORDON BENNETT CUP
COMPETITION.
START MADE FROM PARIS


Successfully Cross British Channel
American Believed to Have Won
the Prize.
LondOn.-Between and 10 Monday
morning six of the sixteen balloons en-
gagged in tie contest for the James
Gordon Bennett cup, which started
from Paris Sunday afternoon, arrived
on this side of the channel and con-
tinued in a northeasterly direction.
The first 10 arrive was Count De La
Vauixs balloon, Valhalla.
Later in the day several other bal
looms were sighted at various points
In the southern counties of England.
Captain Kindala's Montanes descended
at Chichester after considerable anx-
iety lest he be carried out over the At
lantic.
Hon. o. S. Rolls Brittania passed
over Cranbrook, Kent, this afternoon,
SO high that it could scarcely be identi-
fled.
The Italian balloon Elfe, Signor Won
Willer. descended at New Holland.
Lieut.. Frank P. Lahm, Sixth cav
airy, United States army, the Ameri-
can competitor in the balloon race. de-
scended several miles south of
Whithy (about fifty miles north of
HulD at $3.50 in the afternoon. He left
at once for Paris.
The Elfe made a rather perilous de-
scent. Her anchor did not catch and
the balloon began to drift dangerously,
doing much damage to property. The
aeronauts narrowly escaped being
thrown out. The balloon finally col
iapsed across the roof of cottage, the
car dangling against the side of the
house. The occupants had to be as
sisted to the ground. They said they
mistook the Humber for the sea and
decided to land.
Lieutenant Lahm descended about
one mile inland, at Desmene farm,
Flyingdale. He said he had been car
ried by way of Caen across the chan
mel to Chichester. The actual cross
ing took from IL o'clock at night until
In the morning. He then passed to
the northward, but, finding that he was
being carried toward the open sea, he
decided to alight. Owing 10 the dry
ness of the moors his anchors at first
would not hold. and the balloon passed
dangerously near some farm build
ings. Lieutenant Lahms balloon was
in the air for twenty-three hours.
Professor Huntington, one of the
English contestants, in the Zephyr.
landed at Sittingborne. Kent. He had
trying ordeal in crossing the channel.
which took him eight hours. Other
wise his voyage was uneycntful. The
Zephyr could not have gene another
quarter Of a mile without being car.
ried out to sea.
The Walhalla. with Count De La
Vaulx. descended at 1870 Monday
afternoon at Walsingham, Norfolk. In
an interview the count said he had
splendid voyage. although the wind
had been uufavorable. He estimated
he had travelled $50 miles, His great.
est altitude was 1900 feet. The count
started at once to return to Paris.
The City of Chateaureaux. carrying
Jacques Balsar, one of the French con.
testants, has come down at Singleton,
in Sussex.
The Aero club. at Paris. officially an.
nounced Monday night that Lieutenant
Frank P. Lahm of the Sixth United
States cavalry, one of the American
contestants. was the victor in the first
competition for the James Gordon Ben
nett cup for international aeronauts.
Santos Dumont had an accident
which compelled him to descend. His
arm caught in the mechanism of his
motor. ''paralyzing it," according to a
dispatch received by the Aero club.
A telegram from Santos Dumont
says that his injury is not serious.
though 1t necessitated his being taken
to a hospital, the flesh of his arm be-
ing torn and the arm becoming numb
and stiff with the pain, which COM
PEELED him to descend.
Santos Dumont reached Paris at 6
O'Clock Monday evening and received
a great ovation at the Aero club as he
appeared with his arm in a sling He
explained the accident was caused by
the sleeve of his coat catching in the
mechanism while oiling the motor of
his balloon.
Six OF the balloons landed during the
night along the coast OF Normandy,
probably fearing to attempt the pas
sage of the channel, in which direction
the wind was bearing them. These
balloons are Santos Dumont's Two
Americas. landed near Broglie; Cap
tain Abereron's Dusseldorf, at Villers-
Sur-Mer: Lieutenant Herralca's Aya-
yay. half mile from shore between
Cabourg and Dives-Sur-Mer; Baron
Won Hevald's Potherm, at Pont Adde-
mer; Senor Salamanca's Norte at
Bloueville. near Villers-Sur-Mer. and F.
II. Buffers City of London at Bloue-
willie.
Later the Aero club received news
OF the landing of Count De st. Vic
tors Foehm at midnight. near Bloue-
Vile. The City OF Chateau Roux. pi-
loted by jacques Ralsan, landed on the
Isle Of Wight at daylight. after having
taken four hours to cross the channel.
v. Van Den Driesches Ojouki landed
at Bretigny. department Of the Eure ct
Loire.