The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-04-12
DOCTOR'S WIFE TAKES
 FIRST BALLOON TRIP
MR AND MRS. JULIANP. THOMAS GO UP WITH CHARLES
 LIZZIE.

Travel Fifty Miles Making Successful
 Descent at SOmers, COnn.--Reach a
 Height at One Time of 5000 Feee--
 Professional Aeronaut Compelled
 Once to Climb Into the Rigging to
 Free Rope that Had Become Twist
 ed--Mrs. Thomas Enjoyed Trip.
 Springfield, Mass, April 11.-After a successful balloon trip, during which they covered the fifty miles between Pittsfield, Mass, and Somers, Conn. in just three hours, Dr. Julian P. Thomas of New York and his wife, and Charles Leyee a professional aeronaut, arrived here tonight They made d successful descent near the village of Somersville at place called Jobs Hill, at 6:S0 o'clock this evening and arrived here by trolley at about 10 o'clock Dr. Thomas said it was the longest bal- loon trip he has ever made in tie course of his somewhat varied exptr- | fence as an amateur aeronaut It was Mrs Thomas first trip of the kind and she declared she enjoyed it thoroughly The highest point reached during the ascent was about 5000 feet.
 In making the ascent at Pittsfeld tic ballooon went up LOGO feet and was caught by current which carried 1t toward the Hoosac range A thick cloud soon interferred with Observation and to escape this Levee descended to a height of about 800 feet at which point the landscape became clearly wis., ible. Later as the sky cleared, all the ballast and even the life preservers in the car were tossed out until the bal loon reached the altitude of 5000 feet. The course was generally about south- east by south. The balloon passed little southwest of Springfield and crossed the Connecticut river, passing over Enfield Conn, and gradually nearing the earth as it approached the I town of Somers.
 On Jobs hill near the village of Somersville, the ballon collided lightly
 with the top of tall chestnut tree, and then sank gradually to the ground, toucEing so easily that all the occu- pants were able to alight without a bruise, and with scarcely a perceptible shock The balloon was undamaged,
 and will be shipped back, to Pittsheld
 for use in other flights in the near future. The gas bag is 35,O00 cubic feet capacity, and is one of the largest in
 use in this country. It carries a car
 easily capable of carrying three per- sons.
 Dr. Thomas said there were no unlls-
 ually exciting incidents on the trip ex7 cept that once MT. Levee was obliged
 to climb into the rigging to free a' rope which had become twisted.
 The trip was undertaken by Dr.
 Thomas with a view of ascertaining
 how far balloon would travel in one direction within a given tirne but no accurate scientific observations were
 attempted. Photographs of the land seape were taken, however, at several
 points.
 Pittsheld was selected as the starting
 point because it's location far inland would lessen the danger to a balloonist of being carried out to sea. Dr. and Mrs Thomas expect to return to New York early tomorrow morn
 ing.
 Sonnersville, Conn.,, April 11.-Dr. Jul ian F. Thomas and wife, of New York , city, and Charles Levee, a professional , aeronaut, who started in a balloon from : Pittsfield this afternoon at 2:15 o'clock } landed about two miles southeast of this place, on the farm of B. F. Kinney, at 6:15 o'clock this evening. The land- ing was easily made in meadowland. All of the party enjoyed the trip, and, though they struck a cold current, they , did not seem to mind it. The party made their way to the farmnouse and | later in the evening were driven to Somers by MT. Kinney, where they took ! the trolley for Springfield oil their way back to Pittsfield, Mass. The balloon ] is to be shipped back to the starting point tomorrow.
 ; In the course of the journey the bal loon passed over Springfield, East Windham, Thompsonville, Ellington, } and circled around in this vicinity for some time before a landing was made, , The ascension was the first of a series of amateur ascensions to be started | from Pittsheld, Mass, and the partici- , pants, although not inclined to talk - much about the trip, declared that they 3 regarded 1t as successful.
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