Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-13
NEXT BALLOON VOYAGE
PLANS TRIP FROM CHICAGO TO
NEW YORK.


ternat:onal balloon races at Paris next
month will have to struggle, DR.. Julian r.
Thomas will take his balloon to Chicago
and try for a flight to New York The
date for the start of this long trip has not
been set, but 1t will be well in advance OF
the races in Paris. and the flight will be
attempted, in all probability, before the end
of this month.
DR.. Thomas will initiate his balloon with
hydrogen, giving it far greater lifting
capacity, permitting him to carry COM
panfon aeronaut and an abundance of bal
last and provisions. The imitation of the
great silk bulb will cost $40, and this
sum, with the pay of guide, the expenses
of the journey west, and the equipment
for the trip and other details, will make
the ascension one of the -costliest ever made
in this country.
at is my hope" said DR.. Thomas yes
terday. ito see America outstrip the French
in their ballooning experiments and hold
the world records for successful flights. We
are very near doing that now. and with
some of our very wealthy men interested In
ballooning it will not be long before Amer
lea will have France in the background. Our
men have the nerve and the money, and in
little while the French will not be able
to compete with u.s."
Study Of Air Currents.
In his previous flights DR.. Thomas has
advanced far in the study of air currents.
With a great abundance of ballast which
the hydrogen will permit him to take along,
he will be able to search the upper regions
for swift, favorable Winds and he believes
that he can find them and guide the MIR
vana to New York successfully.
Dr. Thomas may take Maj. c. ]. s. Miller
of Pittsburg with him on his long voyage.
Major Miller's successful flight in the new
airship built for him by Leo Stevens at
Franklin, Pa, last Friday, and Mrs. Mil
=ler's flight on Saturday have introduced
them into the ballooning world as potent
factors in the development of the scientific
sport in this country. The ma jor's wealth is
such that the cost of an afrship or two
says DR.. Thomas, than the purchase of an
automobile or two. DR.. Thomas is enthusi-
astic over his advent as an airship traveller,
believing that with few of the wealthy
men of the country interested, great strides
will be made in ballooning in this country.
he onered me his afrship to bring along
TO New York with me when 1 was at Frank
lin last Friday said DR.. Thomas. II will
nave an aerodrome built here, and use the
ship for a number of flights. In the mean
while l am having my own airship built
one that will be radically new. 1t has six
or eight new devices which will make it
different from others built so far, and as
any OF these devices may develop into a
man killer. We will first operate the ma
chine by means of electric wires from the
earth. The machine will be put together
outside Of the city and preliminary tests
made without an operator in the car Ny
own workmen are engaged on it, and the
work is being done with the greatest re-
gard for secrecy"
The Miller Airship.
OF the second fight of the Miller airship
at Franklin on Saturday Dr. Thomas re-
ceived detailed report by telegraph yes
terday. Mrs. Miller, the first woman to
make an ascension in this country in a
dirigible balloon, was reported to have worn
her prettiest pink dress, pink shoes and
pink hat with streaming white feathers
She lost neither nerve nor feathers accord
ing to report, and was the envy of the
other women who wanted to make the as
cension. After landing Mrs. Miller, Stevens
tried to return to the aerodrome. His en-
CINE broke down and he began to drift over
the city, and for miles beyond in the coun-
try. He could be seen at work in the
frame, 1000 feet above, trying to remedy
the break in the engine, after having bal
anced the machine with sand bags and then
having climbed along the structure to the
engine. A large party in automobiles had
along chase over rough roads, and finally
located him, with the ship moored to
tree,
DR.. Thomas says that the Pittsburg as
tensions were important, not only because
of the demonstration of the ease with which
the ship could be driven and steered, but
becaue they will greatly increase the I'M
terest in such experiments generally. He
expects that interest to greatly Increase
here when the ship is put in his care. He
will ascend with Stevens, and perhaps af-
terward by himself or with Mrs. Thomas,
when he has mastered the craft.
DR.. Thomas is having trouble with the
life insurance companies which granted
policies to him. He is unable to get any
new insurance, and has been importuned
by companies holding risks on his life to
change his policies, allowing him larger
sums. but nothing in the event of his death
in balloon accident.