The semi-weekly messenger., 1906-07-27


Eye View Pictures-The Balloon
>natches Up Everything in Reach.
bur Finally Lands in the Water
Outfit Dragged Ashore.
Leo Stevens and Charlie Levee, the
aeronauts. took james H. Hare the
photographer for a balloon ride over
New York this afternoon. Mr.. Hare
Says they'll never take him for an
other. At the very start off the bal
loon banged into tree,and, glancing
off, shot up into the rear of a tenament
house, tearing away numerous clothes
lines The balloon collided with the
corner of fiat house and then
scraped over the top Of tall factory
| chimney before it finally got clear and
sailed through the air as a we'll be-
hayed balloon should
The ascension was made from the
plant of the New York and Richmond
Gas company, at Clifton, Staten Is
! land. II took five hours to fill the bal
loon, and it was 2:3O when the start
was finally made. The object of the
ascension was to float over Manhattan
Island and enable Mr.. Hare to make
photographs of different points OF the
city with a new camera he has recent
ly invented
Just as the balloon started to as
cend, a gust of wind carried il into
tree and a crashing of branches caus-
ed those on the ground TO think that
the bag had been ripped. 1t was not,
however. The balloon cirOmed away
,, from the tree and swerved toward the
rear of a row of tenement houses on
Bay street
The balloon next bumped against me
corner of q house and knocked the
three men in the basket from their feet
Getting free it slid over the top of
tall factory chimney some distance
away. So close was the car to the
top Of the chimney that when Levea
peeped over the top of the basket his
hair was slightly singed. The balloon
| then scared upward in good fashion
and the breeze carried it directly to-
| ward the city.
Some distance north Of the Williams
| burg bridge the wind carried the bal
| loon over toward Long Island. When
over Flushing Bay. short distance
| out from shore, Stevens decided 10
| test his new scheme-a sea anchor
| This is canvas bag, the mouth OF
| which is extended by means Of III
| iron hoop Stevens idea is that when
| this is lowered into the water and filed
| it will prevent the balloon from being
carried out TO sea- The anchor work
cd all right today, but the balloon did
| not behave we'll when held captive
The big bag did a series Of plunginS
| stunts that caused the basket TO SwOOp
| down into the water half dozen
! times.
Stevens and Levee decided it was
! time TO throw out moore ballast. They
| had very little left, and when the bal
| loon refused TO rise it was found neceS-
sary 70 ship Mr.. Hare's two cameras.
They were about TO hurl overheard the
canvas sack containing the plates, but
| the photographer sat down on the bag
and said If they went he, TOO, would so
as ballast. Meanwhile, the three men
were drenched 70 the skin
| \ LOT of folks on the shore witnessed
all this, and Il number of boats put out
TO the rescue. The first boat 10 reach
the balloon was the slOop yacht Ace-
line As the sloop ran alongside the
| basket. which by this time was sunk
in several feet of water, the big gas
bag swung hard against the mast and
II looked for time as il the sloc2
would be overturned. The mast, how
ever ripped a big hole in the bag. caus-
ing the gas to leak rapidly The photo--
rapher and his plates were the first 10
be rescued. Then Stevens and Levee
were lifted OUT 10 the deck OF the
sioOp.
The Adeline is equipped with a las
engine. As the big envelope settled
down into the water il got causat
in the propeller and more damage was
done TO the balloon.
The whole outfit was finally dragge
aboaord and taken ashore.-New i6rs;
Special TO TIE Washington Post.