New-York tribune., 1906-08-07
In AIR FOR Is HOURS.
4 RECORD BALLOON TRIP.
DR.. Thomas and Knabenshue Land
at Brant Rock, Mass.
rBy Telegraph TO Tho Trinune.l


Brant Rock Mass, Aug. 6-After crossing
four states and having landed once for break
fast DR. Julian p. Thomas and Roy knabenshue
ended the midnight balloon trip which began at
Port Morris, New York City, at Brant hoch'
Mass not far from the old home OF Daniei
Webster More than three hundred miles hao
been covered by the balloonists in little less
than fifteen hours From Port Morris to Brant
Rock In a straight line is somewhat over 20
miles, but the air currents, sending the balloon
first off to one side and then 70 the other. mate
rally increased the distance. The balloon was
cast loose at the East 13Sth street gas works at
SAP p. m. yesterday and landed at Brant Rock
at about 11:30 a. to-day.
When he landed, DR.. Thomas said that the bal
loon trip was the most successful that has been
made yet since the revival of interest in the
sport surprising any record made by any other
member of the Aero Club. The landing was
practically without incident the balloon being in
no wise injured, although Knabenshue received
a few cuts of no great consequence.
At nearly all points of its 300-mile trip the
balloon was seen from the cities and towns
along the Sound. Twice the balloon passed
within hailing distance OF yachts on the Sound,
and at Noank, one hundred miles this side of the
landing place. Knabenshue brought the balloon
down by means of the new windlass and the
anchor rope TO the ground. where some food and
water were procured, after which the voyage
was continued.
The trip over the Sound began about an hour
after the earth was left behind, when the bal
loon passed over City Island headed toward
Sands and NIatinnecock points, on the Long ISL
and shore. Above them was the August moon, hot
and angry looking, while the Sound stretched
out toward the Race and Plum Gut like a silver
mirror. Travelling fast as the light air.
the heat was as intense the sweltering
earth beneath them. Scores of yachts, off
toward Larchmont and as far along the shore as
Greenwich and Indian Harbor, could be seen.
their bodies and sails snow white in the moon
light.
Suddenly a low lying cloud bank appeared
along the Sound just below the balloon. The
horns and whistles OF the coastwise buoys and
light stations along shore drifted up to the two
men in indistinguishable medley of sound, so
that It was impossible even TO guess where they
were.
Somewhere off Bridgeport. the fog horn Of a
yacht heard with startling distinctness i'm
medately beneath them Knabenshue brought
the balloon down close over the craft and near
ly frightened the watch to death by hailing
them from above From them he learned his
exact position, and the balloon rose again above
the gradually thinning fog bank.
About o'clock the fog had lifted enough for
the party to see the dark outline of the shore
gradually lifting through the haze as they ap-
preached. AS they swept inshore DR.. Thomas
let the anchor trail until It caught: then. work
ing the windlass to which the line had been
made fast, the two aerOnauts pulled the balloon
down 20 the ground landing in the garden patch
OF Tilton Eldredge, Of NOank. The aerOnauts
had breakfast with Mr. Eldredge, and after
taking some water aboard UP with the anchor
and away again. The SUMS heat expanded the
ha1
the loss sustained by the descent. and the highest
altitude OF the whole voyage was reached soon
arter leaving Noank The wind still held from
the southwest. and the balloon gradually left
the Sound behind. soaring over the hills and
meadows of Rhode Island. At Warwick the
balloon was dropped near enough TO the earth
TO allow the passengers to ascertain their where
aboutS once more After passing this point the
balloon kept on over Narragansett Bay and be-
yond into Massachusetts,. travelling at about ten
miles an hour. Hills rivers meadows and bay
stretched fiat as the book Of a musical comedy
below the party@ The manufacturing cities of
Southeastern New England were noticeable only
through the smoky haze that overlay them, the
big factories fattening out indistinguishably as
the balloon passed over them Only as they
were raised distantly on the horizon did the
buildings look anything like what a normally
built structure should.
Finally Massachusetts, Bay was sighted, green
and blue in the sun, high up. ALMOST TO
the edge of the shore the two men allowed the
balloon to drift, and not until a ducking was
almost inevitable did they make their final land
ing. Dumping along as the basket hit the ground
and the gas retained it's buOyancy, the balloon
finally came to stop in the meadow belonging
10 George III. Thomas, at Brant Rock on the
Brant Rock side Of the Green Harbor River,
near the old Duxburgh turnpike The open
water of Massachusetts Bay was scarcely three
hundred yards away
Brant Rock is one of a group Of popular sum-
mer places in Plymouth County. The balloon
was seen approaching a long time before it
landed and almost as soon as the aeronauts had
jumped out of the car the cottagers and hotel
guests from Marshfield, Duxbury. Green Harbor
Scituate and other South Shore resorts arrived.
After packing up the balloon DR.. Thomas and
Knabenshue went to Boston. where the former
telephoned to Mrs Thomas. He will return
home tomorrow morning.