Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-10-10

PCrss., au@e-a>r. e~ >asA~&eC
safely landed and aboard a train ready shipment
to the nearest city Every minute from start to finish
requires vigilance the part of the pilot and there
Is too much interest well peril in the trip to
permit of sleeping. Every experienced aeronaut
realizes that balloons well the air
their erratic moods, and while the men slept they
might be dropped lifted thousands of feet with
unpleasant results. Proper clothing is, Of course
requisite because the higher attitudes very
and it Is sometimes necessary to remain for a long
ume III the upper air in order to get the
benefit of certain currents
The first contest for the internAtaonas aercnautHs
cup held In Paris. sspesuRbsw 30. 1904 and as-
racted greater attention among those interested In
aeronautics than any previous event of the kind For
weeks preceding the it was the most talked of
sporting event In Europe, and nearly all European
countries put forward their foremost aeronauts as
competitors
On the day of the practically all Paris turned
out to witness the start, and until the big balloons
had sailed out Of sight little business was the
city. The start was from the Tuieries Gardens,
where opportunity afforded for vast throngs to
the preparations for the start and to follow the
balloons, as after another they rose gracefully
and drifted away into the clouds. The Place de la
Concorde, the Quais and the lower part of the
Champs Elysees were crowded as never before and
hundreds of thousands remained gazing into the sky
long after the last balloon had shrunk In sight to
the merest speck.
Following the the anxiety and eager
to know the result and the fate of the various
competitors. The city of Paris that night and until
all the aeronauts heard from the following day
was in a state of nervous disturbance The interest
was great might have been shown In the result
of a vital national election, because In addition to
national rivalry for the victory 1t event OF
unusual character, and the possibility of disaster In
tensifed the common desire to have the first news
from each pilot after his landing
LIEUTENANT LAHNpS VICTORY
Although unexpected by some, who believed more
experienced aeronauts of Europe would have the
better chance, the first International contest won
by an American in the balloon United States The
victor was Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm, of the Sixth
United States Cavalry, who was given first place
mon his achievement of 415 miles in twenty-sx hours
and fifteen minutes Sixteen balloons started the
race and several of them drftcd the Channel
ond landed In England Lieutenant Lahm came
down near Scarborough. Santos-Dumont, who repre-
santed the Americas in the contest, met with an ac-
cident shortly after the start and finished third from
tbn last Following the names Of the 1906 con-
tnstants and the order in which they finished
/ Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm America). Descent
made fifteen miles north of Scarborough, England at
Robin Hood Bay. Distance, 647 kilometres %
Sionor Alfredo Vonwer Qtaly).
Hon Charles Stuart Rolls England.
Count Henri de la Vaulx Urance)
< CaDtain A. KindeIan y Duan SPAIN.
e Jacuues Balsan (France).
7 Professor A X. Huntington England.
Q Iientenant Emilio Herrera SPAIN.
o captain Hugo Won Abercron Germany.
~ Count de Castilon de Saint Victor (France).
- Frank Hedges Butler England.
% Senior e. G. de Salamanca SPAIN.
70 Baron Hewald Germany.
"a Alberto Santos-Dumont America).
* r Van den Dresche belgium.
ia Ing Scherle Germany.
rTbs cup having been by American 1t then
,ocau,e necessary that the next contest should be
,,od in this country, between April and November
/ 1907 and under the rules each country belonging
~ the Interna tiona Aeronautc Federation in
yited to compete. In order to become the permanent
possessor of the cup club must be victorious in
three consecutive contests so that should some one
of the American defenders win the st. Louis race
and the 1908 contest, which would again be hold in
America the cup would find permanent home with
the Aero Club of America.
Immediately after the contest in Paris members OF
the Aero Club OF America began arranging for the next
contest Cortlandt Field Bishop, president OF the
club: Alan R. Hawley and others interested IN aero
nautc sports visited various sections of the country
looking the most favorable place Tor the start
Cincinnati and other inland cities talked of. but
finally in January last, St Louis was selected as