Albuquerque morning journal., 1907-10-21
BALLOON MEN
READY FOR
BIG RACE
GERMANY, FRANCE AND
ENGLAND SEND ENTRIES
Nine AirshipS Start This After
noon in Effort to Smash Re-
cent Record Established by
Mccoy and Chandler

~ LOUIS OCt' 1V.--ACIdnSenl6IlS
have all been completed for the second
international aeronautic contest, which
will begin at 4 o'clock Monday after
noon. Nine balloons have been en-
tered, representing America, Ger
many, France and England
The first international contest was
held last year at Paris, at which Lieu
tenant Frank P. Lahm of the United
States cavalry, by fight of 402 miles
won the James Gordon Bennett cup,
the trophy of the contest. The cup is
an object of art IN massive silver, VAL
ued at $2,50O, and was offered by
James Gordon Bennett to the aero
naut covering the longest distance in
a single fight. If the cup is won
three times IN succession by an aero
naut it then becomes the property of
the aeronautic club of which he is a
member. The winner of the cup in
each international contest, by the
terms of the donor will receive in ad-
dition a prize of s2,5OO in cash, to-
gether with one-half of the eAtry fees
and forfeits. The contestant finishing
second Will receive, one-third and the
contestant finishing third the remain
der of the entry fees and forfeits.
This second competition for the Ben
nett cup was organized by the Aero
club Of America under the rules of the
International Aeronautic federation
and will be conducted under the aus
pices of the Aero club of st. Louis.
The. first five days of the week will
be devoted TO aeronautics. On Monday
the principal feature of the entire
aeronautic meet will open the pro-
gram, when the e,nlne balloons will as
cend in the international long dis
tance race for the Bennett cup. Tues
day there will be a contest of aero
planes or flying machines Of the heav-
1er-than-air type, with total cash
prizes of $2.500
Wednesday there will be contest
for airships and vehicles of the
lighter-thar-air type. with total prizes
OF $2,500. Thursday the contest of
flying machines for the Scientific
American cup will be held. Friday
will be "free-for-all' day in which
any kind of air craft that will get
above the ground may participate in
the contest to win the Lahm cup,
which has just been won by Aeronauts
Mccoy and Chandler in their long bal
loon flight from st. Louis to West Vir-
gnia.
Aeronautic interest centcrs chiefly
on the international balloon race. Ac-
cording to tho announcement of the
Aero club, the first balloon, the Pom
mern, viii be sent up at 7. m, Mon
day, and others will follow at not less
than five minute intervals. The bal
looms entered in the race, their pilot
and the companion who will accom-
pany each pilot, the country repre-
scnted, and the cubic feet of gas ca
pacity of each balloon are as follows.
given In the order in which they " Il
start:
Pommern Germany: Oscar Erbi-
loeh, A. Lawrence; $4,000
United States, America; Major II.
Il. Hersey a, T. Arthur; 1880.
Rlsle de France, France; Alfred
lie Blanc, e. w. Mix; 1900.
Dusseldorf. Germany Captain
Hugo Won Abercron, II. Heidemann:
1900.
Lotus II, England; G. Brewer lie
Brabazon; $500.
America, America; ]. c. Mccoy,
Captain De f, Chandler; 1900.
Anjou, France Rene Cashier,
Charles Leyee: 79,50O.
Abercron, Germany; Paul Nickel,
Herr Polantz $4,000.
st, Louis, America Alan r. Hawley,
August Post, 1900.
All the details of the race are in
charge of commission appointed by
the Aero CLUB of America.
Next in importance in the features
Of the program is the competition by
aerial vehicles of every kind, which
are divided into classes as follows:
First-Diriglble airships which are
lighter than air, being made so that
the bag or envelope contains gas
lighter than air.
Second--Machlnes heavier than air.
which are designed to be lifted from
the ground and propelled by the pres
sure OF planes or extensive surfaces
OF some light or material against the
air.
All the air craft have reached st.
Louis and are being assembled on
the plot OF ground In Forest Park
whence the ascensions will be made.
The plot of ground Is at the eastern
end Of Forest Park. about two miles
from the site Of the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition. and is one of the
highest points in the city. Its height
makes the selection agreed on for
aeronautlcs as 1t Is far removed from
wires that might entangle the baskets
and smoke stacks that might interfere
with the flight.
The balloonlng ground proper IL
about 100 yards wide by 10 yards
long and is enclosed by fence OF
wire netting. Twenty feet inside this
fence Is still another wall OF netting,
this inner court being reserved exclu-
siyely for the aeronauts, contest OFF,
clals members Of the United States
slgnal corps and the scientific men
who Will assist Ne initiating, and so
strong viii the Gordon Of soldiers be
that none other may entor. no matter
what his rank or title.