Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-23
THE SPORTING NEWS.
BALLOON IN CANADA, United States Lands Twelve Miles
 South of Hamilton.
ESTABLISHES A NEW RECORD

American Airship Piloted by Major Hersey of Weather Bureau In Twen- ty.slx Hours of Flight From St. Louis Covers 62o Miles.
 St. Louis, Oct. 23.-Widely separated by the winds, before which they are | flying, the nine balloons which start ed in the international cup race at St. Louis on Monday afternoon were re- ported from many points in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. But two of the craft left sure traces by which they may be followed, and these are, from all information at hand, the leaders in the big race.
 Flying low, in some places but 150 feet in the air, the United States, pilot ed by Major Hersey, who has gained fame as meteorological expert, cross ed Illinois, thence across Lake Mich igan and Lake St. Clair to the middle of Lake Erie, when a change of wind carried it north into Canada, where it landed twelve miles south of Hamil ton, in the province of Ontario.
 The United States is far ahead of the record made in the European races by Lieutenant Lahm, whose balloon won the international cup by sailing from Paris to point in England 402 miles.
 American Sets New Record.
 The achievement of the balloon Unit ed States, piloted by Major Hersey, in travelingaa distance of 620 miles from this city to close to Hamilton, Ont, not only breaks the record made by Lieu tenant Lahm from Paris to England, but also bids fair to be the best dis tance record in the contest which started here.
 The nearest competitors, so far as known, are two balloons whose identi- ty is not established which passed over Wheeling, W. Va. They showed no indication of planning an immediate landing and passed due eastward. Eli ther or both these may surpass the new record set by Major Hersey, but aeronauts here say this is improba ble. Both of these are believed to German balloons.
 The Pommern Reaches Ontario.
 The Pommern, Oscar Erbsloeh pilot one of the German balloons, was de- clared ly the Germans to be away ahead at the last reports. It was seen passing over Caledonia, Ont, going rapidly at low altitude and easterly. The first reports of the balloon from the Dominion came after it had cross ed Lake Huron and reached Chatham. Ont. It was reported at Highgate, Ont, about half an hour later and then from Caledonia.
 The movements of the other German balloon, either the Dusseldorf, piloted by Captain von Abercron, or the Aber-- cron, piloted by Paul Meckel, is some distance behind the one reaching Can ada, but still leading the rest of the field by a considerable margin. It is supposed to be over West Virginia, having followed closely the route taken by J. C. Mccoy when he got the Lahm cup. Mccoy and Captain Chand. Ter, in the America, are supposed to have landed somewhere near Lake Erie.
 Four Airships In Ohio.
 The French balloon L'Isle de France, Alfred Leblanc, pilot. passed over Springfield. o. It was travelling toward the southeast at a fairly low altitude. A message in French was dropped there by Leblanc and Edgar w. Mix, his aid. 4 stamped envelope was in- closed. and the message, translated. reads as follows:
 "We have arrived at Springfield. | Our direction Is northeast
 In all four balloons passed over Co., lumbus. O., during the day. the Ger man balloon Pommern heading the | procession. Just east of that city a l note was dropped from the car of the l POmmern reading. Travelling north 1 easterly direction" It also stated that | about thirty bags of sand had been | used. with about 2.OO0 pounds left.
 At Cleveland another note was drop | ped from the Pommern securely wrap | ped with a small bag of sand. The al- | titude attained by the balloon at the 1 sN -.-oz n Dn-