Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-23
HERSEY LEADS
IN BALLOON
CONTEST
CONTESTANTS SCATTERED
OVER WIDE TERRITORY
United States" Lands Near
Hamilton, Canada, Seven
Hundred Miles From Start
ing Point,

(By Morning journal Special Leased Wire !
ST. Louis. oct THE beginning
Of the end of the greatest ballooning
race ever held in America. the second
contest FOR the international cup. was
signalled tonight by the landing OF the
American balloon United states" at
a point twelve miles south of Hamil-
ton, ontario, near the shores of Lake
ontario
The United States is believed TO
rave held the lead Ia the race AZ the
time Of landing. and i'm its twenty-five
hours Of flight from 81. Louis had COW
cred a distance of approximately ZOO
miles, measured in an air line The
United states is the present holder of
the cup. and the record having es-
tablished it in the flight from Paris
last year at 402 miles. The pilot OF
the balloon IS Major Henry y. Hersey
Of the United states weather bureau
at Washington, who acted as aide to
Lieutenant Lahm. of the United stat as
army. who piloted the balloon In its
winning race of 1906 Lieutenant
Lahm was too III to participate this
.'e9r
The nearest rival to the United
states is believed to be the big chrome
yellow German cruising balloon Pom
merin, which was last reported as
whirling across Lake Erie in the teeth
Of a thirty-five- mile gale. The Pom
merin passed over Cleveland during
he afternoon and sent down a mes
age reporting "all we'll" II Is fig
ured that the Pommerin wac but a lit
tie distance behind the United States
during the afternoon, and If she is
able TO remain up after crossing the
lake there is a belief that she may ex-
20 al he 4ll tf ha F.f
states.
News of the landing of the United
states tonight was just bit disap-
pointing To the followers OF the race
here who were confidently predicting
that Major Hersey would break the
worlds record of l.200 miles. with
tn tyCeptiOn OF the United States and
Pommerin. all of the otner contestants
seem to be scattered tonight over the
state Of Ohio, several Of them near
the West Virginia border line
Throughout the day and night re-
ports Of balloons at various points In
Ohio have been coming in while De-
tr0it first sent word of the contestant
which afterward passed over the can
adian border and was last seen at
Chatham. Ontario. The Identity OF
only four Of the balloons have been
proven. Mccoy and Chandler first
reported their presence at Marion.
Ohio The last message was to the
effect that the America would descend
on the borders Of Lake Erie probably
in the vicinity of Cleveland
The German balloon Pommerin, No.
! in the race. passed over Cleveland
late this afternoon, and Pilot Erbs-
loeh dropped note saying "Open
water ahead All we'll" The POM
merin had been reported earlier In the
day IN the interior OF Ohio.
A note dropped during the morning
at New Augusta. Ind, near Indianap-.
oils conveyed the Information that the
balloon passing was the Lotus H., the
only English entrant in the, race. The
French balloon Isle de France drop
ped a message for the Associated
Press at Columbus. Ohio
There seems no doubt that the rec
ord made In the race from Paris last
year. I02 miles. viii be exceeded by
every balloon In the pres
ent race. Nearly an Of the balloons
reported In Ohio have covered more
than that distance, while those on the
Great Lakes are more than one hum
drcd miles ahead Of the record
All Of the balloons have gone TO |
the east and northeast one vagrant /
car was reported 1t 7.40 tonight as 1
passing Naukeguu. lll. iust north of /
Chicago ON the edge of Lake Mich
igsn.
The balloon America reported to the
Associated Press that it had been in
sight Of three other balloons during
most OF us Journey. one of them un-
doubtedly WAS the English Lotus a.
and another Isle de France The race
Imune the four is being Wutchew with
great Interest