New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-22

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boiled eggs. timed meats and water bottles
sufficient for three-day journey in cloudland
was hauled beneath the bag. and it the
work of few moments to connect the rigging
which led from the webbing to the basket
The Pommern Ightened of all but ten
bags of sand, and It floated for few minutes
just above the ground. haIfscore of men keep
ing tight grasp of the basket. Ten seconds
before the start the official timekeeper began to
count the seconds to the pilot
Ten nine, eight" he shouted, and so on down
to two, one" and then the command CO.
There remained a halyard to he fastened. and
it was thirty1ve seconds later before the Pom
mern's pilot gave the word to cast off
The big, yellow balloon gave sliding leap into
the air, the band played, the multitude shouted
and the race was on.
Drifting but slightly to the north and west
the Pommern rose steadily. Then sand came
drifting down, and the Pommern shot upward
more rapidly.
The United States. the first of the American
representatives to get away, was pushed into
starting position just after the Pommern had
cleared the ground. The United States is the
balloon in which Lieutenant Lahm made his
victorious ascent at Paris last year. and the
Major II. B. Hersey the pilot. was ready for
the word to go long before It was given. and the
balloon was away on the instant Of 400 o'clock
cheered until the basket was out of range The
United States swept away at a low level and
barely cleared some stubby trees in the in
closure. Making better longitudinal distance
10 the north than the Pommern, the United
States was apparently we'll ahead before they
were swallowed in the gloom of the smoky dis
lance.
LIsle de France. first OF the French contest
ants TO get under way. and regarded as one OF
the most likely balloons in the race. was third
10 get the starters word. It took a course lust
above that followed by the United States
The Dusseldorf. another OF the German con-
testants fourth away and followed the
Pommern 70 the higher attitudes where thev
were Joined later by the Abercron tho last Of
the German trio and smallest balloon In the
race. The three German balloons were longest
visible from the park on account Of the higher
positions they took.
Tho only English balloon. Lotus II. formerly
Niv'cnne ", went up without a hitch
The first excitement attending possible mis-
hap did not come until the start OF the Amer
lea. sailed by J. c. Mccoy and Captain c. Def.
Chandler When released, the America stood
stationary for several moments and then glided
or directly toward the grandstand. In their ef-
forts 10 acknowledge the demonstration I'm their
honor the aronauts did not notice the danger
until shouts OF warning went up from the
crowded stand. Then Chandler reached for a
ballast bag but before he could heave It over
board a gust OF wind swept the basket clear OF
the lodging spectators. This excitement and
the safe escape were repeated with the ascent OF
the st. Louis Allan r. HawIey had slowed all
OF his ballast inside tho basket. and II was said
to be due to this that the new start was decided
on rather than attempt TO tighten the car.
Tho crowd waited and watched in the coming
night until the last of the yellow globes disap-
peared. Then came hours OF waiting for pos
sible reports of the wandering rronauts. Sew
eral early reports were questioned as referring
TO test balloons they came from several d.
rcctons and distances.
The official order OF the start was follows:
4 p. m.-Cierman balloon. Pomern. u 900 cubic
feet capacity, oscar ErbsOch. pilot; Professor
Clayton. aid.
4O5 p m-American balloon. United States.
1920 cubic feet. Major III. Il. Hersey. pilot;
40 p m.-French balloon. L'Isle de France
1900 cubic feet: Alfred Leblanc. pilot; Edgar
W. Mix. aid.
600 cubic feet; Captain Hugo Won Abercorn.
pilot. II. Heidcmann. aid.
30 D. m.-English balloon. Lotus IL. $3.50
cubic feet; Griffith Brewer, pilot; Lieutenant
BrahaZOn. aid.
1 % p. m.-American balloon. America 1900
cubic feet; J. c. Mccoy, pilot Captain c. De +.
1870 D. m-French balloon Anjou. 79.5OO
cubic feet; Rene Cashier, pilot; Charles Levee.
aid.
49, p. m.-German balloon. Abercron. 10000
cubic feet; Paul Nickel pilot; Rudolph Deng.
aid.
600 cubic feet: Allen r. Hawley. pilot; Angus
tus Post aid