The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-05
BALLOON ABOVE CLOUDS
FOR OVER 800 MILES
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FOR OVER 800 MILES
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army officer with matters pertaining to
bailooning. As General Allen expressed
II, 1t was Ito set him used to being up
In the air 80
BalloOning in Earnest.
The United States Army has taken UP
ballooning in earnest. Already War
Department officials are considering the
advisabiiity Of organizing a balloon
corps as a regular branch Of the army.
A hydrogen plant is now being installed
at Fort Omaha, Neb.. from which gas
will be shipped 20 various places
throughout the country. where ascen-
sions are 70 be made. With this plant.
which is owned by the Government. it
will be possible 70 initiate balloons with
gas OF a lifting quality superior 10
that furnished by the coal gas which
was used at ST. Louis. and which is
the only kind now available In this
country. IL will not be necessary for
balloons u be of such enormous size,
when it is possible 10 obtain hydrogen
gas from the Government hydrogen
plant.
The army now owns a dozen balloons.
Several Of these are left over from the
experiments conducted at Omaha in
1898. and arc quite small. Those manu-
featured recently are OF the larger pat
tern. like the America
General Allen. in speaking OF balloon
ing in the army, after his talk with
Captain Chandler, made this significant
remark:
America Not Behind.
In this connection guess the United
States is keeping up with the other
countries"
Captain Chandler and probably sew
eral other officers OF the Signal Corps
viii be detailed to go to St. Louis in
October to take observations during the
international balloon races for the Ben
mex Cup.
The trip at St. Louis was Captain
Chambers second experience in a bal
loon. having been one of the aeronauts
in the Pittsfleld trials.
"Our fight was a fine experience the
captain said, but as an experiment il
might be classed as a failure. We were
in the air nineteen and one-half hours.
during which time we saw the earth
only for about a half-houT. After that
we were above the clouds and had moth.
ing to do but fold our arms, watch the
instruments. and try 20 keep cool or
warm, as the temperature varied.
From Summer to Winter.
During the day we were in the full
glare Of thesun. It shone with such fierce
ness. the reflection from the clouds be-
low being about the same rs the reficc-
tons from water, that we were com
PEELED to remove our coats. When the
sun went below the clouds it began to
grow cold. and as darkness came on il
was with difficulty that We managed to
keep warm. The temperature went from
summer heat to bitter winter cold in a
very short space Of time.
The trip was really devoid of Incl
dents. No great. mysterious Govern
ment experiments were conducted. II
was just an ordinary balloon trip, such
as will be common after awhile. The
taicum powder which one man saw in a
sack on the ground near the balloon was
not there, as he reported broadcast. for
the purposes Of mixing with chemicals
to take the place OF ballast. There was
no secret about It. The powdered talcum
was to be used in relieving the adhesive
ness Of the oiled canvas. which has
tendency to stick together when folded
for shipment.
Floated 900 Miles.
Being above the clouds and unable
to see the earth. 1t was impossible to
tell how many miles we traversed.
though It must have been considerably
more than 300 miles. 1t was 100 miles
from the starting place to where the
balloon landed.
"A part Of the time we were over
Missouri, and then went into nlionis.
Indiana, Kentucky, and close to the Ar
kansas line and back into Missouri
again, and then over into Illinois.
The highest point reached was at
noon Wednesday. May /, when the bal
loon was over three miles from Mother
Earth. This was in the vicinity of
Cape Girardeau"
Two carrier pigeons were turned loose
by the aeronauts while above the clouds.
Il would like 20 know the fate of those
pigeons" said Captain Chandler. ''They
would not attempt to go through the
clouds. and I am afraid they lowered
around above until they became ex-
hausted and dropped to the earth, dead. -