The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-10-25
AMERICANS IN THE LEAD
Believed That Major HerseHIWiIl
Win the Contest
Racing Air Machines are Scattered
Through Ohio, in Vicinity OF Great
Lakes and One i'm Canada-Last
Years Record Will be Exceeded
by Every Balloon-Reports Re
ceiyed From Some of Them.

ST. Louis, October 22.-Ihe begin
ming OF the end of the second contest
for the international aeronaut cup WAS
signalized tonight by the landing OF
the American balloon United States"
l. miles south of Hamilton, Ontario.
The United States" is believed TO
have had the lead in the race at the
time of landing and in its % hours OF
fight from ST Louis had covered about
610 miles.
The United States" is the present
holder of the cup and the record, hav-
ing established in the flight from
Paris last year at 402 miles. The
pilot of the balloon is Major Henry
B. Hersey, of the United States wealth
er bureau at Washington. who was aid
10 Lieutenant Iahm of the Uniteo
States army who piloted the balloon
last year
st. Louis. Oct Scattered
through Ohio, with one or two in the
vicinity of the Great Lakes. and an
other last heard from near Chatham
Ontario, all nine of the big balloons
participating in the second interna-
uonal aorOnautic cup races, were still
IN the air tonight.
Throughout the afternoon reports
OF balloons ~ various points IN Crio
have been coming in. while Detroit
first sent word Of the contestants
which afterwards passed the Cana
dian border.
he identity of only -four Of the
balloons ave been definitely a&t2I-
l;shed.
Through kilograms dropped and
addressed "a the Associated Press the
Bacon America, one OF the American
contestants, containing Messrs Mc-
Coy and Chandler, reported frCn Ma
riOn Ohio. The message said that
the America would descend IN the
borders OF Lake Erie, probably near
Cleveland.
The German balloon. Pomncrn.
passed over Cleveland late this after
noon and Pilot Oscar Erbstoch drop
ped note saying open water ahead.
All we'll"
The Pommern had been reported
earlier in the day in the interior of
Ohio.
A note dropped this morning at
New Augusta, Indiana. near India
napolis conveyed the information that
the balloon passing was the Lotus
H., the English entrant.
The French balloon Isle de France
dropped a message for the Associated
Press at Columbus, Ohio.
There has been much speculation
here as to the identity of the
balloon which passed into Canada
with apparently a wide lead in the
big race.
The balloon is reported to have
flown two American flags, and this
fact is accepted by some of the Of
ficials of the race as indicating that
th eballoon is the United States"
with Major Henry B. Hersey, Of the
United States weather bureau as pi-
lot.
The United States" was the win
ner of the international race of 1906.
The balloon carried two American
flags but all the balloons were deco
rated with flags and bunting. The
Aero club of st. Louis are inclined
to believe, however, that here can
be no mistake as to the identity of
the leader and are freely predicting
that Major Hersey will win the con-
test.
The balloon reported at Detroit
and later at Chatham, has followed |
the course which Major Hersey fore !
casted that he would take.
There seems no doubt that the |
record made in the race at Paris !
last year, 402 miles, will be exceeded |
by practically every balloon. Nearly !
all the balloons reported in Ohio have !
covered more than that distance while |
those on the Great Lakes are more |
than 100 miles ahead of the record |