Cañon City record., 1907-10-31

Food Law. Ca.r.n,ee No. 2o+I, fled a, " ,,bD.,,.-
the height of a mile or more toward
Manchester and Leeds. They were
making a great triumphal survey OF
King Edwards realm. sweeping it
from south to north
And Scotland? Why not Scvotland,
too? But that was not to be, for after
midday the sun became so hot that
they were lifted nearly two miles, and
at that height suffered the fate of de
La Vaulx and huntington; that Is,
they wer caught in northeasterly cur
rents that hurried them toward the
North Sea. In vain they tried to get
back to the more favorable lower wind.
1t was too late. Already the blue sea
lay before them, flashing dangerous
beyond the barren moors. There was
no time to lose. They had done their
best, and now they must descend.
Quick with the vaIve-cord! Down,
down, thousands of feet in a minute,
until the guide rope trails the ground.
Out with the anchor! 1t strikes q
stone wall and slips on Then 1t strikes
again and holds. The basket says to
earth. A pull on the ''rip-cord," then
a harder pull, and a great gap opens
in the top of the balloon and its life
goes out The United States" sinks
heaving to the ground. Her race IL
run.
The "United States" Wins by Thirty
three Miles.
But the United States" had done
enough, and she and her pilot could
rest on their laurels, for they were
thirty-three good miles beyond the
point when Vonwiller had descended.
They were easy winners of the race,
with four hundred and ten miles to
their credit and over twenty-five hours
in the air. Vonwiller, it appears, the
second priXe winner, came down as he
approached the Wilde mouth of the
Humber. which he mistook for the
open sea. Had he crossed this. as he
might easily have done, and contin-
ued his flight until really stopped by
the North Sea, he would have come
near to Lahm's record, but could not
have probably eQualed it. owing to
the unfavorable slant OF the coast-line.
1t is of interest to note the distances
covered by the seven who crossed the
Channel and the points of their de-
scent Lahm landed at Flying Dales,
fifteen miles north of Scarbc rough
four hundred and ten miles; Vonwiller
at New HoIland-three hundred and
sixty-eight miles: Rolls at Shern-
bourne, Norfolk-two hundred and
eighty-seven miles: de La Vaulx at
Great .Walsingham. Norfolk-two hum
dred and eighty-six miles: Balsan at
Singleton-one hundred and ninety
nine miles; Kindelan at Rumhold-
swyke-one hundred and ninety-six
miles: Huntington at Milton. Kent
one hundred and ninety miles. These
distances are all estimated in straight
lines from Paris; but obviously the
balloons really covered longer dis
tances. since they moved in curved
lines.
l pass over the exciting scenes In
London and Paris that followed this
brilliant first winning of the Gordon
Bennett cup, and add word about the
winner. I have had some interesting
talks with him these last weeks, and
with his father. first at their home In
Paris, and then at Saint-Germain.
where the elder Lahm had gone with
his son.
We discussed aeronautics in a great
historic garden with moated walls and
cool avenues of tilleuls, and had
from Lieutenant Lahm many Of the,
focts set down in this narrative.
Did YOU think he would win the
cup?" asked the father.
"If any one had asked me before the
race" he said, whether Frank had .
chance to win, l should have answered.
How can he win against such menr-
away down In my heart knew he had
a chance" aas HH-E