The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-17
THE AERO CLUBS
EXHIBIT FRIDAY
CONTINUED from First Pagel

ganizatiOn in Washington that he viii
appear here early this week and re-
main on the ground till the exhibitions
are made. he VIII at once set 20 work
TO interest the Government officials, and
Will endeavOr TO have present at the
ascension President Roosevelt, Secre-
tary Of War Taft. Maj. Gen. J. Frank
lin Bell. chief o. stan Of the army
Brigadier General Allen, chief signal
officer; Secretary Of the Navy Metcalf,
Rear Admiral George Converse. chief of
the Bureau Of Navigation, and Rear Ad-
miral William Sheffield COWles. chief OF
the Bureau Of Equipment Of the navy,
as well as all the Senators and Repre-
sentatives who have TO do with legis-
lation concerning the army and navy.
Club Members Active.
All the members Of the Aero Club Iiv-
ing IN Washington are interested in the
project and each will lend his influence
and efforts TO have present a large at
tendance Of Government officials and
persons interested in baIIooning, as Well
as Is make the demonstration a thor
ough success. The washington mem
hers are Prof. Wills J. Moore, chief Of
the Weather Bureau; Prof Alexander
Graham Bell; J. c. Lake. OF the Lake Sub
marine Torpedo Boat Company; Major
Samuel Reber. capt Charles def. Chan
der, Of the Signal Corps Of the army,
and Prof A. F. Zahm. Of the Catholic
University.
Major General Greedy, formerly
chief signal officer, of Greedy polar
expedition fame. who is now in
this city. will quite likely wit
ness the exhibition. General Greedy
who Is now commanding the Northern
Division Of the army. initiated the idea Of
balloons for the army. ana under his
direction the construction Of the present
rieet Of army balloons was begun. The
army now has six balloons completed.
ready for use and others in course Of
construction. Experiments with these
balloons will be made at Omaha some
time during the summer. and the exhibit
here WIN accordingly prove Of particular
interest to the signal officers Of the
enemy.
Lieutenant Lain. a cavalry officer.
who IS also a member Of the Aero Club.
aid who won the International balloon
race from France over England last
August. hts been invited TO attend and
participate. but this viii be impossible.
as he is in attendance upon the cavalry
school in Paris. Major Hersey. Of the
Weather Bureau. who made the flight
across the English channel with Lieu
tenant Lain. is expected 10 be In at
tendance and may make on OF the
ascensions as the meteorological expert.
Gas Supply Arranged.
Plans for the exhibition so far have
beeen in the hands OF Captain Chandler
and Prof Zahm. They have arranged
with the gas company for a supply OF
coal gas for initiating lne balloons. and
early this week pipes will be laid from
the gas plant al Twelfth and NJ streets
southeast, 10 a vacant lot nearby. from
which the ascensions VIII take place
Aside from the purpose Of interesting
the Government, the exhibition IS 10 ne
be made In Washington also 10 deter
mine the lifting capacity of different
gases.
Aeronauts have difficulty in finding
coal gas Of desired buOyancv in an at
mosphcre OF such a Temperatures as
might be expected at this season az r..
year. The officials Of the Aero Clvb ev-
pect TO demonstrate that they will have
no dlHicuiay making ascensiOrs and re-
~ az EAffAA 4ltlElLS lE the gas
manufactured here and in an arr.o,.
ph|re Inat Is expected to be below freez-
ing Tie topography Of the surround
ing country Is also agreed upoa as fa,-
oraDIe and there is expected 10 be no
Ioupie avoiding allShtinE in the POto-
mae
The club has made most OF its asca,-
SIons at Plttsneld. Mass, but that Mace
- rather inaccessible and the Berkshire
nils are not always easily crossed -
balloon Furthermore. the terDDer
azure az Pittsheld averages rather roo
low Tor ballooning as a sport at mis-
sSaSoh- by coming 10 Washington tha
might DC had at PittSfeId. but prin1a riIy-
hopes 10 make convincing demonstra-