New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1907-10-30
TRIP OF THE PoMMERN.
Victor of International Balloon Race
Describes His Flight.

Victor OF international Balloon Race
Describes His Flight.
Oscar Erbsloeh Of the German Aero
nautic federation, who piloted the big
balloon Pommern $50 miles, from ST..
Louis to Asbury Park, n. j., recently,
told how he and his aid, Fl. 81. Clay
ton, won the record breaking interna
tional cup contest, says the New York
Journal.
"Our fight" said he, was one of the
pleasantest | have ever made. At the
same time it was the longest, SO far as
distance and time are concerned. can
say that the race was decided sue
cess. Our balloon, named after its
owner, Freiherr Won HoWald of Pom
mern, won the first prize during the re-.
cent international race at Brussels, just
then, and we sailed $50 miles and were
in the air twenty nine and half hours.
The trip just ended was much longer
one, for we remained in the air forty
hours and covered more than LOO
miles, although we can count only
about $50 or Whereabouts, the direct dis
lance between St. Louis and Asbury
Park.
."The basket is of the ordinary wicker
kind, and on the sides Of it were
fastened large pieces of cork to keep us
afioat if the balloon dropped into wa
ter. We also carried an anchor and
the usual lengths Of rope. Our outfit
was very slender, because we wanted
to carry as little weight as possible.
The food was carried in two hampers,
which we used as seats in the basket.
We had tea and coffee, bread, chicken
and mutton stew. We also carried
mineral water, cider and a few bottles
of wine. Oh, we did not fare badly at
all in the air as far as the food ques-
ton was concerned. We had our three
meals day just as regular as clock
work.
Although Mr.. Clayton had never
made balloon ascension before, he
was familiar with all the tricks and
therefore soon learned that the cur
rent away up was stronger than in the
lower regions and that at the higher
altitude the current was setting In an
easterly direction. We figured out
that with good luck and careful watch
ing we might land in the New Eng
land states.
$50 when the signal was given and
we cast loose we arose first to an alti-
tude Of 100 meters and found light
breeze from the southeast which car
ried our balloon in a northwesterly di-
rection. This would not do at all.
Either we had made miscalculation
and would have to alter our course
or we would have to look for other
currents. Then we threw out some
Of our ballast and soon reached an
altitude Of nearly 5000 feet. We threw
what we had been looking fora good
current which carried us on north
northeasterly course.
II am afraid we miscalculated our
course a little and thought we were
farther to the north than we really
were. If we had gone as we had in
tended to go we would have landed
farther to the eastward and would
have covered greater distance no
doubt But I blame the American
charts for that. The very best charts
I could get were those issued by the
postof1ce department in Washington,
but they do not show the post roads
nor do they locate the mountains.
There were times when we were in
doubt as to the exact locality and had
to descend to make absolutely certain.
We would call out to people below
through megaphone to tell us where
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