The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
HON BALLOONS ARE MADE.
tuttlpG, cat the Material mi Putting IL
To6ettF !Tro0bieseme karaohute.

tuttlnG, cot the Material n Putting IL
Tosetkr -.TroubIeseme Parachute.
Along, dark basement strewn with paper.
cluttered with trash and pieces Of canvas,
a row Of sewing machines. bags and boxes
piled against the walls; piles Of ropes lying
here and there and q few dusty electric
light bulbs to illuminate the whole-this
describes Kansas City's balloon factory,
a the Star.
Few persons have known that such a
place exists in this city. A small sign at
the head Of the steps leading to the base
ment says that tehts and awnings are made
there. with no mention Of en- allied industry.
But the principal business 10 the manufae-
ture Of balloons and paraohuteS used by
~aeronauts in public exhibitions.
No silk balloons are made at the factory,
nor are the great gas bags covered with
netting. All this Is out Of date. the factory
manager says Years ago all balloons
we're made Of silk, covered with a strong
fish netting, and carrier baskets for the
a~eronauts. The cloth Of which balloons
are now made IL extra atrong muslin. When
they leave the factory they are pure white,
but the immaculate state Is soon changed.
probably at the fret ascension, TO q deep
broWniSh black by resin and smoke mixed,
the hot air with which balloons are inflated
for short aecensions.
sThe principal thing is the outing the
manager said. Now for a big balloon
the strips that run from the bottom ring
over thetop And back again are about ninety
feet long. Well, they must be shaped
carefully from the end. % the centre. 70
ends must be small, the centre large: All
these strips must be cut exactly right or
they won't AZ. And let fne tell you, / do 81
he cutting because | used TO be an oid
Jumper myself. l know what II is to
60 up about 1000 yards with nothing but
when we get al order the strips are
laid out one by one In the clear space and
out to measure. WhgR they are Al ehaped
each piece TO at snugly, they are turned
is easy, you know, and Is done on ma
chimes. Nothing to do but to double the
seams together and Bee that every stitch
hits the right spot. There can't be any
misses In this business. When the machine
work is lone steel eyelets are esynb by and
hold the ropes fastened to large ring, TO
which q parachute may be attached. When
isn't itF
chute that bothers-it's the attsched ropes.
You see, there's q chute for every balloon,
else there wouldn't be any ascension;
THE top Of the chute is made like an
ordinary umbrella, exoepting, for Q small
hole in the centre. Through this goes
the rope, connecting With d sharp Knife
that cuts the CHUTE free from the balloon
at the proper moment. A quarter inch
hemp rope holds together balloon b
chute The ropes running between the
top Of the chute and the traps3e upon
which the Jumper stands. must be just 90.
One of these is attached at intervals OF
a foot around the chute Should n
become twisted the chute nj light not open
and then there would he an accident. Each
rope must be absolutely straight when II
is attached It is examined before II 70
used TO see that there are no Kinks In II:
One flaw might mean q death.
Besides these precautions no tests are
made Of the balloons and parachutee be-
fore they 20 out OF the factory. The test
ing Is done at the frpt ASCENSION
The manager added that q large balloon
and ~parachut6 costa about 500 and lasts
anywhere from two minutes TO eight yea1g:
Their life depends on how they are handled:
What counts most is the experience Of
the man who is operating the firing OF
the balloon, the process Of filling IL with
hot air for an ascension. Should too much
gasolene be thrown. % the fire beneath
the bag the fame 10 liable 70 reach the
top OF the b~slloonand set II on hlre, Max
ing a~scenHpna on rainy or windy days
shortens the life Of q balloon also oct.