The Washington herald., 1907-10-22

st. Louis. Oct a-The international
balloon race was started from the en-
closed concouTse in Forrest Park, IN the
western part of this city, practically on
schedule time, with G00O0 cheering spec
tators in the enclosure and vicinity. Just
as the contesung balloons were digap-
pearing from sight it could be seen that
the United States. piloted by Maj. H. B.
Hersey and Arthur /. Atherholt. was
leading. It was flying close to the
ground. while the Pommern. which
started just before it, was high in the
heavens, at least 1,oC0 feet above Il.
At f:26 o'clock No. 81, the United States.
could be seen directly under No. I, the
German balloon, and cheers broke from
tie thousands Of spectators a. the United
States passed its rival The Pommern in
Starting headed for the north. After a
fight Of a few hundred yards it suddenly
veered to the west The next balloon
to 90 up also started for the north but
not SO mUcT Thereafter the contestants
kept moving closer to the east and
farther from the north The last balloon,
the St Louis, started almost due west.
passing over the grand stand, at the end
Of the grounds.
Shortly after the start B. s. slonsky
picked up a letter thrown from the Eng
lish balloon at Union and Waterman
avenues. addressed TO Miss Constance
Meade, L East Terrace. London. North
west. Ten minutes after the start the
America passed over the residence Of
James T. Atkins. - Windermere place.
dropping to within thirty-fve feet from
the ground. Persons in the balloon con-
veTsed with Mrs. Atkins and her children.
who were playing on the lawn. and threw
out a shower of confetti upon them The
balloon then arose and sailed away TO
the northwest.
Alton tIiID Reports Balloons.
Four balloons passed through St
Charles County. No, between 6I5 and
$50 p. m. At p. m. the population OF
Alton. Ill. who had anticipated the ap-
proach Of the aerial feet, observed the
passage over that city Of one Of the
large balloons. believed to be the Ger
man Dusseldorf. and al the same time
sighted another over East Alton.
Both balloons were floating due north.
about ten miles an hour Alton is twen-
ty-hve miles slightly east Of North 81.
Louis.
At D n. JeTseyville. Ill. northeast OF
Alton, reported balloon passing high
over that city. The weather was de-
lghtful from the standpoint OF the spec
tetor
Preparations for the race were so
complete that instead Of rushing things
on the eve OF the ascension. the com
peting aerOnauts had most of the after
noon TO themselves. The only feature
Of the day that caused unfavorable
comment was the wind. which was not
exactly what it ought TO have been for
long flights.
How the Balloons Got Away.
OF course the great lakes are in the
way. but the aeronauts did not appear
to be so fearful of them this afternoon
as they were when they first came
here The balloons started as follows:
No. l-Germsn balloon P-mms-n. with Oscar
Erbsloteb plot. and H. NJ. Clayton in the basket,
at 41O-5 D. m
The second balloon 10 start. labeled No 3. the
American balloon United states. Mai Il. B
Hersey pilot and Arthur 7. Atherh0lt aid started
az iI5 J.. III.
No AFrerch balloon. L'Isle de France Alfred
fshl ind 7rar u-rrf -Trn At
No Sherman balloon Dusseldorf Bsnm Hugo
Won Abercg-n and Hans Holdemaun, assembled at
AIS. dippcd two minutes later, and its aerouauts
had 10 throw ont sand.
Ne. 6-English balloon. Lotus Second Griffith
Brewer and Claude Brabasson. rose slowly at 40
and emrtied a forty-pUInd sand bag over the 10
served STATS and enclosed starting ground
No American balloon. America, J. q. McCOy
and Charles De Forest Chandler who won tie
Lahm Cup last week started al As. receiving
more applause than any Of the other contestants.
No. S-French balloon, AHj1u Rene Cashier and
Charles Lsvee. beat the schedule by a minute and
rose at 40 D N.
No. 9-Geman balloon. Aberrncn Paul Nickel
and DT. Rudolph Denis, the latter Of New York
was released az l35
No. u-Ameican balloon. St louis. entry of
the Aero Club of St. Louis made a false start
az 40 and dragged the ground for a distance OF
fifty feet and had 20 b. dragged back TO the
starting place. It again started in good time
at 48L
Maj. H B. Hersey. the most exper-
fenced ballOonist of them all. so far as
taking advantage OF air currents and
meteorological conditions are concerned,
appeared to be extremely nervous as the
hour 10 ascend approached. He walked
tip and down in front of the stand. speak
ing and laughing nervously, looking at
the sky and the pommern in a doubtful
manner. A. T. AtherhOlt. his inexper-
fenced aid. seemed TO be suffering from
the same sort Of malady. When they en-
tered the balloon basket amidst cheers
and the echoes Of The Star Spangled
Banner. their nervousness left them.
Balloon Sighted, Sailing Fast.
Efingham, III. ninety-nine miles north
east OF ST Louis. reported tonight that
at 7:S0 this evening one of the balloons
in the international contest passed over
that city, travelling fast in an easterly
direction. Two lights in its basket were
turned off and on at intervals. Efing-
ham reported that a balloon was seen
twelve miles south Of Efingham. at Ma
son. ILL.,. at o'clock this evening. Salem,
H.. reports a balloon passing over there
at $50 p. m.
Three Vessels Reported.
Pana. H.. ninety-slx miles northeast
Of St. Louis, reported three balloons
passed over that city tonight, going east.