The Washington herald., 1907-10-24
TELLS ABOUT HIS TRIP
Chandler Reviews Flight in
Mccoy Balloon.
LANDS IN AN OPEN FIELD
Travelled over Several States and
Was Approaching Chesapeake Bay
Notwithstanding Is Made safely
Near AnnapOIis-BaIIOOn Debated.

/ Capt Charles de Forrest Chandler, of
/ the Signal Corps. L. S. A, who acted as
aid 10 MIR. J. c. Mccoy, Of New York,
/ in the great balloon race held under the
auspices Of the Aero Club of America,
arrived in Washington yesterday after
noon from Annapolis, Nd, where his bal
/ loon alighted yesterday morning Despite
/ the fact that Capt Chandler had been
/ almost totally without sleep for the two
/ previous nights, he looked little the worse
/ for his experience
/ When told that from the latest reports
| the German representatives, seemed likely
to capture first honors, he desired his
/ congratulations to be conveyed to them
/ in the event Of their winning. Asked as
TO whom he had expected would win,
/ Capt. Chandler announced his opinion
| that the balloon yet to be accounted
/ for. and which is supposedly one Of the
French entries might cut a decided fig
ure in the hnal result OF the race.
/ As regards the course Of Mr.. MeCoy's
! balloon, in which the captain rode, Capt.
| Chandler said:
! Describes the Flight.
I'VE left St Louis at 4:50 p. m, central
standard time. Monday afternoon, in q
| direction a little west of north. and
continued in that course until after dark.
We sailed over Indiana and Ohio in "a
general easterly direction toward Celana,
the first town sighted in Ohio. We
/ turned to the northeast. over Merrion
/ Ohio, later shifting TO the east then
/ southeast This course continued until
yesterday morning. At 4.30 O'Clock yes
tsrday morning, we passed over Harpers
/ Ferry. W. Va. coming down toward
/ Maryland. and sailing over Rockville
! about o'clock this morning. at which
/ time Washington was in plain view. Con-
/ tinuing easterly, we came finally into
! sight Of Chesapeake Bay. Mr. Mccoy
/ decided 20 land before reaching the bay,
! aHd after several miles Of guide roping.
! we descended in an open field suitable
/ for the purpose. our balloon was then
| Debated and packed ready for shipment
| % New York. The descent was made
/ about "A quarter OF "a mile to the northeast
of Portland Station, Anne Arundel Couu-
/ ty. Md The time was 7.55. eastern
STANDARD. ] then came on 10 Washington,
arriving about I o'clock this afternoon,
/ and Mr.. Mccoy went on 20 New York"
Capt Chandler was OF the opinion il
/ would be much better for all contestants
( II the future races could be started from
/ "a point farther West than St Louis, as
such course would permit a much
/ longer voyage and better records.
/ 1t would, however continued Can't.
i Chandler, 'be a very difficult problem 10
/ find such q place, with the proper IA
( ciliues for such a race, on account Of
/ the difficulty In securing an adequate
I amount Of the proper kind Of gas
/ For the present race, for instance.
10000 cubic feet Of pure coal gas was
required
May Become Popular Sport.
Capt Chandler regards the races as the
one great thing 20 promote bauooning as
a popular sport in the United States
among those whose means viii permit
them TO indulge in it. He added.
"As regards the aeronaUtic department
of the United States service. such con-
tests will De Of immense aid. because OF
the fact that they render available for
times of war. a large number Of civil
the manufacturing and repairing Of bal
/ looms, but also in their management II
is. in my opinion. essential that an aero
I naut. 10 become an expert, should first
have a thorough course in free balloon
/ ing"
All Tuesday. while crossing Indiana and
( Ohio. the America was in sight of three
of the other contestants. The highest
( altitude was reached early yesterday
morning near TIaTpers Ferry the distance
/ being reckoned at about mile and e
. half. During the voyage Lake Erie was
/ sighted. and the Mississippi River was
crossed near Grafton, a point on the
/ Illinois side
The distance Travelled by the America.
Mr.. McCoy's balloon is estimated AT
| about 20 miles, air line. The total time
was thirty seven hours.
While the MCCOy-Chandler trip was not
the winning flight, the War Department
officials are elated over the success
achieved. and the record Capt Chandler
/ is making in aerial navigation.
Capt Chandler said last evening that
no other aerOnautic voyages were con
1 templated IN the immediate future