New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-10-22

st. 1ous. Oct 21.-Varying and unverified re-
ports to the Whereabouts of the nine bal
/ looms which started in the second international
aeronautic cup race this evening we're received
/ tonight. From Efingham, Pana and Taylor
Vile Ill, three towns about ninety miles east of
/ ST. Louis. dispatches stated that three balloons
| passed there between and o'clock tonight.
/ At the headquarters of the Aero Club Of Amer
| lea n telegram was received that balloons were
passing Montgomery City. Mo, at , p. III.
Montgomery City is seventy-ive miles north
! west of ST. Louis. These reports are easily
/ reconcilable. because of different air strata.
/ The three German balloons TO the higher
| attitudes. where they might have encountered a
! current which might easily carry them to Pana,
III. while the lower craft went west.
! a sitter wind would have been more welcome
to the occupants of the wicker cars but the
/ hve-nile breeze of the lower air stratum gave
/ promise OF splendid racing currents In the higher
! attitudes The Germans made for the upper
/ courses from the start. The French and the
( English aeronauts We're more conservative and
selected a middle depth. while the Americans
raced away Mt an altitude which seemed to take
them Just clear Of trees and housetops. The ST.
Louis. one of the largest balloons in the race,
came so close to the grandstand that it was
seized by soldiers and swept back to a safer
starting point whence II sent away two
minutes after the ofTicia! word to go was given
In the race there are three balloons represent
Ing America, three representing Germany, two
for France and one for England. The basket Of
each balloon contains pilot and his aid.
With a prospect that the breeze would hold
/ toward the northwest many predictions were
made tonight that the final landing place Of
the winning balloon would be in Minnesota
North Dakota. Others held the opinion that the
upper currents would send the balloons further
to the east near Lake Huron.
The start Of the race spectacular and
( was witnessed by some hundred thousand per
! sons. gathered IN Forest Park In addition all
/ st. Louis gazed slyward during the late after
noon, but heavy pail Of smoke obscured the
view from any great distance. AS many as six
/ OF the balloons were visible at one time. the
American contestants being the first to disap-
pear in the haze along the horizon.
The German balloon Pommern n bright
! chrome yellow globe. containing 1900 cubic
/ feet Of gas. carrying oscar Erbsloeh and \.
Rotch the first away. The start was made
/ Just thirty-five seconds after the scheduled
hour Of o'clock. The other contestants fol-
lowed at intervals OF five minutes. AS each was
sent away the crowd broke into cheers. and
until they well out OF view the occupants
! Of the baskets kept bowling and waving their
| hats in acknowledgment OF the demonstration.
HOW THE AMERICANS GOT AWAY.
! The American team came in for the greatest
| share OF applause. and when the st. Louis. en-
tered by the Aero Club Of ST Louis took flight.
| the shouts and cheers were louder than all that
| had gone before. y military band stationed in
! the grandstand played the national anthem OF
/ the nation represented as tho various foreign
/ balloons assembled. The ST. Louis tho last OF
the contestants to get under way. greeted
! by Yankee Doodle" at FIRST and then. amid
renewed cheering and shouts OF Glee. the band
! struck up Il Don't Know Where I'm Going but
! I'm on My Way"
Just before the St Louis dragged into
starting position a dove alighted on the pinnacle
or the Gasbag and remained there until tho bal
! loon was well under way.
The day one OF brilliant sunshine. with
Just a touch OF autumn chill in the air In the
/ Enclosure at Forest Park the nine balloons wera
arranged In two rows, five being on one side OF
/ the central lire and four on the other. For four
hours before the start gas poured simultaneously
/ into the bags from skeleton of specially con
| structed pipes leading from gas tank contain
/ ing 100000 cubic feet OF the lightest coal gas
/ that has ever been manufactured.
The colors OF the bags ranged from an Opaque
chrome yellow, peculiar to a construction OF cot
tor cloth treated with gutta percha 10 a light
drab transparency. which characterized the bal
Ions made OF vanished cotton. The balloons
remained half filled until hour before the
race Then the gas turned on full force
and the bags expanded TO their rounded funess.
None of the balloons was fitted with dlrigible
devices and the contest will be test OF the skin
of the navigators in taking advantage OF the air
currents by adept handling Of ballast.
STARTING THE COMPETING GLOBES.
AS the balloons received their full charges OF
gas the clinging sandbags were gradually low
cred until they rested the long ropes leading
from, the bag webbing to the baskets. Each bal
! loon was then allowed to ascend enough to draw
these bags close the sides of the basket. where
they remained until the word TO start was i'm
minent Then enough ballast was removed to
allow the balloon to float foot or more above
the ground Az the last word all restraining
hands We're removed and each balloon In turn
rose gently to meet the breeze
Aside from the international character of the
race there was a military atmosphere about the
event three hundred soldiers of the United
States army being in control of the ballooning
grounds while trained men from the signal
corps Of the army attended to imitation and bal
lasting Bugle notes filed the air at times and
Just two minutes before the start of the first
balloon reveiHe was sounded by a squad of
trumpeters.
The flight of many test balloons during the
two hours preceding the race gave amusement
TO the crowd Hundreds of various colOred toy
balloons were also at liberty, with candy
boxes and other articles attached to their tiny
threads
Arrangements for the flight of the nterna-
tional fleet were nearly perfect, and there was
so much time to spare at the finish that the
contestants q wait imDatientlV