Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-10-22
BALLOONS OFF
To SMASH
RECORDS
CONDITIONS IDEAL FOR
SUCCESSFUL VOYAGE
Nine Huge AirShips Drifting
Through Bright Moonlight
in Race for James Gordon
Bennett Cup.

C1ll'NAA ShRi
lBy Morning journal Special Leased wire.l
ST. Louis, oct 2l.--Drirting in di-
Irection just west of north, when lost
4 10 view in the haze Of falling night.
and with freshening southeast
breeze behind them, nine big balloons
Iare competing tonight for the honors
lattached to the winning Of the second
International aeronautic cup race. n
! brilliant moon Is shining throughout
! the middle west and conditions seem
Ideal for a record breaking flight A
sitter wind would have been more
welcome to the occupants OF the
wicker ears which hung like tiny
I specks beneath the great globular bags
but the hve mile breeze Of the lower
air strata gave promise OF splendid
racing currents in the higher attitudes.
THE Germans. acting upon this theory.
reached for the higher courses right
on the start.
The French and English aeronauts
were moro conservative and selected
middle depth, while the Americans
raced away at an altitude whlch
Iseemcd to take them Just clear or
trees and house tops. So low, in fact,
ibid the two American teams balance
their cars that there was grave danger
luf the basket raking a crowded grand
lstand. and intense excitement pre-
vailed. The st. Louis, one OF the
largest hdllhonN III int ihNff
Icluse To the stand that IL was seized by
la squad Of soldiers, swept back To
safcr starting point and sent away Two
minutes after the official word TO go
was given.
Four Nations Represented.
In the big balloon race there are
three balloons representing America,
three representing Germany. two Tor
France and one FAR England. The
basket of each balloon contains Two
occupants, the pilot and his aide. with
"A prospcct of the breeze holding To-
the southeast and south. many predlo-
, tinns were made tonight that the final
landing placc Of the balloon winning
! would be In Minnesota or one OF the
Dakatas Others held the opinion
yhat the upppr currents would sehn
. .he l 6ralhs further q IN snft ha-l-
find place of descent easl of Lake
, Michigan. The record Of the race es-
itabllshed last year by Lieutenant
lIahm from Paris TO Blyingdale, in
the north Of England. h. i02 miles, hut
each aeronaut in the contest today
confidently expected TO exceed that
distance.
Spectacular start.
The start of the race was spectac-
ular ln the extreme, and was wit
messed by thrnng gathered In For
est park. Nariously estimated at from
10000 To 10000 persons
The scenes attending the start and
preparations for the race were unique
In American history. The day was
one of brilliant sunshine, with Just
touch of autumn chill In the air. In
the enclosure at Forest park given
over 90 the aerOnauts the nine ball
looms were arranged In two rows i've
being ON the one side OF the center
and four on the other. For hours be-
fore the starting hour gas was pump
ed simultaneously into each bag from
a skeleton OF specially constructed
pipes leading from gas tank IN
| which was stored 100000 feet OF the
lightest coal gas that according 10
| the aeronauts, has ever been manu-
Ifactured When half filled each bal
loon resembled the rounded cover 10
some giant caldrOn. The cOlOrs OF the
| bags ranged from an opaque chrome
yellow, peculiar 10 a construction OF
J cotton cloth treated with rubber or
gutta percha composition. TO llght
drab transparency which character
ICED the balloons made OF vanished
cotton. over each half globe was
| thrown the webbing which was TO
support the baskets and its occupants.
| Clnging to the meshes OF the web
bing and holding the balloons safely
Ito the ground were hundred or more
| green sand bags The balloons re-
mained half filled until an hour before
the race, when the gas was turned or
in run force from the huge main, and
! the bags expanded to their rounded
fuluess None OF the balloons WAS
| ftted with dirlgible devices, and the
contest will be throughout test OF
the skill OF dhe Havigators In taking
advantage of the air currents as they
are encountered and In handling the
IhaIlast tu the best advantage. ~ th"
balloons received their full charges ut
gas thc cunging sand bags were low
Nrasg NfasnH
re-toi lu groups Of four and five on
ttue long ropes leading from the web
hIuE tu the basket ring. Carefully
watched bN two score helpers. each
IbsIpuu was allowed Go ascend enough
Iu draw these bags close 20 the sides
IlI fhp baskets. where they remained
IurI tHp word 20 start was imminent
Then enough OF the ballaa was lifted
IHH tH allow the balloons 90 float A
foot HT more above the ground. Al
ifH, Iast word aH restraining hands
|.tra removed and each balloon In
urn rose gently 10 meet the breeze.
t.rrman BALLOON First 10 start
THE big German bag Pomme-in
1900. iTst io start When the pres
sure of gas in the balloon caused the
covering Co bulge diamond shape
/ through the webbing. the supply pipe
/ Fua rut away and the neck securely
Het The basket which had been pre-
n4rrd with great care. stored with del
.efte Instruments for recording slu-
Iude. temperature. air pressure ana
7 inr rise or fan of the balloon, and
I urlE Isiuncd with sand iches. hard
bottled cggs TUNED meats and water
I bottles sufficient for three days
Journey in cI0udland. was hauled di-
rrrtiy beneath the bag. and Il Was
the work of a feW moments only To
connect the rigging which led first
Z from the webbing to the basket ring
| and from the ring 10 the basket
I The pommerin was hghtened Of all
but ten % its sand hags. and floated
! far few minutes just above the
ground. half a score of men. however