Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-02-01
TO NORTH POLE
IN AN A|RSH|P
Major H. B. Hersey
Will Go With
Wellman.
DARING EXPEDITION
Former Santa Fean Tells of
Preparations Made For
Aerial Trip.

When Walter Wellman makes his
dash for the North Pole this year in
the airship America he will be accom-
panied by Major H. B. Hersey. an in
spector connected with the United
States Weather Bureau, who was for
merly station director in the same
service at Santa Fe. 1t is expected
that the polar expedition will start
early in the coming summer from the
headquarters established last year on
Danes island.
Major Hersey Now in Santa Fe.
Major Hersey is now in Santa Fe
He arrived in the city yesterday
while enroute east from the Pacific
coast. He will be here for several
days in the performance of his official
duties and inspecting the local station
of the Weather Bureau From Santa
Fe he will return to his home at Mil
waukee preparatory to leaving on the
aerial trip in quest of the elusive
North Pole. He will sail from New
York about the first of March and
will join Mr.. Wellman in Paris. Mr..
Wellman is at present in the French
metropolis making preparations for
the exploring expedition.
Ready for Trip to Frgid North.
We have practically everything in
readiness for the trip to the pole,
Major Hersey stated yesterday to
a reporter of the New Mexican. Our
airship will be shipped knocked down
to Danes Island where it will be put
together and where the aerial flight
will begin. Danes Island is one of
the northernmost islands of the Spitz-
bergen group which are about six hun
dred miles north of the north coast
of Norway. There are number of
small islands in this archipelago
which is about two hundred miles
north and south and one hundred and
sixty miles east and west. The is
lands are uninhabited. They have no
trees and the only vegetation Is moss.
The islands are covered with glaziers.
DesoIate Island Scene of Activity.
"Mr. Wellman established his head
quarters last year on Danes Island.
An aerdome for housing the airship
was erected there, 1t is 165 feet long
and s. feet high. There is also a ma
chine shop 40 feet in length which is
equipped with lathes and other ma
chinery which are operated by steam
engine. A gas-making apparatus was
installed for producing hydrogen gas
with which the airship will be inflated.
On the island is also the best living
house ever erected in the Arctic re-
gion. A force of thirty-fiVe men
worked all summer in putting up the
buildings and three men remained
there this winter to guard the prop
erty. One of the men left behind is
an American and the other two are
Norwegians. We will make the trip
from Norway to the Spitzenbergen
group in the steamship Frithjof which
was chartered last year by Mr.. Well
man.
Airship is Cigar Shaped.
"The airship in which the expedi-
tion will leave Danes Island has
gas bag which is shaped like cigar.
1t is 165 feet in length and when filled
about so feet in diameter a. its great
est width. Below this is suspended a
car of nickeled steel tubing about 100
feet long which is equipped with an
SO-horsepower gasoline motor which
drives two propellers. The airship
will attain speed of from fifteen to
eighteen miles an hour in calm. While
on the trip with Mr.. Wellman last
summer | examined the ice packs
about 200 miles north of Danes Is
land"
Major Hersey is an authority on
Chronological subjects and will be
the meterologist of the expedition,
His flight with Explorer Wellman in
the airship America will not be his
first experience in aeronautics He
was companion of Lieutenant Frank
P. Lahm in the famous balloon race
last fall across the English channel
who captured the cash prize of $4,000
for the American Aero Club of New
York. The balloon in which the ha-
zardous trip was made was christened
the United States"
Aerial Trip Made In Twenty-four
Hours.
Paris was the starting point of this
daring race in the clouds which
seemed little less than foolhardy to
the average individual. The American
balloon scared majestically over the
housetops of the gay city when the
signal to cut loose was given and was
carried out to sea by favoring wind
and was lost to view in the clouds
When land was sighted and the de-
scent was made the aerial voyagers
found themselves on treacherous
cliff near Whitby, England. The
fight across the channel was made in
less than twenty-four hours. The bal
loon left Paris on September 80 at S
D. M. and landed on the British coast
on October 1, at $3.50 p. m.
Lieutenant Lahm intrepid Aeronaut
and Gallant Officer.