Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-14
American ba||oonists Lose
Craft in North Sea.
Rescued by Life Savers After
Thrilling Experience.
Graphic Account Of Capt. Mccoy o.
Balloon America

iit the race for the International trophy
on Sunday from Schmargendorf has
met disaster in the North sea. The
Saint Louis, manned by n. H. Arnold
IF North Adams, Mass, and Harry ).
Hewitt. was carried overland by
treacherOus air currents and later in
tie haze the aeronauts lost their bear
lngs, until suddenly last night they
saw the guard lights of an unknown
coast.
This meant that they must descend
,;r risk the danger OF being driven fan
OH Of The track Of vessels. They choSe
O. 'orntl course and for an hour they
I.-:e tuhetcd by the waves almost
living up in despair. Eventually they
we're rescued by a. life boat and the
tirst intiinstion that an accident ilao
occurred to the Saint Louis was con
Ncycd in d wireless message from Ar
Mold saying Lost everything in the
North sea last night"
Following so closely on the dramatic
experience of A. Holland Forbes ana
Augustus Post the naVigators Of the
COnnuerer, which burst at an altitude
Of 1900 feet. soon after the start of the
race, the disaster to the Saint LOU:
was the subject Of great interest in
berlin throughout the day and un t.
midnigh; no details Of the rescue nav
ing been learned up to that hour by the
officials of the Aero Club or the friends
OF he mon whose whereabouts mad moi
b'en ascertained
The Associated Press, however. was
allie to communicate with Mr.. Arnold
at WilhrfnShaven, to which place h.
mad been transported by one Of the
torpedo beats which, last evening. was
sent out 10 render assistance to any
Of the ballooniSts who might DRIFT on,
over lhc waters. Mr.. Arnold told :;
graphic story Of the descent and rescue
ny :. .itnhoat. He said:
An day -Iondly, with the exception
Of the rarly aitrnoon, We were unable
10 see the earth and we lowered Til,
lalIoon repeatedly to commemorate
with the people to ascertain Gun
whereabouts. Apparently we couid MOI
make them understand, but thi,; prob
ably was due to our poor German
Finally We decided to risk proceeding
:tili h~vine "a sacks of ballast.
Moving in a northweSterIy di.'ec-
ton in the evening we passed a city
the USDtS Oh which WeTt. NlSlDls' nv,
miles to the west and we lerancd late
that it was Bremerhaven. Soon uiter
wards We noticed lighthouses an
huoys. which convinced us that we
were moving above big waters. but W.
mad no idea where we We're,
I'm order to avoid drifting orit OF H.
line of ship traffic. we concluded to "
down to Tie water hut hrfor" d"ilia:
we put on life preSti N"rs. Thu; vas
periiolS task, tor it Was dark aud tnpr
was srclt danger Oh heln. spi,u,,e
III the basket
After pitching about IN til" Nat.
for almost an nndr aaI giving ~, Il
hopes Of rescue. Hewitt, who hH
climbed into t." rigging. discover q
hGshlight. and loon after SAN - Use
boat approaching Ms. The / oai bow
ever, 'ntld not reach rs as ~ l,er
being dragged tnruugh the WuV,S Il
the rat" of about l., Or - Mules elu hnln
The bratnlcn shouted tn is a. .Ii.In
over boarG. which We did
II tried to save tn Saint Louis .'lu'
balloon 10y ripping it up bat toe rop
was jctk'd GOT OF my hands. ..hoItt /
minutes later | was picked 40 by In,
boat. which. III tn" Elcaniini- az,
saved my rompanion Hewitt We wor,
landed here. zoo tired to proceed I,
Berlin, acre We will Z" tom0rrrW.'
Capt Mccoy. the commander uf TIN
American balloon America II. which
landed today, rca, he'd R"riin tonight
He gays an interesting account OF his
journey in the air.
We flew l50 miles" he said. and
The wind shifted and We returned in
the direction of Berlin. which we OBJ
served last night We then travelled
no'thward in a thick fog and wrrt
unable to read the maps. suddenly
we discovered that we We're over water
and decided to descend This WAS ac-
Complished with some difficulty and
We landed in tree top near W isinai
on the shores Of tho Baltic We were
within 10 yards Of the steen cliffs. but
we climbed out OF our dangerous posi-
ton with the assistance OF fishermen.
We were obliged to cut down the trees
in order II save the balloon
The duration ot our fight Was 81
hours and : minutes. during which we
did not sleep at any time. Although
we We're obliged To reSCend We had
sufficient ballast to stay up another
day
Three of the balloons in the inter-
national race are still unaccounted for
They are the German balloon RuSl"y
the Spanish Castillo and the SWISS
Helv atia
Two OF the competitors in Mondays
endurance race have not been reported
and it is hoped that these escaped the
changeabie lower currents which az
fected the other competitors \ repott
received here from Wangerloog island
in the North sea says that a balloon
passed over there but that there were
no further tidins of it, The fotilia of
torpedo boat destroyerS is searching
the North sea where a thick fog pre-
walls. The English balloon "Ranschee''
so far as present estimates go has
covered the longest distance in the
race, 2.5 miles.
The autumn session of the French
Parliament opened Tuesday. The nrn-
gram of the government is to expedite
routine work especially the budget