The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-09-10
Trying Out Craft of Vari-
Gus Make and Master
ing Aerial Problems.
PICKED BODY OF MEN
Slow to Recognize tho Utility Of Ali
Navigation, the Lost Time Is Now
Rapidly Made Up-Ncil Equipped
Works for the Purpose Installed
Mt Fort Myer, Near Washington.

Government tests of airships of va.
rious types will serve to bring prom!.
nently before the public the functions
and personnel of the newest and one
OF the most interesting branches OF
the United States army-the Balloon
Squad. The little group of men who
within the past few months have
qualified as experts in the handling
OF sky craft will serve as the nucleus
of what will ultimately become one
of the most important ORGANIZATIONS
in Uncle Sans military establish
ment-a trained body suoh as Is es-
sential, If this nation is to overcome
the long load already gained by
France, Germany and Great Britain
in military aeronautics.
The Balloon Squad is a branch of
the United States Signal Corps. For q
number of years ballooning has been
regarded in military circles, as an
essential adjunct to the signal work
OF the army, but Americans have
been unaccountably tariy In exploit
Ing its possibilities.
Picturesque indeed, were the cir.
cumstances which finally aroused
the Yankee officers to action. The
spark that set interest and energy
afiame in this direction was the win
ming of the first international bal.
loon race by Lieut.. Frank p. Lahm.
That young American army officer,
barely twenty-eight years of age and
Almost a novice in the work, should
dereat the most experienced aero
nauts of Europe and win a decisive
victory in what was, up to that time.
the greatest areial sporting event the
word had ever seen, could not help
but kindle the patriotism and the
aeronautic interest of his fellow of.
ficers at home and abroad.
The outcome of the sentiment thus
aroused was the issuance of an or
der creating the Aeronautical Divis-
ion OF the Signal Corps. It was ar
ranged to get out of storage the sev-
eral balloons of foreign make which
had been bought by the United States
during the Spanish war and had
been In storage ever since, and 1t
was decided that the headquarters of
the new activities should be at bal
loon house" at Fort Myer, Va, Just
across the Potomac from Washing
ton, and where the progress could be
closely watched by the administra-
tive officials OF the War Department
1t is the expectation that ere many
months elapse a second detachment
~ hn Anr 10 lot nil ~ -
ganized at Fort Omaha. Neb., where
the government is now building a
model balloon house and is INSTALL
ing what 1t is hoped to be the most
up-to-date plant in the world for the
manufacture OF the hydrogen gas
used for the imitation of balloons.
The baloonists at Fort Myer have
the care of all the balloons owned by
the War Department. These include
French balloon of 5000 cubic feet
capacity, which was bought during
the Spanish War; a balloon, $4,000
cubic feet capacity, of German man
ufacture, which was acquired at the
Same time; the famous Balloon No.
10. OF 10000 cubic feet capacity,
which was built especially for the
Signal Corps by Leo Stevens and
three small balloons Of German man
ufacture. 400 cubic feet capacity
each, which are intended primarily
for signal work but which are prov
ing very useful at Fort Myer as re-
serve reservoirs for the storage of a
surplus supply of hydrogen during
the imitation of the big balloons.
Uncle Sans establishment is pret-
ty well equipped. in addition to a
vast array of such standard adtuncts
as ballast bags, anchors, baskets and
the like, there are instruments foI
registering the lifting power of gas
bag and for testing the quality
OF the gas In use. One ingenius me-
chanical assistant is an apparatus
operated by turning a crank, which
Initiates a balloon with air SO that II
may be tested for leaks or to facili
tate repair work.
For the time being the hydrogen
gas used as the lifting medium In
the dirigible and all other balloons
is manufactured at a temporary plan,
at Fort Myer, but ultimately all the
gas required for army balloon opera
tions anywhere in this country will
be manufactured at the Fort Omahi
plant and will be shipped wherevel
needed In tanks somewhat resem
bling, save for their larger size, the
gas tanks used in connection with
soda water fountains.
The balloon squad has its regular
drills Just as do other branches o.
the military service. The most i'm
portant of these has for Its objec
the innation of a balloon.