The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-05
Nine Big Airships Start Out
 from Chicago
ONE IS NEARLY WRECKED
Start of Race Is Viewed By Thousands With Great Excitement-Two of the Balloons Are Sighted
 Over Lake Michigan.
.ss...ssss...........s......"

Chicago. July 4.-(special)- the face of a terrific gale, in view of a vast null titude. the French balloon. Fielding San Antonio, piloted by Capt H. E. Honey well, rose majestically from Aero park at 4:SJ o'c clock this afternoon inaugurating an aero race that has attracted the at tention of the world.
 Within a few second the Vile de Dieppe, explained by A. E. Muller, South Amer .can balloonist, reared its great hulk, making way for the America
 The crowd that had assembled to wlsh the daring aeronauts a good voyage stood agape as the whirling winds of the alu tude clutched the inflated bags and raced away embarrassed on their flight. Mouths were opened and from among the vast assemblage of beautifully gowned women arose a mingled groan and cheer.
 Suddenly the army balloon with it's great banner bearing the legend United States Army" shot Into the air, veered and then careened. muffled moan arose as the big crowd realized that something had happened.
 What it was no one could distinguish in the short interval so full of peril as the eas-filed bag with it's human freight dashed against telegraph pole, fiinging the pilot, Capt. A. P. Shirley, to the floor of the huge basket.
 Balloon Is Saved.
 The assistant pilot, Horace B. Wild, who has distinguished himself by numerous airshlp flights in Chicago grasped the situation instantly. Jerking the pilot to his feet he set to work fiinging the huge bags of ballast and the Majestic pitched Forward and describing a circle was caught in gust of wind that swept the balloon out of reach of danger
 Women who had turned their heads away, fearing fatal catastrophe, were emboldened to another glance upward by the tumultuous cheering.
 One by one the big inflated spheres shot upward and at last the Chicago" with Charles A. Coey and G. L. Bumbaugh at the compass, cast off the ropes and tho race was on.
 With field glasses trained upon the diminishing specks in the sky the crowd sat in wrapt amazement, speculating upon the terrors of Lake Michigan and the possibility of accident.
 Women climbed to the top of fences,
  limbs and remained poised and staring until the huge balloons were lost in tho white clouds of the east.
 Others rushed to waiting automobiles for a swift run for some vantage on ths lake front.
 Easy Sailing.
 It was easy sailing for the Fielding San Antonio. with its advantage at the start. and some enthusiastic spectators so far forgot the presence of women that money was displayed with coaxing ban ters for wager that it would maintain it's advantage to the bitter end of the contest
 Gradually though reluctantly the crowd dispersed full of enthusiasm that has radiated for weeks from the expectant aeronauts, clamorous for the contest.
 The first information of consequence was flashed to the Examiner from the steamship Theodore Roosevelt on it's re- turn voyage from Michigan City, Ind, with it's cargo of excursionists. By wire less telegraph the captain the bridge of the big lake boat sent the first de- scription of the flight to the Examiners office. It was told in these words:
 Wireless telegraph bulletin from the steamship Theodore Roosevelt, on Lake Michigan to the Chicago Examiner:
 sautes Exchanged.
 We have exchanged salutes with two of the racing balloons, the Fielding San Antonio and the Vile de Dieppe, sweep ing directly across our course. Both bal looms dropped their flags and acknowl- edged our whistle. The Fielding San Antonio passed at 5:49; the Vile de Dieppe half an hour later. Both were sailing at the rate of 40 miles hour at an altitude of 1000 feet" A second balloon passed Kalamazoo at 3 o'clock tonight travelling at a great | height and going almost due east. Subsequent wireless bulletins from the | steamship explained that the racing bal 1 looms were sailing directly east, appar- sntly under perfect control.
 Following are the entrants. balloons | and pilots of the second international i balloon race and pilots and start:
 l. Fielding San Antonio; Capt. H. E. Frederick J. Fielding 2. King Edward; Gerald Gregory-John Bennett.
 8 Vile de Deppe: Capt A. E. Mueller Seorge Schoeneck.
 l. United States Army; Col. A. F. Shir- ey-H. B. Wild.
 D. America: Capt. P. S. Hudson-Lieut r. Meade, United States Marine corps. G. Cincinnati: Leslie Harrock- George Howard.
 :. Columbia c. H. Leichliter- Capt. Mar in Peterson.
 s. Illinois; J. l.. Case-C. H. Perrigo. 8. Corey Chicago: Charles Audrey Coey- ! Bumbaugh.
 The big international race was pro noted for the Aeronautique club of Chi ago by w. H. Pickens, former news 'aper man of Birmingham, Ala.
 
 Meridian Is Lively.
 Meridian Miss, July 4.-(Special)- )-The Fourth of July was ittingly observed by he people of Meridian. Practically all | was suspended for the entire lay. Tonight the main feature of enter ainment was a fireworks display ar 'anged by the Board of Trade. The dis ,lay was pulled off at Athletic park and ,,t '