Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1908-07-10
TEXAS BALLOON
WINS LONG RACE
DR.. F. G. FIELDING'S SAN ANTONIO
COVERS 800 MILES FROM
CHICAGO.
FRENCHMAN DIPS IN LAKE.
Vile de DiePpe Swoops Into Water and
with Damaged Basket Rises 1000
Feet in Air
CONTEST IS SPECTACULAR ONE

CHICAGO. H., July Gan long dis
lance aerial speed records were broken
and possibly a new worlds long distance
fight mark for balloons was set when the
Fielding San Antonio, owned by DIR.
Frederick J. Fielding Of San Antonio,
Tex, and plotted by Capt. II. e. Honey
well, descended to the earth yesterday
at > ,. N. ut West Shefford, Quebec.
All Of the nine balloons III the great
international race which started in Chi
caGo descended safely, but many thrilling
escapes were reported. The Vile de
Dicppe dragged it's car into Lake Michi-
gan. The Illinois aighted in Lake On
tario. The crew Of the Columbia was
cut and bruised in descending in Can
ada
Following was the finish Of the aerial
crafts and the estimated distance Gov
cred N the flight to beat the long distance
record Of S72 miles made by the Ger
man balloon Pommern last year:
FIELDING-SAN ANTONIO-Wcst SheGrord,
Quebec $40 miles
ILLINOIS Bay of Quinte, Lake Ontario,
90 miles
UNITED Standardization Ontario. $50
CHlCAGO-Wcst Monkton Ontario, $50
miles
CoLIM,BIA-Clinton, Ontario, $40 miles.
AMERICAN-CarsOnvi Mich, 300 miles.
KING EDWARDAPort Huron, Mich, so
miles.
Observation-Disclosures Mich. u miles
VILE DE DISQUALIFICATION Harbor,
Mich, 60 miles.
Record Voyage Of San Antonio.
The Fielding-San Antonio left its
mornings Saturday at 5:4J p. m., at
Aero park, SiXty-seventh street and
South Park avenue, and III a few min
uteS less than twentyfOur hours sailed
what is estimated roughly to be about
500 miles 1t is possible the record of
the POmmern, when the corrected fig
ures are obtained, was broken.
This trip of the Fielding-San Antonio
was the first the balloon lad ever made.
The big muslin, lemon-cOlorcd bag never
had been inflated to its fullest capacity
before. 1t also was DIR. Fielding's first
ride in the air. The owner weighs $50
pounds, which is 100 rounds extra
weight economically.
Second place i'll the aerial fight was
taken by the Illinois, a Chicago balloon,
pilotcd by j. l.. Case and G. II. Perrigo
of Chicago 1t travelled about $50 miles
and descended in the bay of Qunte, near
Glen island. which is near Prince ed
ward island. Lake Ontario.
Aeronauts in Narrow Escape
NlOSG lhTlllinS adventures were expert
enced by the aeronauts. One balloon
dragged its two pilots through barb wire
fences, against tree trunks, and across
a swamp. One of it's guders, G.. II.
Leichlitcr of Chicago. was severely LAGER
ated. The other, Capt Martin Peter
son, has broken rib
But more evcntful were the experiences
of Capt. \. Il. Mueller of the French
balloon. Vile de Dieppe and his II
year-0ld cnmrade. George SchOenech. n
Chicago boy. Only quick work saved
them from the waters of Lake Michigan.
and shot them skyward to an altitude of
1000 feet within seven minutes.
Dips Into Water.
Hardly was the Vile de Dieppe out of
sight from its starting place than it shot
downward in gull-like swoop into the
lake III point about three miles out
from the mouth Of the Chicago river.
Tie EGIc bag bounced upon the waves
Ike an enormous rubber ball, while the
two occupants climbed into the network
and fastened life preservcrs about their
bodies.
Capt Mueller quickly analysed the CON
dition OF his balloon as the result of too
much ballast. He cast the eight bags of
sand overheard, then the dragging an
Choir, then the numerous acrOnauticaI
paraphernalia, and finally the food and
water, leaving only the wicker basket
and its occupants.
The basket was submerged to the
shoulders of the FrenChman, who is feet
, inches tall and it was with difficulty
that he was able to get back above the
ring of the balloon and into the net
ting. lie then clasped the life preserver
about him and tied it to the netting far
above the basket.
Ready to Swim for Life.
The boy in the meantime had removed
his coal and shoes and was prepared to
jump into the water, believing that his
only chance of life rested in his ability
to swim three miles to shore. Capt.
Mueller beckonod to him to retain his
Schoonech was induced TO stay above Ill
the netting.
Then the boy and himself were tied to
the upper cords OF the bag Capt. Muel-
Ter was prepared te cut the wicker bas-
ket loose and sail upward, taking his
chances with fate in reaching the shore
Of Michigan.
One side Of the basket was dipping
more heavily in the water than the other.
With his knife he severed the cords
which connected the other side of the
car with the bag and tied the loose ends
70 the opposite side Of the basket The
idea came from long aerial experience.
1t worked like charm.
Shoots Toward Sky.
Almost in a twinking the basket
turned half over and emptied itself of
water, which removed the weight from
the gas bag and allowed it to ascend.
Like rocket it shot upward. Inside OF
seven minutes it had assembled to an alti-
tude of 1000 feet
But this was not the last of the aero
nautS' perilous adventures. They had
been in the water forty-tve minutes
Then they climbed to stratum of at
mosphere, which the two declared was
bon
ever drank One side of the basket was
hanging down with its ropes cut.
Both aeronauts were forced TO lean
far back over the opposite railing of the