The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-04-18
ARNY'S BALLOON
VISITS BALTIMORE
FVoyagerS From Capital
Show City First Mod
ern Car.
Ralph A. Collins, of The
Times, First to
Make Trip.

Make Trip.
Sailing majestically over the richest
and most thickly populated counties OF
Maryland, Army Signal Corps balloon.
40. 10, landed its four passengers on
the estate Of Robert Z. Jenkins. at the
north end Of Roland Park, BaltiEore's
most beautiful suburb, at 6.O5 clock
yesterday afternoon. From every view
point the trip was a most successful
one.
The only incident Of navigation was
the failure of the rip-string 10 pull when
the landing was made, and this proved
highly interesting for the crowd that
struggled valiantly with the big gas
bag, trying TO force the gas out Of it.
Several spectators were treated 10
short trips when a pun of wind would
temporarily lift the bag and tear it
from the grip of the hundred men and
boys. On each Of these occasions one
or more Of them would become en-
tangled in the mesh of the netting
Some went UP gracefully in an erect
position. but others went feet first. TO
the delectation OF the entire crowd
Each aerial attempt was greeted with
derision.
Lieutenant Lahm Navigator.
During the voyage. Lieut.. Frank p.
Lshm. Of the Signal Corps. winner Of
the Bennett Cup in The international
race in France and noted aeronaUt. was
navigator. 1t was the first experience
for Captain Van Horn and Lieutenant
Selfridgs. and Ralph A. Collins. of the
Washington Times. who completed the
ever. II there was, and II any OF the
party felt just a wee bit shaky. he
failed to tell the others. Mr.. Collins
will tell the readers Of The Sunday
Times Of tomorrow just how it feels TO
go up IN a balloon for The first time
Mr.. Collins Is the first newspaper man
to make a voyage IN the Army Signal
Corps balloon
Many times during The voyage. the
big bag ascended TO such attitudes that
the earth was but a mass Of light and
shadow. At others il came so low that
Lieutenant Lahm guide roped" over
the smooth country, only ascending to
clear the many woods
Crowd Sees Start.
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell. Capt.
Fftzhugh Lee. several army and Wash
ington society women went TO The gas
works to see the Tt, which was most
suspicious. Thirty-twO sand bags were
taken aboard. and when the four pas
esngers were in the basket, Lieutenant
I1ahm pulled the rope to open the lower
valve II had been too securely tied.
and would not pull The spectators
looked on with interest, while the sig
nal men ho!sted themselves. and the
sand bags on the net ropes and pulled
the bag down where Lieutenant Lahm
could loosen the valve.
All was then made ready, and Captain
Chandler. who had superIntcnded the
imitation and other operations, gave the
word. Hands up" She was p little
heavy, and the men again grabbed hold,
while sand was poured out a little at
a time. After repeated trials 1T Hands
ND" to test the bucyancy. all was pro
nounced ready. and twenty-four willing
hands cave the basket boost. that sent
It shooting upward
The crowd below became smaller and
smaller and re shouts and cheers
fainter and fainter. as the balloon
drifted of in 2 nOrtherly direction
Lieutenant l.ahm Logan slowing things
in q shipshape We T, and before an anu
tude Of six hundred feet was reached
everyone was comfortably seated on the
side Of the basket enjoying the wonder
full view Of the city and the surround
ing country.
Sails Ove- Lincoln Park.
The car continued of in a northerly
direction. sailing over Lincoln Park
The course was then a little north
westerly. passing over the northeast
section. the filtration plant, Dalecarlia
reservoir, Trinity College. and the
Catholic University. Every building and
street. with the people below gazing
skyward. was visible. After passing
over the Union station. the balloon de-
sceadcd a little, and Lieutenant Lahm
threw out ballast. Again the big bal
loon went rapidly upward, and swept of
10 the northwest going twenty miles
an hour at an altitude Of 5000 feet.
RrookIand. TakOml. Sligo. Forest
Glen. and the other towns along the
NetropoIitan branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad were passed over
Al Rockville. the upper current of air
changed q little, and the course was
due north through Montgomery county.
Higher and higher the balloon mounted
until II reached G. SOC feet. II was then.
as Il passed into Howard county. that
81 swept around in a deep arc To the
northeast, going over Ellicott City and
over the PatanScO river. below Bait
more A descent was made 70 the 1000
foot level, ard again he course was
due north. over Spring Gardens. the
heart OF the city. At 5:37 o'clock the
party passed over the city hall and
went directly uptown over the sky
scrapers. coming lower and lower all
the while
First Balloon Ever There.
II was the first balloon Of the big
practical distance type that had ever
gone near Baltimore. and the entire
pop0lace turned out The guide rope
was down 70 within a few hundred feet
OF the tops of the high buildings. and
the stacks of the United Railways power
station. The buildings belched forth
streams of human ants. all gazing sky
ward. They followed the balloons course
on foot on bicycles and in automobiles.