Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-17

lowing dispatch from The Herald's
correspondent at San Bernardino:
Balloon on Desert
Reports from the mountains at 8
o'clock tonight indicate that the bal
loon United States is midway between
Victorville and Barstow, having been
seen by the forest rangers at Seeley
Flats and also by residents at Skyland.
1t was estimated to be at an elevation
of 5000 feet above the sea level and
travelling gradually eastward, though
it seems to be moving slightly to the
south toward Grayback peak. If the
reports are correct, the balloon crossed
the mountains to the west of Cajon
pass and is now on the desert side of
the range"
A special telegram to The Herald
from Victorville confirmed this state
ment. 1t was followed by this special
message from a correspondent at Bar
stow, sent at 1920 o'clock:
1.-The balloon has been in sight for
some time. 1t is moving somewhat
northwest, and may go in any one of
three directions. If it goes through
the pass it will probably take a course
more northward toward Salt Lake. It's
present drift would indicate, however,
that it is headed for Beattie, Gold Cen
ter or Rhyolite. On the other hand, 1t
may dip farther southwark into Ari-
zona 1t is high up and its speed
seems to be increasing"
The course taken is in line with pre-
dictions made last week by Dick Fer
ris and Captain Wild, based upon the
backing of a favorable current over
the San Bernardino range.
"If you get the right wind out of
town." Dick Ferris said Saturday to
Captains Mueller and Wild, you will
make the desert all right, and then
you will go so fast you'll lose your
ears. That desert wind travels more
than 100 miles an hour, and you will
make time if you can only get over
the mountains early in the evening"
"I'll be on needles until I know the
boys are not lost in the desert" said
Ferris last night. "If they get through
the night all right l think they will
make it the other side of the Rockies.
Wild started with thirty-five sacks of
sand, and while he appeared to be
throwing it out frequently he did not
let so of full sack at time. We
counted the sacks on the basket OF FL
Monte and made out seventeen.
81 hope they will keep up until they
assure us of a good record. If they
do you will see balloons galore around
Los Angeles next year, and all the
world will be talking about the trip
across the desert"
Capt Wild made the following state
ment for The Herald before starting;
Conditions Are Favorable
so far as 1 can judge conditions are
favorable. The balloon is full and in
good shape, although the gas PROPOSE
ton has been failure. The only thing
we can do is to trust for the most
favorable conditions throughout and
stay with the balloon as long as it will
carry us. We ought to find a wind
which will take us over the mountains.
After this trip l am coming back to
make another voyage, probably from
Chutes park; If not, from the grounds
to be established by the Aero club. In
this next trip 1 shall benefit greatly by
the experience / have received in as
sisting Mr.. Ferris in the present race
/ am going to work hard and keep at
it until | break the worlds record for
ballooning, using Los Angeles as a
starting point, as l honestly believe it