Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-19
TRUST MONEY BARRED BALLOONS IN A RACE
Taft Wants No Contributions Trying to Make Record for Dis
From Corporations lance and Endurance
HE WILL OBEY ALL LAWS DEPART FROM ST. PAUL
Republican of Lands Thirty Miles Place
Labor Opposition of Start.
VOTE COULD NOT BE THROWN OTHERS SAILING HIGH IN
ISSUE, by Thousands-Narrow
Expression Of Opposition From Mshap
Trying to Make Record for Dis
lance and Endurance.
DEPART FROM ST. PAUL
One Lands Thirty Miles From Place
of Start.
OTHERS SAILING HIGH IN AIR
Of the Contest Witnessed
by Thousands-Narrow Escape
From Mishap.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, July 1S.-Five bal
looms were released at Lexington Athletic
Park. st. Paul. this evening in an attempt
to break the worlds record for distance
and for endurance. A telephone message
received by L. N. Scott, manager of the
balloon race. says that the King Edward
landed at Hampton. Mimi, thirty miles
south of ST Paul. at 7e45 pm The bal
loon in descending became caught in tele-
phone wires. So far as known the p. :,
Lieut.. Bennett, was unhurt At O'Clock
the other four balloons were sailing high
over Eden, Mimi, sixty-nine miles SOUTH
west of st. Paul. they having swerved to
the westward after starting toward Lake
Michigan.
The start of the balloon race, which
came as the final event of week that
has been devoted to festivity and pageant
ry Incident to the conclave of Shriners in
this city, was witnessed by thousan of
persons. Probably five thousand persons
were within the park when the first bal
loon was started, and thousands more
were seated on the prairie which sur
rounds the park, were looking from
housetops or from the submits of the
hills on which st. Paul is built
The start passed off with little excite
ment. though when the first attempt was
made to start the balloon King Edward,
the smallest of the five aerial craft, a
large number of spectators narrowly es-
capped the basket, and for moment 1t
seemed as il some one might be caught in
the netting. The balloon was quickly
brought back to its starting place. how
ever. and no one suffered anything worse
nv Vyerhf
The race was due to begin at 3 o'clock,
and long before that hour the crowd be-
gan to gather to witness the imitation of
the gas bags.
Slow Work Of Imitation.
Rain yesterday prevented a test of the
lifting power of the gas. and when the
work of imitation began this afternoon it
was discovered that the gas was heavy,
and that. therefore. it would be several
hours before any of the balloons were
buoyant enough to rise with their loads.
The work Of imitation began about 1:3O
o'clock. and at o'clock none of the bal
looms was more than three-fourths filled
while the Chicago. the largest Of the five
was Just beginning to belly. Lieut. J. B.
Bennett. pilot of King Edward, owned by
was the first to get away.
George H. Adams, a Minneapolis re-
porter. had planned to go with Lieut.
Bennett in the King Edward, but just as
was discovered that Adams would add
too much weight to the load which the
balloon would be compelled to carry. This
balloon has capacity Of $4,000 cubic
feet.
The Start.
AS the national guardsmen tugged at
the guy ropes to prevent the balloon
from rising. the wind carried the gas
bag forward toward the ground, SO that
it almost caught in it's netting the on
lockers who crowded around. Finally, at
4.19 o'clock. the King Edward was partly
released. 1t was too heavily ballasted.
however, and though Lieut.. Bennett threw
out sand, it was clear that the balloon
was going SO slow that the basket would
strike the other balloons and possibly
tnjure many people.
The King Edward was brought back
to the starting place, more gas was
pumped into it. and finally it was hauled
without the Enclosure and at 4:b3 o'clock
was released After the balloon rose.
Lieut.. Bennett poured out ballast and
still rising, the King Edward passed over
the grandstand toward the southwest.
AS it struck the higher currents of air,
the balloon turned toward the south and
ished from sight it was sailing southeast.
Preparations for the sailing of the
America. owned by L. N. Scott, of St.
Paul, was then hurried and at 5 o'clock
600 cubic feet. was released. Capt. p. 8.
Hudson, of Louisville, was pilot of this
craft and his assistant was Horace B.
Wild of Chicago.
The next to sail was the United States.
owned by Richard Ferris of Minneapolis
This balloon was piloted by Capt. A. p.
Mueller, who was accompanied by w. G.
Shepard, Minneapolis newspaper re-
porter. AS the United States rose Shop
ard poured out three bags of ballast on
seats. and Capt. Mueller unfolded a large
American flag. The balloon sailed off
toward the southeast and brought forth a
cheer from the crowd.
The Pommern Released.
Dr. Julian Thomas Of New York, owner
and pilot of the Pommern, which won the
st. Louis race last year, insisted on sail
ing this race alone. in order that he might
stay in the air as long as possible. His
balloon was released at 6:15 pm. 1t ap-
peared as though the Pommern would
strike the grandstand, and Dr. Thomas
prepared to throw out ballast. Before he
could unloosen the bag Of sand. however
the danger was past. Turning toward the
crowd with a megaphone. he called down
to Charles A. Coey. pilot OF the Chicago,
which had not yet sailed:
'BoOd luck. Coey. goodbye"
The Pommern, like the balloons which
preceded it, started first toward the
southwest. Mr.. Thomas let out several
feet of trail rope and thus held the bal
loon to the lower currents of air, SO that
1t turned toward the southeast more slow
ly than the others had done. AS his bal.
loon sailed away the three which pre-.
coded it were out of sight.
Departure of the Chicago.
Twenty-six minutes later the Chicago,
10000 feet capacity, was released. Pilot
Coey was accompanied by George L.
Bumbaugh of Springfield. Ill.
AS the Chicago rose Pilot Coey settled