Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-15
DARING PILOTS
ARE READY FOR
GREAT VOYAGE
WILD AND MUELLER EXPECT
TO SET NEW MARK
CURRENTS MAY CARRY THEM
ACROSS ROCKIES
Contest That Is Expected to Prove
Sensation of Age in Aeronautics
viii Be Started from Los
Angeles Today
1.-Two racing balloons. the American;

! H1 WO racing balloons the American.
piloted by Augusta Mueller, and
= the United States, piloted by
Horace B. Wild, will take flight from
Chutes park this afternoon in an effort
to break the worlds record.
Interest in the probable results is
attracting attention to Los Angeles as
an aeronautic center in the east, and
Dick Ferris, the promoter, Is receiving
! Inquiries already from airship people
The Aero club of California has re-
ceived the following telegram from
the Aero club of America, sent from
New York by Augustus Post. its Sec
retary: THE Aero club Of America
tenders its congratulations to the Aero
club of California on its first trans
continental balloon race"
In case either balloon which starts
today succeeds in a new long distance
achievement the record viii have the
official sanction of the aero clubs Of
this country and abroad This in itself.
Aeronauts Mueller and Wild declare,
will have a tremendous effect in ad-
vertising Los Angeles. especially in
Europe.
other Races in Prospect
Both are enthusiastic in their belief
that the Ferris race is only the first
of a long series of notable efforts 70
.
be initiated at Los Angeles
"'rhis race has developed into much
bigger thing than ! had any idea Of
said Dick Ferris yesterday. Not only
as to the size Of the bills connected
with it, which are all | could have
dreamed of, but more seriously IN the
possibilities. If one or both balloons
can only get across the Rockies, even
if they go no farther, it will be
great proposition.
s.N1ueller and Wild are already talk
ling like real estate men about Los
Angeles They think 1t Is bound 10
become the most famous all the year
around airship resort in the world 1t
doesn't take great deal of that sort
of enthusiasm in New York, Paris Or
Berlin to attract a great many desir-
able people here. Whether we capture
new record or not we are going TO
succeed in stirring up the country more
than l realized when this thing was
started.
Il thoroughly expect TO see both bali
looms go over 500 miles, and l think
the chances are for more than l00V
miles, Both. in my opinion VIII even
tually strike the same currents ana
should land not far apart They are
the best racing balloons could se-
cure-the 'Pommern, you know coula
not be bought--and their records snow
that they are built to stay with II:
Both pilots have regulations behind
them and are desperately in earnest
to make this transcontinehtal Iace-
have not restricted them in the least.
They can throw away the baskets II
thew wish to, and they enter the race
unhampered in any way.
1T seems most probable now thae
/ the course will be toward the SOUTH
west into Texas. and may De as far
over as New Orleans, instead of =
swoop to the northward. This would
possibly mean that the Atlantic would
be reached, If the balloons can stay up
long enough, somewhere south of New
York If favorable currents can be
encountered they may hit Texas ana
be able to take a long northeast swoop
that will stand for years as the dis
tance record for the gas balloon.
"As a matter of fact, we can only say
definitely that the balloons are pre-
pared and equipped to take advantage
of the best conditions in the possible
way. We cannot arrange the air in
Z advance but the men are equal to any
opportunity, and they are provisioned
to make the most Of 1t. In spite OF
! their efforts, they may not pass the.
mountains-but they may, on the other
hand, travel 1000 miles. We can't tell
till afterward. Everything that can
be anticipated, however, Is in favor OK
long voyage"
VIII Send Up Pilot
The aeronauts will know definitely
. the course to take shortly after noon.
when a pilot balloon will be sent up 70
| test the currents. The drift VIII De
watched closely. If it ascends several
thousand feet and then trends toward
the ocean the balloonists win feel their
way toward the mountains by utilizing
I the lower and purely local currents,
relying upon the flow of the winds over
the mountains to lift them TO a sum
cient altitude. If, on the contrary, tne
pilot balloon shows that 1t Is possible
| to make a quick shoot to the noun
J tains at a high altitude, that course
y | will be followed, assit combines helght
1 with the direction of travel desired.
: "I think we win play low at tne
start" predicts Aeronaut Wild y VIII
. take the highest altitude possible as
I soon after starting as ! cam" says
T, Caufain Mueller. The plans OF both
!. are as variable as the winds. and VIII
I not be final until the big balloons are
in the air
! ception of minor matters, were nnlsneu
! last night. The breeze prevented nliing
. the balloons as rapidly as the spec
\ tators thought desirable, but Captain
4 Mueller was more contented rnan ne
) had been since his first day at Snutes
a park. everything Is going me nne'
he said to those on the anxious seat.
: Toward evening the American was
Q flied so that IL almost LETT the GROUND,
Z and then the flow Of gas was eheeNeu
4 To await the dying down OF the VINO.
4 This morning the baskets VIII Pc eo-
S ! iusfed and packed, and for the urst
e time the public win be admitted 70
i watch the work.
/ Captain Mueller. who has had ch4l4e
4 | OF the preliminary work. has part4cl,
/ | pated In 50 many balloon contests that
! | X IS everyday labor TO him the over
.loontinued on rnSe NieFenl