Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-10-08
NO HYDROGEN GAS FOR SALE
Comptroller Rules Against Request of
Private Balloonists.
PLANT is FOR GOVERNMENT USE
Law Must Be AmendedAif Others Than
Signal Corps Are tn Avail Them
selves of Facilities at
Fort Omaha. p
tFrom a staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7.-(Special Tele-
gram.)-Private individuals who had
planned to make flights with dirigibles in
and about Fort Omaha, hoping to be sup
piled with hydrogen gas from the new
plant just put in operation at Fort Omaha,
are doomed to disappointment, according TO
decision just rendered by the comptroller
Of the treasury. Colonel Glassford in
command of Fort Omaha, submitted three
questions to General Allen, chief of the
Signal corps, and in turn these questions
were referred to the comptroller for de-
cison, involving as they do new PROPOSE
tions as to the use of the hydrogen plant
new installed. Colonel Glassford in sub
stance, asked:
l, Can the Signal corps sell hydrogen to
private individuals at cost price for the
Initiation of private balloons at Fort
Omaha?
2. Can hydrogen be furnished free to pri-
vate individuals to initiate balloons when
a member OF the Signal corps takes part
ton?
the manufacture of hydrogen. be sold at
private or public sale?
On the first proposition the comptroller
states there is no provision of law author
izlng the manufacture of hydrogen by the
Signal corps for sale to private individuals
at any price or for any purpose.
As TO the second proposition submitted
by Colonel Glassford, the comptroller holds
that there is no provision under the law
for private tests and that the mere fact
that a member OF the Signal corps takes
part in the ascension would not bring the
expenditure within the purview of the act.
On the third proposition, whether the
bi-product of oxygen should be sold, the
| comptroller rules in its favor, inasmuch as
the Signal corps has use for the same.
How these rulings will influence the trials
of dirigibles at Omaha is a question, but
the fact remains that Omaha is better
equipped today for balloon tests than any
place in the United States.
Minor Matters at Capital.
John Pullman, who has just been ap-
pointed second lieutenant in the the Sec
ond cavalry with station at Fort Des
/ Moines was an Omaha Hsh school cadet
/ in 1884 He is a son OF Colonel ]. w
Pullman of the quartermaster's depart
ment and in class of thirty stood third
Railway Commissioners w L. Eaton and
Dwight N. Lewis of Iowa and D. H. Smith
OF South Dakota, are in Washington at
tending the National Association OF Rail
way commissioners.
| A. L. Kout OF Nashua, Charles T. ClaveI
OF Murray, Mcclellan C. Patterson of Coun-
ell Bluffs, H. c. Goodwin of Russell, N. c
Duncan of Columbus Junction, Carl A
Golden of Estherville, Oscar f. Duncan
! of Beman, John Troyak of Cedar
Rapids, William NJ. Kendrick OF WapellC
and c. Z. Wixon of Burlington, Ia, have
all been appointed railway mail clerks.
Robert ]. Riley of Anamosa. Ia. hai
been appointed guard at the United States
penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth.
Postmasters appointed: Iowa, Ardon
Muscetine county, John t. Downer, vic,
c. Schwin. jr., resigned.
South Dakota: Waverly, Coddingtor
county. William Schurmann vice f. Ar
cvhartz, removed.