New-York tribune., 1908-06-03
A FAST BALLOON TRIP
500 MILES IN II HOURS.
Coeys Chicago Fails 10 Equal
Long Distance Record. HozceUer.

Watertown S. D., June 2.-Compeed TO aight
because of rain. the balloon Chicago, owned by
Charles A. Coey and driven by Captain c. l..
Bumbangh and Charles Leichliter which left
quincy, I'LL, last night at o'clock, landed this
morning at ) o'clock in the country eight miles
south of Clear Lake, s. D, covering over eight
hundred miles in eleven hours and winning the
worlds S speed record with average of seven
ty-five miles hour. Captain Bumbaugh was
bitterly disappointed in not breaking the long
distance record and his failure to win the Lahm
Cup. This afternoon he said that had he not
encountered rain he would have easily outdis-
tanced all previous records.
Mr. Leichliter left Clear Lake to-day for Chi
caso. Captain Bumbaugh remaining behind to
pack the balloon ready for the return by rail
tomorrow. He said he would make another ef-
fort to win the Lahm Cup.
Il have great confidence in my balloon" he
said 1T is a marvel Not a particle of gas es-
capped in the long flight. which without in
cident 1 am confident that this will prove the
fastest air vessel of the present age, and as soon
as weather conditions settle 1 will make another
try for the long distance record.
Chicago. June 2.-The follow telegram. dated
Clear Lake, 5. D. received to-day by ". II.
Pickens, of the firm of c. A. Coey & Co, from
c. H. Leichliter one of the three men in the
balloon:
Landed at Drayer. eight miles southwest of here,
at a. m. to- day. Figure that we made close to
eight hundred miles in eleven hours, smashing
various speed records, the initial flight was due
west from Quincy, considerable distance beyond
kirksVille Mo. the las town we spoke to, and
thence by compass due north, then northwest
for q short time, then slightly northwest, which
landed us here. The actual mileage covered in
the eleven hours flight much greater than
would be computed by bee line measure
From midnight were harassed by a steady
fall of rain, which no amount of manRuvring
could escape. When the rain first struck us we
went up TO an altitude of $500 feet, seeking a
stratum which would be above the rain cloud.
Instead of benefiting us, we found colder air.
which contracted the gas compelling to throw
out practically all our ballast. After straight
hour and a half of rain. the barometer did not
indicate variance of sixty feet in altitude
When the cold air struck our bag we dropped
1900 feet in less than minute. Colonel Coey
and Captain Bumbaugh were throwing out sand
fast they could work, while I watched the
instruments indicating the altitude and condi-
tions.
satisfy the veriest enthusiast. It appeared
momentarily that would be compelled 10
make landing in the darkness. which fright
ened even Captain Burlbaugh, with all his expert
ence in aerial navigation. In the lower alt-
tude however, q warmer rain prevailed, heating
the gas and enabling TO hold until day
light. We hoped that the sun would expand the
gas, but instead of sunshine came cold beat
ing rain which soaked the basket and passen-
gers.
The basket bumped the ground three times
before 1t became apparent that there was no
hope of continuing fight. When made
our landing, we had oaly half bag of sand bal
last lcft.
Under ordinary weather conditions it is Ger
tain that the long distance record would have
have been broken without question
It was announced tonight by William II.
Pickens, the representative of Mr.. Coey, that
another trip would be made in a short time,
starting from Quincy, III.