The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-06
 OF AERONAUTS Narrow Escapes for the
 Pilots. EVENTFUL END TO RACE Bruised and Cut by Barbed Wire
 Fences. A. E. Mueller and George seheenek Had Thrilling Experience while Crossing Lake and Narrowly
 Esesped Drowning.


 and George schoenck, aeronauts who sailed in the French balloon Vile dc Dieppe from Chicago yesterday in the Chicago Endurance Balloon contest. came to earth near South Haven. Mich. during the night, after having been dragged for miles along the sur face Of Lake Michigan.
 They saved themselves from drown ing only by throwing overheard every movable thing in the balloon basket and taking at times to the rigging. They returned to Chicago today by train. Neither was injured but both were chilled and soaked to the slxin.
 Of the other balloons, the Fielding landed near West Shefford. Quebec. the King Edward. canada's entry, landed near Port Huron, Michigan; the Chi cago of 10000 cubic feet capacity, came to earth near Atwood. Perth county, Ontario. this forenoon. accord ing to telephone message received in Chicago today. The occupants. c. A. Coey and Captain c. |. Bumbaugh, States" landed mile east of pinkerton o'clock today. The Columbia also crossed into Canada and ". II. Leich- letter and Captain Martin Petersen managed to leave the car near Clfnton. Ontario, they were bruised and cut by barbed wire fences and trees and both required surgical attendance. The sAnerica. landed at Carsonvilie. Mich.
 The occupants of the Cincinnati saw the disaster to the Vile de pieppe and landed in Covert. Michigan. in order to advise the fife saving stations Of the accident Leslie Haddoek and George Howard. pilots of the cincin- natl, report that their craft was in the contest In order to aid Mueller and gehaanefk
 stili In the Air.
 Of the nine starters, the Illinois, is supposed to be stili in the air and wall on the way towards the Eartsrn sea board.
 pend the hopes of Secretary Pickens Of the Aeronautique Club of Chicago for new worlds distance record.
 Cold air currents over Lake Mtchi- gan brought peril to other balloons than the Vile de Dteppe Both the King Edward and the Illinois descsnd- ed rapidly soon after the start. the former touching the water while ths occupants of the Illinois were forced to throw out ballast rapidly to keep away from the waves.
 When the "vilie de pieppe left Chf- cago. 1t was inflated to only seventy Ave per cent of It's capacity owing 10 1 n which was problematicaI Colonel Mueller said that the balloon had travelled less than five miles across the lake when it suddenly shot down like q stone. The basket was almost submerged despite the frantic efforts of Mueller and Schoenck to Tighten the load. Sand. provisions. instrumenfss anchor. drag rope and even the coats of the pilots were tossed overheard Each grasped a life preserver and Schoenck tried to leap Into the water but he was prevented by his older com. panion.
 The Cincinnati passed over them while they were in this plight and promised to send assistance.
 For teo miles the basket was drag ged over the surface of the water at q rapid rate, Schoenck clung desperate- ly to the rigging. the jerk of the big bag nearly tearing the cords from hts grasp Then, without warning, the balloon swept into a stratum of warm air and leaped to a height of 1000 feet.
 The ear drums of Schoenek and Mueller nearly burst from the effects of the sudden change. Fortunately the bag did not remain at the high altl- tude. beginning to descend slowly al-- most Immediately.
 How long they remained above fhe clouds was impossible for Mueller to determine. Soon, however they wers able to distinguish the lights of town beneath them and they knew that solid ground was below. Certain that a safe landing place could be found. Mueller made preparations to descend. At $50 o'clock they landed gently In a ileld three miles from Benton Harbor. MIcn.
 The experiences in which Leichleitur and Peterson met their injuries was told in the following dispatch sent Co Secretary PicSens:
 Badly Carved Up.
 More or less carved up by barbed wire fences. bumped and broken by trees. and generally bungled up, Cap tain Peterson and myself are here un- dergoing repairs and figuring out the possibility of getting back to Chicago this week.
 "The night was clear with a good breeze blowing steadily northeast. The sun came out bright and warm at { o'clock. It had taken much of our sand ballast to keep the bag up at night, but with two sacks left and gas ex- banded by the sun, we decided to un- dertake the crossing of Lake Huron and to remain up until late in the evening.
 We sailed we'll into Canada at 5000 feet altitude, but suddenly the bag be- gan descending. Down to 5000 feet. the descent was fairly slow Then sheoul got into the bag and we com- pleted our drop in record-hreaking. bone grinding and fiesh-tsaring order The basket pumped a tree rebound ed and hurled us against another. From this we were damned Into a barbed- wire fence. torn to tatters and passed by a long line of bumps. to some mora 1 fences. Suddenly we came to anchor l with Captain Peterson's army boot re- | posing on my bleeding. recumhenk head.
 We were held prisoners. damned be- I tween a fence and the basket and tam gled ropes for almost half an hour. while several farmers wrestled with the | lighting bag and finally succeeded tn | beating the gas out of it. Captain Peterson has a broken rib and a bone-deep cut across a knnclkia of his right hand, My left thumb is | half severed. and the whole hand lac erated by barbed wire likewise tna right side of my face and my lefl in.