The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-06
Occupants Of Willie de dep.
pc and Columbia \ Mar.
1oWly Escape Death.
DlEPPE DRAGGED.
ACROSSsL AXE MICHIGAN.
Columbia's" Gas Bag Out Of
Order, Balloon Crashes to- Eartl,
and Lands Aeronauts iii
Barbwire Fence, Sc
verely Injuring
Both.

Both.
- CHICAGO. ILL, July 5.-Colonel
A. E. Mueller and George
Schoenck. acronauts. who sailed
~ In the French balloon .yille
de Dieppe' from Chicago yes.
terday. in the Chicago endurance bal.
loon contest, came to earth near South
Haven. Mich. during the night, after
having been dragged for miles along
the surface OF Lake Michigan. They
saved Themselves from drowning only
by throwing overheard every nova BILE
thing In the balloon basket and taking
. at times to the rigging. They re-
turned to Chicago To-day by train.
Neither was injured. but both were
chilled and soaked to the skins.
OF the other balloons. the Fielding
landed near West shefford. Quebec;
the King Edward. Canada.s entry,
landed near Port Huron, Mich The
Chicago" OF 10000 cubic feet ca. q.
pacity. came to earth near Atwood,
Perth county. Ontario. this forenoon,
according to telephone message re-
&ceiyed in Chicago to-day. The occu-
pants, c. A Coey and Captain G. L..
Bumbaugh. were reported we'll The
United States" landed mile east OF
4Pinkerton Station. Bruce county, On
tario. at $3.50 o'clock to-day. The CO.
lumbia also crossed into Canada, and
while c. II. Leichleitcr and Captain
Martin Peterson managed to leave the
ooS near Clinton. Ontario, they were
eguised and cut by barbed wire fences
and trees. and both required surgical
attendance. The America landed at
Carsonvi1le. Mich.
Illinois still in Air.
The occupants OF the Cincinnati saw
the disaster to the Vile de Dieppe. and
landed in Covert Mich. In order 10
advise the life-savins stations of the
accident Leslie Haddock and George
Howard. pilots OF the Cincinnati. re-
port that their craft was In good con-
dition. but that they gave up the con-
test In order TO aid Mueller and schoe.
nick.
OF the nine starters, the Illinois Is
supposed to be still In the air and
well on the way towards the eastern
seaboard. Upon the ability OF the
pilots to overcome atmospheric con-
ditions depend the hopes OF Secretary
Pickens. Of the Aeronautique Club. OF
Chicago. for new worlds distance
record.
Cold air currents over Lake Michigan
brought peril to other balloons than
the Vile de Dieppe. Both tho King
Edward and the Illinois descended rapid
Is soon after the start, the former
touching the water, while the occupants
OF the Illinois were forced to throw
out ballast rapidly to keep away from
the waves.
Dragged Across Lake.
When the Vile de Dieppe left Chi
cago 1t was inflated to only IS per
cent. OF its capacity, owing to patch
ON the gas bag. the strength OF which
was problema tical. Colonel Mueller
said that the balloon had travelled
less than five miles across the lake
when 1t suddenly shut down like
stona
The basket was almost submerged,
despite the frantic efforts OF Mueller
and schoenick to tighten the load
Sand. provisions. instruments. anchor,
drag rope, and even the coats OF the
pilots. were tossed overheard. Each
Yraspsd q life-preserver, and schoenick
tried to leap into the water, but he
was prevented by his older companion.
The Cincinnati passed over them
while they were in this plight, and
promised assistance. Mueller waved
them on their course, as the Vile de
Dfeppe was already beginning to right
itself.
Fearful Suffering.
! For ten miles the basket was drag
#ged over the surface of the water at
"a rapid rate. Sometimes 1t dipped
alarmin sly into the waves. and at
others rose a few Inches above the
surface. schoenick clung desperately
to the rigging. the jerk Of the big bag
nearly tearing the cords from his grasp.
SO tightly was he compelled to clinch
u the ropes that his hands were cut
deeply by the rasping Of the cords.
Then, without warning, the balloon
swept into 9 stratum OF warm air and
3leaped to a height Of 1000 feet.
The ear drums Of Schoeneck and
Mueller nearly burst from the effects
OF sudden change, the boy screaming
with pain and shiverng with cold,
Fortunately the bag did not remain
long at the high altitude, beginning to
descend slowly almost Immediately.
How long they remained above the
clouds was impossible for Mueller to
determine, Soon, however. they were
able to distinguish the lights OF a
town beneath them and they knew
that solid ground was below. Seeing
that safe landing place could be
found, Mueller made preparations to
descend. E * I'd
The valve was opened gradually and
the BALBOA settled slowly.
AT $3.50 O'clock they landed gently
in a field three miles from Benton
FIarbon. Mich. At midnight the men
boarded an electric car and went to
Benton Harbor.
Cut by Barbed Wire.
The experiences in which Leichleiter
and Peterson met their injuries was
told In the following dispatch sent to
Secretary Pickens, OF the Aeronautique)
Club OF Ch!cag so. gi3is 558s
More or less carved up by bar bed
trees and generally bunged up Ca ptain2|