The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-12
Two Americans Have Thrilling Experience In Airship
 Race At Berlin
MEN DROP 2OOO FEET AND
 THEN COME DOWN GENTLY
Neither One of the Aeronauts Re. ceives Serious Injury Even When Basket of Balloon Crashes
 Through Roof of House.

Berlin, October 1.-The international balloon race, which started today from the suburb of Sehmargendorf, was the occasion of a thrilling accident, two American aeronauts having miraculous escape from death The American bal loon Conqueror, the only American built craft in the contest. having on board A Holland Forbes and Augustus Post less than two minutes after the start, burst at an altitude of 1000 feet. For 2O00 feet it shot down like a. bullet and then the torn silk bag assumed the shape of parachute, thus checking the rapidity of the descent. Coming close to the earth however, the basket smashed into the roof of a house. but the two men escaped with but slight injuries.
 The race, in which 23 balloons partici- pated, representing Great Britain, France. Germany, the United States, Switzerland Italy, Belgium and Spain, started at 3 o'clock this afternoon in the presence of at least 5000 spectators. The first bal loon sent away was the America IT. under command of James c. Mccoy, who was accompanied by Lieutenant Vogh- mann The balloon was decorated with the stars and stripes, and it sailed away to the southeast at a rapid pace, the aeronauts waving their hats.
 A representative of each of the other nations. followed the American balloon in succession ct intervals of two min. utes, the national hymn of the respective countries ringing forth as the ropes were cast loose.
 Balloon Bursts.
 The second batch of eight balloons was balloon falling with lighting-like rapidity. At the same time showers of sand and ap- performances of the balloon shot downward with equal rapidity and then daylight was seen through the envelope great ragged edges of the silk showing on either side.
 They are killed went in a hushed led by Forbes in the Conquero-. which reached a high altitude in an incredibly short period, the basket swaying violent ly Then almost instantly a cry of hor- TOT arose from the crowd, who saw the silk collapse and shouted, the balloon is ripping up.'
 The thousands who had gathered there stood for moment petrified Some turned away fainting, as they saw the whisper through the crowd, but shortly the remainder of the envelope appeared to take first a triangular shape and then was transformed Into a sort of para chute at the top of the net and the prog ress of the wrecked balloon was consd- erably arrested. It came down slower and slower, meanwhile being swept by the wind far to the southeast. and finally disappeared from view behind block of houses. The suspense among the crowd was terrible. But a few moments later a telephone message was received from Friedenau, which announced that the men had landed and had not been se- riously injured. The other balloons were sent up. after brief delay. without fur iher accident. sA4ala&l
 Account of Accident. A. Holland Forbes, who appeared to be very little the worse for his experience. except that he suffering somewhat from shock gave the Associated Press d thrilling account of the accident.
 We had some difficulty he said. 'in getting away, but once we left the ground everything seemed to be all right. We mounted almost perpendicularly to an all ttude of 1000 feet. As l looked at the recording instrument to make note of the altitude, l heard peculiar swish and said to Post, That sounds dangerous Inn mediately I saw that the envelope was rapidly defating. the gas escaping in clouds. Instantly l threw the appedix clear of the basket and the ropes, and drawing my jack-knfe. cut the ropes that were attached to the 39 bags of sand hanging around the basket.
 Post, in the meantime, threw over everything portable. We could see. how over that we were falling more rapidly than some of the ejected articles. But later, when the descent of the balloon was checked, observed one bag of sand fall into baby carriage, which was smashed to pieces, but fortunately the nurse snatched out the baby and saved it's life.
 Both of us sprang up and held onto the ring above, hoping in this way to avoid the crash. Then above us could be seen the envelope gradually spreading out. We continued to fall with terrific speed until a sort of parachute had been formed, and then we knew that unless a further mis- hap occurred we would probably be saved from death.
 Crash Into House.
 "Our speed did not decrease as much as we should have liked and were still moving at 6 rapid pace when we reached the top of the high houses In the streets, which increased the danger. We passed over one root, almost touching It. and still holding onto the rings. We avoided the next block, but finally struck the roof of a house in the block adjoining, and the net and envelope fell to the opposite side The basket crashed against the tiles and went partly through into an occupied room The man in the room was terrified but recovering himself, assisted us to the roof down through the skyllght and to the street below where the crowds cheered us and shook hands Neither Post nor myself was seriously hurt
 All the competitors in the race are pro- vided with rations for three days. This is the third international balloon race for the James Gordon Bennett trophy.
 All the balloons took an exactly similar direction. which would lead if the same course were followed into Southern Rus sa overland. but many or the compeii- tors. including Mccoy. have taken water anchors. in the event the wind veers and carries them toward the sea.