The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-05-23
BIGGEST" BALLOON
MADE ON 92ND ST.
Prof. James Case of South
Chicago at Work on
Big Sky Pilot.
BALLOON TO REPRESENT CHI.
Forty -Four Hundred Yards of Raw
Material Are Used to Make
Mammoth Gas Bag.


aware of the fact that the largest bal
loon in the United States is now being
constructed in the shop of Prof. James
L. Case. 1875 Ninety second street local
aeronaut. who has achieved no little
success during the last twenty years
in his balloon and airship flights.
The balloon which Prof Case is now
building is being constructed for the
Aeronautique club of Chicago. has
been named the city OF Chicago"
This balloon will represent Chicago in
the great international areonautique
contests which will take place July 2,
5 and 4.
The big balloon has a capacity of
ninety-seven thousand cubic feet of gas
and is slightly over sixty-three feet in
diameter. The body of the balloon will
be a dark gold and the name, CITY Of
Chicago" will adorn both sides in
heavy black letters. The huge airship
has a carrying capacity of three tons
and will be manned by two men-an
escort and a pilot.
Mr. Case, the manufacturer of the
balloon, will act as pilot and will have
charge of manning it.
Got Contract I'm January.
Mr.. Case was awarded the contract
late in January and his contract calls
for the completion of the balloon by
June 16. The big air bag is now com
pieted and yesterday Mr. Case said
that everything would be ready for
transferring the balloon to the clubs
! garage downtown long before the time
| specified in his contract.
Inst f0 give an idea of how rsile n
work is required on a balloon is shown
two hundred yards Of material was
| used in covering the gas bag and about
| the same number of yards is used for
| the gas bag itself
The covering of the gas bag in it's
raw state is pure white. but this re-
auires a special preparation which
changes the color to a dark old gold.
This preparation is given the convas In
| order to make it more protective and
cannot be put out in the manufactured
state. Mr.. Case has a large force of
men helping in building the big ball
loon and although he did not make
known the amount he is receiving for
the building of the airship, 1t Is known
that the amount Will reach into the
| thousands.
Several balloon builders from various
sections of the county submitted bids
/ for the contract, but the bid of the To-
cal areronaut was much lower than his
competitors. When asked If his being
a member of the Chicago Areonautic
club had anything to do toward get
| ting the contract, Mr. Case replied that
| 1t did not and said that he had heard
| several of his competitors had made
/ the same assertion, but he denied il
! by saying that they are false.
The International Aeronautique con-
test, which will be held in Chicago
July 2, and 4. is being widely ad-
vertised in every section of the United
States as well as foreign countries.
The entries have been limited tc
twenty. and fifteen of this number have
already made their entry along witt
the necessary forfeit money.
Among the foreign countries that
| will be represented in the great inter
| national races are Germany, Franc,
| (who have sent entries), eBlgium, Italy
| England, Spain and Australia, the lat,
| ter country who are making their frs
attempt at aerial navigation.
The flight of the balloons, areoplane.
| south end of the White City grounds
Sixty fourth street and South Parl
avenue. This space has been leased b.
the Chicago Aeronautiqae club for
period of three years, and during tn,
last year every flight made in Chicag,
has taken place at these grounds.