The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-06

Chicago. July 5-A. E. Mueller and George Schoenck, aeronauts. who sailed In the French balloon "Ville de Dieppe,, from Chicago yesterday in the Chios endurance balloon contest, came to eg U near South Haven, Mich. durin.ri uosu night, after having been draggedTed miles along the surface of Lake ! lgan. They saved themselve, from dr ,. ing only by throwing overheard bns movable thing in the balloon basket susa taking at times to the rigging. sTheNr e. turned to Chicago today by tfain. Neih q < was injured, but both were chilled and soaked to the slxIn
 Of the others, the Fielding landed near West Shefford, Quebec: the King Edward Canada's entry, landed near Port Huron. Mich; the Chicago" of 10000 cubic feet capacity, came to earth near Atwood, Perth county, Ontario, this afternoon. &C., cording to telephone message received in Chicago today. The occupants. c. A. Coey and Capt G. L. Bumbaugh. were reported well. The Limited States land ed mile east of Pinkerton station, Bruce county, Ontario. at S:30 today. The Columbia also crossed into Canada. and W. H. Lelchlister and Capt Martin Pet erson managed to leave the car near Clinton, Ontario. They were bruised and cut by barbed wire fences and trees and both required surgical attention. The American landed at Carsonville, Mich
 Witnessed Disaster.
 The occupants of the Cincinnati saw the disaster to the Vile de Dieppe and landed In ioI, i,, llfe-saving station of the accident Les lie Haddock and George Howard, pilots of the Cincinnati report that their craft was in good condition, but that they gave up the contest in order to aid Mueller and Schoenck
 Of the nine starters the Illinois is sup posed to be still in the air and well on the way toward the eastern seaboard.
 Upon the ability of the pilots to over come atmospheric conditions depend the hopes of Secretary W. H, Pickens of the Aeronautique club of Chicago for a new worlds distance record.
 Cold air currents over Lake Michigan brought peril to other balloons than the Vile de Dieppe. Both the King Edward and the Illinois descended rapidly 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.
 Dropped Like Stone.
 When the "ville de Dleppe' left Chi- cago it was inflated to only 75 per cent of its capacity owing to patch on the gas bag the strength of which was problem- atical. Colonel Mueller said that the balloon travelled less than five miles 1al lra uy1n St6d dnt,lx cl. down like a stone, The basket was al- most submerged despite the frantic efforts of Mueller and Schoenck to tighten the load. Sand. provisions. instruments, anchor. drag rope and even the coats of the pilots were tossed overheard, Each grasped a life-preserved and Schoenck 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 to send assistance.
 For 10 miles the basket was dragged over the surface of the water at rapid rate Schoenck chung despera tely to the rigging. the jerk of the big bag nearly tearing the lords from his grasp Then, without warning the balloon swept into stratum of warm air and leaped to a height of 1000 feet.
 The ear drums of Sch hoenck and Muel- Ter nearly burst from the effects of the
 
 did not remain long at the high alti- tude, beginning to descend slowly al- most immediately.
 How long they remained above the clouds was impossible for Mueller to determine. Soon however. they were able to distinguish the lights of town beneath them and they knew that solid ground was below. Certain that safe landing place could bs found Mueller made preparations to descend.
 Land in Field.
 At $50 o'clock they landed gently in a field three miles from Benton Harbor, Mich.
 The experiences in which Leichleiter and Peterson met their injuries was told In the following dispatch sent to Secretary Pickens:
 More or less carved up by barbed wire fences, bumped and broken by trees and generally bunged up, Cap ,ain Peterson and myself are here un- -
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