Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-25
COEY TAKES UP
100 IN THE AIR
AER0NAUT SHOWS VISITORS A
BIT OF SKY
Delays Racing Trip Long Enough to
Reciprocate for Breakfast, and
Many Persons Enjoy Ride
in "Chicago"

What is the pleasantest balloon trip
have taken?' said Charles A. Coey,
president of the Aeronautique club of
Chicago, who is in Los Angeles with
Mrs. Coey to try winter ballooning.
Perhaps, SO far the trip I made from
Columbus, O., August 20 of last year in
my balloon the Chicago, one of the
contestants in<the national race held
from that city. 1t was just getting
dark when 1 stepped into the basket
and gave the signal to let go.
I'VE left the earth rather light and
shot up to an altitude of about 5000
feet, but we soon learned that we were
in current that was rapidly taking us
in an opposite direction from that in
which we desired to go. Gas was re-
leased and we descended to an altitude
of about 1000 feet. We remained there
until about 10 o'clock, when my assis-
tant, Capt. @. L. Bumbaugh, thought
he would take a short nap.
Our drag rope was about 300 feet
long, and we soon settled down so that
about 100 feet dragged on the ground.
The mooQ was shining brightly, and we
could easily see the houses as we
passed over them. 1t was very amusing
to watch the horses and COWS start and
run with snorts or bellows as the cold,
heavy rope dragged across their backs.
About II o'clock l found we were.
drifting into a big tree top. l chung to
a branch and awakened Capt. Bum
baugh to get his assistance. The wind
was not strong, so we did not find it a
hard task to lower ourselves to the
ground by use of a rope thrown around
the trunk of the tree. When near the
ground I made a loop of the rope, tied
1T around my waist, and with a small
Ratchet l always carry dug up some of
the heavy clay soil-enough to anchor
us safely. We sat down in the basket
and both were soon sound asleep
In the morning about o'clock we
were awakened by the singing of the
birds. We got out of the basket to size
up the country and concluded to con-
tinue our journey at Z, before our new
neighbOrs were aware of our presence.
At about 6:45 we were surprised to see
men, women and children coming from
ell directions. They seemed to spring
from the hillside, and we found that we
were only one mile from Mechanics
burg.
Two young women had tramped
through a corn field. They were very
accommodating and insisted on going
" Tie LOuS0 dIu getting breakfast 1O1
us, which, of course, we could not re-
fuse. 1 shall never forget that meal as
long as 1 live; the cantaloupes they
served were more than delicious After
our bountiful breakfast, knowing it
would not be good form if we offered
them money, we suggested that they
take a short balloon ride. We tied the
end of our drag rope around a stump,
helped the young women in the basket
and allowed the balloon to go up about
zoo feet.
When we had brought them back to
the ground another lot gathered around
the basket, and up they went, and be-
fore we left we had given ninety-eignt
people the rides of their lives About
s o'clock the wind became rather
strong, and as our monster sphere was
rapidly becoming Unmanageable we
stepped into the basket and sailed away
amidst the cheers and with the good
wishes of nearly 300 people"
Capt. Bumbaugh has not reached Los
Angeles yet, and Mr.. Coey has not
made definite plans for his ascensions
this winter, preferring to wait until
assured of clear weather.