Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-24
SEWS BALLOON
FOR AERO SHOW
AMERICAN TO BE USED AS
CAPTIVE
AERoNAUT PREPARES FOR HIGH
FLIGHT
Los Angeles Expected to Break Rec
ord for Ascension at Fiesta
Park Exhibition May
and 2

Captain A. E. Mueller has the sec
tons of the balloon American laid out
on the grandstand of the Fiesta park
stadium and will begin sewing and
splicing it together today. The work
will take practically all the time up to
the opening of the show of the Aero
club of California next Saturday, at
which the big Ferris balloon will be
used.
The envelope is in excellent cond1-
ton Notwithstanding its mountain trip,
but the sewing together of the sections
into which it was necessary to cut 1t
for transportation on the burros Will
take considerable work. The livery
man from whom the Aero club hired
the horses and burros failed to provide
the animals asked for and none was
strong enough to pack the netting, al
though Captain Mueller carried it up
to the top of the grandstand unaided
yesterday. In consequence he will have
two days work in resplicing the net
ting.
The Los Angeles Gas company yes
terday made a connection into Fiesta
park for filling balloons, and as soon
as Captain Mueller can put the Ameri-
can in shape it will be inflated. The
balloon will be used as a captive Sat-
urday and Sunday. May 1 and 2, the
dates of the show, and on Sunday
afternoon will be sent off for a fight
with number of members of the Aero
club as passengers. Captain Mueller
will have charge of the balloon at the
show.
Proud of Color
Frank Leroyxez may make fight
with his balloon, the Los Angeles, next
week. He has the final work, except a
portion of the vanishing, nearly fin
ished. Aeronauts take as much pride
in the color of their balloons as auto
mobile manufacturers do in finishing
the bodies of their cars, and endeavor
to obtain a color which will present an
attractive effect when the balloon is in
the air. This is obtained through the
varnish in which the cloth used is
dipped, and the resulting color is some
thing of an uncertain effect.
Although the Los Angeles is prac-
tically Mr.. Leroyxez' initial attempt at
constructing a large vanished balloon
he has been unusually successful in the
construction, particularly in the color
obtained. The Los Angeles will look
something like a huge golden ball
floating in space on it's ascension, as
the varnish has given the cloth a
golden yellow color. When the sun
strikes it Leroyxez' balloon will appear
to be gilded. Local balloon enthusiasts
agree that 1t will make one of the most
attractive appearing balloons to be
seen in this country.
ST expect to make a trip as soon as
can get the balloon into the shed and
blow it up with air to finish varnish-
ing" said LeroyXez yesterday, "but it
will not be long distance voyage.
To Go Straight Up
'Mr Lehigh has suggested that no
ascension made in Los Angeles has
given people chance to see balloon
keep going up into the air as long as
you can see it, and l promised him
today that would do this. 1 intend
to break the California height records
with the Los Angeles, and shall keep
going up until know l have beaten
everybody in this state in getting high
up. That will be a good enough record
for the Los Angeles to start out WITH
Captain Mueller and J. K. Hutch
inson went up $4,000 feet, or over four
miles, with Dick Ferris United States
on their fight to Arizona last Novem-
Der, but this altitude was not attained
in Los Angeles county. Several as
tensions have recorded heights of more
than two miles in the vicinity of Los
Angeles. Leroyxez thinks that a bal
loon christened the Los Angeles should
hold all local ballooning records.