The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-10-07
BENNETT CUP
GOES TOE. W. MIX
Wins International Bal
loon Race.
AMERICAN IS The VICTOR
He Flew $50 Miles From
Zurich.
Plucky Ohio Aeronaut Gives an Exhi-
bition That Compels Admiration
OF the Foreign
AMERICAN IS The VICTOR

balloon race for the Gordon Bennett
cup has been won by Edward w. Mix,
the American aeronaut. OF Columbus.
O.. who will take the cup back to the
United States.
Mr.. Mix landed north of Warsaw. in
Prussian Poland, at 3 o'clock Tuesday
morning. He won with plenty of time
to spare. from Alfred Leblanc. the
French pilot. his companion In the
st. Louis race of 1907, who came down
at Kubin. Hungary. Monday after
noon.
The first news Of Mr.. Mixs landing
was conveyed In a personal dispatch
TO the Associated Press. dated ostro-
lenka. The aeronaut said:
II landed in the midst of large pine
tree in the forest OF Gutova. west OF
Ostrolenka. encountered heavy
rain. My ballast was exhausted when
came down. At present am In the
hands Of the police. but all IL going
well.
"I used half my ballast before morn
ing. The weather was so thick that
It was impossible to locate my posi-
ton. excepting for one hour south Of
Prague. and star observation took
at latitude sl:4i1: and longitude
10:0:3S."
Americas r. Plucky.
that In spite OF the encouragement of
drifting onward without knowing his
location, the American aeronaut hus-
banded his baliest and kept his bal
loon afioat until the last ounce of sand
was gone. He made his journey
through fog and binding transforms
which compelled all the other pilots to
descend.
After crossing the Swiss ana the
Austrian Alps. Captain Messner, one
of the Swiss pilots. reported that his
clothes we're covered with ice to
thickness of half an inch. Messner
reached an altitude of $4,000 feet.
OF the division of balloons which
were carried more 10 the southwark
Leblanc reached the farthermost point
He descended In the foothills OF the
Carpathian Mountains, being forced q
abandon his balloon owing TO an &C
cident upon iandins. n * ss.s, n. 4. !.
IAblec covered q distance estimated
at LOIS kilometers tss0.si miiesl
Messher's distance was about the
same as Leblanc's and Colonel Schaeck
swiss entrant. covered 7s5 milometers
(4es.s9 niies). The others covered
lesser distances. Erssloh covered LAOS
Kilometers (S71.26 miles), made from
ST. Louis In 1907, which is the longest
flight made In an international bal
loon race, although behind Count De
La Yaulx's record trip to Southern
Russia.
Landing In Russia.
It is possible that Mt. Mix. by jock
ing, was able to catch a more north
erly current of air and that after pass
ing to the south OF Prague. he contin-
ued othe point where he landed. north
of warsaw. He is the only contestant
to cross the Russian frontier.
1t Is Impossible to explain why MT
My should have been molested by the
Russian police. as In anticipation OF
a landing In Russia each of the pilots
was provided at Zurich before start
ing, with a special Russian passport
guaranteed by the Russian Minister
to Switzerland, to protect them against
annoyance.
The American embassy at st. Peters
burg has been advised of Mr.. Mi Il
predicament, and asked to take the
matter I'D at once with the Russian
authorities.
The distance from Zurich to the
point where Mix landed has been
given at LOO kilometers. or 6sa.
miles.
The distance covered by Mix is vari-
ousIy estimated at from 6S3 to sSi
miles. An exact classification of
the balloonists will be impossible I'M
til their log books arrive.
Perilous Experiences.
Some OF the contestants relate peril
Gus experiences during the race. Emile
DuBonnet. representing France, says
that he had a remarkable escape at the
time of his descent. His guide rope
caught in the chimney OF a house on a
mountain slope and was torn away by
the balloon, which shot up 1000 yards.
His ballast was exhausted and the bal
loon descended again with friRhtful
rapidity but he managed to escape Sc
rious mishap.
At a late hour the committee. sitting
at Zurich issued an unofficial estimate
OF the distance covered by Mix which Is
given as 1870 kIlometers (8s5 miles).
500 kilometers (1sS miles) more than
was accomplished by lie Branc. the
French competitor.
A private telegram from Mr.. Mix says
that the weather was forbidding. There
was continuous rain and fog. He was
up thirty-flve hours and saw the sun
for the first time as he was landing on
Tuesday morning.
R..-auM rze~waAa NRRw