The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-03-22
MEN MAY HAVE PERISHED IN
MOUNTAINS IN MIDST OF
TERRIBLE BLIZZARD
oon Has Not Been Seen Since Disappeared Through Clouds
Grand Canyon On Slope of Mount Low-Two Searching Parties
Organize at Pasadena and Go In Quest of
Unfortunate faIoonists

Los Angeles, March 22.-Up to Q
O'Clock this forenoon no word had
come from the big balloon, America"
which ascendcd from Tournament park
In Pasadena at o'clock. Saturday af-
ternoon with Capt NJ e. Muller and
five other mon In the basket, and there
Is strong probability that the men
have perlshed In the mountains In the
midst OF the terrible blizzard that has
been raging there since early Sunday
morning.
The last trace of the balloon was
seen when 1t disappeared through the
clouds In Grand Canyon on the slope
of Mount Lowe. The big bag contain
Ing 10000 cubic feet of gas was being
driven then by strong north wind TO-
wards the peaks Of the range.
One of the worst storms In years Is
raging IN the mountains. Four feet
of snow has fallen on Mount Wilson
and nearly two feet at Mount Lowe.
All day yesterday a terrific blizzard
ragged. the wind attaining a high We
loclty. The whole side of the noun
tain Is covered with many feet of
snow, the canyons are filled and the
trails are obliterated
1t would be impossible for the men
To make their way any distance In the
present snow storm. They have with
them only q mcagre supply Of pro
visions and but little warm clothing.
Two searching parties we're organ
lied early today from Pasadena and
Will go into the mountains at once.
Every point In the mountains that
could be reached has been communI-
Gated with. but no trace oil the balloon
has been found. II is barely possible
that the wind may have shifted and
carried the men away from the noun
tain to some remote locality where
they have been unable TO get into
communication with the city. There
is also q possibility that the men have
landed in the mountains near some
habitation which they reached in safe
ty, and have since been unable 10
make their way out, or communicate
with the city.
Besides Captain A. Il. Mueller, the
pilot, the party In the balloon includes.
Lane C. Gillian. a prominent mining
man, formerly of Walla Walla, Wash
ington, now of Pasadena.
Richard Halsted, OF Pasadena.
Sydney Cray, Pasadena,
Harold Parker. Pasadena.
F. c. Dodshutz, Pasadena
Captain Mueller is the only eXpe-
rlenced aeronaut in the party, but he
has passed through so many pe1s
that confidence is felt that he Will
bring the men with him back safely.
L.. I,,l,r OF Ffi n nj a Al
In the international race at Chicago,
where, In his balloon, he descended In
Lake Michigan and was dragged for
miles across the lake, narrowly esca2-
ing with his life.
Later. IN October. he made an as
cens!on from Columbus, o., and landed
in Niagara canyon, where he was
dragged over a rough country for some
distance. sustaining broken ribs and
other injuries. A couple or months
ago. he ascended with an assistant
pilot in this city and made flight
| to Ehrensburg, Ariz.. across the Colo
RADIO river where he was brought up IN
the middle of the desert after being
dragged through cactus and sage
brush for some distance.
Owing TO the heavy load which the
America" carried, it Is not Thought
possible that the balloon succeeded In
clearing the three ranges OF mountains
and gaining the Mojave desert to the
Lorthward.
The bag ascended from the groun1
with but twenty sacks OF sand as bal
last and several OF the bags were
emptied, in order to gain a higher att
tude as the balloon reached Mount
Lowe, above Pasadena. With but ilttie
sand left after gaining the summit.
of the first range, and the cold wealth
or prevailing, which would have had
the effect of condensing the gas IN
the bags and lessening Its lifting pow
er. il Is more than likely that Mueller
tried TO bring the balloon to eartn
somewhere in the mountains carry
Sunday night,