Evening star., 1909-06-21
AERIAL HONEYMOONERS LAND
THRILLING NIGHT RIDE IN
BALLOON COMES TO END.
Mr.. and Mrs. Burnham Cross Bay
State and Return From Four
Hours Journey.

PITTSFIELD, Mass, June H.-rhs
honeymoon above the clouds" of Mr.. and
Mrs Roger n. Burnham. who chartered
the balloon for an ascension on their we'd
ding night, lasted three hours and dfty
minutes.
Inc thrilling ride was begun at 1910
am. yesterday in this city and the land
ing was made on the farm OF Ralph Gill
key. at Holbrook. fourteen miles from
Boston common. The great balloon prac-
tically crossed the state
The courage of Mr.. and Mrs Burnham.
the former prominent sculptor of Bos-
ton and the latter an author was put to
the test repea tedly. AT the start an ex-
cited crowd of 5000 persons threatened to
imperil the lives Of the bridal couple and
their pilot by jumping over the ropes into
the danger zone where explosions Could
easily be caused by a spark from a cigar.
The balloon lifted itself to an elevation
OF 100 feet and then began its drift in
total darkness
Half a mile below the voyaRers couId
see the electric lights of the towns Of
Adams and North Adams as the balloon
LOOK northerty course:-----.----, : =
Face Powder Used in Emergency.
Then all lights faded from view and
something that balloon pilots dread most
indicates the rise or fall of the balloon,
refused to work.
Billy Van Sleet. the pilot. making his
thirty-fifth ascension in one year called
for tissie paper Mrs Burnham had in
her travelling bag a package of parier
poudre, an imported preparation of face
powder spread thin paper. and Van
Seet eagerly seized upon this to test the
rise or fall of the balloon.
The party had been up scarcely an hour
lamps carried by the aeronaut became
exhausted, and only the dim light of the
oihcr remained for use in case OF their
approach to earth
A, :: O'Clock the bridal couple. who
had been seated in the bottom OF the
car for an hour. decided to enjoy their
firsi honeymoon breakfast. which con-
sistei of sandwiches and hot coffee and
little Madeira wine of the vintage OF
1ISi. which had been around the world
in The cabin of a sailing vessel. carried
by c relative of the bride.
Daylight Showed Boston Harbor.
About o'clock. just as daylight was
breaking, Van Sleet sighted a huge OBJ
servatory and then water This was the
Blue Hill observatory and the water was
Boston harbor. He lost no time descend
ing and threw out the anchor as they
settled down over an orchard. The an
chor held on tree and the balloon de-
scended SO lightly there was not jar
the basket came to earth. The rip
cord was not used.
Mr.. and Mrs. Burnham took photo
graphs Of the pilot and the defiation or
the balloon. Mrs. Burnham insisted on
assisting the pilot to pack up the balloon
for shipment, after which they all went
to the Gilkey home. where the farmer
entertained them at breakfast.
The Burnhams found that tney were
back to within forty-seven miles from
Woods Hole. Cape Cod, the place where
they had been married the day before.
They had crossed the state TO make the
ascension from Pittsfield and now had
recrossed in the balloon.
Later Mr.. and Mrs. Burnham went TO
Brockton. where they are staying. They
will go to Mr.. Burnhams studio in Mag
nolia today.