Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-08
MIX DESCRIBES
DARING VOYAGE
UP IN BALLOON
AMERICAN AVIATOR TELLS OF
LONG TRIP
THRILLING cLoUD.FLIGHT rs
NARRATED IN FULL
Winner of International Contest from
Zurich Gives Vivid Word Pic
ture of Journey Through
Rain Storms
[Hv Assoclated Press. l

N ARIS, oct. Edgar W. Mix of
Columbus, Ohio, winner of the
Il international balloon race for the
Gordon Bennett trophy which started
from Zurich Sunday, has sent from
Warsaw the following account of his
voyage, to the Associated Press. He
telegraphed today
Leaving Zurich Sunday at 1857 2.
m, we were able to recognize our route
only as far as Constance. Thence to
the finish the weather was so thick that
direction could only be determined by
compass.
During Sunday night the balloon
in a drenrhing rain sometimes seemed
to be at a complete standstill. By
o'clock in the morning, half of our
ballast had been used.
'"fhe passage of the Bavarian Alps
through rain and clouds was thrilling
Once we swooped down the mountain
side with frightful velocity. plunging
into a chasm of fog which seemed
bottomless.
1T was as if the earth had opened
to swallow us up. The balloon several
times crashed through the tree-tops
"After two hours we emerged from
the valley and got northeasterly slant
of wind. When clear of the noun
tains we moved at a lively rate.
Guide Rope Drags
1.-THE guide rope dragged over farm
houses, breaking tiles and chimneys
The peasants rushed out with cries
and imprecations.
I'VE found that the guide rope hal
become unraveled and hoisted it into
the basket for repairs A few hours
later we recognized several villages
and then the town of Konigstadt
no I
which cost three sacks of ballast, we
rose through the clouds to an altitude
of 1000 meters (about $1,000 feeD.
I'VE began to descend at lao p. m.
emerging from the clouds about 4S0
meters above the town of Waldenburg
and were obliged to jettison eleven
sacks of ballast and half our provis
ions to keep clear of the roofs, but as
it was the guide rope dragged over tn
wires of the fortress and railroad sta
ton, creating CONSERVATION among the
population.
1--WE rose again to $500 meters near
| Breslau, throwing overheard the life
savers, mattress and the remainder of
our provisions.
Continue Descent
Gradually we continued to descend
after that altitude until 6 o'clock in
the evening. With good Equilibrium
we managed to keep afloat until
O'Clock Tuesday morning without ex-
penditure of ballast. of which as mat
ter of fact there was not an ounce
left.
THE balloon landed and became
wedged between pine trees in the for
est of Gustave.
I'VE waited until $50 before de-
fating and then searched for hedp.
I'VE found peasants, one of whom
had been in America and spoke little
English. With their aid, we loaded
the balloon on carts.
while this was in progress a forest
guard wantonly killed one of the peas
ants dogs, arousing great Indignation
I'VE accompanied the owner to the
proprietor of the estate to lodge
complaint and found a peasant wom-
an speaking a little French, who reg
istered in the log book an entry of our
landing.
while the peasants We're conveying
the balloon to Ostrolenko the woman
gave us a primitive meal of potatoes
and water.
ION our arrival at Ostrolenko we
were stopped by the police. who took
u.s. together with the balloon, to the
station, where we remained until in
structions were received from St, Pet
ersburg for our release. We were
treated excellently."