The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-24
MISSING MEN IN
MOUNTAIN CAMP
BalIooniStS Who Went Up in
the America" Safe After
Narrowing Experience.
FLIGHT WAS VERY SHORT
BUT PARTY LANDED IN SNOW
COVERED sIERRAs.
FLIGHT WAS VERY SHORT

Los Angeles, March 23.-After one of
the most narrowing experiences in the
history of ballooning. Captain A. Z.
Mueller and mis- five companions who
assembled in the big Ferris racing bal
loon America" at Tournament park,
Pasadena. at $3.50 last Saturday after
noon, and have since been lost in the
wilds of the snoW-covered Sierra Madre
mountains, arrived on foot at Switzer's
camp, on the slopes of Mount Wilson,
footsore and weary, but unharmed. The
men passed through a series Of hard
ships, the details of which have not
been learned. Arriving at Switzer's
camp at 3 o'clock this afternoon. the
men were shortly afterwards provided
with horses and began the descent from
there to Pasadena over a tortuous and
slippery trail. A single telephone wire
across the mountains brought the first
word of their safe arrival at the camp
TO the anxious relatives and friends In
Pasadena and to the thousands waiting
for some tidings of the missing men.
The telephone wire to the mountain
camp shortly failed, and but little addi-
tional information regarding their ma
zardous trip was learned until the men
reached Pasadena late at night.
Flight of Two Hours.
The balloon was in the air less than
two hours. 1t was carried by the
strong north wind over the mile high
summit of Mount Lowe and swept on
across the intervening peaks and con-
yons to the lofty summit of Mount Ga
briel. where by the reckless casting away
of ballast the balloon cleared and
scared away towards Strawberry peak,
on the third range. Crossing this at
low altitude, the bag encountered a
strong current of cold air, which
brought it rapidly to earth A success
full landing was effected on the north
side of Strawberry peak in what is
known as Little Tejungs canyon at
about o'clock Saturday afternoon, less
than two hours after their ascension at
Pasadena The distance covered was
less than fifteen miles in q direct line,
but by any possible foot route many
times that distance.
The Voyagers, uncertain of their bear
fngs and with darkness rapidly ap-
preaching, wandered aimlessly over tue
mountains until 1870 the following aft
ernoon Sunday. when they unexpect-
eddy came TO COlby's ranch, an isolated
habtation. far from any road and with
out communication with the outside
world. In the meantime a terrific wind
and snowstorm had broken over the
mountains. which for many hours ragged
q veritabIe blizzard. During this time
the men suffered from the cold, but the
meagre supplies of provisions which
they carried with them was sufficient to
guarantee against hunger until their ar
rival at the ranch. At Colby's the party
remained until the middle of Monday
afternoon, When~the storm ceased.
Finally Reached switzer's.
They Immediately took up the snow
choked trails across the mountains to-
ward Pasadena. All of the remainder
of the time the party Travelled as best
they could until this afternoon, when
they suddenly came upon STitzer'S
camp nesting in the side Of the noun
tain. still nearly ten miles from Pasa-
dena by direct route. A party of res
cuers on horseback were at Switzer's 5,
having Just returned after twenty hours
of search for the missing men, For
few minutes there was a happy reunion
of friends ana then the news was
flashed to Pasadena.
Not in years has an event created
such a stir here as this thrilling episode
of the ballOOnists. For three days
searching parties have secured the
country in all directions. while relatives
and friends waited almost without hope
for news Of a tragedy.
M1tn captain l1uGlteI III lilt AlAitt-
lea" were T. p. Gillian, Richard Halsted..
sydney Gray. Harold Parker and Ed
ward Dodschutz, all residents of Pasa-
dena.
Captain Mueller summarized his re-
markable experience as follows:
Il saw the top of a barren peak, hardly
large enough to hold the basket of the
car. In the center of this peak was
pine tree, which had been burned.
pulled the valve cord and we shot down.
ward Wien we were within 800 feet of
the mountain the men, following my in
StructIons threw over all the ballast. and
the appendix cord was pulled and the
balloon flew open, forming a parachute:
we landed on the rock within ten feet of
q sheer precipice.
No one was injured in the slightest
The ear was hardly jolted. ] say, mod
estlv. that 1t was the most remarkable
landing of a balloon of which have ever
known"