The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-10-08
MIX DESCRIBES
CLOUD VOYAGE
Crossed Bavarian Alps In
Driving Rain.
PLUNGE DOWN INTO FOG

Balloon Hugs Mother Earth and
Guide Rope Rips Tiles and Chin
neys From Roofs Of Peasants Cot
tases--Populsee Of Breslau Thrown
Into Panic by Sight OF Aerial
Racer-Treated with Great Cour.
tesy by officers When Arrested.
Paris. oct. S.-Edgar w. Mix Of Co
lumbus, o., the winner of the interna.
tional balloon race for the Gordon
Bennett trophy, which started from
Zurich Sunday, has given out the fol-
lowing account of his memorable voy-
age. His dispatch is dated Warsaw:
Leaving Zurich Sunday at 1857 p.
M, we were able to recognize our
route only as far as Constance.
Thence to the finish the weather was
so thick that directions could only be
determined by compass. During Sun.
day night the balloon, in a drenching
rain. sometimes seemed to be at a
complete standstill. We ascended
and descended in search of better
currents of air, without appreciable
results. BY o'clock In the morning
half our ballast had been used.
THE passage of the Bavarian Alps,
through rain and clouds, was thrill.
ing. Once we swooped down the
mountain side with frightful velocity,
plunging into a chasm of fog which
seemed bottomless. It was as If the
earth had opened to swallow us up.
The balloon several times crashed
through the treetops. After two
hours we emerged from the valley
and got northeasterly slant of wind.
When clear of the mountain we
moved at lively rate. The guide
rope dragged over farmhouses, break.
ing tiles and chimneys. The peasants
rushed out with cries and impreca-
tions.
I'VE then found that the guide rope
had become unraveled and hoisted 1t
into the basket for repairs, which
were most difficult, as we were at the
same time working hard with the
blower to prevent the balloon from
rising. A few hours later we recog-
nized several villages and then the
town of Konigstadt. We sighted a
balloon to the eastward, with peas
ants hanging onto the guide rope.
after passing Konlgstadt, which
cost three sacks of ballast, we rose
through the clouds to an altitude OF
1900 meters (about 10000 feet and
saw above the clouds balloon to the
north, about 100 meters higher. We
began to descend at 1:40 p. M,
emerging from the clouds about 460
meters above the town of Walden,
berg, and we're obliged to jettison IL
sacks of ballast and half our provls-
ions to keep clear of the roofs, but
as It was, the guide rope dragged
over the wires of the fortresses and
railroad station, creating consterna-
tion among the yelling population.
I'VE rose again to $500 meters
near Breslau, throwing overheard the
lifesavers, mattresses and the re-
mainder OF our provisions. Gradually
we continued to descend after that al
titude until o'clock in the evening.
With good equilibrium we managed
to keep afoat until 8 o'clock Tues
day morning, without expenditure of
ballast, of which, as matter of fact,
there was not an ounce left.
"The balloon landed and became
wedged between pine trees in the for
est Of Gutova. We waited until $50
before debating, and then searched
for help. We 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 forest guard
wantonly killed one of the peasants
dogs, arousing great indignation. We
accompanied the owner to the propri-
etor OF the estate to lodge a com
plant, and found peasant woman,
speaking little French, who regis
tered an entry of our landing in the
log book. While the peasants were
conveying the balloon to Ostrolenko,
the woman gave us primitive meal
of potatoes and water.
"On our arrival at Ostrolenko we
were stopped by the police, who took
us, together with the balloon, to the
| station, where we remained until in.
structions were received from st. Pc
tersburg for our release. We were
treated exeellently.'