Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-05
CENTENNIAL OF ST. LOUIS
Mayors of 361 Cities Are Guests of
the Municipality.
BIG BALLOON RACE FEATURE
Ten Big Gas Bugs start I'm the Con-
test for the Lahm Cup, Now
Held by Captain
Chandler.

ST. LOUIS, Oct 4-Governor Hadley and
Mayor Frederick Kreismann today well
coined the mayors of 361 cities who are to
be the cty's guests during centennial week
After a reception at the city hall and
luncheon the guests viewed the races of
the spherical balloons. Tonight they at
tended welcome mass meeting in the Col
iseum. Civic improvement was the theme
discussed.
Band concerts in the Court of Honor
were given tonight to the Centennial visi-
tors who preferred to remain on the streets
Tusday's program includes water pageant
on the Mississippi river in the morning
In Which four torpedo boats will partici-
pate and the Yelled Prophets parade and
ball in the evening.
Big Balloon Race starts.
With atmospheric conditions ideal. ten
balloons sailed from ST. Louis late this
afternoon toward the southeast The pas
sage above the city from the grounds of
the Aero club was made at a height Of
500 feet Sixty thousand persons many
centennial week visitors were on the Aero
club grounds.
The ascentions were delayed but little
and were perfect as could be- The
big gas bags heavily weighted with bal
last, floated slowly above the heads of
the spectators who cheered the aero
lnauts
Two of the balloons, the Peoria and Mis-
souri,, has gas bags of 900 cubic feet and
were in special race. The others were
5000 cubic footers and raced for medals
and prizes The smaller gas bags are ex-
pected to remain in the air eighteen hours
Nv
they ought to be over Kentucky or Ten
nessee. The gentle breeze moved the air
craft slowly and afforded ample time for
the spectators to bid the occupants goodbye.
The Cleveland was the first to get away
in the race of the big balloons. This was
followed by st. Louis ILL., Centennial. Pom
merry, New York University City, Indiana
and the Hoosier Because H. II. McGm,
pilot Of the Indiana, had not received 7Tis
license, his entry sailed under protest and
his eligibility will be settled later
The HOOsIer Is Disqualified.
The Hoosier was disqualified as DIR. p.
Nj. Crume is not licensed pilot. However,
he sailed away for the sport Of banooning.
John Berry, pilot OF the University City
was the favorite Of the spectators. His
big bag was filled. The ropes of the net
| ting, which with the bag won the recent
Indianapolis race, were knotted and showed
use He followed the New York the most
modern craft in the race, and received the
most cheers.
All balloons carried as much ballast as
possible and expect to make long flights
Under the conditions in which they sailed
they will not have let out gas until late
tomorrow. The Lahm cup, now held by
Captain F. de Forrest Chandler, is one Of
the prizes sought by the aeronauts. A
flight OF more than 40 miles viii get IT,
The Indiana's basket carried a hammock
in which McGil rested. He was injured
on the grounds and sailed against the ad-
vice Of his physician. II is thought the
Indiana's rip and valve cords are tangled
II this proves so McGnl will have rough
landing, as he cannot control his craft in
the usual way.
At the time the ten balloons sailed away
NJ. a. Hiemann OF ST. Louis, the South ST.
Louis Aero club, whose entry was refused
by the Aero club OF ST. Louis. sailed from
the gas works four miles from the Aero
club grounoQ