Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-14
WOMEN TAKE UP AIR SPORTS
New YORK Behind Paris In the Mat
ter, Though.

new OEk Hcnlnu EhFAA " - NNN
ter, Though.
with Baroness de Laroche qualifying as
aviator in Paris and Miss Julia Koener Of
st. Louis competing in a balloon contest
for the Lahm cup il is evident that women
are becoming devotees Of the sport Of the
air. Mrs. A. r.. Arnold OF Jacksonville,
Fla, is reported TO have purchased an
aeroplane at the Hsmmondsport factory
recently, hic she intends to operate.
Mrs. r. II. vandeemsn, wife Of an army
captain. is the first woman to ride In an
aeroplane in this country. She was a pas
senger with Wilbur Wright at College
Park, Nd, where he instructed army Of
Ulcers in the use OF the machine.
Wilbur Wright has taken up several
women passengers on the other side, In
Guiding his sister, Miss Katherine Wright
Mrs. Leon Bollu, Mrs. Lazar Weller, Mrs.
Hart o. Berg and Countess Lambert A
few weeks ago Captain Cody, the American
inventor, who is building ~aeroplanes for
the English government, took Mrs. Cody on
an earial voyage. Delagrange has also
taken up a woman passenger.
While the safety of the aeroplane is still
too doubtful TO warrant women in taking
It up as a sport women have tried the
balloon both in this country and Eu-
rope. Mrs. Carl e. Myers of Franklin, Pa,
is the dean Of woman pilots and has made
numerous ascensions alone and with pas
sengers. Mrs. c. A. Cory OF Chicago Is
another enthusiastic navigator Of the air
and regards riding the breezes as not more
perilous than automobile speeding. Mrs.
J. c. S. Miller of Franklin, Pa, holds the
record, being the only woman in this
country to 20 up In a diriglble balloon,
IL "a -. w1Aaz n n.aaaI~H ~
ascensions with her husband. and Miss
Natalie Forbes with her father, A. Holland
Forbes. Mrs. Cortlandt Field Bishop and
Mrs. Newbold LIE Roy Edgar have made
flights in Europe.
Compared with France and Germany
America is behind in aerial sports. While
a small number of women of ST. Louis q
organized a balloon association 1t does moi
begin to equal in Importance the Stells
Aero club OF Paris, the president Of which
is Nine. Surcouf. a balloonist Of skill. She
is said to have made seventy-five ascen'
sions and holds a pilots license. Some OF
Nine. Surcoufs ventures have been made
at night, and one Of these trips, durinl
which there was but one other person
aboard, lasted the entire night.
Nine. Bleriot, wife Of the inventor, Il
vice president OF the Stella and is an en-
thusiastlc air traveller. She has not, how
ever, taken the risk OF a trip in an aero
plane with her husband and is said to b.
opposed to the daring and spectacular ex
hibitions made my M. Bleriot.
The six balloons owned by the Women
Aero club bear the names of flowers. AM
each is decorated with a living blossom t
harmonic. The silk envelopes are Of
tone to correspond with the flower 10
which the craft is named.
Weekend balloon parties have becom
established social features. The hostes
is not burdened to find out whether he
guests can fly; It is assumed they do. An
as a matter of course they will.
/, While the French and English tailor
have been busy designing all sorts @
costumes for the women aeronaut, she re
fuses to adopt them and continues to wea
attractive ordinary raiment in aerial voy
ages. A long veil tied in a picturesque boz
, under the chin is worn to confine rebellion
1 locks and a long coat for warmth cover
4 her from neck to ankle.
In the aeroplane flight made with he
brother, Wilbur Wright, Miss Katherin
Z Wright wore the long coat and yelled ha
/, SO far It is the accepted costume. MOT
Q OF the designs submitted by the tailor
= show knickerbockers and sweaters or Mo-
folk Jackets.
\ It remains 70 be seen whether America
| women will follow In the footsteps Of IL
| Parisians and make ~balloOnlng a soci
= pastime. Unfortunately New York is not
. suitable balloon center, being too near IL