The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-08


The balloon is forty-two feet in
diameter and in the air is sevenry-two
feet from top to the basket 1t holds
10000 cubic feet of gas and has lift
ing power of 800 pounds. 1t is made of
the best grade of cotton, treated with
a special varnish. 1t has been pur-
chased by the Topeka Balloon club. One
of the most enthusiastic members is r.
Emerson. He recently returned from
France, where he made a trip of six
teen hours in a racing balloon at n
special invitation on account of his
membership in the American Aero club.
The Topeka balloon was filled at the
same place as when it made its first
trip Tuesday evening, from the high
pressure gas main in Westlawn park
Just south of West street and Tenth
avenue A long rubber nozzle was cor
nected with the gas main and the bot
tom of the balloon. The huge bag was
spread out on a canvas and was COW
cred by it's net To the meshes of the
net were hooked bags of sand weigh
ing about thirty pounds each.
AS the balloon was inflated and be-
gan to bulge up, these sacks We're
transferred mesh by mesh until when
the huge bag was distended with gas.
the sand sacks were hooked on the foot
ropes, OF end of the net which was 20
hang just above the basket.
Then the basket was made fast to the
ropes and the netting. The sacks were
slipped from the end meshes of the net
and allowed to glide down the ropes
which were attached to the edge of the
car
Three sacks to each rope" shouted
Captain Honeywell.
The members of the club and others
guided the sacks to the edge of the
basket and then they and others held
the car to the ground. Towering above
them the huge white bag swayed in
the wind.
Atthis juncture Mr.. Honeywell demur-
rcd at the advisability of taking Mrs.
Smith up in the air on account of the
wind. but finally decided to do so.
When all of the party were in the
around the car. guided it to a space
away from the trees. The basket rose
in the air until on a level with the car
riers' shoulders. Captain HoneyWel
threw out a little sand ballast and in
tended to start, but did not until after
several attempts and just the right
amount of ballast had been freed. The
balloon is so delicately poised that JUS
enough sand must be let loose to make
1t rise easily and no more As 1t lei
the ground it bore nearly due north
1t was going about as fast as a SLOW
trotting horse.
At 5:45 O'Clock it crossed the Kan
sas river. Then, according to the voy
ayers, ln6y were at an dlllluuc u D.
feet, or 1000 feet higher than tn
highest point attained on the first trip
At 5:55 the balloon was $500 fee
above the earth and from Topeka ap
peared rs tiny speck
At 6:10 the party began to descend
landing at O'Clock in a field nea
Valley Falls. A farmer with a null
team and wagon hauled the balloon
and party to the Valley Falls depot
When they arrived in Topeka a rus
was made for the depot dining room
they were very hungry-and also en-
thusiastic over their trip. The mos
enthusiastic was Mrs. Smith. She
an athletic woman, given to horsebac
riding. but votes ballooning the great
est sport of all.
'sT,his was my first balloon trip, BIT
II viii not be my last she said. 9TH
ascent was so smooth that 1 scarcel
realized 1 was moving. When we weT
high in the air saw both Lawrenc
and topeka. at the same time. The
looked from that distance like little to
towns.
II couldn't distinguish the trees. TT
earth looked as though it had bee
marked off into little squares, with tt
river like a silver thread on gree
floor.
"When we went above the clouds
felt a slight deafness, but it lasted on
a short while. We were immense
hungry and ate lunch a mile in II
eve alighted without a bit of ia
lust missing barbed wire fence.
ssWhile 1 have enjoved my visit
Kansas greatly. 1 have enjoyed TN
balloon trip more than anything else