The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-07

Leighty, q member of the association,
both Topeka men, and H. E. Honey
veil of st. Louis. a licensed pilot of the
American Aero club, made the flight.
Natural gas was used as a filler from
the high pressure gas main in West
lawn park at West street and Tenth
avenue. Mr.. Honeywell says that the
natural gas was satisfactory and that
the trip was a success. Mr.. Cole and
Mr.. Leighty, are also enthusiastic
over their experience. Another air
voyage in the balloon will be made in
the near future, although the date has
not yet been definitely settled. On the
first trip a maximum altitude of 1900
feet was reached.
In describing the trip, Mr. Leighty,
who kept a log book of the voyage,
said:
''Gas was turned into the balloon
at 4:1O p. m. from a high pressure gas
main. With the ordinary pressure sew
eral hours would have been required to
fill the big bag with the 10000 cubic
feet of gas needed. AS it was it was
full shortly after 5 o'clock
AT $40 D. m. the balloon rose from
the ground. 1t was a great sensation.
1t seemed that the balloon was stand
ing still and the earth was dropping
away from us.
I'm ten minutes or at $50 p. m. we
were up 1900 feet, according to the
aeronoid, which works on the principle
of a spring barometer. Another way of
estimating the distance is to yell and
count the time which it takes the echo
to reach back from the earth to the
balloon. Knowing the velocity of sound.
the altitude may be easily computed.
AT 5:45 D. m. we had reached an al
titude of 300 feet. Until that time we
had been drifting northwest, but then
we began to float due north and con-
tinued to do so until we landed.
NO, there was no sense of motion,
although we were travelling about 20
miles an hour. The only way passen-
gers can get any idea of how fast their
air craft is travelling is by watching the
shadow of the balloon on the ground.
AS we were travelling with the wind we
felt no breeze at all. The sun was hot
on our faces. No. we didn't get cold at
all.
"By 5:55 p. m. we were up 1000
feet. Five minutes later we had as
cended another hundred feet. A bal
loon is very delicately poised in the
air and by just pouring out a handful
of sand ballast may cause it to rise
over fifty feet.
I'VE had two hundred pounds of
ballast altogether and by $40 had used
forty pounds.
Then we began to let out gas and
descend. We landed at GAS, about
dance house on the Indian reserva-
ton. We first let down our guide
rope which raped around a tree
stump. We settled in a tree top and
finally came to the ground. The bal
loon was practically uninjured. Some
of the Indians who had seen us com
ing, helped roll our balloon and haul
ed us to the Rock Island depot at
Mayetta, eleven miles southeast. We
reached Topeka at 11:45 p. m.
Scared the Horses
"a balloonist always aims to light
near farm house where he NAV OH
tain assistance, but there is no danger
of not being observed by lots of people.
Just before we landed a rather anus
ing incident occurred. We let our
rope trail over pasture. Some horses
were badly scared at it and scattered
in all directions.
1--WE did not intend to make the trim
until Friday, but as everything both
weather conditions and other arrange
ments, were ideal yesterday afternoon
we decided to make the trip. AS 1t
was our trial trip, we wanted to make
it as quietly as possible and in the
presence of as few as possible. Only
some of the residents of the neighbor-
peka association saw us start.
THE balloon will carry ordinarily
four persons. but as I weigh 24C
pounds and it was our initial voyage
we decided that only two others be-
sides myself had better go. en-
toyed the experience Immensely.
The trip was a success" said Mr.
HONEYWELL. Natural gas was used
satisfactorily. The weather conditions
most beautiful flights 1 have ever
made. Part of the country around
Topeka as saw it from the balloon