New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-15
NOW IT'S A D|R|C|BLE
THAT START[ES TOWN
Comes from Jersey, Tops the
Skyscrapers and Bumps the
County Court House.
TO GRIEF IN BROOKLYN
Plucky Youngster Dares the
Aerial Tides of Manhattan and
Astonishes a Multitude
A1rea 1v DaZed
TO GRIEF IN BROOKLYN

Already Dazed.
Frederick Owens, a beardless youth of
twenty years, started out yesterday
morning from Hillside Park, in Belle
willie. n J.. with the intention of soar
ing aloft in his new dirigible balloon,
making first a preparatory flight to
Passaic. five miles distant. and then
ending his trip among the clouds by
cutting capers in the air over the City
Hall in Manhattan
Standing in the framework of the
finsy air craft. Owens opened the
clutch of his motor. adjusted his body
so as to gain an upward motion at the
start of his trip. and left the earth like
a streak of gossamer light. Although
the hour was barely s o'clock, people
from the surrounding New Jersey ham
let's TO the number of several thou
sands, were congregated in the park in
closure to see the start of the cigar
shaped gas bag with it's sputtering
motor and slim helmsman.
AS soon as Owens was two hundred
feet aloft in his buoyant fight he
trimmed ship adjusted the delicate
mechanism of his craft and waved an
otherwise unoceuped hand in friendly
greeting to the besonl of cheers from
two thousand or three thousand lusty
throats below him. With the GOODNESS
of a sailor on the deck of yacht scud-
ding over the water before fair breeze.
Owens moved about on the per1lously
fraiI framework that kept him from
dashing to his death on the Jersey
meadows. tinkered here and there with
a nut or d screw, tested wire or felt
the gas bag above his head.
To him, aIoft there in the hazy free
dom of the air. it did not seem hazard
Gus that he should run with nin1ble feet
along the "gunwale" of his air boat or
brace his feet when an extra robust
puff of air caused his ship to careen to
one side Man and dirisible seemed TO
have been welded into one graceful,
buoyant whole and each seemed equally
to share the Joy of this journey far from
the earth's surface.
Swoops Like Giant Mesquite.
Vending his sputtering flight across
the meadows and the marshlands be-
tween BeIleviIIe and Passaic. Owens
suooped like a giant mosquito above the
latter town and noted the sensation
which his aerial visit had caused He
then turned the prov of his balloon boat
hack toward Belleville. and was soon
soaring again above the heads of those
who had a short time before waved him
godspeed. AS soon as he had brought
his craft down to earth once more Owens
and his manager. Captain Martin Mill
man. tested anew every inch of the
dirigibIe and filled the gasOlene tank Of
the motor.
After making sure that the aerial race
horse was in perfect trim it was an
nounced that owens would start off on
a trip to Manhattan Island, circle City
Hall Park and return to Belleville. This
announcement aroused even more in
terest than there had been when Owens
first ascended, and the crowds about the
ship grew thicker and more insistent
upon getting closer vision of the cool
feat.
With an angry whirring of the keen
bladed propeller in the bow of the diriS
ible. a roar from the exhaust valve and
general trembling of the skeleton
frame of the ship. as though il thrilled
with new life as il felt the life blood
coursng through it's veins, the modern
%L a;r- ,r,fr
the blue of the morning sky. 1t was
lust 1912 O'Clock as the balloon ship left
the ground on its second voyage of dis
covery. and again the crowd of sleepy
country folk. who had left partially
eaten breakfasts and steaming wash
tubs. raised their voices in a long howl
of enthusiasm and pent up emotion.
Flirting with those it had left behind
on the earth. as IL Cavorted and frisked
about in the freedom of the air currents.
the diribie gave final firt of it's skirts.
kicked up its gossamer heels and cut
through the haze in the direction of
Manhattan Island.
AS long as there remained even a sus-
picion of Owens's gas bag in the distance
the country folk continued to strain their
ewes to the eastward until there was
finally no doubt left in their minds that
the air craft had indeed teen lost 10
sight. Then they fell 10 speculating
among themselves as TO the wonders
that owens and his ship would encounter
in their voyage to the strangers land
owens rose straight up. almost. in his
Continued on Second paSe