New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-19
NEAR CANADA
Seven Still AIoft in Race from
St. Louis.
EXPECTED TO MAKE. RECORD
Grasshoppers Puncture Won
Phurs Gas Bag-French Bal
loon Condor Also Lands.

ST Louis. oct 1S.-Heading straight for
Ontario across the Great Lakes. along the
best balloon route in America CAPTAIN Won
Abarcron a German pilot. with his balloon
Cermanis is believed tonight to be lead
ine in the international race for the James
Gordon Bennett cup. Ten balloons started
from St Louis yesterday. and. so far as
reported seven are still sailing.
somewhere within the radius of one hum
dred miles. over Lake Huron dispatches
indicate the America II, the Helvetia, the
Azurea. the Isle de France. the Harburg
III and the Dusseldorf II are keeping close
cornnanv with the leader. The Dusseldorf
II passed Reed City, Mich. at 6 o'clock to-
night. Gericke. the pilot, came low enough
Il. ask the way. and then assembled, travel
ling northeast.
Six balloons are reported TO have crossed
Michigan, and Others are thought to be
either fving across Lake Huron or to have
passed into Canada.
s. Louis Won Phul. in the Million Popu-
alton Club one of the three American en-
trants. was forced to descend six miles
north of Racine Wis, this morning at :25
o'clock because of a lack of ballast.
The French balloon Condor, Jacques
Faure. pilot landed four miles north of
Two Rivers. Wis. late to-day, after sailing
over Lake Michigan from Sheboygan.
The St Louis No. 4, H Z. Honeywell
pilot. landed tonight near Hillman, Mont
n,orency County. Mich. Honeywell said
he would have attempted to cross Lake
Huron but had run out of ballast.
Won PhuI did not think he had a chance
of crossing the water. His balloon bag had
many punctures, caused by grasshoppers,
when it went aloft Won Phul also lost bal
last in avoiding the grandstand at the
aerodrome.
The Million Population Club reached its
highest altitude near Vernon, ILL.,, during
the night, when It SCARED 400 feet above
the earth 1t covered $50 miles, figuring by
the air route. The balloon was taken to
Racine and the pilots departed Immediately
for st. Louis.
Aeronauts here are hopeful of records
being broken by the balloonists because Of
the low level they were seen in to-day II
shows they guarded their ballast carefully
during the night.
Detroit, Oct. 1S-Most of the ten balloons
which started yesterday from St Louis
were reported as having passed over Mich
igan towns to-day. Their course in some
instances was erratic, the America II hav-
ing been reported at Reed City about Z
a. m and back on the Lake Michigan shore
at Manistee at 2:30 p. m.
Tonight two balloons that had crossed
Lake Michigan from the western shore ap-
peared over Ludington. One was reported
to be flying back over the lake again III a
northweSterly direction. The other was
flying high toward the northeast. Some fears
were expressed mere for the formers safe
ty. It was impossible TO identify the two
balloons. Altogether five balloons were
sighted at Ludington to-day.
The Auzurea passed over Reed City be
tween l and o'clock 2. m. and the Hair
burg III two hours later. The latter came
close TO earth at Chase, but again rose AMI
went on. Three unidentified balloons were
sighted at Reed City and all were sailing
in a northeasterly direction
At Hart in Oceena County, four balloons
We're seen during the day. one being taken
for the Germania because of it's glistening
bag and another being the Condor. which
later recrossed Lake Michigan and landed
four miles north of Two Rivers. The Con
dor was identified by means of note
dropped at Sweet Station.
Five balloons passed over West Branch
in Ogemaw County. this afternoon. Only
one of them. the Germania, was Identified.
The Germania dropped message which
said:
Highest altitude 800 feet. Twenty-six
ba gs left
The message was signed by Captain Won
Abercron and his assistant, August Blanck-
erts.
North of West Branch the Germania
IA ssed so close to the ground that the
pilot exchanged greetings with children at
the public school who we're having recess.