The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-20
DROPS 1900 FEET.
The Balloon Hamburg Alights in a
Canadian Lake.

st. Louis. Oct. 2o.-The balloon Ham
burg II, of Germany, the fourth to de-
part in the international balloon race
from st. Louis Monday afternoon, de-
scended with terrific force from a height
of $4,000 feet at p. M, Tuesday in
Lake Nipissing, Toronto, Canada, $50
miles from ST. Louis, according to a
message received here last night.
The left arm of William F. Assmann,
aid. of st. Louis, was broken, his right
hand severely sprained and an artery in
his wrist cut.
Lieutenant Leopold Vogt, pilot of the
Hamburg, was forced to swim the lake
island
The story of the trip, as related by
Lieutenant Vogt when he reached Pow
assam, Ont. is as follows:
I'VE passed over Jerseyville, ILL.,, at
p. M, Monday, and took Lake Michi
gan at Milwaukee, Wis, at $50 a. M,
Tuesday, after an uneventful night,
during which We travelled at an aIti-
tude of 5000 feet. We reached Grand
Haven Mich, at 9:55 a. M, Tuesday,
and, crossing Lake Michigan, saw Lake
Huron spread out ahead of US at 1:10
p. m.
From here it seemed to be one
stretch of water after another until the
earth was finally lost in the gathering
darkness below US. We crossed Lake
Huron finally at Alpena, at 81 .. M,
and three hours later found ourselves
sailing over Canadian soil. At p. m.
1 decided to try landing, as our bal
last was getting low, but was again
confronted with The waters of Georgian
bay.
Il then tried landing with the drag
rope after casting over another sack If
ballast and passing over the bay. 1
succeeded in touching land and again
was forced to ascend by the near pres
ence of water. Darkness made the at.
tempt more dangerous, though the
moon shed some light on the earth be-
low us.
Finally we decided to descend and
take our chances. I pulled the valve
and we descended with terrific force
from height of $4,000 feet. The de-
scent was something terrific and. it
was lucky that we fell into the waters
of Lake Nipissing. Otherwise, we
would have been dashed to death. We
struck the water at II p. m. with but
two and a half sacks of ballast.
In our descent we were caught by
the wind and for a moment were in
danger of being dashed onto the unin-
habited Gull island Then we struck
the water. The impact rendered both
unconscious AS soon as 1 could COL
lect my wits I grabbed the light drag
rope and swan to the island, where Mr.
Assmann, who I found was seriously
injured, tied it to a tree.
For two hours we shouted for aid
but got no response. The lonesomeness
and darkness of the place was appall-
ing. How we endured it all. don't
know Our clothes were wet to the
skin and we had nothing with which to
light a fire. All the remainder of the
night we remained on the island alone,
I frVincr hest 7 OO1ld f0 attend IN he
injuries of my aid, which found con-
sisted of broken arm, a sprained
hand and q severed artery. His wounds
bled awfully all night and I feared for
his life before we could get assistance.
shortly after o'clock we hailed two
Cherokee Indian hunters in a skiff, who
took us to the shore of the lake and
guided US through the forest to Powos-
san. where Mr.. Assnlann received
medical attention. I am returning to
the lake to rescue my balloon today. It
is an experience which I do not care to
repeat -