The San Francisco call., 1910-01-15
ny ARTHUR MORGAN LANGwoRTHv

pc IOfnleu. W nen the DaliOOn HlBnlS
were held here by the aero club Of a
large western city it suggested the
idea to Frank williams of holding
similar ones in Prairieville. This
would also be a good excuse to execute
a plan that had been in Franks head
for some time--the founding of the
Prairieville Aero club. 1t consisted of
10 members besides himself, he appro-
priately being elected president ann
also holding the office of chief aerial
constructor. For the Aero club would
have had no excuse for existence had
1t not been for Franks extensive avia-
tion factory housed in the workshop
which he called his balloon she'd" but
which in reality was the former cow
shed.
Frank had no trouble in founding the
Aero club. especially when he showed
them the Williams trophy Frank. un-
earthed the Williams trophy one after
noon while rummaging through the
attic. 1t was battered old cup, but
genuine silver, and Frank. after much
pleading, wheedled his mother into let
ting him have it, Then he went to
Bob Edwards, the village jewelers. son
mer 1T back into shape and clean 1t up
Bob made such good job that the cup
looked like new and presented a very
imposing appearance when put on ex-
hibition at the first meeting of the
Aero club, held In the balloon shed.
As the donor of the trophy am not
eligible to compete" explained Frank.
who then soiemnly promised that the
small entrance fees to be charged would
go toward the engraving of the cup
with the winners name. In considera-
tion of the reduced price for which hes
contracted the engraving and the "re-
storing OF the cup Frank let Bob Ed
wards compete free of. all expense SO
BobS balloon didn't cost him cent, al
though each of the other contestants
had to pay slight sum fol. the mate
rails necessary to make their fiiers
The fiiers were not costly. being of
the ordinary tissue paper hot air kind.
Frank wanted to introduce the Aero
club to aviation by easy stages, so he
made the first step very elementary
dealing only with the Fighter than air
class first. The heavier than air." or
aeropiane variety, would be taken up in
due time, as he learnediy remarked at
the conclusion of his lecture to the club
on the art of balloon construction
The balloon shed and "aerodrome.
were scenes of great activity in the
week following. The cows were driven
up to the farther end of the snow COW
cred "aeFOdrome." which those who
have followed Franks airship adven-
lures will recognize as the cow pasture,
and on Saturday morning the Prairie
vile Aero club was ready for its first
balloon flight.
The Williams farm. being on high
bluff. in the midst of fiat, rolling
country. about a mile out of Prairie-
Vile made 1t easy to keep track OF the
A nd IA al wv
easier by the fact that the wind had
died out altogether--a great disap-
pointment to Frank, who would have
postponed the race on that account il
1t had not been Saturday.
The 10 balloons fioated laziiy in the
still air .at various heights but I'll
punched together. Suddenly there was
q shout M
'.The Dragon Flys on fire." A puff
OF fame shot from her. side; she burned
rapidly and down tumbled her smoking
remains--aiso the fond hopes of her
owner. Percy Brocton. The Gold Dart
met the same fate. but the other con-
testants drifted about until their hot
air began to give out. when they
slowly settled earthward while Frank
bemoaned the hard luck of having
struck windless day remarking dis
gustedly that "it was the tamest prop
osition he'd ever promoted
If he had only looked a few hours
ahead. perhaps he would have taken
back his remark.
still the winner had to be declared,
so Frank continued with his aerial pro-
gram 1t was unnecessary to measure
the distance flown by the Zip, Green
Bug. High Up and Victor, as they were
hopelessly close to the starting point,
But the naked eye could not detect any
difference between the Red Filler, the
Snail and the Swallow.
Frank now adjusted his fathers old
telescope upon a stand made Of a cleft
stick which he set up on the starting
point in the aerodrome. He sighted the
Red Filler and carefully noted the OBJ
Jects that intersected the line of sight.
Frank then ordered out the measuring
squad" which came prancing up drag