Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-12
BALLOONS CAUGHT IN STORM
Crews Of New York and Kansas City
Have Narrow Escapes.
FORCED TO LAND IN IOWA
Other Five Contestants in elimination
Race Are stin in the Air and
Are Moving Eastward over
Illinois and Iowa.
SIX BALLOONS HEARD FROM.

Missouri: Landed two miles west OF
Coal City, Ia, at 7;40 o'clock this morn
ing. The distance travelled was approx
imately l40 miles
Buckeye made a forced landing four miles
east OF New Holland. ILL.,. at BIS o'clock
this afternoon. 1t was caught in a thunder
storm.
At o'clock this Afternoon the balloons
in the race were reported to occupy the
following positions:
Kansas city Landed near I.nby. Ia, 15o
miles northeast of Kansas City.
New York: Landed near Fremont, Ia. 15s
mlfes northeast or Kansas City. f-va~ =
Topeka IL: Landed near La Harpe. H..
lss miles northeast OF Kansas City.
Million Population Club Believed to
have been the big bag which fell at Coal
City Ia. 1l0 miles northeast OF Kansas
City.
81. Louis ": Generally thought to be the
bag that passed over Aurora, Ill. headed
toward Chicago, this afternoon.
The balloon Miss Sofia: William r. Ash
mann, pilot, and James O'Reilly. his com
panion, landed one mile from Franklin
Park, a western suburb of Chicago, at $3.50
a. m.today. OReily was slightly injured
when the balloon, in landing, struck a
large tree.
KANSAS CITY July I1.-Forced to de-
scend from 5000 feet, where they encoun-
tered terrific thunderstorm and cyclonic
conditions, Clifford b. Harmon, pilot, and
Augustus Post, aid, in the balloon New
York, were compelled TO-DAY after a most
thrilling experience to land at Fremont,
Ia, and give up their place in the elimi-
nation race for the James Gordon Bennett
cup Both men landed safely, and after
packing their balloon. which was uninjured.
started with 1t at noon for New York.
At about the same time the balloon Kan
sas City was forced to land near Anby,
Ia, having been caught in the same storm.
encountered by the New Workers. Captain
II. e Honeywell, the pilot, and John wads,
his aid, escaped injury.
At noon. as far as learned. the other five
contestants were still in the air, making
good progress and travelling in a northeast
erly direction over Iowa and Illinois.
In message sent from Fremont before
he and Mr.. Harmon left there for the east
August Post described their experiences
since leaving Kansas City.
SOC Post Describes storm.
The New York sailed well until mid
night last night in a northeast direction"
said Post. Then We entered a terrific
thunderstorm. The balloon arose to 5000
feet and ths temperature dropped to 80 de-
grees. A oyclonic vortex sucked US into
It's center and we were lost in the clouds
with lightning playing all around US.
The thunder claps shook the basket and
the vibration felt like a huge sledge ham
mer was striking II. At the upper surface
OF the storm center the balloon was twisted
and tossed like a cork in the Niagara
rapids Harmon and / had to hold onto
the sides OF the basket while It dropped
and rose with frightful rapidity.
''our ballast was soon exhausted and we
were carried down without being able to
check the balloon. We decided 10 make a
landing although 1t was 8 o'clock in the
morning and so dark we could not see.
I'VE were dragged nearly mile before
being able to allow gas to escape by the
rip pannel and valve. Greatly shaken We
stopped on the property OF Peter Deutsehle.
at Fremont, Ia.
Harmon and / are all right except for
severe shaking up. Our balloon was
packed and shipped this morning. We are
leaving at noon for New York"
Fremont Is l5s miles notheast of Kansas
City.
Great interest centered around the bal
loon New York, because il held the best
starting position. the last; and because
Augustus Post, who assisted Allan r. Haw-
ley, piloted the America II to victory in
the James Gordon Bennett cup race last
year. was aid. The New York was a new
balloon.
TeIe&ram from Honeywell.
In telegram TO the Associated Press.
Captain Honeywell said:
After a perfect ascent We Travelled rap
idly northeast. Conditions were perfect ex-
cept for the heat OF the sun at the start.
About o'clock We sighted lightning
and windstorm. We tried to avoid II, but
at lis a. m. We went into II. For an hour
We struggled with the elements. all the
continued on Second PaEs)