Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-07-10
TO De CUT LOOSE FROM AVA.
TIoN FIELD FOR NATIONAL
RACE.
ELIMINATION CONTEST
IN BENNETT CUP RACE
International Contest Next October
Lieutenant Lahm, Once Cup Holder,
Among the Entrants.

Kansas City, July 10.-Seven giant
balloons, piloted by widely known
American aeronauts. today tug at their
moorings in the aviation field along
the Missouri river here and await the
starting signal in the National balloon
race. At o'clock this afternoon, or
as soon thereafter as atmospheric con-
ditions will permit, the starter, A. B.
Lambert, president Of the ST. Louis
Aero Club, will officially release the
first struggling air craft. At intervals
Of five minutes thereafter, until the
last balloon shall have cleared the
|sground, a contestant will be set free.
This is an elimination contest for the
purpose Of selecting two pilots to rep
resent the United States in the James
Gordon Bennett cup race. which starts
from Kansas City next Oct. 5. In that
race, which is an international event.
three pilots, the two leaders in the Ma
tional meet and Alan r. Hawley, will
sail under the stars and stripes. It was
Hawley who piloted the America II to
victory in the Bennett cup race last
year by making spectacular flight of
1171 13-1O0 miles into the Canadian
wilds. On account of this performance
he is eligible to fly in the international
contest this year without making a
preliminary trip.
List Of Entrants.
The entries in the National race fol-
low:
Kansas City Aero Club-Kansas City.
H. E. Honeywell. pilot.
st. Louis Aero Club-St. Louis ",
Lieutenant Frank p. Lahm. pilot; Miss
Sofia. William F. Assman. pilot, and
the Million Population Club. John w.
Berry, pilot.
Aero Club Of New York-New York.
Clifford b. Harmon. pilot. .ss
Cleveland Aero C1ub-Buckeye. J. HI.
Wade, Jr.. pilot.
Western Aero Association Of Topeka
Topeka II, Frank NJ. Jacobs. pilot.
The balloons are regarded as evenly
matched. each being Of $4,000 feet ca
pacity.
Distance Alone Counts.
Distance travelled alone will be con-
sidered in determining the leaders in
the contest. Kansas City, on account
of its inland location. is believed to be
an ideal starting point for a race un-
der such conditions. With good
north or northwest wind, believe fol-
lowers Of aeronautics. several long
flights will be made. In the past many
balloonists, sailing from cities nearer
bodies Of water, have been forced to
alight long before their gas supplies
were exhausted because they feared
they might be carried out into lake
or an ocean. Alighting in water IN
this race will disqualify the contest
ant.
The honor Of competing in the Ben
nett cup race is, Of course. the big
plum for which the pilots in the con-
test today are striving, but there are
other prizes to be gained. Each pilot,
regardless of his showing in the meet.
will be given 500. Silver cups will be
awarded the two leaders.
lahm Once Winner.
One of the entrants, Lieutenant
Frank P. Lahm. won the Bennett cup
the first time it was ever raced for.
That race started from Paris on Sept.
80, 1906. He flew to W,hitby. England,
a distance of AS miles. Last year he
again was an entrant in the race. That
time he sailed the balloon he is pilot
ing today. the ST. Louis w, $50 miles.
Lieutenant Lahm has been long con-
nected with the army. At present his
QuIy Is IIldt VI lASIi OClOA lAl dCAOAouS0
les at Fort Riley. Kansas.
Truly Clifford B. Harmon. who has
entered the New York loves to fly. His
father law, Commodore f. G. Benc-
dict. is said to have offered him $780,
900 to quit flying but Harmon never
seriously considered taking the bait.
Harmon is wealthy in his own right.
He is both a balloonist and aviator.
Ceptain II. E. Honeywell has made
165 balloon trips, more than any other
entrant. His most noted fight was
from Chicago on July 4, 1908. when he
crossed Lake Michigan. Lake Huron;
Lake Ontario, and Lake Champlain be-
fore alighting. In an attempt to win
the Lahm cup on May 10, 1910. Cap
tain Honeywell became becalmed while
lowering over Lake Michigan. After
several hours his craft was finally car
ried up and across to the Michigan
side, where he made a safe landing. He
manufactured the balloon Kansas City,
which he is sailing in this race.
Assman's PeriIous Flight.
One Of the most perious balloon
fights ever made in this country was
that Of William f. Assman from San
Antonio. Tex, to Cover. Mo-, last Feb.
a. in an attempt to win the Lahm cup.
A few hours after he ascended his bal
loon, the Miss Sofia, was caught up in
a snow cloud. At one time the bag
reached an altitude Of 10000 feet. ASS
man was in the air twenty two hours
and twenty-eight minutes, making an
average distance Of thirty-two and a
half miles an hour.
The efforts Of John NJ. Berry. pilot Of
the Million Population Club balloon.
have heen centered. in the main. upon
perfecting steering apparatus for a
dirigible balloon. He has made several
short fights.
]. H. Wade, Jr., Is credited with be-
ing a coura geous balloonist. Many Of
his flights have been made in the
Great Lakes section, where each as-