Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-10
Seven Giant Balloons Waiting
to Be looSed.
WILL START AT 4 O'CLOCK
Elimination Contest for the Bennett
Cup Race.
TWO PILOTS WILL BE CHOSEN
Seats Provided for Ten Thousand
Persons on Aviation Field at
Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY. Mo-. July 1O.-Seven
giant balloons, piloted by widely known
American aeronauts, today tug at their
mooring In the aviation field alond
the Missouri river here and await
the starting signal in the national bal
loon race. At o'clock this afternoon. or
as soon thereafter as atmospheric condi-
lions will permit, the starter, A. B. Lam
bert, president Of the ST. Louis Aero
Club will officially release the first strug-
Cling air craft. At intervals of five min
utes thereafter, until the last balloon
shall have cleared the ground. a con-
testant will be set free.
From every city that has a representa-
tive in the race delegations we're present
when the aviation field gates opened,
three hours Before the time for the first
balloon to rise. st. Louis sent crowd
on a special train.
Seats for approximately 10000 persons
are provided in the aviation field, which
was but recently completed. Room is
also set apart for a thousand automo-
biles. Sixteen thousand feet Of sixteen
inch pipe carried gas to the balloons.
Natural gas, which has been passed
through heated pipes for the purpose of
the bags. ]. w. Bemis. the wealthy ST.
Louis sportsman, directed the work Of
initiating the balloons.
An Elimination Contest.
This is an elimination contest for the
purpose Of selecting two pilots to repre-
sent the United States in the James TOR
don Bennett cup race, which starts from
Kansas City October 5. In that race,
which is an international event, three
pilots, the two leaders in the national
meet and Alan r. Hawley, will sail
under the Stars and Stripes. 1t was Haw-
ley who piloted the America II to victory
In the Bennett cup race last year by
making spectacular flight of LII 1890
miles into the Canadian wilds. On ac-
count OF this performance he is eligible
to fly In the international contest this
year without making a preliminary trip.
The entries in the national race follow !:
Kansas City Aero Club-Kansas City,
H. E. Honeywell, pilot.
ST. Louis Aero Club--St. Louis w, Lieut.
Frank P. Lahm. pilot; Miss Sofia. Will
liam F. Assman. pilot. and the Million
Population Club. John w. Berry. pilot.
Aero Club of New York-New York.
Clifford B. Harmon, pilot.
Cleveland Aero Club-Buckeye, J. H.
Wade, jr., pilot.
Western Aero Association Of Topeka
The balloons are regarded as evenly
matched. each being Of $4,000 feet ca
pacity.
Distance to Be Considered.
Distance Travelled alone will be consid-
cred 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 under
such conditions. With a good north or
northeast wind. followers of aeronautics
believe, 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 q
lake or an ocean. Alighting in water in
this race will disQualify the contestant.
The honor for 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 800 Silver cups will be
awarded the two leaders.
One OF the entrants, Lieut.. Frank p
Lahm, won the Bennett cup the first
time it was ever raced for. That race
started from Paris. September 80. 1906.
He few to Whitby. England. distance
OF 80 miles. LEST year ne az Aln W as an
entrant in the race. That time he
sailed the balloon he is plotting today.
the st. Louis ", $50 miles Lieut.
Lain has been long connected with the
army. At present his duty is that Of
instructor in aeronautics at Fort Riley,
Kansas.
Forfeits Fortune for Ballooning.
Truly, Clifford b. Harmon, who has
.father-in-law, Commodore E. G.. Bene-
dict, is said to have offered him 800. 900
to quit flying, but Harmon never seri-
ously considered taking the Offer. Har-
mon is wealthy in his own right. He
is both balloonist and an aviator.
Capt. H. z. Honeywell has made 165
balloon trips, more than any other
entrant. His most noted flight was
from Chicago. 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. May 10. 1910. Capt.
lowering over Lake Michigan. After
several hours his craft was finally car
ried up and across to the Michigan side.
where he made safe landing. He
which he is sailing in this race.
One of the most perilous balloon
flights ever made in this country was
that Of William r. Assman from San
Antonio, Tex. TO Cover. Mo-. February
"a, 1911, in an attempt TO win the
Lahm cup. few hours after he as
cended his balloon. the Miss Sofia, was
caught up in a snow cloud. At one
time the bag reached an altitude OF
$4,000 feet Assman was in the air
twenty-five 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 been centered, in the main. upon
perfecting q steering apparatus for
dirigible balloon. He has made sew
eral short flights.
]. H. Wade. tr, is credited with be-
ing q courageous balloonist. Many OF
his flights have been made in the great
lakes section. where each ascension Is
fraught with great danger. He has
experienced several narrow escapes,
but has never been seriously injured.
Frank NJ Jacobs of Topeka was but
recently licensed a pilot. but he Is
said to be absolutely fearless.
NEW YORK WANTS CASH.