The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-10-06
ANNUAL GORDON BENNETT AND
LAHM BALLOON RACES ARE
ONCE MORE IN PROGRESS.
FIVE AMERICAN ENTRIES
II an American Airship Wins Bennett
Cup This Year. the Trophy viii Re.
main in This country-Both Contests
Are for Long Distanee--AIl Balloon
lists Get Good Start.

Kansas City. Oct 5.-Three un-
Identified balloons. leaders as far as
known. in the James Gordon Bennett
ana Lahm cup races, passed Tarkio.
NO, III miles northeast of Kansas
city. ana but IL miles from the Iowa
state line. at s: 30 o'clock tonight. They
were travelling high and fast
But three identified bags had been
accounted for up to midnight. They
We're the Condor. flying the colors of
France. which passed st. Joseph. Mo.
at o'clock the Topeka IT,. that sailed
over south st. Joseph, Mo. at 8: 40
O'Clock and the America H.. which was
reported at Savannah, Mo, 50 miles
horth OF Kansas City. at 7:45 O'Clock.
betore favorable 20-mile wind
,.o,l tne south and southwest,
eight racing balloons sailed away
mere today In contests for the
James Gordon Bennett trophy and
the Lahm cup. Six OF the air craft.
three representing the United States.
TWO Germany and one France, are en-
tered In the Bennett race. an animal
international event. The three Ameri-
can balloons I'm this contest and two
other American balloons. are after the
Lahm cup. A ninth balloon, which
acted as pilot In the international race.
IL attempting to break the altitude rec
ord.
Good Start by All.
Every balloonist got away to n good
start. The pilot balloon, Pennsyl-
vania ]. and the America II had trou-
bic clearing the ground, but by DUNN
Ing little sand. both were soon able
to gain good altitude.
The Berlin l did not rise well until
after It had cleared the aviation field
and Its drag rope raked two or three
spectators off the circus seats, but
none was seriously injured and the
bag was not long In rising to a height
OF 500 feet
With the exception OF the last two
bags to sail. the Kansas City II ana
the Topeka II. all OF the balloons went
almost due north The Kansas city
and Topeka were carried northwest.
II was almost dark when the last two
balloons sailed.
An immense crowd saw the start,
about $4,000 being on the grounds.
For time today It looked as IL the
Berlin would not sail. owing to the
failure OF Its pilot to arrive. He had
not reached here when the gas was
turned into the bags, but so certain
was his aide, J. o. bunker, that the
aeronaut. Lieutenant Leopold yogt,
would be here, that his balloon was
filled. Shortly after O'Clock Lieu
tenant Vogt arrived at the field In n
taxicab. considerably perturbed. but
ready to fly. The failure of his flying
garments and his kit TO clear the GUS
toms house in New York had delayed
him. Others came to his rescue and
soon he was provided with an impro-
vised equipment. True. his sand box
said soap" on one end, aud was Sc
cured to the basket with a clothes line
and the other equipment was equally
crude. but when the starting signal
was given he was reacy to GO
II an American balloon wins this
race, the Bennett trophy will become
the permanent property OF the Aero
! club of America. az this country has
two victories 10 Its credit Lieuten-
ant L.ahm. who is flying the Buckeye
In this race, won the trophy the first
year II vas offered, In 1906. The
/