The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-07
Great AID FOR CITY
Topeka Balloon Made Hit at
Los Angeles Meet.
Thousands of Persons Saw To-
peka ii in the Air.
JACOBS WAS OUT OVER OCEAN
Dropped to Within 400 Feet of
Water and Returned.
Balloon Flights to Be Resumed
Here in the Spring.

Topeka received invaluable advertjs-
ing and publicity before the thousands
who attended the recent famous Los
Angeles aviation meet, is the opinion
of Frank NJ. Jacobs, pilot of the ball
loon Topeka IL Pilot Jacobs has
returned TO Topeka after more than a
week of flying on the coast with the
well known Topeka balloon
Every day as we would rise from
the ground and the balloon was spied
from the aviation field the mega
phone man announced that we We're
from Topeka the live Kansas city, -
Jacobs said this afternoon. Our bal
loon was watched by hundreds OF
thousands of people every day We
We're given notices in the Los Angeles
and coast daily papers and whenever
a person saw a balloon, the first thing
he thought of was Well there is that
Topeka bag
In his flying over Los Angeles. ia
cObs learned several new features IN
balloonine. He was given an educa-
ton in the action of ocean air cur
rents and in the atmospheric condl-
tions on the Pacific coast Further
more he was given renewed acquaint-
anccshfo and partnership with the
good slip Topeka II
He Made Four Trips.
Pilot Jacobs made four trips at Los
Angeles. In one of those trips he Went
out over the ocean nearly mle AZ
height of more than 5000 feet Whhe
over the water he opened his valves
allowed the balloon to drop TO WITHIN
about 400 9eet of the waves then
caught the shore current ana returned
lack to q short distance from the start
ing field In this trip he made more
than eight miles with Topeka IL
The gas was very poor out there
Jacobs said. They used crude Oh
fumes and it did not have good III
In fiaqQf nd
its condition. one day 1t would 3S
good and the next day bad. We coulu
not travel as far with II as We -aAl
with the natural gas that We get helI
in Topeka. And it would not beglh 10
lift the load We carry when We make
our flights out of this city OF IN tuS
national and International races out OIL
Kansas City. 90
sacks of ballast and two men of ordl-
n91v size You know that isn't very
gond load compared with the passen-
acrs and ballast we have lifted out over
Jacobs witnessed several of the aero
r,lane exhibits out at Los Angeles. He
VS. ON the grounds the day Page fsl
and was killed. On being asked II he
fe, a little fidgety ate the rage
death Jacobs laughed
IT is different in a balloon he said
There is positively no danger of fall
Ing in a balloon
Will Try Out NIultiplane-
But Jacobs has had several months
of aeroplane experience. The pilots
brother. H w. Jacobs. assistant super
intendert of motive power of the Santa
Fe has invented a multiplane that is
being tried out in AtchsOn at this time
Pilot Jacobs is making experimental
flights with the new machine and has
great confidence in its safety and carry
ing power
When the machine is perfected and
when enough flights have been made
at Atchison to guarantee its removal,
t will be brought to Topeka and eN-
hibition will be made before the en-
thusiasts in this city.
Jacobs brought back the balloon
..Topeka II with him. More regular
trips will be made out of Topeka when
the weather modcrates and spring
opens 1t is hoped that by this time
n gas pipe line will be extended to the
fair grounds and flights can be made
from this field.