Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-04
j. 8. BALLOON|ST
REC|TES THRILLS
Of BIC RACE
Watts and Aid Travelled 800
Miles Over Baltic Sea, and
Landed in Russia.

NEW YORK, Dec. A thrilling sto-
~ of two days flirting with death while
more than two miles above the earth's
surface was told today by John Watts,
baIloonist of Kansas City, Mo-, when
he returned from Europe on the liner
kaiserine Victoria.
Mr.. Watts, with A. r. Atheholt, Of
Philadelphia, participated in the inter
national balloon race. which started
from Stuttgart, Germany, on October
p. Their own balloon was in a leaky
condition, so they borrowed the Dussel-
dorf II and their record of 1850 miles
most likely will give them third place.
trophy and $500 in cash.
we We're moi very familiar with the
workings of the new balloon and had
some trouble early in the flight" said
Mr.. Watts Time and again we were
saved from a precarious condition by
| quick action. A strong wind came
along and carried us over the Baltic
sea for a distance of about 900 miles.
Bag Crushed With Ice.
The air currents carried US into Rus
! STA and it grew intensely cold. We
thought several times that we would
! have to descend because of the biting
cold We had gone about loo miles
when we noticed that our balloon was
| slowly but surely sinking We threw
| out ballast, but it did not seem to keep
US up.
Then we noticed that our gas bag
was crusted with ice and the coating
grew thicker each hour We threw out
all our ballast. but to no avail, and the
| big ship went hurting through space
| from an altitude of about 900 feet, and
| 1t seemed we covered the distance to
the earth in just a few seconds.
| I'VE seemed to slow up just trifle
when we were within about 200 feet of
! the earth and the big bag seemed to
regain its buoyancy, but it was only for
a few minutes, and then, despite every
| thing we did, the balloon shot to the
ground.
! I'VE landed with a terrific crash that
almost jolted both of us out of the
basket, which was badly smashed. We
chung to the ropes and threw out the
anchor. But the balloon began to skin
along the ground. The crash had
shaken off hundreds of pounds of ice
and the balloon regained enough buoy.
ancy to sail along with the basket drag
ging over the frozen uneven ground.
Lost For a Week.
| Luckily, we came to a clump of trees
and the seemingly miIe-a-m minute cir
OF our balloon was checked long enough
for us to jump out and tie it. It was a
thriller, that experience, and one which
came mighty near being our last"
| For nearly a week after they ascend
ed not a word was heard from either
| Watts or Atherholt. and it was thought
they were lost, until word of their safe
| ty was telegraphed from Poskov a
small Russian town near Moscow, Rus
STA. where they descended. They land
ed on October 20, but it was not until
! November that the telegram reached
| the telegraph Office nearly 100 miles
| away
The distance Watts and Atherholt
| travelled entitled them to third place in
| the race, but the judges disqualified
! them because they ascended after sun
/ set. However, the men have made j
! protest against this ruling. claiming
| they assembled at that time with the fun
sanction of the officials and when Watts
! left Germany he was given assurance
! that the disqualification would not
stand