The Detroit times., 1913-07-28
TELLS OF LONG
FLIGHT IN DIZZY
BLUEIN BALLOON
II. A. ID. Preston Describes Re.
markable Trip Which Ended
Recently in Michigan
SCARED TO AMAZING
ALTITUDE AT TIMES
Thrilling Narrative of Journey
Is Filled With Many Awe
Inspiring Passages

r. A. d. Preston, OF the Goodyear
Tire & Rubber company, Akron, o..
aide In the flight OF the Balloon Good
year" which won the national cham
pionship race at Kansas City. July 4th,
tells the following story OF his expert
ence on the memorable flight.
Capt. Berry in the Million Popu'
lation Club II. the st. Louis entry.
was the first to get away. He smash
ed HIS own basket, but substituted
one from the debated Miss Sophia
IL
"A little difficulty, due TO high wind,
was experienced in getting the Good
year ready, but soon things were
o. X. and Epson gave the word TO
let GO
THE wind carried us across the
field at a great rate. and 1t looked
for few seconds as II we would
crash into the fence. II was soon
plain. however, from our position in
the balloon, that We we're safe, al
though | remember a sigh Of relief
from the spectators as we cleared the
fence and shot skyward We struck
a fair equilibrium at about 1900 feet
above ground, and sailed rapidly
away TO the northeast. few min
utes later we saw the Kansas City
Post Honeywells balloon. and the
Kansas City IL John Watts) coming
after us. The Goodyear continued
at approximately original height until
after midnight. the other two balloons
appearing to be working west OF us,
and occasionally we could see their
lights flashing In that direction.
though the balloons themselves could
not be distinguished. We passed over
several fair seized towns, and at
so; skirtod small city which was
probably Ottumwa. la.
Eventually, we could hear the
steamer whistles at Milwaukee, and
a little later, down through riffs in
the clouds we're the waters OF Lake
Michigan. At 10 o'clock we could see
the land again. though we did not
see either shore OF the lake we had
crossed. Just before noon we reached
our highest elevation OF nearly 49,
900 feet.
Descending through a cloud layer
was very interesting We did not go
into the cloud at all, but seemed to
slide down the side OF this huge bali
OF mist with the ground In plain sight
Just over its edge. We were uncer-
tain as TO our whereabouts before de-
scending through this cloud layer, but
figured that we we're somewhere In
the vicinity Of Saginaw Bay. Once
below the cloud, however, land was
visible to the horizon.
The unstable atmospheric condi-
tons were fast using up the gas and
han hof
was only a question OF pushing the
Goodyear as far as we could toward
the lake.
The country below was not particu-
larry inviting as with few exceptions
II was covered with tall Jumps and
strewn with dead. broken trees, the
cut timber district OF northern Mich
igan.
by three O'Clock our ballast was
all gone, and soon our empty sand
bags, camp stools, water, milk cans.
and most OF our provisions were also
gone. Reserving a little for landing,
We looked ahead for smooth spot
and finally discerned a little spot OF
fairly smooth ground which we en-
deavOred TO reach. We hit n little
short OF 1t. narrowly missing a tall
dead tree, but bounced up again
and succeeded in dropping the balloon
directly on little plot which proved
TO be buckwheat patch. Consider.
ing the strong wind blowing. Epson
made an exceptionally fine landing. as
we were not dragged over the ground
at all. and did not damage the balloon
In the least.
The greater part Of the popula-