Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-06-16
BALLOON STRUCK
BY LIGHTNING
Carrier Pigeon Brings News of Dis
aster at Portland,
Oregon.
TWO OTHERS ARE MISSING
No Word Received From Kansas
City III and Spring
field.
TWO OTHERS ARE MISSING

Portland, Ore, June 13-One
brief message telling of disaster to
the balloon, Million Population club,
was the only word received up to
late hour yesterday from three Of
the four balloons that started from
here Thursday in a race under the
auspices of the Aero Club of Amer
lea. OF the fate of the Kansas City
III and the Springfield there was an
ominous silence. The other balloon
in the race, the Uncle Sam, was
wrecked in a thunder storm Thurs
day night.
Yesterday morning, On the wings
, of a white carrier pigeon, was
brought this laconic message from
the Million Population club:
Balloon struck by lightning.
Berry hurt. Come quick. (signed)
Morrison.
The message was written by
George Y. Morrison, probably while
he was in daze, for he failed to
give his location. His companion
was Capt. John Berry of St. Louis,
the pilot.
Every effort possible was put
forth to find the Uncle Sam and the
other two unreported balloons. The
United States forest service order
ed every forester in Oregon Cascade
mountains to the search.
It is believed that the Million
Population probably went down
somewhere in the dense forests on
the west slope of the Cascades,
southeast of here.
Morrison is a frontiersman from
Lewiston, Idaho, and it is believed
he will be able to find his way out
of the mountains and bring aid to
his injured companion unless he,
too, is injured.
Word came late yesterday from
Liberal, about forty miles southeast
of here, that balloon was seen by
a ranch hand close to the earth at
2:3O o'clock yesterday morning. The
occupants shouted to him, asking
for their direction but did not say
who they were.
While the Springfield and Kan
sas City III may have passed safely
through the storm and over the Cas-
cades into thinly settled region, it
is feared that they met the same
fate as the Million Population club
and it is regarded as almost impos-
sible that there would not be some
report of their being sighted had
they continued in flight yesterday.
The Kansas City III was piloted
by John Watts of Kansas City, and
carried Roscoe Fawcett, sporting ed
itor of a Portland paper, as passen-
ger. The Springfield was piloted by
Roy Donaldson of Springfield, ILL.,,
and carried Wilbur Henderson of
Portland as passenger.
Captain Berry is one of the most
experienced aeronauts in this coun-
try, and this is his first serious ac-
cident. He was winner of the first
national balloon race in this coun-
try, which was held in indianapolis
in 1908. He also has completed in
international races in Germany and
France. He is &C years of age, and
resident of St. Louis.
The carrier pigeon which arrived
at it's cote here wet from the storm,
shortly before p. m, with word of
the disaster to the Million Popula-
tion club, showed fatigue, according
to it's owner, George Warren.
Mr.. Warren said it came flying
from the southeast, and he believed
it had flown anywhere from 100 to-
10 miles, Judging from its condi-
ton,