The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-10-27

Once upon time-and contrary to
the childhood stories which always be-
gan that way--it was not so very long
ago, The Reformcr man went balloon
ing.
Some of his friends heard about it.
They have piled him with questions.
Afraid" 'Scared?' ''Fright-
ened?"
Nothing of the kind 1t was a ride
Of kcener pleasure than was ever ex-
perieneed in motor ear, motor boat
bicycle, or any other conveyance. not
even excepting the stone boat of youth
ful days in the rural district.
Every second of the flight was a
delight Some will tell YOU that when
You go mp in balloon the earth seems
TO leave you, and that there is no sense
Of rising. This is nine -tenths per cent
true. and before YOU hardly have time
20 think about what YOU are doing
YOU are anoat and are having the time
of your life. Many people are timid
on looking down from heights on
bridges and buildings. There is moth
ing of that feeling in balloon You
are detached from earth and YOU
simply look out on the beautiful pan
orama. without thought of distance
from the ground.
To sit up all night is a part of the
price of a balloon flight, if you really
want 20 see the whole game.
Laying ont the balloon is perhaps
the most important pa-t@of the whole
task. There are about as many ropes
in the netting as there are dollars in q
Liberty loan, and every rope must bC
laid out correctly.
Next the valve is fastened in place
This, when the bag is inflated is al
the extreme top, far beyond reach cX
ccpt by the cord which stretches from
u down through> the balloon to tn,
basket. Then the appendix goes on
this being the tube at the bottom
through which the gas is put in, an,
which remains open as a sort of safety
valve against undue expansion during
the flight.
When all these details are arranged
the gas man gets the signal and tn,
big ubber.coated bag begins to puff
up. Which introduces the sand ba,
as a plaything.
There are 100 or so sand bags in
circle around the balloon. each on,
weighing from 40 TO 30 pounds. Whei
the balloon becomes buoyant enough
TO evidence a disposition TO climb int,
the atmosphere il must bc held il
place by these sand bags, hooked I,
the netting. As it rises still further
each sand bag must be iugglcd dow
notch or two.
l|y the time 100 lO-pomd bags o
SAINT have been iugeled % or 30 times
the lugglcrs begin IL realize that bal
looming IS quite vigorous pastimc
However. there a knack to this. Til
only trouble is that nobody thinks T.
how the amateur just what il is til
he has disloeatcd one shoulder and i
wearing out his third set of auxiliar
muscles in the other.
Early in the morning the big en
veloI2 is dancing airilv with each shift
ing Of the sand bags and the basket i
attached. This is a stout wicker nj
fair, ! lay - feet in size and abou
waist high. Four men are schedule
TO 80 UP in il. which leaves quite
lot Of room 70 move around, as the
reckon those things in balloon cisrlnl
Five can make the trip fairly con
fortahly. When six arc installed, tn,
hang out the :. r. O. sign.
There 5 a final Juggling Of the san
bags down 20 the last notch s,tca q
eight Of them are dumped into tn
basket 90 be used for ballast, and tn
casting of begins This means tia
everybody who ism passenger
pressed into service to understudv IA
force of gravity while the rcmaiuiu
sand bags are unlocked.
About the last question that Is askc
before you are ready to bid adieu I
the earth comes from the Chief. n
wants 10 know whether anyone hf
matches in his pocket. Being Tor
warned we all plead not guilty. For
here : any one thing that is not [
be taken on a balloon trip, it is
match. Not that anyone would col
seiously light one in close proximity
such supply of gas as that While
lloats above, but in spite of warnin.
some smoker might forget. They tai
no chances with such carelessness.
The getaway is very simple ma
ter. The students and others who hay
been holding 10 the sides of the baske
at the moment when the lifting powt
of the gas bag is sufficient. rcleai
their hold. and before YOU know il vc
are ailoat in the air, waving your han
kcrchief TO the crowd that ALWAYS a
semblcs on the ground. even as ear
as Z in the morning.
Cub Taylor of Tcxas-a Yale man
was The junior pilot who superintend,
the imitation of the balloon and opcr
iions generally. He also had charl
Of the big gas bag of $4,000 cub