Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-13
About Balloons
PINALING TIE AIPPLANE
by Frederic j. Haskin


A gray day on the western front,
with he w cloud masses hanging lpw
n the sky An American battery IS 20
ing into action While the artillery men
are working over their guns 10 hidden
rfnplacernonts, a caterpillar tractor IS
run up behind the lincs bearing . strange
burden of canvas nud rope. which II
dcHafod balloon, and e followed by p
Ioad Of great metal containers, FFlch
are hydrogen tanks
In a remarkably short time hc great
gas haz iakcn form. and riscs 10 ~ eleva-
ton If 4cvrral thouqand feet Il con
ncctcd uith IA ground crew II fffy
Or slytv men bY -tcrl cable operated
from winch Ind with 'hc battery nr
telephone line This balloon iDoK4
nothing hike M spherical gas bags that
Won have -ron IF county fars i i- n,i-
long. and At one end 4 tas blunt putting
Rlngs IN either sIde, an5 q .ong pro
iuherance curling 3iuder t- hnIE it
looks -onnwhaf ike 49, aiephon a'h
exaggerated ears and trunk but no
ngs. and rphart 81 what thc rnon
aalj il Iac r- aud rlnk arr Air ack-
winch are inflated hv the wind aud
Keep the balloon hnaded u one jirro-
lion wavanng slightly lkr f-h
current buf ieavtng HI" 1a4kct fao-'
notionl"ss
orr Hsg Ir Hr,rs rfAvr.
Tint He treat islqtnfagc he ear-
.a hainar aa- 3yrr hc airrlarc Jaa
en officer Hha ncrunv fhe basket
fu t4dr hr aerat positions In leisure
tnd from xra oou' whi.c 81 lr-
plane observer mu.f always u0tc
tlgh sprod hrrmnro tho balloon
shzcrrnr a constant oommInf.a-
fion alth Ai- battery bv telephone white.
the urnan must come aack t1 -rpor'
ar end message 1y igcon 4 f-o-
ies~
IIc.n t2a observers 4re ~ptn.4..t
competent ono -c%fs als glass FL. taa
.1gc III tHn asket winch IS firm ta
rork md Studies dit IN enemy posi-
irons III sure AoIaireiv fashion Tho i
otLfr friaHhnnc- the observations -0 4
the officer il charge ai hr battery Now
md 'hrn aa 4irplanc Rises from behind
he Tires srd haots aut over ancm-
.errtor. Thus faeau- hat tie balloon
observer aa. l1gr-ied making 3 photo
graph 81 ~eme detail ID HE hostile p.,i-
uouS aiasa IL cannot arure make pur
+ soon aeeame~ evident nat -l"
IRE II tits battery Saving deadly
eIiee tr Qiaa ai enemy arplanc~
S, seen par3ecItAE There S ra a0unr
II ther purposes hes hope IS c
esaEe aa na4 and nl- -t.a- hr5ugi
' lher .ee As paracAl--- fastened ~
,ise aostaIt 81 basket lsr ..>r .E-
eaIergeaee Is be Ife H. balloon
is threatened suddenly, ae ,w8 .l-
servers s4~t ss~ert hear balloon a,
mp taree .ee aI .e
- trr>. +.
Cue lie Eo,be raao>
rt.sh the agg niaesa-.eohIac 1.- *
ike = wasp attaeAUg aterB.t
Is aet ~ I'VE tulereaa planes h,e
= a r,a5ie ai uAtLue gun -r. Gu
'ile air The Beohc siacc om.~ H.a;llag
earth~ar1., a burning ~recA Another
makes ~. at,aapt. and meets ake
F.es ttl zet smother. The #reu.E
determined 20 .le~troE rl4 dang, rau~
aalIoon Al ~ EDS. The ,f>er.er~ #aa.i
be justified h .aand5n.ae helF net..s.-
1esirion bar thet refuse n a9 ret
.ug their defense t> the .rpa -ae
euauaua l1uef fhe.r lat he u>aa
renehes
There S uot 3ecAc plane n zas
now Auparrr-iN lbs enemy haS -lVeu
~ the Htteuapr IS ie>rrt thc balloon
2It fgs.arIee3 F grult Ll-~S q. -r.
loud h.e with rail A>a1 noyel across
he SIX aurl i hans- almost a1ra,tlt
sper the haileeH
Dur IS TIL, .as. acre ~GducaIE
n.tthes downward. straight s' .hc gl~
,ag. a -iualI swift aIrpi4He 81 he enemy
+ has letn h1gguUg att at sight 4boEo
IL, aioud for hetrs waiting unU. TINS
moving 8intr.~a nf the heavens should
s a. ~. t.e ght position z falls
..3se first. Ase ,h0t bird. i Wo hundred
miles iii houI hen suddenly checks ia
mdar and circles about the balloon,
3ouruS stream of bullets through The
srtat vulnerable bubble % gas and fabric
rne balloon bursts into flame ana
.arocnS graamlward hc tNEu observers, (
tlready fastened to heir parmhues,
cap l.verfoarl Duc 9t them becomes
in tAe ropes that support
hc basket The other tcforc letting zo.
tors tu 9ld hlS companion Ruth swing