New-York tribune., 1920-12-20
Missing Navy
Balloon Is
Reported Seen
Continued from page ono)

1T is possible that the balloon actually
was the A5598, since her crew had
enough ballast to discard TO keep them
afioat for q considerable period. The
fact that the balloon few at a low alti
tude may indicate that 1t was pretty
we'll out OF gas and had discarded most
of its ballast"
Lieutenant Richard said that an air
plane Will be sent early this morning
TO the region where the balloon was
reported seen in an effort to determine
its identity and if possible find it.
The organized search for the three
naval balloonists will be resumed to-
cay when Lieutenants Lucas V. Beau
and F. 3. Johnson, who have been de-
tanned at Albany by mishaps to their
airplanes. will resume their flight.
Great satisfaction was expressed bv
officers at the Rockaway Naval Air
Station yesterday when they heard that
the two avlators who have gone in
search OF their missing comrades will
De able to resume their journey to-day
and will not be detained, as had been
expected, for several days at Albany
Lieutenants Beau and Johnson will
change their base of operations. how
ever, from Albany to Glens Falls, which
ls nearer the scene of the first district
to be searched and where there is a
cryer and safer landing field
May Go to Quebec
The two fliers will first go to Wells
Hamilton County, New York, where the
missing fiers had been reported seen.
From Wells Lieutenants Beau and
Johnson will make thorough search
OF the Adirondack region. where they
WI be assisted by several mountain
guides. Should the search in the
Adirondacks prove fruitlegs the avi-
triangle formed by the region between
Lakes Mistassini, Abitibi and St. John,
where, In the opinion of naval authori-
ties, the balloon has drifted.
Acting upon the theory set forth by
Garry Vande nburgh, veteran guide.
that possibly the lost naval balloon has
landed upon the tops of trees in deep
forests of the Adirondacks far from
civilization, j. II. Hopkins, district for
est ranger at Saranac Lake, N. Y, yes
terday sent all his men to tops Of
mountain peaks in the district where
ire observation towers are located to
powerful field glasses Bert Camp,
forest ranger, had departed for the top
of Azure Mountain. fifteen miles from
st. Regis Falls, and other rangers will
depart as soon as they report from
the woods where they are searching
tor the missing men, under direction
OF Ray Burmaster, state divisional
game protector All his men are aid
ing in the search in the woods, in add
tlon to scores of guides.
with foliage off trees it will ha an
easy matter to locate the balloon if it is
resting on the tops of the trees CT to
see possible curl of smoke coming
from campfire which may be keepinr
the lost aviators from freezing to deat til
IN the zero weather which prevails. On
account OF the scanty raAions carried
by the naval men, guides and others ia
millar with the woods in this region
fear the men are exhausted from lack Of
nourlshment and severe exposure
Snow Is Waist Deep
AS soon as other RANGES come out
of the woods they WI be sent to towers
on Lyon, Whitefacs, Hurricane, Poko-
Moonshine, Mt. Morris, AmDersand. St.
Regis and Loon Lake mountains. where
tire stations are located. Due to deep
snow. waist high in many places, rang
ers will have difficulty in reaching the
mountain tops, and the ascents will be
SOW. The men are using snowshoes, as
1t is impossible to tramp through the
heavy snow, and are carrying several
days rations in their packs.
Lieutenant H. T. Stevens, the officer
in charge at the Rockaway naval air
station, said that the men had ten days'
ratlons aboard their balloon and that
they were we'll equipped to withstand
rigorous cold