New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
One Plane Off
I'm Search for
Lost Balloon
Repairs Made at Albany,
Lieut.. Beau Begins Flights
Intended to Cover Every
Mile of the Adirondacks
Clews in Weather Records
Heavy Snow May Have Kept
Bag So Low as to Cause
Collision With High Peak

One Of the two army DH-4 biplanes,
which were to search the Adirondack
region for the missing naval balloon
A-559s. which left the Rockaway Naval
Air Station Monday morning, Decem-
Der 13, got away yesterday, according
to telegraphic advices from Albany
last night.
tenant Lucas Y. Beau. F. B. johnson
Both irplanes had been slightly
damaged while making the landing at
Albany Saturday, and repairs had
been held up until spare parts could
be sent from Mitchell Field, Mineola.
Lieutenant Beau made the fight to
Albany in record time.
Both arpl .nes had been slightly
Adirondack region, using Glens Falls
as their base. The first flight will be
to the Canadian border by way of
Wells, Hamilton County, where the
balloon was last sighted. On their re-
turn they will take different route.
and continue these tactics until every
mile of the Adirondacks has been COW
cred.
Wind Blew Toward Canada
A more detailed examination of the
weather conditions along the supposed
route of the balloon revealed some new
factors of Importance yesterday. This
day, Tuesday and Wednesday of last
week the low pressure center of the
violent storm was generally located
over the region of Lake Superior. This
means that if the balloon crossed the
international border somewhere be-
tween Cornwall and Ogdensburg it
would be carried to the westward on
Canadian territory. as the winds
veered in that direction around the low
pressure center.
The weather conditions also show
Cured over the Adirondacks, in some
places reaching q depth of fifteen feet.
This downfall occurred at the time the
balloon must have been passing over
the mountainous region, and conse-
orently a considerable amount Of snow
must have been deposited upon its en-
velope. The weight OF this snow,
coupled with the cold weather, that
would cause contraction or the hydro
gen gas, would prevent the balloon
from rising more than 1000 feet. Some
of the peaks in the AdlrondacKs are
above this altitude.
Weather authorities declared yester-
day that if the balloon did meet with
disaster in the Adirondacks it would
be a difficult task to locate it in the
heavy SHOWS. that now cover that re-
gion.
Every effort is being made by the
authorities of New York State and the
Canadian government, in conjunction
with the Navy Department, to locate
the three officers who were IN the bal
loon. They are Lieutenants A. L.
Kloor, Walter Hinton and Stephen A
Farrell.
At the Rockaway Naval Air Station
yesterday it was pointed out that these
three officers would have no difficulty
in improvising snowshoes from the
basket of the balloon. One of the Off
GERS there discovered for the first time
since the balloon has been missing that
Lieutenant Kloor carried with him o
Luger automatic pistol equipped with
shoulder brace This weapon could
be used for hunting purposes. 1t was
also stated that comfortable camr
could be made from the materials OF
the balloon itself and the equipment
connected with it.