Evening star., 1927-05-31
THREE BALLOONS =
DROP OUT OF RACE
Two Navy and One Army
Bags DoWn-HoneyWeII
Sighted Over Canada.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
AKRON. Ohio, May 31.-With three
of the Army and Navy balloons down.
II remaining entries in the national
elimination race, starting from here
late Yesterday. apparently were con-
tinuing this afternoon in fan-shaped
course, spreading over northern New
York and southern Ontario.
The three bags that have landed are
the United States Army No. !. from
Norton Field, Columbus, Ohio. which
touched ground at MartinsburS. y. Y.
at 1920 am. Eastern standard time;
the United States Navy No. 3. from
Lakehurst, which dropped out at 1880
am, at Mottville. N. Y. and the
United States Navy No. /. which
landed at 1117 am. at Pope Mills.
y. Y.
Both the United States Army No. 4
and the United States Navy No. l had
covered approximately 400 miles when
forced out. The Navy bag. No. 3. had
put about 325 miles behind it when it
landed.
Capt. Honeywell Over Canada.
Capt. Harry E. Honeywell. dean OF
American balloon racers, apparently
was contesting shortly before noon to-
day with the pilots of two other un-
identified bags for the leadership In
the annual air classic.
Capt. Honeywells st. Louis Rotary
Club entry passed over Portsmouth
penitentiary, at Kingston, Ont. just
before noon. Kingston is approximate
ly $40 miles from here. Occupants OF
the low-fying balloon called to the
guards at the penitentiary to learn
their location and the huge bag rose
a fn
Previously reports from Syracuse.
NY, about 325 miles from here. had
said that two balloons, both unidenti-
fed had been sighted near there.
Other reports from north central
New York and northeastern Pennsyl-
vania indicated the field of entries was
moving along the prophesied course
to the northeast.
Capt. Honeywell was the first pilot
reported out of the United States.
Lost During Night.
Throughout night of starless dark
ness, Il pilots and their aides who
weighed off here late yesterday, We'd
with each other thousands Of fat..
up in the air. seeking uncharted wdffd
passages which would lead them to
victory in the national balloon elimi-
nation race.
Like Capt. Charles A. Lindbergh,
whose progress and whereabouts were
in doubt while winging his way across
the broad Atlantic, so was the prog
ress and whereabouts of the Is racing
bags an unknown quantity early to-
day. because the bags were believed
to be lowering over Lake Erie and out
of sight of land.
1t has been a long. long time, IL
ever, since a national balloon race
was held where not a single huge bag
was sighted and it's position reported
during the first night In the air, but
that is the present case.
Lazily drifting in a north-northeast
course. the bags were lost from sight
here an hour after the last of the Is
had weighed off. If they held that
course they would drift over Lake
Erie during the night.
Get Away Without Mishap.
All the bags got away WITHOUT the
slightest mishap yesterday. An eiec-
trical storm, which occurred about
two hours before starting time. at
first was thought to be of sufficient
intensity to postpone the flights. but
the weather cleared an hour later
and weighing off began on time.
Immediately after the take-off of
Army No. l balloon. the bag COM
menced to descend on q part of the
crowd of 10000 spectators and only
alertness of the crew. who were forc-
ed to empty some Of their sand bags.
caused the balloon to soar upward
safely again.
For the first time in ballooning
history, the baskets were outfitted
with warning lights-four electric
lanterns, one in each corner, which
We're burned throughout the night.
They were provided to avoid colli-
sions with air mail planes.