Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1927-09-22
NOTED BALLOONIST
AT BLOWING ROCK
German Pilot Opposed to Transatlan-
tic Flying; Filling Station Robbed
by Negro; School Opens With
Enrolment of 17O.
By RUPERT GILLETT

Blowing Rock, Sept. 21.-Trans-
atlantic flying certainly ought to be
stopped for the present in the opinion
of A. Kaulen, senior pilot of the
Barmen, German entry in the Cor
dor Bennett cup race just closed.
Mr.. kaulen, Junior Piolt A. Dahl and
their crew are spending a few days
at Mayview Manor
Although the flights of Lind
bergh, Byrd and Chamberlain gave
great impetus to aviation" said Mr..
Kaulen, cit does not mean that ev-
eryone can fly across the Atlantic
without adequate preparation. Avia-
tors seem to have got the idea that
since Lindbergh spanned the Allan
tic, all that is necessary is to hop off
and fly to Europe.
But this is an error that has
cost several lives already, and those
foolhardy flights should stop. The
very best fEiers on both sides of the
Atlantic are being killed in what is
little more than a sport"
In regard to flights from Europe
to America, Mr.. KauIen explained:
'The Atlantic storms prevalent at
this time of the year travel toward
Europe. European fliers, therefore,
would have to travel against the
storms, whereas the Americans fly
with the wind. But these weather
conditions are another reason that
further Atlantic flights should be
postoned, at least until next spring"
Mr.. KauIen holds the worlds en-
durance record for balloons. He
flew 81 hours and covered a distance
of 1920 miles in 1913. HIS bal
loon, the Barmen, takes its name
from the city of Barmen, which is
the headquarters of the Lowern
Rhenish Association for Aviation. IL
represented the Bemberg Company
of that city, which has a branch
factory at Johnson City, Tenn.
Speaking of his flight in the bal
loon race, he said he was we'll pleas
ed with the result. He spoke highly
of the beauty Of the mountain seen
cry over which he passed, some
times at height of $4,000 feet. He
and his crew wished to see the noun
tains on the ground also, and so
they came to Blowing Rock for
short visit.
Filling Station Robbed
A negro entered the office of the
filing station operated by j. H.
WinkLer Monday at noon, knocked
Guy Blair, the attendant, uncon-
scious, took $45,19 from the cash
register and escaed in the direc-
tion Of Boone.
The negro waited until all except
Blair had gone home to lunch, then
approached the station and bought
a quart of oil. When Blair went to
the office to make the change, the
negro followed and struck him over
the head.
When Mr. WinkIer returned, he
found Blair lying on the floor and
the cash drawer rifled. A blood
hound was put on the trail but lost
1t on the highway a half mile from
the filling station.
School Opening
The Blowing Rock schools opened
Monday with a total enrolment for
the first day of 17O. Of these, 40
were in the high school department
and the rest in the elementary
grades. The classes were scattered
all over town, as the new building
is not yet completed.
The first grade meets in the Pres
byterian Sunday school room, the
second, third, sixth and seventh in
the old bank building, the fourth
and fifth in the Bernhardt and
Seagle annex, and the high school in
the town hall.
Birthday Parties
Mrs. Sally Reeves was surprised
on the evening of her birthday,
September Is, by party at her
home, with these guests present:
Her sister, Mrs. J. S. Williams; herI
daughter, Miss Lena Reeves; Mrs. C.
5. Prevette, Louise Prevette; Misses
Margaret and Georgia Davis of Mo-
oIle, AID, MIS-. + annie Hayman, Mrs. !
N. c. Gordon and Thomas Lamb Cor
don of Winston-Salem; James Phil
lips, Winston-Salem, and Mr.. and
Mrs. Rupert GiIlett.
The table to which Mrs. Reeves
was summoned to find the guests as
sembled in her honor was attractive
and colorfuI with white and pink
sweet peas, with the large birthday
cake and candles as centerpiece
bearing out the color plan of white
and pink. Fluctuations, gifts and
the surprise Of the guest of honor
furnished merriment during the
evening, while the young guests pres
ent shared games and stories.
Another birthday party of inter
est to the juvenile portion of Blow
ing Rock took place on the after