Evening star., 1928-05-31
TWOBALLOON|STS
KILLED IN STORM
Only One of Ia Bags in Race
Gets More Than Few Miles
From Starting Point.
By the Associated Press.

tOOAkoIc NCtC AAlAC0 Wy ASAA]AAAAS Aa VAN
national elimination race yesterday
Several others were injured.
All but one Of the Ii starters were
known today to have been forced to
earth by a storm not long after the
take-offs.
Those who met death were Lieut.. Paul
Evert, pilot Of Army No. 3. Langley
Field, Va. and Walter Morton of Akron
Ohio. aide to Ward T. Van Orman. also
of Akron, pilot of the Goodyear V and
winner of the elimination for the last
two years. Van Orman was In a nos
pital with a fractured left leg, suffered
when his balloon struck the ground with
great force after being hit by lightning
Murton's skull was fractured at the
same time.
Lands at Weems, Va.
The United States Army balloon No.
1, the one which stayed aloft. landed at
weems, Va, at $40 O'Clock this morn
ing, race headquarters were advised in a
telegram from the pilot.
Capt w. E. Keppner was pilot Of the
entry from Scott Field. Belleville. Ill,
and Lieut. w. o. Eareckson was aide.
TIE balloon had been aloft for Is
hours, the only one of the entries to
make an extended flight. and appar-
entity had won the race. although race
headquarters said the winner would
not be declared officially until the
flights Of all the bags had been reported
and considered.
Evert met death when struck by
lightning as the Army No. fioated
1000 feet in the air. The bolt also fired
the big bag, which fell to the earth
and was destroyed. Evert's aide, Lieut..
q. G. Ent Of Northumberland, Pa, was
unhurt.
James r. Cooper, Akron, Ohio, aide on
the City Of Cleveland, was shocked and
suffered burns when lightning pierced
his balloon. He was In a weStmoreland
Hospital. where his condition was re-
ported as fair. Carl Z. Wollam, Akron.
Ohio. pilot Of the Cleveland entry.
escaped.
Several Slightly Hurt.
A number of balloonists were slightly
cut and bruised as their craft came to
earth. sometimes voluntarily as the
storm grew more severe and again as the
baskets caught In trees or On wires as
the bags were forced TO the ground AL
came down within the comparatively
small area Of two counties-Westmore-
land and Fayette.
The balloons posted at race headquar-
ters today as having reported with the
pilots and aids safe were:
The Detroit News and Navy No. /,
down near Pitcairn.
Detroit at Middletown.
Gardner and Army No. 2 near Irwin
Sun-Tele Pittsburgher at TraIord
VI. W. J. Detroit News Entry at GIL
more, Pa.
Detroit No. 3. westmoreland City.
Navy 2. near Perryopolis.
American Business Club o. Akron. at
West Newton.
The storm conditions with which
most Of the ballo0ntsts admitted they
we're wholly unfamiliar brought 70 each
Cf the bags q different experience
E8n1e Of the airrnen were amazed at
what seemed miraculous escapes, par
tsculariy because some Of the bags
caught IRE. At race headquarters,
however, Il was said that the flames
would not cause an explosion Of the
gas With which the balloons were In
naDed. since hydrogen. when contained
II the bags, was non-expiosfve. The
2srnlen said that the gas burned slow
~ when IL escaped from the balloons,
rather than exploding.
Pilot Killed By tightening.
Although the Army No. . came down
- Games II settled slowly and Lieut..
Ens sid his basket came 70 rest gently
On the ground Ent was able 70 carry
%yeckage. Ent said that Lieut. Eyert
vas killed By the lightning bolt, while
they ets1l we're high Ia the clouds.
Morton was found dead near Young
wood, Pa, last night. having made q
free jump from the balloon when IL
vas 5eiteyed 70 have been struck BY
lightning. Van Orman suffered frac-
tzred leg Ia . parachute leap.
The bzlaoonieES were found by Young
N006 frernen who had searched for
many hours Ia q wooded section where
. balloon was seen 70 fail early IN the
night. The balloon IN which the Akron
air nneu we're travelling was not located
Al the bzilooniStS said they had
never before encountered such storm
sad that never again did they want TO
attempt TO ride out such tempest.
There were sAieS Of heroasm, too. es-
pecszlly that Of Lieut.. Ent. Ent De-
c-sEec % Jump IN his parachute after
the basket 70 bring the bag 70 earth at
the risk Of saaS life.
Laes1t. J, q. Fisher, aide On the Army
10. 2. e&11 that IS minutes after the
t&ke-o6, his balloon wsS apparently in
me center Of the Storm. He said the
craft was shot up and down In the air
S5sh tsae opening Of valves sEd dump
syg Of ballast having little or no effect
Forty niles zn hour was bis estimate
0f the spee1 attained q. tines, and ne
Sza6 that ascent on occasions Was a. the
rate Of from 1900 % 1900 feet minute.
&n ga&6 70 be here. never
thought Yo1s1 b." remarked Lieut. J.
n. SgeyeaS o. Ysaaz.l&, Mich. piiot
81 tbs dayy Eo. J.
Ia describing efforts 70 noanesiyeT tie
Ss5p through sos storm. Gteyens Easa
kzSSisgt w&e spilled ali the while. and
y A0p't mean ~ cVpf1is; II was sacks
~ q tine, EaekS and al.
TIE balloon w&S carried into trees
alter Gseyesss said be oecS6ec u vas
tsue ~to take 70 the rigging" After
hitting ts1e trees Stevens an6 1ts G.ce.
IAetzs. q. r, Watson, Es1ellnl2n, G2,.
csipaESe1 down sgs1 sought . fsfnas9o0se.
ytsoS Away DrfnkIng Water.
r. J. EsEl, Detroit, and A. J. Eehloses
Detroit egeg u gsss Detg0st No. ., ss11
tssey eyen Bent 10 far ES ~ tySS al
their ox1Ektng water overheard in 2E
attempt W retain c03tEos of their bag
They suffered from extreme eoi1 a.
nsgl3 @a5ata<1sS, and Hi sssd several oi
ut fingers were fE0zeg, Ice formed a.
0Seg Es9e bSz ssa6 b&sket.
Elaoss1eF psaDt Eeyease1 fae threw swas
rs 1yfrcczs sftEg 81 ballast mad been
1F12ye<,
Cko r. WoslzEa of Akron. psioG u ~
fssg ~ CleYeizsas, &C Eis1sssc q DGkaeautt
70 fhe DzeE Of sasA aide, James r. Co0s>ei
~ Mum, after tse latter had Deer
Eekseged Ugae1sss6ay8s ~ a koat of light.
asnz Bsaaefa fsfec gt4esr ealsogE TsgeY
- gzE bSaGnse W lift CloDeg over n.
ssle ~ tfae sS2ket, After failing 10 a.
attespt ~ eIlsek TIE RAPID 1eSceIt q
f1se b3z, Woslzn to9k " his pS9AeEguD
z9 400 feet ~ s&8k Us Descent,