Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
Several Bags Forced to Drop
Ballast After Speedy
Take-offs.
NAVY ENTRY PREPARES
FOR MOUNTAIN PASSING
Veer in Wind Might Carry Craft
Toward New England,
Officials Say.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, May 4-Floatins
eastward through drizZle of rain and
before fairly stiff breeze. IL balloons.
carrying "a men, were in the air tonight
after their take-offs in the National
elimination balloon race from Pitt Sta
dium here late today.
Race officials believed that II the
wind drift continued from the west.
the bags would float toward the Attain
tic seaboard. A slight veer in the wind
might take the balloons toward New
England, they said. Airmen termed it
good balloon weather, guaranteeing
speed
High winds, reported over the possi-
Die course of flight, caused one-hour
postponement of the take-off. When the
winds died down the pilots decided to
start on the flight that will determine
the American entry in the international
balloon race. Promptly at 6 pm. East
ern daylight time, the first bag was
sent aloft. and at intervals of from two
to six minutes the others went up.
Given Pass Over Apollo, Pa.
Seven bags, none of which was
identified, passed over Apollo, Pa, al
O'Clock daylight time tonight. Apollo
is some 25 miles northeast OF Pitts
burgh. The balloons were reported fly
ing about 400 feet in the air.
At an earlier hour, II miles north
east of Pittsburgh near New Kensing-
ton, Navy No. 2 was reported to have
come close to the earth. A resident OF
the vicinity phoned balloon head
quarters that as the craft swept past
him he talked with Lieut.. Jack c.
Richardson, pilot. Richardson was
quoted as saying he was flying low in
an effort to keep in a northerly WIND
current. He added that he was expect
ing westerly wind later in the night.
The Navy bag gained greater altitude,
headquarters was told, Immediately
after the pilots conversation.
A report from Indiana, Pa, IS miles
northeast of Pittsburgh said q balloon
was sighted there ct about 9 ofclnck
daylight time. The airmen were dump
ing ballast apparently getting ready to
take high altitude over the Allegheny
Mountains. 1t was not identified.
Army bags Nos. l and 2 were sighted
at Leechburg. in the same county as
Apollo, several hours after the take-off,
balloon headquarters was advised.
Capt. E. w. Hill, pilot of Army No. 2,
dropped q note which said he was
travelling between 10 and IL miles an
hour to the northeast.
Rise From InclOsed Stadium.
For the first time in the history of
American balloon racing the bags went
up from an incloSed stadium. Several
of the pilots failed to gain altitude
quickly and were forced to drop ballast
before they had proceeded far A ma
jority of the racers made good altitude
within a few minutes. After studying
those who preceded him aloft, H. e.
Honeywell, pilot of the st. Louis Cham
ber of Commerce entry, discarded many
ballast bags, and he shot higher than
any of the others.
When the first bag went up, the
wind was north-northeast. BY the
time the sixth balloon was released,
the wind had veeered generally east
Race oficials figured that at least IL
hours would pass before any Of the
bags reached the Atlantic Coast
Among the pilots was Wade Van
Orman of Akron. Ohio. survivor of
Continued on Page s. Column 81