Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-11
XXX

In his wake an escort of four Army
planes roared, the pilots hoping to be of
assistance later. Within 80 minutes he
had disappeared above the clouds. His
followers estimated he had risen $4,000
feet in the current Of a l00-mile gale as
| he vanished.
The S-8O-24l was seen later over the
Ohio River, near McLeansbOro Ill. st.
Louis radio stations began asking for
reports by any one who might glimpse
the balloon.
A GhOstIy Apparition.
The escort fleet landed at dusk, two
planes at Madisonville, KY, and two
planes at Henderson, KY. These towns
pointed in the general direction of Capt
Gray's course. BY shutdown no tangible
word had been received of his progress
They slept little at Scott Field that
night People in neighboring States
felt almost as much solicitude. All night
radio stations beSieged homes in cities,
towns and countryside with entreaties
to keep watch for the Army's balloon
list. His tanked oxygen would last only
two and one-half hours. Hence by
nightfall it was certain he had grounded
Newspapers, radio stations and postal
officials joined the searching legions.
No news came from the night.
Next morning a boy climbed tree
near Sparta, Tenn. and found the figure
of man PROSTATE.
Capt. Gray's cadaver was $40 miles
from Scott Field.
Then they resurrected the story of his
third and last lighter-than-air expedi-
ton:
Shortly after pm, November a, the
balloon was sighted by farmer named
! hoo
the Cumberland Mountains, travelling
! leisurely, the drag rope touching ground
at times. AS it passed overhead God
dard reached for the rope, missed, and
the phantom ship passed on He
watched the pendulum swing of
her basket, seemingly empty. He saw
neither head no. hands; heard no voice.
1t was a ghostly apparition from the
low-hanging clouds.
Goddard fingered long enough to
watch the basket settle in a tree. 1t was
after 5 O'Clock No man wants to climb
a tree after o'clock. So he went home
TO bed saying, Tomorrow, III see what
the thing looks like"
sand All Gone"
Next morning Goddard remembered
his promise to investigate. The S-90-
Gal still nestled in the branches, strange
how. The youths face chilled with
fright when he saw man with leath-
or face Goddard inspected the figure
himself Then he ran to town for help.
He Law all m. ked, his head leaning
against the oxygen tank that had served
and failed. Near his moccasined feet
hung a cardboard and panel, dangling
from a string-his log. Was ever sub
Inner hope or more ferVent prayer
framed into words than his last entries?
His numbed hands epitomized his life
with:
Sand all gone, 10000"
And this:
bright"
Iethal forces overlook him and he
sped to his retribution.
The escort feet was ordered to
! Sparta. Rough terrain allowed only one
! shin to land The three others retired to
Nashville With guard of honor. the
airnan's body went back to Scott Field
| by train
Then followed a thorough inyestiga-
ton by an officers board 1t laid claim
| TO all records and studied the mariners
as ,ent descent and DEATH
Thin Atmosphere Got Him."
| Capt. Ora had reached 42,470 feet
! at 4 30 pm; Waived his balloon to COM
/ mencs descent at 4;2l, waived 1t again
! at 4:28, whil7 at an altitude of $4,000
| feet, and died in the interval necessary
/ to reach the earth. oxygen was ex-
! hausted from one tank,
Ssized by the whiTling winds and
glacial climate, he must have fought
hopefully and ssyagely re Was ~ man