New Britain herald., 1930-08-27
By BRUCE CATION

Discovery of the bodies of three men in long -desolate camp on re- mote Franz Josef Land, far inside the Arctic circle, brings 10 an end che of the most fascinating mysteries that ever puzzled the world-a mys- tery that began July II, 1897, when Captain Solomon Auguste Andree and two companions sailed off for the top of the globe in a free bal loon,
 Andree and his companions were never heard of again, Now their bodies have been found in the Arctic waste. xnd Andree's diary-now be- ing taken back 10 Sweden-probably tell the complete story of their flight and its tragic continuation.
 Until that diary is published there will still be gaps in the story; gaps to be filled ir~by ready imaginations, Meanwhile, the background of the flight, its brave beginning and a rough outline of the course taken by the drifting balloon are we'll known. They constitute one of the most amazing adventure stories of all his tory.
 Studied Engineering Solomon Auguste Andree was an explorer, an aeronaut and scientist Born at Grenna. Sweden, in 1854 the son of a chemist, he had good education, specializing in mechanical and civil engineering. He became chief engineer of the Swedish patent office and professor at the Stock holm Technical school. In 1893 he made his first balloon ascension.
 The possibility of exploring the Arctic by air fascinated him. 1r 1895 he submitted to the Academy Of Sciences a plan for drifting across the North Pole by balloon. estimat' ing that the job could be done fol about s36.0OO. \ Although he was ridiculed as q dare devil crank, his idea caught the public fancy, and the money was soon subscribed, The king of Swed- en contributed sS,0oO, and Alfred Nobel famed contributor of the Nobel Prizes, gave s16,000.
 ] Throughout 1895 and 1S96 Andret worked on his balloon. Completing it, he sailed for Spitzbergen in the spring of 1896. taking with him party of workmen and scientists anc establishing a base on Danes Island A plant to generate hydrogen ga' was built. Then he engaged two men to make the trip with him selected from a long list of rolun teers-and waited for a favorable wind.
 Noticed Northerly Winds
 Andree had observed that througl most of the summer the prevailing winds at Spitzbergen blew directl, north. These winds, he was con vinced. would carry a balloon no only to the North Pole but beyond it. across the unknown wastes t some point in Alaska near the Berini Strait. The distance was about 2,3O miles. Andree's observations hal persuaded him that it could b traversed in six days.
 It was a tremendous gamble. Tn balloon had no motive power what ever. The winds might be ficklt But Andree felt sure that his balloo could stay in the air at least month and probably much longer.
 But the winds were adverse, an the take-off was finally postpone for a year In the spring of l69, therefore. AndEee and his party re turned to Danes Island and mad ready to begin their journey.
 Balloon of Latest Type
 The balloon was the last word in the aeronautical language of tha day. It must be remembered tha aviation, at that time, was hardl even in it's infancy. No airplan had eyer flown. Count Zeppelin wa just launched on his dlrigible exper ments. To go up in a balloon WE to trust oneself to the elements to a : infinitely greater extent than Is tf case today.
 Furthermore, the Arctic was stl : a mysterious wilderness of froze : white. A decade was still to clap , before Peary was to discover U l North Pole. Amundsen had not y
 sent his ship through the NorthWe