Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-24

Dickson and Alfred Nobel, who had
put up the money for Andree's fight, /"
DR.. Gore recalled. After Dickson's
name was a cross. indicating deceased,
and the date of his death, 1895. Nobel's
name was underneath, with another
cross and the date, 1896. Both men
had died before Andree could take on.
The thought entered my mind, how
ever much tried to resist it. that An
dree's name should be added to the
list with the sequential date, 1877
DR.. Gore went about his researches
leiSurely, building q small hut to shell
ter the pendulum with which he was to
study the earth's gravity Lumber from
Andree's balloon house and discarded
crates were used in the hut. On the
sixth day all observations had been
completed, everything was packed again
and DR.. Gore and Prise sat on the
shore and waited for return Of the char
tered vessel.
II know this sounds too much like
fiction" DR.. Gore said, "but 1t Is a fact
that Prise and ] were slipping our last
cup Of tea and inunching on our last
piece Of bread and cheese when Prise,
looking through the window. jumped up
and said, There's our shipl' I was
ton at the time and shouted that I
saw 1t, too. Strange to say, there were
two ships coming to the island and we
each had spotted one at the same time.
One was German warship on o cruise
and the other was a yacht owned by an
Irishman, Barley Walker. The yacht
took US back to civilization. What hap
pened to our chartered boat ! never
learned"
Or. Gore has retired from active SCI
entific pursuits. He lives now among
fn& NJ a f.sv s1A n
past-souvenirs and decorations from
all parts Of the world. He is professor
emeritus of mathematics of George
Washington University. and was one of
the founders Of the National Geographic
Society.
Records of the society, dated 1907,
refer to Andres flight as "the most
daring Of all schemes Of polar explora-
tion." After recounting details Of the
preparations, the account states:
THE plan looked to the fiotation of
the balloon some 800 feet above the sea
by means Of three attached heavy guide
turn was attached eight ballast lines,
$50 feet long, with which 1t was ex-
pected by shifting the position Of the
guide ropes to change the direction OF
the balloon. On July IL the
wind was favorable in strength and d.
rection and everything was ready. The
balloon, named the Ornen CEagle), had
its load Of about i've tons Of food, bal
last, and freight and men, and from
measurements OF, escaping gas had q
flotation life Of about 80 days.
The wind carried the balloon across the
mountainous island Of Vogelsang, max
ing 1t necessary to rise some !,oOo Ieet,
whence it passed out OF sight IN an
hour. below the northeast horizon. AS
the balloon had at its best Rotation
life of 80 days, 1t Is obvious that the
report is erroneous Of its appearance In
Siberia IS days later.
3 Message Buoys Found.
Three mesage-buoys have beer
found, all dropped by Andree on july
IL, the date of departure, which furnish
brief news Of the course Of the daring
aeronaut. The latest was dated 10 pm.
| at which time the balloon was In 81
degrees north, IS degrees east. All
| were well, the weather was flne. the
balloon at $40 feet altitude, the direction
| towards north, IS degrees east, and
| the ice field below rugged. Beyond
| these buoys there have been found M
traces, despite repeated search in varioui
| Arctic regions"
Although the society records do moi
| show it, DR.. Gore says a further mes.
sage was received from Andree by car
rier pigeon on the third day. The bal
| loon carried several other birds, bu
none of the others was found.
"Andreets last words seemed prophetic
in view of his fate" Dr. Gore related
When one of the men on the shor'
| asked when a message could be ex'
| pected. Andree replied: In 80 days OF
| neyer!"
/ DR.. Gore is not alone in his belize
that Andree undertook an almost i'm
i possible task.
l Experts here agree that, despits
marked improvements in design ant
construction Of balloons, q modern bal.
loonist would have little more chanc'
of successful flight over the NORTH
4 Pole than Andree did in 1897.