The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1933-11-21

q farmhouse. He mired into the
soft ground up to-his knees at ev-
cry step, he said. observing that he
was glad he didn't try to make
1t at night"
Emerging from the swamp after
a struggle of three miles over the
spongy ground, Major Fordney
reached a farmhouse. 1t had no
telephone.
He walked on and came to tho
home of S. M. johnson. From
there he placed long distance calls
informing naval authorities and
sponsors of the fight Of the safe
landing.
Johnson's wife and three daugh-
tiers hastily prepared a breakfast
for Major Fordney. He ate and
talked of the flight.
'It was a normal balloon opera
ton throughout, and q successful
one" he said. He estimated their
maximum altitude at approximate
ly $1,000 feet.
Fordney Was i'm Hurry
Major Fordney was in great
haste to return to the balloon with
state troopers and bring Com
mander Settle back, and he dis
cussed the flight only briefly be-
fore departing with them.
The sudden appearance of Ford
ney with news of the safety of the
cupants ended the greatest search
along the Atlantic seaboard since
the crash of the dirigible Akron
off the New Jersey coast last
spring.
More than SO airplanes had TAX
en- off during the early morning
from various stations between Nor
folk, Va, and Lakehurst, N. j., to
seek Commander Settle.
The descent was on a mudflat
along the Delaware liver at $50
o'clock last night, q short time .af-
ter the balloon was last sighted
in the air above Alloway, N. J.
10 Hours of Silence
Almost 16 hours elapsed before
word of the safety Of the two men
was spread. They apparently
feared to attempt to get through
the swamp during the night. Both
remained with the craft until after
daybreak.
They were in the air eight hours
and 43 minutes. The flight start
ed at Akron, Ohio, at 9:27 a. m.
yesterday.
ron and the landing point is APP
proximately $50 miles, but the
flight of the balloon was much
longer as it followed the air cur
ents.
Commander Settle and Major
Fordney, SCARED to within less than
a mile of the world record OF 3d.
500 feet set by three Russians last
September. They exceeded by
more than a mile the altitude at
tanned by Professor Picard OF
Belgium, first to penetrate the
Settle and Fordney were the
first Americans to reach the
stratosphere /and the first men
to maintain radio communication
between it and the earth.
\ Skill of the men in navigating
the balloon was shown by their
ability to bring 1t down at the spot
where they landed.
A few more minutes Of flight
would have carried them over tho
Delaware river for a perilous land
ing in the water after dark.
Russia COngratulates
washington, NOV A4\O3
The following message was des-
patched by Foreign Commissar
Maxim Litvinoff OF the Soviet I'M
ion today to Lieut. Comdr T. G..
w. Settle and Major Chester Ford
ney when Litvinoff learned Of the
safe landing OF the balloonists.
"Hearty congratulations on your
great achievement. ! am sure your
colleagues in the Soviet Union have
watched with greatest interest
your flight. May both our coun-
tries continue to contest the
heights in every sphere of science
and technique"
Mother Was Thankful
Washington. Nov 21-(UP)-A
smiling elderly woman. her voice
tense with excitement, sobbed "Im
SO thankful" when informed today
that her son Lieut. Cmdr T. w. G.
Settle, stratosphere balloonist. had
been found safe in New Jersey.
"I've been awake most Of the
night wondering," Mrs Settle said.
s'I'm so very thankful"
She added proudly:
IF anyone knows how to handle
q balloon It is my son."
but the district said 1t needed
$5l5 to complete the job. So the
b w. rar4t %y,a axtra Sfk which will