Imperial Valley press., 1933-11-21
FORDNEY AND
SETTLE MAKE
SAFE LANDING
Stratosphere Balloon Comes To
Rest In New Jersey After Be-
ing Reported Lost.
FLIGHT WAS SUCCESSFUL
Daring Officers Unharmed By
Experience In Seeking Scien-
tific Data.
By JOSEPH S. WASNEY
United Press Staff Correspondent

FAIRTON. N. j., Nov. 21.--Lieut
Commander T. G.. w. Settle and
Major Chester Fordney, first Amer
leans to penetrate the stratosphere,
landed in this remote corner of New
Jersey last night, spent the night
in their craft and reported today
their flight was success.
A detail of New Jersey state po-
lice arrived to escort Fordney back
to the balloon. They planned to
bring Commander Settle to the
farmhouse.
I'VE made what the commander
called normal landing said Ford
ney. I'VE were unhurt, and the bal
loon was not damaged.
I'VE suffered no hardships during
the flight
The flight TO an altitude of more
than $4,000 feet, only some 1000
feet under the world record, was
scientific venture to study cosmic
rays. The balloon left Akron, Ohio,
yesterday, floated over Pennsyl-
vania and was lost from sight over
New Jersey after dusk.
When it was not reported this
morning, scores of airplanes, ships,
and land parties sought for it over
wide area
Fordney appeared fresh and not
in the least exhausted after the long
hours in the air on the second high
est ascension ever made by man.
He was bareneaded and wore a
heavy khaki shirt open at the neck
and khaki trousers.
He smiled broadly as he drank a
cup of coffee. Asked how he felt, he
replied:
Swell
Ends Extensive Search
Major Fordney was in great haste
to return to the balloon with state
troopers and bring Commander Set
tie back, and he discussed the flight
only briefly before departing with
them.
The sudden appearance of Ford
ney with news of the safety of the
stratosphere balloon and it's occu-
pants 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 taken
off during the early morning from
various stations between Norfolk,
Va, and Lakehurst, N. j., to seek
Commander Settle.
i F1t
along the Delaware river at 6:10 p.
m. yesterday, a short time after the
balloon was sighted in the air above
AlloWay, N. j.
Almost 16 hours elapsed before
word of the safety of the two men
was spread They apparently fear
ed to attempt to get through the
swamp land during the night. Both
remained with the craft until after
daybreak They were in the air eight
hours and 43 minutes.
The flight started at Akron Ohio,
at 9:27 a. m. yesterday.
The beeline distance between Ak
ron and landing point is approx
mately $50 miles, but the flight Of
the balloon was much longer as it
followed the air currents.
Commander Settle and Major
Fordney scared to within less than
a mile of the world record of 63,-
320 feet set by three Russians last
September. They exceeded by more
than a mile the altitude attained
by Prof. Picard of Belgium, first
to penetrate the stratosphere.
Settle and Fordney were the first
Americans to reach the strato-
sphere, and the first men to MAIN
tain radio communication between
1t and the earth.
Skill of the men in navigating the
balloon was shown by their ability
to bring it down at the spot where
they landed.
A few more minutes of flight
would have carried them over the
Delaware river for a perilous land
ing in the water after dark.