The Washington times., 1933-11-21
(continued from Page ~

StOAos O1lC ooAO'
"YOu must have some break.
fast"
With a smile. the Major COM
Piled. He admitted he was hun
cry, even though he and Settle
had some concentrated food with
them during their flight. He ate
ham and eggs.
He was casual and smiling when
Che reporter burst in upon the
scene.
ooh, yes, we did spend q
rather uncomfortable night. But
the experience was well worth
the inconvenience. worked up
. mighty good appetite.
"Our instruments indicated
that we reached a maximum
height Of $4,000 feet"
This was higher than any other
Americans had ever penetrated
into the sky. The record, 3,32O
feet. or 11.8 miles, was established
by three Russian balloonists near
Moscow last September.
Covered With Mud
Major Fordney was smeareo
with mud when he reached tne
farmhouse after a dangerous
three-mile trip through the swamp
Few persons attempt to cross tne
marshy terrain without a gulde
AZ there have been numerous casu-
alties. Hunters have been caught
In. the waist-deep mud and nave
disappeared. Fordney said:
at was a safe landing. There
wasn't the slightest jar. The
ballon behaved perfectly in the
pinch"
The majors first consideration
was his wife.
'Please tell her I'm all right
He had made the trip through
the marshes like veteran. He
considered his three-mile walk
back to his companion, Settle. and
the balloon, through the marshes
to be a worse experience than his
ascent into the bitter cold OF the
Stratosphere.
Had Tough Going
at was hard work climbing
through those boys and
marshes"
The spot where the balloon
landed is extremely isolated,
ringed about with swamps, boys
and roadless stretches Of wood
land.
Searching parties had not yet
reached its vicinity although al
most all Of southern New Jersey
was being combed on foot and
from air by aviators, State troop
ers, game wardenS, highway in
Spectors, hunters and volunteer
Searchers.
Coast Guard and vessels were
also searching along the coast in
the fear that the balloon might
have been blown out to sea.
News that the balloon and its
occupants had been found raced
through the countryside and au-
thorities called off the search.
Commander Settle and Major
Fordney had dumped their radio
sending apparatus yesterday to
tighten their load as they began
to descend and drift. Fordney
said:
1--WE came down pretty fast
and had to keep dumping
things overheard to tighten the
ship.
LANDED IN DARK
'When we hit the ground
just after dark we found it
to be very Swampy. So we
wrapped ourselves up in the
balloon for the night.
''Tex (Settle) stayed with the
balloon to guard the instru.
mentS while I walked to the
farmhouse. He's waiting for
me to bring him back some.
thing to eat"
The safe landing of the bal,
loon bore out the predictions of
Navy aviators who. as the early
hours wore on without the craft
being sighted, had predicted that
Lieutenant Commander Settle
would bring himself and his com.
panion safely through.
Settle, they pointed out, is one
Of the Nays most competent
flerS and consistent winner of
balloon races while being the
only man in America to hold
licenses to pilot anything from
Q dirigible to glider.
Balloon Recovered
Shortly after II a. M, guided
by circlng Army and Navy planes,
a group of Is farmers enlisted
from the district struck out across
the marshes. They surrounded
the balloon, and under the direc-
ton of Lieutenant Settle and
Major Fordney, began pulling it
across the SwamplandS toward
Back Neck Road, which runs be-
tween Bridgeton and Cedarville.
It was thought the balloon would
be loaded on a truck or trucks, if
dismanteled, late this afternoon.
Horses could not be taken into the
marshes to aid in the dragging,
and the operation will take at
least four hours, it was said.
Although a truck was b0ng sent
from the Naval Air Station at
Lakehurst to transport the bolloon.
lists and their equipment to the air
"MeIp!" Help" Help" How often
have yen heard those cries when you
couldn't render the service necessary
In reIfoVe the situation? Keen Informed