Show 1 I NINE RINE BALLOONS IN N WilD FLIGHT Big Gas Bags Make Good Start and Conditions Point to a Long Race St Louis Luis Oct 21 Drifting along in a direction just west of ot north when lost to view in the haze of ot the falling night and with wih a freshening g southeast breeze be behind behind behind hind them nine big balloons balo ns are competing competIng ing ng tonight for the honor attached to the winning pf Pt the ie second international aeronautic cup race A brilliant moon is shining throughout hout the middle west and conditions seem ideal for a r ing flight A stiffer wind would have hae been more welcome to the occupants occupant of the wicker scars cars which hung like tiny tny specks speck beneath the eat globular bal balloons balloon loons loomis loon but the fivemile breeze of the low lower lower er or air strata gave promise promie of ot splendid racing currents current In the higher altitudes The rhe Germans Germas acting upon this theory reached for the higher courses right on the start The French Fench and English aero aeronauts aero aeronauts were more conservative and select selected selet ed a middle depth while the Americans raced away at an altitude which seemed to take them just clear of ot trees and housetops So low in fact tact did two of at the American teams balance their cars that there th re was waa grave danger of ot the baskets raking a crowded grandstand and intense excitement prevailed The St Louis Luis one of ot the largest balloons In the race came so close iose to the stand that tat It was seized by bya b ba a squad of soldiers soldier swept back to a safer point and sent away two minutes after the th official word to go was given In the t e big race re there are three balloons representing America three representing Germany two for France and one for England The basket of ot each balloon bloon con contains thins tans two occupants occupant the pilot piot and his aide With a prospect of ot the breeze hold holding holding holdIng ing to the southeast and south many man pre predictions predictions dictions made ma e tonight that the final landing place of the balloon baloon winning would be in Minnesota or one of at the Da Dakotas Dakotas kotas kot Others Othere held hed the opinion that the tue upper currents would send the crafts fur further further further ther to the east to find a place of descent east of ot Lake Michigan The record of ot the race established last year by Lieutenant Lahm of the United Unie States in a night flight from Paris Pris to Flying dale in the north of ot England is 42 miles mies but each aeronaut aernaut in the contest today tody confidently tance expects to exceed that dis distance distance distance Great Crowd Sees Start The start of at the race was spectacular in inthe inthe the time extreme and was wa witnessed by a throng gathered in Forest Park variously estimated at from 00 to persons The scenes attending the start and prep prep for the race were unique in tn American me can history The day da was wa one of at brilliant sunshine with wih just a touch of autumn chill chili chi in the air In the inclosure at Forest Park given over to the aero aeronauts aeronaut aeronauts the nine balloons were arranged in two rows five being on one side of the beinS central lane and four on the other For four tour hours before the time starting hour gas gs was pumped simultaneously into each bag from tram a skeleton of specially constructed pipes leading from a gas tank in which was wa stored ore cubic feet of the ti 1 light lightest est eat coal gas that according to the aero aeronauts aeronauts has c r been manufactured mai When hen half halt filled each balloon baloon resembled the rounded cover to some giant gant cauldron The T e colors of ot the bags bag ranged from an opaque chrome yellow peculiar to a con construction construction of ot cotton cloth treated with wih a rubber or gutta percha composition to a alight alight light drab transparency y which character characterized characterized the balloons made of at varnished cot cotton cotton cotton ton Over each half globe glob was thrown the webbing which was to support the bas basket ba basket ket and its Is occupants Loaded With Sandbags Sandbags Clinging to the meshes of at the webbing and holding the balloons safely to the ground were a hundred or more green bags baSs The balloons remained half hal filled until an hour before the race when the tile thega gas ga was wa turned turn d on full ful force from the huge main and the bags expanded to their rounded fullness None of the balloons was fitted with dirigible devices and the contest will wi ba b throughout a test of the skill ski of ot the navigators in taking adan advantage advantage tage of ot such air currents as are encountered encountered encountered and In n handling the ballast blat to the best advantage As A the balloons received their full ful charges of ot gas the clinging sand sandbags sad bags were lowered mesh by mesh mch until at last they rested in groups of four tour and five on the long ropes leading from tram web webbing w webbing b bing to basket ring Carefully watched by b two score helpers each balloon baloon w wallowed allowed to ascend enough to draw these bags bag close cose to the sides of the baskets basket where they remained until the word to start was imminent Then enough of ot the ballast was lifted off oft to allow alow the ba bal balloons loons to float foat a foot fot or more above the ground At the last word word all restrain restraining restraining ing hands were removed and each balloon baloon in turn tur rose gently genty to meet the breeze German Starts First The big German bag Pommern was first to start When hen the pressure of at gas in the I balloon caused the covering to bulge dia through the webbing the supply pipe was cut away and the neck securely secure tied ted The basket which had been prepared with wih great geat care are stored with del delicate delicate delIcate instruments for recording altitude temperature temperature air ar pressure and ad the rise or ortal ortall I tall fall tal of ot the balloon bloon and provisioned with sandwiches eggs tinned meats and water bottles bottes sufficient for tor a journey journe In cloudland was wa hauled directly beneath the bag and it was the work of ot but a few moments only anI anIto to connect the rigging which led first from tram webbing to tp basket baket ring and from ring to basket The Pommern Pommer was lightened of all al but butten butten butten ten of its sandbags and floated for a few tew minutes just above the ground half hal a score of men however keeping a tight grasp of at the basket The pilot pl t tga gave ga the word to cast off of as the big yel yellow yellow yellow low ball bal of ot gas gs gave a sliding leap into the air the band played shouts came ame from tram the multitude and ant the eventful race mace was on The ten sandbags taken on thc the Pommern flight clung to the outside of oC oCher her basket like Uke so many leeches Up and up UI and drifting but slightly to the north and west the Pommern had been ben in the theair theair theair air but a few moments when more sand sad came sifting sitting down United States Next to Start The United States the first of ot the American to get got away awa awawas was pushed into starting position just after the Pommern Pommer had cleared the ground The United States Is the balloon bloon In which Lieutenant Lahm made his vic vie victorious victorious ascent last year and the first frt sight of at the aeronautic vessel called caled forth spontaneous cheering The Th balloon baloon was wah wa away on the instant of at 40 and was cheered until the occupants of ot the th baskets basket were out of ot otrange range The Tie United States swept away awa at ata ata ata a low level and barely cleared some stub stubby stubby stubby by trees In the balloon baloon enclosure LIsle de France the first of ot the French contestants contestant to get et under way and regard regarded ed ad e as one of ot the most likely Ikel balloons In Inthe Inthe inthe the race was third to get the starters word and took a course just above that hat followed by the United States The another of ot the Ger German German German man contestants contestant was fourth away and followed the Pommern Pommer to the bluer higner alti altitudes alt altitudes tudes where they were joined later by the the last of at the German Geran trio and the smallest balloon in the tho race ICe America Acts Badly The only English balloon the Lotus II 1 went up without a hitch The first ex excitement excitement attending a possible mishap did not come until the start of the Amer America AmerIca ica lea sailed sied by J C McCoy and Captain C de do d F Chandler When released the I c America stood stationary for several mo moments moments ments meats and then glided off ot directly to towards towards towards wards the big grand gand stand erected at the edge of oC the starting field fieldIn feld In 11 their efforts to acknowledge the dem demonstrations in their honor the aeronauts aeronaut did id not notice the danger until shouts shout of ot warning went up from the crowded stand Then Chandler reached for tor the th bag and was wa about to heave It i overboard when a gust of ot wind swept the basket clear of the dodging heads of ot the alarmed cear people This excitement was repeated with wih the ascent of ot the St Louis The Americans were eager pager to keep kep as near the earth as possible and it was this desire which near nearly nearly ly iy caused disaster The St Louis Luis moved so threateningly toward the stand stad that It t was recaptured when two feet teet above the ground round and quickly dragged back for tor a new nev rind and higher start The pilot of St Louis Lous Alan Ala R Hawley had stowed all al of his Ils ballast Inside his basket and it was said to be due to this that the ane now hew start was I decided upon rather than an nn attempt to lighten the car carSix carSix carSix I Six of ot the competing balloons were still sti visible when the St Louis ascended and nd md the crowd waited and watched watch d in the coming night until the th last 1 f the yellow I globes had disappeared |