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Show FLIERS SET ALTITUDE OF 58,000 FEET Height Is Only 4000 Feet Under World's Mark; Search Clinic FAIRTON, N. J., Nov. 21 (U.R) Lieut. Commander T. W. G. Settle and Major Chester Ches-ter L. Fordney, first . Americans Ameri-cans to penetrate the stratosphere, stratos-phere, landed in this remote corner of New Jersey last night, spent the night in their craft and reported today that their flight was a success. The descent was on a mudflat 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 sixteen hours elapsed before word of the safety of the two men was spread. They apparently ap-parently feared 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 forty-three minutes. The ! flight started at Akron, O., at 9:27 , a. m. yesterday. Major Fordney walked three miles through a swamp early today to-day to reach a telephone and spread, the news of the safe landing'. land-ing'. Commander Settle remained with the balloon to guard the instruments in-struments and other equipment. The major was taken to a farmhouse farm-house and given a cup of coffee. A detail of New Jersey state police arrived to escort Fordney back to the balloon. They planned to bring Commander Settle to the farmhouse. "We made what the commander called a normal landing," said Fordney. "We were unhurt, and the balloon was not damaged. "We suffered no hardships during dur-ing the flight." The flight to an altitude of more than 58,000 feet, only some 4,000 feet under the world record, was a scientific venture to study cosmic rays. The balloon left Akron, Ohio, yesterday, floated over Pennsylvania and was lost . from sight over New Jersey after dark. When it was not reported this morning, scores of airplanes, ships and land parties sought for it over a wide area. Fordney appeared fresh and not in the least exhausted after the long hours in tiic air on the second highest ascension ever made by man. The sudden appearance of Fordney Ford-ney with news of the safety of the stratosphere balloon and its occupants oc-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 50 airplanes had taken off during the early morning morn-ing from various stations between Norfolk, Va., and Lakehurst, N. J. to seek Commander Settle. |