OCR Text |
Show oo INTERNATIONAL BALLOON RACE KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 5. Before Be-fore a favorable 20-mile wind from tho south and southeast, eight racing ballons sailed away from hero today In contests for the James Gordon Bennett trophy and the Lahm cup. Six of the aircraft, three representing represent-ing the United States, two Germany and one France, aro entered in the Bennett race, an annual international evet. The threo American balloons in this contest and two other American Ameri-can balloons are after tho Lahm cup. A ninth balloon, which acted as pilot pi-lot in the international race, is attempting at-tempting tobreak the altitude record. Every balloonist got away to a good start. The pilot balloon, Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania I, and the America II, had trouble clearing the ground, but by dumping a Jittlo sand both wero soon able to gain a good altitude. The Berlin I did not rise well until after it had cleared the aviation field and its drag rope raked two or three spectators off the circus seats, but none were sovercly injured, and tho i nag war not long in rising to a height of 500 feet. With the exception of the two last bags to sail, tho Kansas City II. and the Topcka II., all of tho balloonB went almost duo north. The Kansas City and Topcka were carried northwest. It was almost dark when tho last two balloons sailed. An immense crowd saw the start, about 25,000 being on the grounds. For a time today it looked as if the Berlin II. would not sail, owing to the' failure of its pilot to arrive. , Ho had not reached here when the gas was turned into the bags, but so certain was, hie aide that the aeronaut, aero-naut, Lieutenant Leopold Vogt, would be here, that his balloon was filled. Shortly after 1 o'clock Lieutenant Vogt arrived at the field in a taxi-cab, taxi-cab, considerably ' perturbed, but ready to fly. The failuro of his flying fly-ing garments and his kit to clear the customs house in New York had xlo-l!yed xlo-l!yed him. Others came to his rescue res-cue and soon he was provided with an improvised equipment. True, his sandbox said "soap" on tho end, and was secured to the basket with a clothes line and the other etiuipment was equally crude, but when the starting -signal was given, ho was ready to go. If an American wins this race, tho Bennett tropriy will become the permanent per-manent property of the Aero club of America, as this country has two victories vic-tories to its credit. Lieutenant Lahm, who Is flying tho Buckoyo in this race, won tho trpphy the first year It was offered, In 190G, The Lahm cup is for Americans only and Is a distance event, as is the Bennett. The cup is now In tho possession of Alan Hawley. If his record is not beaten in tho next two years ho becomes the owner of the cup. The following are the regular cash prizes In tho Bennett race. First, $1,500; -Becond. ?1,000: third, $500. |