Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1911 — Million Population Balloon Came Down at Lacrosse. [ARTICLE]

Million Population Balloon Came Down at Lacrosse.

C. F. Specht and a party of Valparaiso friends were on their way to Lacrosse last Tuesday afternoon when the “Million Population’’ balloon landed after the long flight from Kansas City, Mo. Pilot Berry gave a vivid account of his experiences among the clouds. He and his traveling companion, McCullough, were traveling along Monday night at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The atmosphere was at the freezing point and ice formed on the balloon. After enduring these conditions as long as possible, it was decided to drop the balloon below the cold strata. This decision was reached Tuesday morning. As the ship settled toward the earth, it sailed into a terrific electrical storm, which made further traveling extremely hazardous at the time, so an opportunity to land was sought and Mr. Specht and companions supplied the needed help. <> There was a liberal quantity of stores aboard and the travelers were in good shape, except being inconvenienced by exposure.