Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1907 — BALLOONS IN RACE. [ARTICLE]

BALLOONS IN RACE.

FOUR GREAT NATIONS VIE IN AERIAL CONTEST. “ •'T~ " (fins Teams of Leading Conntrtns si the World Race Amid tbs Clouds at 1 the International Airship Contest at St. Louis. - i ’ ** Nino mammoth balloons, representing four of the great nations of the world, started at St Loula Monday afternoon on a voyage which was expected to add an important chaptej to tha history of aerial navigation. The contest was known officially as the second International aeronautic cup race, and the prize, a massive silver trophy and $2,500 In cash, was to be awarded to the pilot whose skill and daring should land his car farthest from the starting point As the balloons were of similar design and material the race would go to the French, English, German or American aeronaut who was capable of taking the best advantage of favorable winds and who lost the least ground under adversity. ~— —~———— The race marked the entrance of the United States Into competition with the European nations In a field which had been left almost exclusively to them in the past It was through the winning of the cup last yeax in a cace from Parts by Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm of the United States army that the contest was brought to this country. The threo American teams are all that were allowed to enter under ■ the rules of tha competition, hilt so. great has Interest grown that the Aero Club of America, which was In charge, could have entered manytimes the number of balloons permitted. The average person who reads about

balloon ascensions has very’ little idea of the amount of moral and physical I courage it requires to remain up in ! the clouds after the first twenty-four I hours. The strain on the nervous sys- \ teto is something hard to describe until it has been experienced. One gets ! In that state where be can not trust I his eyes and frequently imagines be sees great bodies of water beneath him ! when he is hundreds of miles away from any coast. In a balloon it frequently happens that you see the lights of a city directly in front of you as yoif look down from the basket, and in a few minutes the city may have fal len squarely behind you. But that does not prove by any means that you have sailed ovgr-TL Oftentimes the balloon Is whirling around, and you seem to have swept over a town when in fact you may not have moved fifty yards Tn addition TO the International event, in which only ordinary balloons were allowed to compete, the St Loulf Aero Club offered $5,000 In other prizes to be competed for by any win had an air craft to enter. Irf this competition dirigible, or balloons propelled by motors, took part, as well as aeroplanes, or any other type o: balloon or airship that has demote •trated that it Is anything more thau «n experiment