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Broadwick - 10

Q: What was there about the Broadwick group that was better than competing groups?

Broadwick: Well, I think the fact is that it was a very neat and fast act -- a complete balloon ascension in fifteen minutes. That was filling the balloon, and getting it up in the air, and you'd be back on the fround [[ground]] in 15 or 20 minutes always, and no delays, unless the weather would delay it. That made it the most outstanding balloon attraction in America.

Q: Why could you get it up so fast?

Broadwick?: We had an automatic ground support, so that we didn't have to keep all the people to hold down our balloon, and that was a great advantage. The other way you always had to run around saying, "Let her up, let her up," and this automatic ground support eliminates that. We only had about 15 people around in the beginning and then they all cleared out. We had two poles on each side that held this balloon from falling when the wind would blow, and these poles automatically telescoped when we were ready to go and released the cord through the top of the balloon. That's what made our act so safe and fast and so much more advanced than the others.

Q: Were there many other groups like this?

Broadwick: Oh yes, there were lots and lots of balloon people traveling around. I couldn't tell you the names because it's so long ago.

Q: Did you do any particular drops or stunts that you claimed you were the only ones to do?

Broadwick: No, I don't think we had any of that.

Q: The acts were pretty much the same. . Did you ever land