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[[text in German]]

Herald. Deuccsin [[?]] 2 Jan 1907. 
Leyas - 

London's First Balloon Ascent.
When Lunardi made the first balloon ascent from Lond in 1784 he had for fellow passengers a cat, a dog and a pigeon. Such was the excitement caused by this ascent that a jury, deliberating on the fate of a criminal, returned a hasty verdict of acquittal in order not to miss the spectacle, while King George III. broke up a meeting of his council to watch the progress of the balloon. It was in the following year, 1785, that an adventurous Dublin undergraduate, Mr. Maguire, made a balloon ascent and was actually knighted by te lord lieutenant for his courage.

Deihatch Pettsbery [[?]]
2 Jan 1907

TEST BALLOON SOARS
Shoots Straight Up 1,000 Feet and Disappears.
ST. LOUIS, Jan. 1.-Although the National Aero Club stated that only 1,500,000 cubic feet of pure coal gas will be required for the contestants in the international balloon race which will be held here next October the promise has been given the Aero club that 3,000,000 cubic feet of gas will be furnished, if desired. 
As a test, the balloon Orient, which is expanded by 35,000 cubic feet of gas, was inflated in less than an hour this afternoon and in the presence of a distinguished gathering of New York and St. Louis men, who acted as helpers, the big balloon was cut loose and sailed away, bearing Alan R. Hawley and J. C. Mccoy, both members of the Aero club. The New York experts declared the balloon was filled faster than they had ever seen on inflated. 
When cut loose the balloon rose straight into the air for about 1,000 feet and then due west. 
Shortly after midnight word was received from Pearl, Ill., 86 miles northeast, that the balloon had landed in safety 80 miles from there early this morning.

CHICKENS SHOW TERROR
Aerial Sailors Shout Greetings to Startled Famers With Megaphone.
After a highly successful aerial flight of 80 miles, J.c. McCoy and Alan R. Hawley, members of the Aero Club of America, arrived at Union Station Wednesday morning, 20 hours after their departure from St. Louis in the big racing balloon, Orient. They came from Pearl. Ill., and then drive and walked over muddy roads to Pearl, a distance of eight miles, arriving there at 11:30 p.m. They got up at 4:20 a.m. Wednesday and caught a local train. conneting at Roodhouse with one which brought them to St. Louis.
To a Post-Dispatch reporter Mr. Mccoy said Wednesday: "We passed over St, Louis at an altitude of about 1090 feet, saw the West End residence district and Forest Park Soon afterward we ascended above the clouds and remained there for some time. We passed over Woodlawn. St. Louis County. half an hour after we started soon after crossed the Missouri River. 
"We then ascended to an altitude of 1800 feet, and for two hours hung between upper and lower strata of clouds. We did not see the Mississippi when we crossed it, nor did we see any of the biuffs [[?]]
Dropped in a Cornfield.
"When we finally let out some gas and descended below the clouds, we were surprised to learn that we had crossed over the river into Illinois and were hovering above Calhoun County. We were near enough the earth to make inquiries of a party of men who were clearing timber. They told us that we were then about twelve miles south of Pearl, the nearest railroad station. We concluded to remain in the air half an hour longer, and drifted toward the railroad.
"We had no search light, r we should have remained in the balloon all night. It would have been a beautiful night for a flight above the clouds, as he moon was shining brilliantly. But it would have been a beautiful night for a fight above the clouds, as the moon was shining brilliantly. But it would have been dangerous without lights, by which we could have examined out instruments to determine our altitude and direction of flight.
"We next saw a party of men husking corn in a field and decided that it would be a good place to descend. The balloon came to the earth easily, and was quickly deflated. We landed on George Retzer's farm. The men in the cornfield were kind to us and rendered us every possible assistance in packing the balloon for shipment.
"The balloons was loaded into a farm wagon,and we started for Pearl about 7:30 p.m. It was raining hard, and the roads were a sea of mud, the land being low and marshy. About every two hundred feet the wagon would get stuck, and we would have to get out and walk. It was after 11 o'clock when we got to Pearl and turned in for the night.
"During the entire trip we threw over but three bags of ballast. We started out with 11. We could easily have stayed up all night if we had prepared for it. 
"Along the journey we amused ourselves by shouting 'Happy New Year' from the clouds. We had a big megaphone. We must have frightened some of the natives of Calhoun County out of their wits. No doubt some of them thought the angels were flying through the air and shouting New Year greetings down. 
Worse Than Automobile.
"The chickens all took to flight when they saw our approach. One of the strange things about a balloon is that chickens always know of its approach and squawk in terror when it comes near. once we sailed over a sheep pen low enough for our guide rope to drag through the flock. They broke out of the pens and fled helter-skelter through the woods. We saw many flocks of wild duck, and could have had great sport shooting them if we had had guns.
"We did not attain a higher altitude than 1800 feet, and the coldest weather we encountered was 39 degrees above zero.
"The gas proved to be perfect for ballooning. The test satisfies us that we have made no mistake in selecting St. Louis as the starting point for the great balloon races next fall."
Augustus Post, secretary of the Aero Club, met the aerial sailors at Union Station and escorted them to Hotel Jefferson. Mr. Post will go to Kansas City as soon as the balloon is shipped to St. Louis and repacked for shipment to New York. President Bishop will start East Wednesday night.
Members of the club will make frequent visits to St. Louis during the spring and summer, to make arrangements for the races, which will start from here during the week of Oct. 19. 
Mr. Post gained a reputation as a humorist by a remark he made to E. G. Cowdery, manager of the Laclede Gas Light Co.
After the party had been taken around to the different stations of the gas company, and had examined voluminous records showing the specific gravity of the product manufactured during the past 10 years, Mr. Cowdery was feeling very confident. 
"Everything is very satisfactory except just one thing, and that is very serious," said Mr. Post.
"Why what can that be?" inquired Mr. Cowdery, eagerly. "Your gas hasn't got any bubbles in it," said Mr. Post, with a pained expression on his face.
Mr. Cowdery stammered and wondered what to say. Then it dawned on him that it was all a joke. Then he told Mr. Post that he would supply

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the St. Louis entry in the big with the gas with bubbles in it give the local man an advantage over the other contestants.
Will Be World Center.
Secretary Post said to a Post-Dispatch reporter that the balloon races in St. Louis next fall would undoubtedly establish this city as the aeronautic center of the world. 
"Although the ascension was made New Years's day without special preparation, and on very short notice. I have never before witnessed such a perfect start," said Mr. Post. "The big gas bag was filled with 35,000 cubic feet of gas in record time, and the balloon arose like a great bird and started away on its journey.
"With the preparations to be made for the big races next fall still better facilities will be afforded. I am satisfied, from what I have seen here, that St. Louis, with the facilities of the city to furnish gas for the Inflation of balloons, its long distance from any great body of water, and its geographical center, will eventually be the aeronautic center of the world.
"Owing to the possibilities of aerial navigation, this means much to your city. While ballooning has not been generally adopted as a sport in this country, it is becoming much more popular all the time. It is safer, more delightful and less expensive, as a sport, than automobiling, and in a few years balloons will be much more common than they are now. The big races in St. Louis will create widespread intereest in aeronautics, and I anticipate that great crowds will be here to witness the start of the mammoth balloons."
St. Louis to Have Entry.
St. Louis millionaires have shown a remarkable interest of the Aero Club of America arrived here Sunday. The organization of the local Aero Club was purely informal, being started at the Noonday club while the members were gathered around the dinner tables. But L.D. Dozier, who was given no opportunity to decline the presidency, has entered zealously upon the duties of his new position. 
Mr. Dozier was one of the most interested spectators at the inflation and ascension of the Orient, and asked more questions than a small boy in his eagerness to learn practical lessons in aeronautics. 
James. E. Smitn, president of the Business Men's League, has become so enthusiastic that he is already making arrangements for a St. Louis entry in the big races. He will presently communicate with Paris manufacturers with a view of negotiating the purchase of a balloon to be entered by the St. Louis Aero Club. Some aeronaut of established reputation will be found to represent St. Louis.
Dan C. Nugent, who was chairman of the local committee that induced the Aero Club to announce the selection of St. Louis, is also taking great interest in ballooning, as is E. G. Cowdery of the Laciede Gaslight Co.
Mr. Nugent's solicitude for the comfort of his guests at the banquet given at the Mercantile Club Monday night, in honor of the Aero Club visitors, led him to take Gen. Funston and Maj. Evans to their homes in Jefferson Barracks in his automobile. It was a long drive over muddy roads, after midnight.
As Mr. Nugent was returning about 3 a.m. he saw a woman with a small baby in her arms standing on South Grand avenue waiting for an owl car. Owing to the derangement of the street car service, there was no knowing when a street car would come along. Mr. Nugent stopped his automobile, invited the woman and her baby to step in and took them to their home on Sempie avenue.