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1907. April 6. Saturday at Baodeck. 114
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10 Feb 1907.

Airship Builder, One Thought a Crank, Now Honored in Germany.
Berlin. Feb. 9.—The Prussian government has authorized the organization of a lottery for the benefit of Count Zeppelin's further experiments in airship building, and other German states are likely to join in the movement. Representatives of the balloon division of the army who examined Count Zeppelin's plans and theories and saw his most recent experiments reported that they are worthy of a further trial.
Count Zeppelin, who used to be regarded as an enthusiast engaged in wasting money on chimeras, is now admired and held in popular affection, as it is well known that his personal fortune has been expanded in experimenting with aerial navigation. The count, who is now sixty-nine years old, was a general of cavalry, but was relieved from active service in 1891, at his own request, so as to be able to continue the experiments with dirigible aircraft, which he began in 1873. He visited the United States in 1863 on a military mission and made his first ascent in a balloon while there.

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10 Feb 1907.

AUSTRIAN MAY COMPETE IN BIG BALLOON RACE

Army Officer Anxious to Come for International Cup.

JAMESTOWN AERO EXHIBITS

Big Field Set Apart for Building and Ascensions — Government to Erect Fuel-Testing Plant.

A new entry has just been received by the Aero Club of America for the international balloon race at St. Louis, and the Directors of the club will meet this week to devise methods whereby it may be accepted. It comes from Lieut. Quoika of the Austrian Army. He states that he is the aeronautical instructor at the army headquarters in Vienna, and if his entry is accepted he will apply at once to the Government for a leave of absence to come to America with a big balloon for the contest. Two difficulties, however, present themselves for the formal acceptance of the entry, the first being that the entries closed on Feb. 1, while the second is due to the fact that Austria has no national aero club, and under the conditions of the Gordon-Bennet International Cup all entries for the race must be made through the clubs recognized by the International Aeronautical Federation.
"Lieut. Quoika's letter indicates that he is anxious to compete in the race," said President Cortlandt Field Bishop yesterday, "and we would be glad to have him among the contestants. It will be necessary, however, to obtain the consents of all the other competing clubs, of the Federation, in order to admit him. We will communicate at one with Frank S. Lahm, the father of Lieut. Kahm, who is now in Europe as the representative of the Aero Club, and if the consent of the International Federation can be secured at once that will solve the problem, provided however, that the Austrian aeronaut obtains the consent of some club not yet represented to file his entry in the proper manner. The only clubs qualified to enter the contest now are the Italian and the Belgian clubs. He would, therefore, have to enter from one of those, and it is possible that he might object to this, as he states that he wishes to represent the Austrian Army in the race. An Aero Club is now being organized in Austria, and it will be a member of the Federation next season."
Fifteen balloons have entered for the big race, the foreign clubs being the French, German, English, and Spanish organizations. Lieut. Quoika's entry is an indication of the wide interest abroad in the coming event. The arrangements for the contest at St. Louis have practically been completed, but the President of the St. Louis Aero Club will arrive in New York this week to discuss several details with the Directors of the Aero Club of America, and he has intimated that a formal entry will be made from his club for the American team. From ten to a dozen candidates have applied for positions on the team, and a definite selection will probably be made this month.
A committee from the Aero Club of America visited Norfolk last week and perfected the arrangements for the aeronautical congress to be held during the Jamestown Exposition. A large plot has been set aside aside within the Exposition grounds 350 feet by 400 feet, for the balloonists. Work on the exhibition building, which will have a space of 10,000 square feet, will begin in a few days. It will cost about $15,000, and the interior will be unusually high, so that balloons and models of airships may be suspended from the ceiling. Gutzman Borgium, the sculptor of this city, and Carl Dientsbach are designing an emblematic figure to be placed over the entrance.

[[?]] New York
11 Feb 1907