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Times New York, 3 Mar, 1907

"And You Don't Blow It Up Lighting a Cigar, the Sport's Fairly Safe."
There are many balloon cranks in St. Louis and there are going to be many more.
The St. Lousian who doesn't know something about balloons will be an object of pity during the international races here next fall.  His lot will be worse than that of the man at the horse show who doesn't know anything about horses.  
The Post-Dispatch proposes to do a great educational work along this line by reproducing form "Five Thousand Miles in a Balloon".  What the author, Frank Hedges Butler, calls "The Balloonist' Catchechism."  Mr. Bulter was the English representation in the 1906 race which was won by an American, Lieut. Lahm.  He, therefore, is qualified to tell you all you need to know about ballooning.  Here is the catechism.  
Q.  What is a balloon?  A.  A balloon is a vessel, containing gas, made of a light cotton or silk material sewn together and varnished.  It is usually inflated with common coal gas, and rises because with its load it is "lighter than air."  It floats in the atmosphere, and moves onward at the exact speed of the wind.  
Q.  What is a valve?  A.  A valve is a wooden or metal device at the top of a balloon with doors which, when pulled by a cord, open and allow the gas to escape.  The doors shut with a spring when the cord is released.  
Home Ripping Valve Works.
Q.  What is the ripping valve? A.  A ripping valve is a long length of material sewn on the upper part of the balloon which tears away when pulled by a cord, and thereby deflates the balloon in a few seconds when on the ground.  
Q.  What purpose does the net serve?  A.  It completely covers the balloon, adds to the strength of the envelope, divides the strain equally over the surface and supports the entire weight which the balloon carries.  It terminates in a number of lines to which the hoop and car are attached.  
Q.  What is the Hoop?  A.  A circle of strong wood bound with hemp or steel wire, to which the ropes of the balloon and car are attached.
Q.  What is the Neck and Mouth of the balloon?  A.  The appendix at the bottom of the balloon through which it is filled with gas.  The mouth must always be open when in the air so that any expansion of the gas is immediately relieved.  
Q.  What is Guide Rope?  A.  The guide rope (invented by Charles Green in 1828) hangs from the hoop 250 feet long and weighs about half a hundred weight.In the descent it first touches the ground, thereby relieving the balloon of its weight, so that its downward course is arrested.  It also shows the direction of movement, and acts as a brake, while trailing over the ground.  
Q.  What is a Grapnel?  A.  The Grapnel, or anchor, is a steel implement suspended by a rope, and thrown out when near the ground, so as to catch in a hedge or field and stop the onward course of the balloon.  
How to Make an Ascent.
Q.  What are the first steps?  A.  Having laid out the balloon and netting, attended to the valve, and placed the sandbags in position round the balloon, you fill it with gas.  
Q.  When the balloon is full, what then?  A.  You attach the hoop and car. see that the valve lines and ripping cord lines are disentangled, and that the trail rope and anchor rope are firmly attached to the hoop.  When the aeronaut and passengers are in the car the mount is untied.  The weight of one additional man in the hoop for this purpose is sufficient to keep the balloon from rising.
Q.  What about the valve lines?  A.  The red ripping cord is put in a red pocket and the valve line in a white pocket.
Q.  When starting, what do you do?  A.  Be sure to see that the lines are not twisted, and, as an extra precaution, try the valve.  Attend to the lifting power of the balloon.  Keep in the car just sufficient weight of sand to enable it to rise with its aeronaut and passengers.  
Q.  When you wish to start, what order do you give?  A.  "Hands off" round the car, and if the balloon does not rise you throw out a little more ballast.  

During the Ascent. 
Q.  Once started, what then?  A.  A bag of sand is kept in readiness to throw out in case of a downward draught, or if the balloon does not rise sufficiently to clear houses and like obstructions.  
Q.  What instruments are necessary?  A.  An aneroid barometer should be hung on a level with the aeronaut's eye, so that he may note the altitude.  A statoscope shows him at a glance when the balloon is rising and falling.  A registered baro, themo, hygrometer will automatically make an indelible record of the trip.  
Q.  What about the guide rope or trial rope?  A.  The rope is let out soon after clearing the housetops and chimneys.  
Q.  Is there any feeling of giddiness in a balloon?  A.  It is impossible to feel giddy in a free balloon run, as there is no contact with earth.
Q.  Or of sea-sickness?  A.  It is quite impossible.  There is no movement, and there air is calmer than the quietest sea. 
Q.  Is it cold in the air?  A.  As there is no wind felt, because the balloon is traveling at the same velocity as the wind it is not so cold as on land. 
Q.  In wintry, foggy weather, is not the cold in the air a great discomfort?  A.  In a few seconds the balloon pierces the murk and clouds, and immediately floats in the hot sunshine and dry air which recalls the climate at Davos or St. Moritz.  
Q.  What does ballooning feel like?  A.  It is the sensation of perfect quietude and restfulness and a feeling of how petty the earth and its concerns are. 
Q.  Is every ascent different?  A.  No two ascents are alike.  The ever changing panorama of the clouds sometimes resembles glaciers and snow mountains and sometimes the rolling billows of the sea.  

No Danger of Balloons Bursting.
Q.  Is there any danger of the balloon bursting?  A.  No, so long as the mouth is open the balloon cannot burst, because there is no pressure.  The expanding gas instantly escapes.
Q.  If a balloon were damaged, say by a small tear or by a bullet hole, would if fall?  A.  A small hole would only make a leak, and the balloon would descend slowly. 
Q.  Is there any danger of the ropes breaking?  A.  No, the strain each rope is made to resist is far in excess of the maximum pull that can be put on it.  If one rope were to break, the other lines would easily support the weight.
Q.Are there any
above the clouds it is impossible to determine the direction.

Q.  Is it possible to communicate with people on land? A.  Under 1000 feet by speaking slowly and clearly the voice is heard distinctly.  The return voice takes a short time to travel back.  Above 1000 feet the voice will not carry.
Q.  Are sounds audible when high in the air?  A.  Steam whistles, the barking of dogs and the lowing of cows can be heard for several thousand feet.

Pleasure of Night Ballooning.
1.  Are there any dangers in ballooning at night?  A.  The eye becomes accustomed to the darkness, and fields woods and rivers can generally be traced.  Electric lamps enable the aeronaut to read the different instruments.  On moonlight nights, it is frequently easy to distinguish the features of the landscapes.  
Q.  Is there any danger in the event of a thunderstorm?  A.  If the aeronaut is prudent and sees a thunderstorm brewing, he will descend at once because of the atmospheric conditions being unfavorable. 
Q.  Is there any danger in being carried out to the sea?  A.  Knowing one's whereabouts, it is always easy to descend. 
Q.  What is the method of rising to a greater height?  A.  A little sand ballast is thrown over the side from a scoop to lighten the balloon.
Q.  What are the methods of descent?  A.  The balloon automatically descends  a period, owing to the loss of gas but if an earlier descent is desired cord is pulled to open the valve, lets the gas escape at the top of the balloon.  The neck line is then tied to the hoop, and the anchor rope drops so that the anchor may be thrown when required.  The descent can also be  voluntarily without pulling the va because the balloon descends by gravitation.  Just before the balloon basket touches land it is best to bend your knees and, if possible, suspend yourself holding on to the ropes.

Precautions in Ascending.  
Q.  Is there, in windy weather, a likelihood of being dragged during the descent?  A.  The ripping cord,  take a panel out of the envelope,  deflates the balloon in 10 seconds, safeguards against that.
Q/ How is it possile to the exact spot for the descent 

DIAGRAM OF A BALLOON AND PARTS REFERENCED IN THE ARTICLE. Description:  IN order to make clear the various technical names referred to in accompanying questions and answers, this diagram is reprinted from Butler's book.  From this the reader may see at a glance the   positions and appliances which constitute the complete stat.  The height of balloon from car to valve is 66 feet.  its diameter feet 6 inches.  Its contents 45000 cubic feet.  Its total weight packed traveling is 800 pounds.  When inflated with coal gas will lift four sons and amount of ballast equal to another passenger.   

Transcription Notes:
I didn't know if we are supposed to transcribe the upside-down articles, so we just did the rest.