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1907 June 1. Saturday at Baddeck
Post Houston Tex
14 Mar 1907

Army Buys War Balloons.
(From the New York World.)

Although this government has been slow to take the same interest in aerial navigation as European nations, it finally has recognized the uses of the balloon as in war and established a flying corps as a regular branch of the army. 

 Leo Stevens, the local aeronaut, has received an order from the war department for $12,000 worth of balloons, and with this announcement yesterday came the news that an aerial station has been established at Fort Omaha, Neb.

Three balloons will be shipped there shortly, and orders for more will follow. A hydrogen gas supply tank has already been constructed, and as soon as the big bags arrive at their destination experiments will be started under the direction of General James S. Allen, commander in chief of the signal corps of the army. He has been delegated to supervise the new department of the war service.

While the balloons are intended chiefly for signal work, they will be large enough to carry deadly bombs to drop into the camp of the enemy. This will revolutionize, as aeronauts have long predicted, the practice of warfare more completely than have modern battleships, high power guns and high explosives.

What finally prompted the government to take up balloons was the successful experiments made with them in France and Germany.

Republic St. Louis
14 Mar 1907.

WINNER OF BALLOON CUP SENT TO LEAVENWORTH
Leavenworth, Kas,. March 13. Lieutenant Frank [[P.?]] Lahm Sixth Cavalry, United States Army, has been detailed as instructor of ballooning at Fort Leavenworth.

Lieutenant Lahm in 1906 won the James Gordon Bennett Cup in the international balloon race, which began at Paris on September 30 and ended in England the next day.  He is a graduate of West Point.

Gazette San Antonio Texas

UP IN THE AID IN A BALLOON
How the Smiths Will Conduct Themselves When Its the Right Thing to Take an Afternoon Fly For Your Health.

Smith-O! do sit still dear. What are you wriggling about for?
Mrs. S.-I was only putting my hat straight, darling.
Sith-Neve rmind your hat.  I want to keep her quite steady. Don't you see that chap down there taking a snapshot of us?
Mrs. S-Of course I do. That's why I wanted-. Look out, dear, here come the Browns. They live in the white house just below us, you know. Bow, dear, they're quite nice people.
Smith-He can't steer straight, anyhow-barging us into a beastly patch of chimney smoke like that.
Mrs. S-Look out, there's a crow coming. O, do be careful, it's one of those fierce ones.
Smith- Where? which way? I cannot see it.
Mrs. S-On your left. He's coming right at us. O-o-o.
Smith- Missed him by a hair, by Jove? Confound those birds, we shall have to exterminate them.
Mrs. S.-That would be rather a pity, too-the children like to see them about. Still we could keep a few in cages for them to look at, couldn't we? What's it rocking for now?
Smith-That's because you're wriggling again. You're making it rock.
Mrs. S-I'm not. I'm absolutely rigid. There's something wrong-I know there is! O, what is it?
Smith-Only a bit of a squall. Here comes the breeze. There-now she's shifting. That's fine, isn't it?
Mrs. S-Yes dear. But [[Clipping is folded at this point]] 

Post Dispatch St Louis Mis
14 Mar 1907
BALLOON CONTEST ENTRIES CLOSED
St.Louis, New York and Philadelphia to Represent the United States
[[Image to left]]

THREE PILOTS SELECTED
Allan R. Hawley of This City, Lieut. Frank Lahm and J.C. McCoy. 

St.Louis, New York and Philadalphia will be the official representatives of the United States in the International balloon race which is to be held in this city in October. 
Each competing country is entitled to three entries. Secretary Kearney of the St. Louis Aero Club received word from Philadelphia Wednesday that it would be on hand with a big balloon and a number of aerial enthusiasts. This announcement insures a full representation for this country and indicates the widespread interest that is being taken in the sport.
Officially the entries are now closed, but it is expected that other clubs will come with their air apparatus and act as "chaperones." That is balloons not entered in the race will be sent up as followers after the real contestants are well under way and it will no longer be possible for them to interfere with the racers.

Pilots Are Selected.
The names of the three men who will act as pilots were made known Wednesday for the first time. It has been decided that Allan R. Hawley will have charge of the St. Louis balloon. His competitors will be Lieut, Frank Lahm, of the United States Army, and J.C. McCoy of New York. All three will be commissioned by the Aero Club of America. McCoy and Lahm will decide between themselves which balloon each will pilot.
Before the contest the names of the pilots from all the countries that participate will be passed upon by the general committee having charge of arrangements. It is expected the list will include names of the leading aeronauts of France, Germany, England, Russia, and other countries that have taken an interest in ballooning.
The St. Louis club has had made an aeronautic map of the city, 2000 copies of which have been printed and are being sent by Secretary Kearney to all parts of the globe. On its margin is a record of balloon flights which have been made from this and other cities in this country which includes the longest that is a matter of record up to 1900.
This was the flight of John Wise from this city in 1859, and which ended in Henderson, N.Y., the distance covered being 1150 miles. In its flight the balloon passed over Pana, Ill.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Fremont, Sandusky and Fairport, O., Dunnville, Ont., and Niagara Falls.
On the map is given the name of the aeronaut, the date he made the ascension from St. Louis, the direction in which he traveled and the distance covered. In no instance did a balloon travel to the westward.
The following information is given to aeronauts by the St. Louis club:
"In St. Louis, in October, in which month the balloon races will be held, the prevailing winds are from the south and southwest, and have an average velocity of 10 1-10 miles an hour. Observations of the cloud movements by Edward H. Bowie of the United States Weather Bureau, who is also a charter member of the Aero Club of St. Louis, show a prevailing movement of the upper air currents from the southwest and west, and at a much higher velocity than the surface currents. It would be impossible for a balloon to go west from St. Louis any considerable distance unless it be a dirigible balloon, for as soon as it rises to a height of a mile or so above the earth, it will be carried in an easterly direction."

Transcription Notes:
did not transcribe pen marks and hyphens in text. added handwritten notes