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1907. June 1. Saturday at Baddeck. 33 Pioneer Press. St. Paul. 17 Mar 1907. [[???Tribune]] New York. 18 Mar 1907 SUCCESSFUL GAS TEST IN ST. LOUIS. Ascension in Interest of International Races Covered Forty-three Miles. St Louis, March 17.-A test balloon ascension was made to-day by J. K. Campbell in the interest of the international balloon races to be held here in October under the auspices of the Aero Club of America. The aeronauts were up 160 minutes and travelled forty-three miles northeast, landing at Sorrento, Ill. The trip was declared a successful test of the gas to be used for the races. World New York 18 Mar 1907 MADE 43-MILE AERIAL TRIP. ST. LOUIS, March 17.-A test balloon ascension was made to-day by J. K. Campbell in the interest of international balloon races to be held here in October under the auspices of the Aero Club of America. The aeronaut was up two hours and forty minutes and travelled 43 miles northeast, landing at Sorrento, Ill. The trip was declared a successful test of the gas to be used for the races. World New York 18 Mar 1907 HONEYMOON IN AIRSHIP. SYRACUSE. March 17.-J. Albert Plant married Miss Amella Weller and startled his friends to-day by announcing a honeymoon in an airship. The idea of the machine came to this young inventor two years ago in Texas and he began work. He finished the airship here in his barn. The machine is run by fans and a twenty-horse power motor and in a thirty-mile wind can go forty miles an hour, says the inventory. It will be equipped with fuel enough to last two days. Plant plans to go to France next year to fly his machine in the $50,000 races. He says the secret of aerial navigation is so simple that navigators will kick themselves when they see his airship. Test Balloon Ascension. St. Louis, Mo., March 18.-A test balloon ascension was made to-day by J. K. Campbell in the interest of the international balloon races to be held here in October under the auspices of the Aero Club of America. The aeronauts were up 160 minutes and travelled forty-three miles northeast, landing at Corrento, Ill. The trip was declared a successful test of the gas to be used for the races. By John Y. Alexander Since the earliest days of the world's history, races of all kinds have had a strange attraction for man. The Romans had their chariot races and we know to our national sorrow that we have our horse races. But surely a balloon race must be regarded as an exception to Solomon's rule. It may be asserted with some confidence that never before had such an event taken place. Think of the audacity of the idea! A race through the clouds! Even the struggle for the America's cup lacks excitement when compared to that. This great aerial contest took place at the beginning of October, 1900, and was regarded as the most remarkable feature of the Paris exposition. Many notable French aeronauts entered for the prizes that were offered, and the conditions of the race debarred all forms of aerostats other than the ordinary balloon from competing. Although the rules and regulations, which characteristic French volubility, filled fifty-eight pages of the small type, the conditions were simplicity itself. There was to be no handicapping; each competitor was free to use a balloon of any shape or size, to carry as much ballast as he cared for, to avail himself of as many fads as he fancied and to make use of either hydrogen gas or the ordinary carbureted kind, according to the length of his purse. These conditions were liberal enough to produce the best and most interesting results. There had been a number of preliminary races of a trial nature, but the two principal events were fixed for Sept. 30 and Oct. 9. The former date as a Sunday, and on the Vincennes field, many thousands of Parisians had turned out to enjoy the novel spectacle-novel even in that godless city of sensations. Scene was a curious one, touched at first with some degree of dullness, for there was nothing very exhilarating in watching a dozen shapeless masses of canvas and silk lying on the ground and slowly distending as the gas is introduced into them. But gradually, as the balloons began to take shape before the eyes of the spectators, interest awakens, and the jaunty aeronauts who move about superintending their flimsy craft become objects of much curiosity. These are the men who are going to brave unknown dangers in the skies, and your Parisian is ever full of admiration for those who seem to be doing something suggestive of heroism. The baskets are now being attached to the swaying balloons; ballast, scientific instruments, food-no Frenchman is ever wanting there-are placed in the cars, and presently the dauntless competitors themselves are seen gracefully bestowing themselves inside the wickerwork, each as conscious of his dignity and his great role on the world's stage as if he were Napoleon himself. The aeronaut examines all the arrangements, counts his bags of ballast, is satisfied that all is well. The official judges, oozing importance and authority at every pore, are present. The moment for which the good humored crowd has waited so patiently is at hand. Workmen skillfully detach the sand bags which are weighting the balloon to earth, the [[?]] ropes are severed at a slash, [[?]] a mighty cheer bursts from the crowd as the first aerostat bounds upward [[?]] space, catches a breeze blowing [[?]] of and speedily disappears from view dragging its tiny car beneath it. It is the "Conte", [[?]] has just set off, and the two gentlemen who have waved a theatrical adieu [[?]] mounted into the sky are civil [[?]] of the Meudon university. Five minutes later the "Urania" shoots into the [[?]]. Capt. Vernanchet sits in his [[?]] shaped like a boat and painted red. [[?]] has a burlesque steering apparatus in [[?]] [[new?]] and at the stern is an umbrella which he works violently as though [[?]] scalling his boat over a celestial [[?]]. Cheers and hilarious laughter [[?]] the operations, for this is the gallant [[?]] little way of protesting against the decision to exclude steerable balloons-so-called-from the competition. The crowd is now in fantasies of delight, for every five minutes another balloon pops up and is [[borned?]] way in the northeast wind. The third [[?]] go is M. Jaeques Faure," and his balloon is called the "Aero Club." The forth is the famous "Centaure." in which the young Count de la Vaulx has already established long distance records. As he rises now, bowing, cap in hand to the [[multitude?]], he is greeted with cries of "Vive la Russie!" Prophetic cries, for the northeast wind has caught him in its embrace and is hurrying him toward the kingdom of the tsar. See how the heavens favor the Franco-Russian alliance! "Here is a veteran of more than thirty ascents during the last year and a half." said an expert as the Centaure arose in the air- "a fatigued and well worn veteran which has been raped with wounds hastily patched up, made heavy by successive revarnishings and repairs. It is a balloon of medium [[?]] having a disposable ballast of only 1,760 pounds. It is a cheap construction [[200?]], a simple cotton affair that costs [[?]] more than the price of a voiture and yet it goes further, quicker and [[?]] certainty than its more costly rival [[?]]. Why, I do not know. Born under a [[risky?]] star, I suppose. The fifth balloon to [[?]] away is the gigantic St. Louis, the [[?]] of which is 3,000 cubic meters. The captain is M. Jacques Balsan, another of the gilded youths of Paris who have found a new sensation in ballooning. He carries two passengers with him. The quick succession follow the remaining [[?]] balloons, signalled by volley after volley of cheers. the boulevards hum [[?]] evening with talk of aeronautics. [[?]] [[?]] Paris it is seldom that [[?]] so much about the heavens; rare to the thoughts of the populace mounted [[?]] as high as the Centaure. Next afternoon [[?]] is renewed as the telegrams [[conveying?]] the telling of the fortunes which have astounded the various competitors. Two have landed in Holland, one has come down in Westphalia, four have not got out of France, and the humorous Vernanchet only got a little way out from Paris. On the edge of the Baltic [[at?]] 496 miles lasting fourteen this was nothing. [[?]] done that and better [[?]] M. Faure accomplish a [[?]] ing to Mamlitz, in East miles away. But there still remains and the St. Louis to a soon the news came that descended near Wloclav Poland. having made 786 miles in twenty thirty-four minutes. [[?]] balloon had come down sia, near Dantzig, 737 twenty-two hours. [[?]] was the winner, with [[?]] Paris went mad with balloon voyage into France's "ally." "I could have gone [[?]]," said De La Vau return to Paris a few had on hand more [[?]] ballast. But I was [[afraid]] far into the interior of the railways and [[telegram]] not get back in time So I decided to land. did. Though they had hand, they kept me in four hours till my case investigated." The opening of the [[?]] France to Russia," as put it, created immense a people who are easily final balloon race on of even more [[?]] than that which we had There were six [[competition]] de la Vauix was the [[?]] he was accompanied on the Count de Castillon. generator did not work after some hours of [[?]] to pay out with ordinary