Viewing page 18 of 105

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[strikethrough]] 115 [[/strikethrough]] 116
GEORGE BUMBAUGH
  That evening my friend George Bumbaugh came to see me. He was having trouble filling a contract at Springfield, Ohio. He did not make the first asvertised flight because something went wrong with his motor; this made the crowd angry and they wrecked his airship. George was a fine boy for whom I had a high regard so I loaned him the larger balloon and netting which I had used in the experiment at Ft. Wayne. With this he returned to Springfield and made good. He has been quite successful ever since. During the World War I he was contractor to the U. S. Air Service in the manufacture of balloon baskets and rigging for observation balloons and spherical balloons. 
THE DANGERS OF HIGH FLIGHTS
  We continued to make flights during the remainder of the week and had no further difficulty. On Saturday, I decided to make a high flight as this always seemed to appeal to the public. I gave special instructions to the boys regarding the landing as I know we would have difficult conditions to contend with and the field must be kept clear. The start was made and as I gained altitude steadily the ship rose to the height of 2,000 feet and then started down again slowly just making speed enough to give steering way until I approached near to the landing field. I then pointed the nose down, made a quick descent, and landed safely in the hands of the men waiting.
  At an elevation of 2,000 feet the buoyant gas exp [[strikethrough]] e [[/strikethrough]] anded and it was necessary to allow some to escape or the balloon would have burst. On this flight more than 15% of the gas volume was lost. Even though I threw overboard all of my sand ballast, the ship still was quite heavy and unless the boys were ready to catch