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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 14, 1914)
10 BALLOON PLUNGES FROM DIZZY HEIGHT Pilot Berry and Morrison Land in Tree in Miraculous Es cape From Death. GAS BAG RENT CAUSES FALL Sudden Stop Makes Captain Uncon sciousSnow Gathered at 12,000 Foot Altitude Revives Story of Perilous Trip Is Told. (Continued from Kint Page). feathering- fog- at a speed which might have been anything from BO to 100 miles an hour. Gaa Baa; Whirls Around. The aeronauts lost all sense of direction, but they now hlnk the bal loon must Just have been spinning round on its own axis whirling, now this way, now that. Then the balloon received an un accountable shock. A thrill went through Mr. Morrison. "Captain, the balloon has been struck by lightning; it is cut in two," he yelled. "Rubbish," yelled back the captain. Instantly, the whole lower half of the balloon's envelope fell and wrapped up the two men. In a flash the gas had escaped. Gigantic Parachute Formed. The top of the "Million Population" became a gigantic umbrella. But the enormous weight of the basket, its duffel, occupants and ballast was too much for the parachute, and, it had to fall, twlBtlng and turning- as it dropped towards earth. Such was the combined story told by Captain Berry and Mr. Morrison to an Oregonian reporter who traeed the bal loon to where it had found a last rest in the trees to the south of the Lindau farm, some two miles from Clarkes. Clackamas County. Nem of Safety Telephoned. Early yesterday morning Mr. Lindau drove Captain Berry to Oregon City, where he telephoned to Joe Rieg, man ager of the Rose Festival races, the news that his balloon was safe. Although reporters clustered around Captain Berry he refused to make any comment of any kind, except to ac knowledge his identity. With the exception of a telephoned interview with a reporter for the Even ing Telegram, who accompanied The Oregonian reporter and Joe Rieg in an automobile to Clarkes, Captain Berry denounces any other "interviews" with him as fakes pure and simple. After the party readied the Lindau farm they had to climb through the wooda to the location of the balloon. Basket Found High In Air. The basket was still high in air, the parachute top still hanging to the tree tops. Underneath was a tent and the remains of a fire with which the aero nauts had warmed their chilled bodies and passed a night. Undoubtedly the information pub lished in The Oregonian yesterday that farmers from the Milk Creek Canyon region haa seen the balloon was au thentic, although the aeronauts never caw the farmers. George Morrison was still standing guard over the remains of the balloon. These were quickly photographed. Captain Berry and Honeywell posed in the remnants of the basket, views were taken of the parachute top of the bal loon, then woodsmen were engaged to cut down the trees, to rescue th valve and to bring the basket to earth. Thin was done. Half Hour Terrible. The harrowing- experiences through which the two aeronauts passed cannot have lasted more than half an hour, they believe. Nevertheless the experi ences ana iears 01 a lifetime were crammed into those 30 minutes. Both Captain Berry and Mr. Morrison believed that the bag had traveled from tu to l&o miles from where Captain noneyweil had been seen striking toward earth. As the crow flies, the Berry balloon was about 10 miles from . uie uoneyweti landing- place. It was not quite pitch dark when the basket came to rest. The sighing of the firs could be heaad and to all in tents the two men were in the depths Morrison Carea for Pilot. Had they known Mrs. Lindau, with her children, had seen their fall and had believed that a gigantic waterspout was desolating the country, they would men nave si.ru ok ior habitation. jvii mgnt xnr. .Morrison, now called a hero by Captain Berry, cared for the Pilot. It was Just light enough to cut brush for a fire and around this fire the men warmed their frozen limbs and dried meir urencnea garments on their bodies. From remnants of the balloon they formed a tent and hung this under the fA.,-t.. AA . w,ia.ii, wo r iuu miies irom any jiving- ooui; we are lost for good," said jur. jaornson. Captain Berry inclined to thin h lief. They were entirely Ignorant of their direction. They knew Captain - Honeywell had landed and thnv thmht he had seen the direction in which they Pigeons Carry Two Message. "The Oregonian will send out asearch lng party for us," said the Captain. ai o a. -M-, when the cold, raw dawn .. came, air. Morrison prepared two mes? sages, one ot these was tied to th tail feathers of each of the last two pigeons. Then the birds were released. or a moment they were silhouetted in . the sky and like a flash they were off . ior rortland. One bird lost its mes sage. The other was received Friday arternoon in i-ortiand. Then the men decided to rest until Sunday, trusting that by that time re lief would come. Their plans were to travel then down the banks of the canyon, carrying their food and water and strike for the nearest creek. Men Sleep All Day Friday. Had they done this they would have had to fight their way for 20 miles to the upper waters of the Clackamas where, in all probability, they would have encountered fishermen. Ail Friday both men slept. Captain Berry suffering . considerably from his shock and the bruises about his head. Late in the afternoon Mr. Morrison awoke. "Captain, I hear someone cutting wood, he exclaimed. s- t&JL Kit?- He started out and . finally reached the woodchopper. In his hands he had a small ax with which he had been blazing the way. 'You're the man I have been looking for all day," he yelled. Morrison Frightens Youth. Seeing Mr. Morrison with the ax and hearing this, the woodcutter, who was young Wesley Lindau. fled, thinking Mr. Morrison was a maniac. Mr. Morrison started in pursuit and managed to explain things. Then both men were taken to the Lindau farm and entertained. Late in the evening Captain Berry tried to telephone Joe Rieg the news, but was unable to make connections. Later the telephone went out of order and other calls became impossible. Late yesterday evening, both Captain Berry and Mr. Morrison were brought in The Oregonian car to Portland, and registered at the Perkins Hotel. Oregonian Search Party Sent. Acting on the message that Captain Berry was Injured and that with his aide he was lost in the woods, a search ing party was organized by The Ore gonion and sent out by automobile shortly after midnight Thursday. The party was made up of men familiar with the country south and east of Oregon City, where it is believed the balloon went down. In view of the meager message and the possibility that Berry might be seriously injured. Dr. M. B. Marcellus consented to accompany the expedition. taking with him first aid supplies, as it was feared the condition of an injured man in a remote section might call for prompt and effective treatment. Inquiry Leads to Trait. By making inquiry at daylight among residents of the region in which the balloon was last sighted, the trail de veloped rapidly for the searchers. Hav ing learned where the balloon was seen with trailing anchor just above heavy timber and in evident distress, the searchers were on the point of pene trating Milk Creek canyon on foot, ac companied by farmers and woodsmen, when it was learned that tho Dalloon ists had made their way to safety and that Captain Berry's Injuries were not serious. Those in the party were: Dr. M. B. Marcellus W. J. E. "Vick. Captain G. A. White, C. E. Skinner. Walter Giffard, and R. W. Horn, of the Howard Auto mobile Company. BASKET KAIiF FXjUj OF SNOW Aniid Lightning Flashes Gale Tosses Bis Balloon Like Paper. "In 330 ascents in balloons this has been the most harrowing experience I have ever had." This from Captain John Berry, of the "Million Population" balloon, of St. Louis, in an interview yesterday with an Oregonian reporter. He added: "But this is what keeps life in the game. "If it were not for experiences like this ballooning would die." Berry was most enthusiastic! about the work, cool-headedness and general brain work of George Morrison, his aide. "He is a natural balloonist; a bright, clever fellow. He never lost his head. But for his care I might be in bad shape. "At times the balloon was almost upside down. George and I had to cling like flies to the rigging. "1 can only suppose it was lightning that exploded the gas in the "Million Population" and destroyed the balloon in mid-air. But you can hardly con ceive of the force with which the wind was blowing. Balloonists are not sup tinmrrii imi 111111 imimiiwi iniinnw tmtmm immmmiiwi iiumihi mm MW,'''IIW"W"111' ""''nwinyniM m 11 111 iii mill iMitmrrMtiirmrii' -j iitri'ii in mmm iiiititfiiiiiiiaaMMMMsWBSMws jf- 'r posed to feel the wind they travel THE ' SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JUNE 14, 1914. PEINCIPALS AND SCENES SURROUNDING THE PLUNGE TO EARTH pF ' -c TVP fife-- --1 with it. We did not feel a wind. We felt a terrible gale. 1 "Conceive if you can the flashes of lightning, the bitter cold rain, the bas ket half full of snow, clouds below us and both of us tossed about like peas in a basket and you will have some conception of our plight; also you will understand we were frankly scared. "We went up fully 12.000 feet and the barograph reading bears this out. "Then the rapid fall, till about 3500 feet the balloon was rent in two. "I can't give you an idea of the tirse it took us to fall that distance. It was almost fractions of seconds. George just had time to throw over two lifebelts and a bundle of clothes and I to cut off some bags of sand, when I heard the swish of trees. "'We're in the trees,' I yelled to George. ' He threw himself at the bottom of the basket and clung. I tried to do the same. Then came a jar, as the trees stopped our flight from the sky. For me then came blackness. "I found after that Morrison had succored me with snow. Slowly the basket settled as the water formed on the top of the envelope and the trees gave. Morrison dropped 20 feet to earth and managed to haul the basket down lower. Then I climbed out. We built our fire and had something to eat. "Of course, I knew we were lost, so I insisted we go on half rations. George wanted to drink someiof the coffee in the thermos bottle, so I gave him a sip; that was all. "I divided our rations up so that they would last 10 days at least. We had two cans of water. "I certainly did think the Lord was with us. No one who saw where we landed oould think otherwise. Had we fallen the least little bit in either di rection, nothing but our mangled bodies would ever have been found." Including the payment from his pas senger, Morrison, his expense and third prize money. Berry will receive in all about 1630. As against this he must set off the cost of bringing his balloon and equip ment here, $250, and the dead loss of the balloon, $1800. MORRISON READY TO GO AGAIN Plucky Man Admits Fright When Iigfatning Raffled His Hair. Much of the credit for the safe land ing of the crew of Captain John Berry's big gas bag, "Million Population," goes to George Y. Morrison, whose work was eulogized highly by Captain Berry yesterday. Mr. Morrison is the manager of - a motion picture house in Portland, but is being advised strongly by Captain Berry to taka up ballooning In some form or other. Mr. Morrison Is a friend of the fam ily of W. J. Furnish, W. E. . Furnish being an intimate friend. It was to the home of W. E. Furnish, at 503 Clifton avenue, that Mr. Morrison raced on the day of the balloon race to be equipped with warm clothing. - Mr. Morrison's mother, Mrs. C Phil lips, lives at the Edgerly Apartments, Santa Barbara, Cal., and the first thing he asked was that The Oregonian re porter telephone a message to her, as suring her of his safety. His father is George W. Halliday Hotel. Spokane. Morrison, When Captain Berry left for Oregon City Mr. Morrison stayed with the bal loon. This was Decause ootn men de sired to give a complete "story" of their advantures to The Oregonian in appreciation for The Oregonlan's as slstance in promoting the balloon race. "If I had the opportunity I would go up again," said Mr. Morrison. "I had the most remarkable experience I have ever had." Then ha turned to Captain Berry. S1 V 1 George Morrison on the Left and Captain Berry on the Right, Holdlna; Fragmenta of Their Balloon. 3 Captain Berry. 8 Scene on the Porch of Members of the Lindau Family, Whose Members Aid the Aeronauts. Rear (From Left to Right) Mra. Llndan and Mlas Lindau Front Row Paul Schlewe. Little Milton Lindau, Met. ley Lindau, Benmie Lindau and Julius Schvrlewe. 4 Scene Showing Fragments of Balloon Envelope In Trees. is George Y. Morrison. "Captain, may I go up with you, for sure, next yearf "You most certainly . may, was me reply. The next -thing to trouDis air. .Morri son was his appearance. "I looked awfully smart when I started and now (ruefully) look at me." He was plastered with mud. He was shown the picture of his mes sage by carrier In The Oregonian. "That's my writing all right," he said. "Gee, we became almost famous, didn't we 7" Mr. Morrison was about as cool a young man as could be imagined. He did not hesitate to admit he was frightened when the lightning ruffled his hair. This happened, when Mr. Morrison was bracing himself between the bal loon. It may be that he short-circuited the current that was playing round the balloon. He was badly shocked. "I felt like a rocket stock coming to earth," said Morrison, "as we shot downwards. "There never was such a sensation. in fact it was all sensation. Our hands were blue with cold, our feet were wet and covered with snow, then bang went the balloon. It made no more sound than a paper bag. But we sure did fall down and down and down. "But for the way the Captain out away the ballast we should have been killed. "But, believe me, I am mighty lucky. I am just glad to be alive today. I have had an experience I shall never forget." SAFETY OF OTHERS ASSERTED Captain Berry Says He Expects Race to Go to Donaldson. "Donaldson. Henderson, Watts and Fawcett are quite safe. I am certain they both weathered the storm which proved fatal to us." This was the opinion of Captain John Berry last night as he was returning to Portland and before he had been informed by The Oregonian that Watts and Fawcett had landed near Cascadla. "I think both those bags saw jmt the tail end of the storm." said Berry. "When last I saw them before my own troubles became too heavy, they had plenty of sand. "The gas we got here was better than I have ever had before. "It would have carried them up easily for three nights." Captain Berry said that the sand the aeronauts had would be sufficient to carry them over the mountains into Central Oregon. "I rather expect Donaldson to win this race," he said. "He is the young est of the bunch. He has only just made sufficient trips for his . pilot's license and luck, you know, farors the young. When you waste today regretting the past you put a mortgage on tomor row, , ' THE BERRY-MORRISON BALLOON. 1 ST-K --aw'iX": Ml 5 -g?ri&p&WXM a - x 1 -v 9t? ivy vj h 1 I f innn nilinr nrrilirn I I flKIIK l.llllSt- llr-HrJMI inuuii unuuL uliiiilu NOTniXG ADDED TO TRUST LAW, SAYS MR. WEBB. Provision Said to Have Been Added to ' Prevent Entire Exemption of Unions and Farmers. WASHINGTON. June 13. "There Is not a provision in the anti-trust bill which can be tortured into meaning that violence, coercion or intimidation are authorized or countenanced." Rep resentative Webb, of North Carolina, chairman of the House judiciary com mittee, said in a statement today re garding the House omnibus trust bill now pending in the Senate. He gave the official version of the development of the labor exemption clause. "The framers of the Sherman law," he said, "never intended to place labor organizations and farmers' organiza tions under the ban of that law. The existence of a labor or farmers' union never has been unlawful and is not unlawful today, but it was desired to place in the statutory law of the conn try a recognition of the rights of those organisations to exist and carry out their lawful purposes. "After the original section seven of the anti-trust bill was drawn, certain representatives of labor contended that the section did not give labor all it was entitled to and demanded that the section should provide that 'the anti trust laws should not apply to labor organizations.' The acceptance of this amendment would have placed labor or ganizations beyond the pale of the anti trust laws entirely, which neither the President nor the members of the com mittee would agree to. "Finally, after 10 days of parleying, we agreed to add to what we already had provided, the labor plank as adopted in the Baltimore Democratic conven tion, that such organizations or asso ciations or their members should not be held illegal combinations in restraint of trade under the anti-trust laws. "This does not give labor, farmers or fraternal organizations any mora than -they are entitled to under the law today, nor any more than the Fed eral courts throughout the country have held them entitled to. This provi sion will protect them from dissolution under the anti-trust laws, but does not protect them from penalties for violat ing the criminal laws of the country." - Orchard Companies File Papers. Lewiston Orchards Companies, No. 1 and No. 2 filed articles of incorpora tion with the County Clerk yesterday. No. 1 company Is capitalized at $400. 000 and No. 2 at $600,000. the shares in each case being $1Q0 each. The stock holders in both companies are W. F. v ' v z ; - i . 1 1 i-L Burrell. H. D. Powers and Richard W. iMontague. The stated purpose of the companies is to operate orchards and engage in a general farming business. The principal office of the corporations will be in Portland. FIVE BONDS ARE SEVERED Cruelty and Desertion Pleas of Com plaining Wives. Five divorces were granted In the Circuit Court yesterday. Mrs. Jose-1 phlne Perkins was granted a divorce f rom Harged S, Perkins by Judge Kav- minrh aiinnrri tea a mnnth iiimnnn and the custody of her 4-year-old son on the ground of cruelty. The couple were married April 6, 1907. Mrs. Elizabeth Reld, for a similar reason, was granted freedom by Judge Davis from Herman L. Reld and the custody of her 4-year-old boy. Mrs. Reld charged that Reld broke one of her eardrums with a blow. She mar ried him August 4. 1907. Judge Cleeton granted divorces to Katurah Gay from David G. Gay. Ezra Le Febre from Grace Le Febre and Anna L. Vannum from Thomas Van- nam. The Gays were married in Eu gene. April 19, 1894, and Gay deserted his wife in January, 1896. The cus tody of her 19-year-old son went to Mrs. Gay. The Le Febre charge was cruelty. The marriage was in Oregon City, November 15, 1906. Mrs. Van num's charge was cruelty also. She married Vannum March 31, 1910. She was married before and was allowed to take her former name of Caples. League Defends Married Teachers. At the Oregon Civic League luncheon at the Multnomah yesterday a resolu tion was adopted requesting the Board of Education to rescind its policy of discrimination against married women teachers in the public schools. Co6nel C. E. S. Wood spoke in favor of the employment of married women and Professor Morgan, of Reed College, op posed it- ' Chicago Woman Comes on Visit. Mrs. Mabel Baker Lay field, of Chi cago, has arrived to spend a few weeks visiting her parents. Professor L. H. Baker, principal of the Jonesmore pub- lio school, and his wife and other rela tives. Mrs. Lay field Is an accomplished win Bins iu piuueors next Thursday. Four Trainmen Killed. LOGAN. Ohio, June 13. Four train men were killed, another probably in jured and more than a score of passen gers hurt when two passenger trains on the Hocking Valley Railroad cot. lided near here tonisht. lONE BALLOON STILL LOST CAUSES FEAR Fate of Springfield's Occu pants in Doubt but Aid Cannot Be Sent. OTHER PARTIES ARE SAFE Captain Donaldson and Aide Hen derson May Be Anywhere From Near Salem to Wild Country Extending to Cascades. Mystery as to the fate of the four balloon parties which left Portland Thursday afternoon for a long-distance race and disappeared in the vortex of storms south and east of Oregon City as dusk fell Thursday night, has been cleared up as far as three of the par ties are concerned. All in these par ties are safe. The members of the fourth party. Captain Donaldson and Aide Henderson. of the balloon Springfield, still are missing and great uneasiness is felt tor their safety. Captain Berry and Aide Morrison appeared at Oregon City yesterday morning, after having passed Thurs day night In the woods and Friday night at a ranch ten miles east of Oregon City. Their balloon was wrecked at 8 o'clock Thursday night in the storm which encompassed them at about 7 o'clock. Captain Watts and Aide Fawcett. of the balloon Kansas City, struggled, weary, tired and tattered, into the Mc- Kinnon ranch near Cascadla, in south ern Linn County, at 9:10 yesterday morning, after having made their way through ravines, forests, mountains and around precipices for 24 hours. Precarlona Landing Made. They made a precarious landing in their balloon at 9:20 o'clock Friday morning, and, leaving the big bag sticking to a burnt snag with the top ripped and other damage done, they started the long struggle to reach civilization. They were 24 hours trav eling a distance of 11 miles to the ranch where they gat food and shelter. The Honeywell balloon alighted Thursday night near Beaver Creek, not very far from where Captain Berry made his landing. Although the utmost fear is felt and expressed by all regarding the prob able fate of Captain Donaldson and Aide Henderson, it has not been pos sible to attempt any concerted move to extend aid, as the whereabouts of the men cannot be ascertained even ap proximately. The circumstances indicate that they may be anywhere from a few miles out of Salem to the wild and unsur- veyed country extending over to ths Cascade Mountains near Mount Jeffer son. They may have got even farther south than did Captain Watts, although this is considered highly Improbable. as it is thought they would have been seen by the Watts balloon had they been up on Friday. Captain Watts reported last night from where he Is stranded at Cascadla that he feels quite sure that the Don aldson balloon is somewhere in the iClkhorn country. That the party may have met with disaster, he says, is among the possibilities, as tne ino probably drove them in approximately the same direction it drove the Watts balloon, which was into a wild and dangerous section. Balloon Haa Great Difficulty. Captain Watts reported that his bal loon had great difficulty in tne vast stretch of country which has been burned over and where burnt snags stick up high into the air. With a fog hanging over the country riaay morning early. Captain Watts says Cap tain Donaldson would have had great trouble in directing his heavy balloon, unless he had been extremely, care ful- ... The Watts party gave the last Infor mation concerning the Donaldson bal loon, reporting that they sighted It at about 9:30 o'clock Thursday night north of where the Watts balloon was drifting, almost on a direct line ex tending three miles north of Silverton and Salem. The last heard of Donald son before this report was the infor mation given by Captain Honeywell. who reported the balloon to be about five miles west of Beaver Creek. Clack amas County, at 7:30 o'clock Thursday night. Drifting Stops t IOiSO P. M. At the time the Donaldson balloon was last seen by Captain Watts, it was drifting in practically the same direc tion as the Watts balloon, which was south bv west. The Watts balloon I stopped drifting at 10:30 P. M.. near Sa- lem, and remained almost stationary un- I ill about 3 o'clock Friday morning, when It was caurni oy a. buli ui cow wind and swept southeast quite rap idly. It is presumed that tne uonaia- son balloon followed a similar course. although it was not seen by the watts party or apparently by anyone else. It was several hours after having started this southeasterly movement that the Watts balloon struck the dan gerous burnt section and encountered a fog. There is no reason to doubt that tne wind was in the same general direc tion in the narrow space which Is thousrht to have been between the two balloons when they left the dead calm near Salem. This dpens the way ror a number of theories as to what might have become of Donaldson and Hen derson- One "Theory la Given. Had they followed a straight course in the same direction as Watts, they would have encountered the Cascade Mountains somewhere in the vicinity. it is thought, of Mount Jefferson. If the balloon had been up at daybreak. It is thought it would not have been too far away to be seen by the Watts nartv. as the Watts balloon was In the lead and would have reached Mt. Jef ferson or vicinity first. That it was not seen is taken as an indication tnat it went down somewhere between a point near Salem and a point northwest of Mount Jefferson. When the Watts party reached a. point which they thought was near Mount Jefferson, they turned almost directly back and moved southwest and then north. The same currents, it is thought, would have moved Donald son's craft had It been in the air. Dif ferent air currents might have been encountered, however, and the balloon whirled on over the divide of the Cas cades, in which event there is no way of telling where the Donaldson party might have gone. This side of Mount Jefferson there is I an exceedingly wild and rough coun- i try where dangers and difficulties pre valL There is serious doubt as to the ability of men to get out of some of the places. Situation la Crave. It is reported that in some parts of this section it would take Inexperienced men seven or eight days to make their way to civilization. These facts havs (Concluded on Face 13.) f