Unity, New Hampshire – November 11, 1911
On November 11, 1911, three students from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, took off in a balloon named “Stevens 21”. The pilot was H. Perry Sherman, the former president of the Williams College Aeronautical Society. He was accompanied by H. R. Sorner of Cleveland, Ohio, and J. A. Jones of New York City.
The ascension was made from Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at 2 p.m., and the balloon began traveling in a northerly direction. It passed over southern Vermont and into New Hampshire where it began to approach Acworth Mountain. The balloon was heavy, and the men began tossing out ballast in order to clear the top of the mountain. After clearing the mountain it continued on towards Clairmont, New Hampshire. With the ballast depleted, the pilot was forced to drop the anchor in order to land. The anchor caught some tree tops in a wooded area in the town of Unity, and the balloon began to heavily bump against the tree tops. The men were unable to climb down, and were forced to spend the night in their precarious position. Fortunately they were discovered by a farmer, who sought help. After cutting away some of the trees the men were finally able to escape the bobbing balloon. More trees had to be cut in order to drag the balloon from the woods.
The balloon had traveled 77 miles.
Source:
The Dailey Kennebec Journal, (Maine), “Bumped, Amateur Aeronauts Thrilling Trip”, November 13, 1911.