The DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware, makers of Better Things, for Better Living, through chemistry, presents the cavalcade of America. Tonight's story, Fly High, Fly Low. Tonight's star, Lee Bowman, as Fatty as Low. The time, shortly after the beginning of the Civil War, the place, the farm in North Carolina. In the sky above, there floats a mysterious round object glistening in the morning sun. Hey, Pa! Hey, Pa! Look! Look up there! Ain't that one of them balloon things, Pa? What do you know? Yep, yep. Must be, Jim. Look! Look there! There's a fella in it! Gee, isn't that bastard? Yeah, he's coming down. He's gonna land over our tobacco field. Pa, you think maybe he's a Yankee? Maybe he's a Yankee spy, Pa. Run, Jim, and fetch my rifle. Thanks, for his loading. That's it. That's it. Thank you, young man. Just hold on to the rope, so the alarm won't drift when she hits the ground. Talks like a Yankee, Pa. Don't you fear, Mr. Yankee spy. I'll take hold of the rope, all right? All right, that's it. Easy. Easy now. There we are. Now, just make it fast to that stuff. Well, it feels good underfoot. Why don't you provide for your assistance, gentlemen? Could you tell me what state I'm in? You're in North Carolina, young fella. North Carolina, yeah, yeah. I thought so. Gentlemen, I'm Thaddeus Lowe from New Hampshire. I'm very interested. Came all the way from Cincinnati. It's quite a... Your rifle, would you mind holding it so I can point it in? Don't be scared, mister. I'm gonna shoot you. No, Mr. Yankee spy. We're going to hang you. Wow. Oh, no, no, I'm not a spy. I'm a scientific investigator, gentlemen. An investigator? Investigating what? Where the Confederate troops might be? What? Oh, no, no, no. Of course not. My... my point is that Cincinnati was truly a scientific experiment sponsored by Professor Joseph Henry. You know, of the Smithsonian Institution? Yes. Well, anyway, we wanted to prove that the prevailing upper air current in the United States is easterly. Hold on. How far is Cincinnati from here, mister? About 800 miles. How long did it take you to get here? Nine hours. Nine hours. That's about 90 miles an hour, don't it? Oh, yes, yes. And a 90-mile way in... It's a hurricane, isn't it, sir? Of course. What's it all about? Then you're right. There's no hurricane. Let's string him up right now. Uh, uh, uh, very well, gentlemen. If your minds aren't open to scientific reasoning, all I can do is... Get on him. Look out, Paul! He... he's got the gun! He's trying to get away! Stop him! Stop him, Jim! He's a-hitting for the balloon! No, you don't miss it! Get out of that basket before I... I'd leave you so soon, my friend, but here, take your sandbag as a keepsake. Goodbye, gentlemen. You... you all right, Jim? He... he hit me with this bag of sand. There he goes. Right up into the sky. Okay. Goodbye, gentlemen. And then, Taddeus, you caught it off-winging. Uh, finally, Professor Henry. It took me to Baltimore, where I descended, and then I came back here to Washington by train. Yes, yes, yes, but the experiment, what did you find out? Oh, it's, uh, it's just as we suppose, sir. At 2,500 feet, I found a strong and steady instant current. Mm-hmm. Good. But we still can't be certain that this air current is all-resistant, can we? Uh, well, let me see. I know. After the magnetic telegraph demonstration for President Lincoln next week, suppose you go further west and north. Uh, Professor, I'll be pleased to demonstrate your invention to the President, but after that, I'd prefer to postpone our experiments for a time. Look why? Well, that North Carolina pharma was right. I... I did see Confederate troops bountiful, marching toward Richmond. Oh? Yes, and since then, there's something I can't get out of my mind. What would it be like to be lost during an actual battle? Or better, before the battle? You see, I'd be able to observe troop movements for miles... No, Thaddeus, put it out of your mind. But why, sir? Because the use of balloons in warfare is an untried, even unheard-of idea. And I know how General Winfield Scott feels about new ideas. Remember, Thaddeus, first of all, you're a scientist, a meteorologist, not a soldier, but the least I can do is offer my skills and services. Please. Will you take me to see General Scott at the war front? Very well, young man. We'll take a walk over there right now. The sooner he turns you down, the sooner we can get back to our experiments. Well, Thaddeus, was I wrong about the General? Oh, I... I don't understand. He wouldn't even listen. He thinks balloons are toys. I'll bet he's never even been a lot. No, Thaddeus, don't be unhappy. Our experiments are much more important. Why don't you plan another one right after the demonstration for the President? Very well. Fine. Now, there's nothing difficult about the demonstration. I've engaged the telegraph operator, Fogartus's name. You'll take him along with you and make a captive ascension near the White House. Then you send a message to Mr. Lincoln and he says, that's all. Yes, I see. And what message do I send him? Oh, you know, first message in history from air to ground. Gave honor to demonstrate new invention to President. You know what to say. Yes, yes. Yes, Professor. I think I do know what to say. And now, Mr. Lincoln, if you step over here to your window, you can see the balloon now rising above the trees. There it is. Just beyond that number of trees to the right. Yes, I see, Professor. Might be pretty sight against the balloon. How high do they figure to go? Oh, only about 2,000 feet. That's the height of the balloon. And the balloon is about to rise. Yes, Professor. And the balloon is about to rise. And the balloon is about to rise. And the balloon is about to rise. How high do they figure to go? Oh, only about 2,000 feet. That's the telegraph line that we have. And no batteries at their end of the telegraph line either? No, sir, merely electromagnetic coils, like the ones at our end. Oh, that's quite an invention of yours, Professor. Thank you, Mr. President. Oh, look, look. They are rising faster now. Here, use my glass. Oh, thank you. This is Mr. Fogarty, the telegraph operator. This is his first balloon adventure. Oh? Wonder how he likes it up there, swinging and swaying in that little basket. If it were me, I expect I'd be hanging on for dear life, wondering how soon the rope on the ground was going to break. And over there is the War Department, Mr. Fogarty. Spectacular view, isn't it? Oh, oh. I was wondering, Mr. Lowe, did the rope ever break? Now and then, nothing serious. We'd merely deplete the balloon and defend. Oh, yes, yes, to be sure. My, what a sight. See there? The White House is only a tiny dot now, and that little patch of green. Mr. Fogarty, are you all right? Yes, yes, yes, I'm fine. Time to send the message now, Mr. Lowe. Yes, I believe we're high enough. Well, if you'll dictate it, I'll take it down and then send it. Very well. Now, President Abraham Lincoln. Sir, I am honored to send you the first message ever telegraphed from an aerial station. Now let me see. Forty miles to the north, great clouds of dust indicate the approach of marching troops. They are, of course, federal troops. Federal troops, yes. Yes, now, get this part carefully, Mr. Fogarty. But may I point out, Mr. President, how valuable this message would be were they Confederate forces marching from the south? It is my belief, sir, that observation balloons can contribute materially to the winning of battle, and I earnestly wish to demonstrate in the field, respectfully, that is law. Well, that's it, Mr. Fogarty. Send it on its way. Well, Mr. Fogarty, it doesn't look like we're going to get an answer, does it? No, no, I guess not. They've had time enough, I'd say. Hey, mighty, pretty few. I should have known better than to try something like this. Well, I guess we might as well signal the man below to pull us through. Yes, sir. Well, I guess we might as well signal the man below to pull us through. Yes, sir. Well, I guess we might as well signal the man below to pull us through. Yes, sir. Well, I guess we might as well signal the man below to pull us down. Just another minute, Mr. Lowe. You know, once you get used to it, it's really quite pleasant up here. Yes, gives one a sense of power, so to speak. And I was thinking, if Mr. Lincoln sends you to war, you'll be needing a good telegraph operator, won't you? Well, not if the President listens to Professor Henry, I won't. I'm afraid he'll say no. Oh, but perhaps Mr. Lincoln will know better. I'd be pleased to go with you, if I might. I'm a good many years too old for regular service, but I do want to do something for my country. And I'm getting quite partial to ballooning. Quite partial, yes. Well, I'd be pleased to have you with me, but I'm very much afraid. Oh, wait, a message, a message. I'm getting it, Mr. Lowe. Yes, it's from the President. It is? What does he say? Wait a minute, wait a minute. He says, Professor Henry agrees with me. Oh, I was afraid of that. Agrees with me that you should have an opportunity to demonstrate your belief. What? Demonstrate my belief. Mr. Fogarty. You will report to General McClellan with the Army of the Potomac immediately. Hey, Lincoln. Well, now, may I shake your hand, Mr. Lowe? You certainly may, Mr. Fogarty. Here's to the team of Lowe, Fogarty, and McClellan. And if you ask me, McClellan's lucky to be in it. Pardon me, General McClellan. Yes, yes, what is it? I'm Gladys Lowe, General. Lowe? Oh, I'm the Aeronaut, sir. I'm here with my balloon. Your what? Your balloon? Yes, General. What do you mean you're here with your balloon? Is this a joke? I don't need a balloon. Who sent me a balloon? President Lincoln, sir. I didn't ask for a balloon. What am I supposed to do with it? It's for purposes of observation, sir. I plan to make captive assentions with it and report what I see to you. This letter from the President explains it, sir. Let me see that. Whose idea was this? Mine, sir. To begin with. You're a civilian? Yes, General. I thought so. Well, go ahead and ascend, Mr. Lowe. Oh, thank you. I'll need about 20 men, sir. 20 men? What for? To help with the ascensions and to man the portable gas generators. The President mentions them in his letter, sir. All right, Mr. Lowe. You'll get the men. Thank you, General. I'll go up as soon as possible, yes, sir. And I'll telegraph you as soon as I see anything. Yes, by all means, Mr. Lowe. Now, will you excuse me? I have to attend to some important matters. Oh, yes, yes, yes, sir. Very well. Well, Mr. Lowe, come on. We're about as welcome here as a swarm of bees in a New Hampshire town meeting. I know what you mean. So it's Lowe and Fogarty alone, is it? Alone and a loss, Mr. Fogarty. We're going up and we're going to prove McClellan wrong. We may spot feathers doing it, but we're going to prove he's wrong. Tonight on the Cavalcade of America, Lee Bowman is starring as Thaddeus Lowe, the young American airlock, and Parker Fennelly is featured as Mr. Fogarty, his telegrapher. Three days have gone by. Determined to prove the value of observation balloons to General McClellan, Lowe and Fogarty made numerous ascensions, but so far all they have seen is an impenetrable wall of rain. Dawn seems to be moving south now. Yeah, in high time. Look, look down there. See what three days of rain have done to the Chickahominy River. Look at it, roaring along almost as high as the bridge now. Well, perhaps the clouds are left and we can see something. Mr. Lowe, Mr. Lowe, the bridge. Maybe it's my eyes, but the bridge down there, it seems to be moving. Good heavens, you're right. It is moving. It's breaking loose. Yes, sir. There she goes. Rushing down river as pretty as you please. But that's the only bridge. That means that the half of the army across the river is cut off. They can't retreat and they can't be reinforced. The Confederates will attack for sure if they learn of it. We've got to tell McClellan at once. Are you ready, Mr. Fogarty? I'm ready and eager, Mr. Lowe. To General McClellan. Yes. Just observed that bridge across Chickahominy River has been washed out completely. For you, General, from the balloon, sir. From Lowe? Now what does he... Well, I'll be an operator. Send this message to that young fool up there. Yes, sir. Thank you for the information, but look carefully and you will see my headquarters 50 feet from washed out bridge. Do you think I'm blind? Do not answer. As I want telegraph lines clear. Also, get that infernal gas bag out of the sky and stop revealing our position. Also, prepare to return to Washington immediately. McClellan, you got it? Yes, sir. Send it. Stop revealing our position and prepare to return to Washington immediately, McClellan. Well, Mr. Lowe, we seem to have fallen into temporary disfavor, you might say. Wait a minute. Look down there, Mr. Fogarty. What? The trees. The way they're bending with the wind toward the north. But up here at this level, the wind is subtly. That's unusual, is it? No, no, fairly common. But, Mr. Fogarty, how would you like to take a little trip? What do you mean? Listen carefully. If we drop our rope and telegraph wires, the wind will take us south over the Confederate lines. What? Now, now, wait a minute. And then, when we've seen everything, the enemy's up too. We can merely drop down to a lower level and catch the northerly wind. That'll bring us back here somewhere and we can tap the telegraph line and report what we've seen. You're not serious, Mr. Lowe. Well, it's not a difficult maneuver. I've done it a hundred times. Over enemy territory, we have no uniforms, you know. If they caught us, they'd shoot us as spies. And I can't say I'd like that. Yeah, I don't blame you, Mr. Fogarty. I shouldn't have asked you. I'll take you down and let you off. You're going alone, you mean? It's my last chance, Mr. Fogarty. It's the only way left to prove that observation balloons can be of value. Otherwise, I'll be sent back to Washington a fool and our experiment with balloons a failure. But it's my responsibility, not yours. I... Not mine. Are we a team or are we not? Cast off the rope, Mr. Lowe. I'll disconnect the telegraph line. Very well. Cast off, Mr. Lowe. Very well, Mr. Fogarty. Hold on. Here we go. And look there. To the west. Yes. On that road winding up the hill. I see. There's more Confederate artillery. Four, six, eight cannons. And isn't that their... their cavalry down there? See, sneaking around the hill on the lower road. Yes. And look, way off to the southeast. A long line of infantry. Moving up so as to attack McClellan from the left while the cavalry and artillery strike from the right. Yes. And if McClellan isn't wounded in the next half hour, he'll be trapped. I think we've seen enough. Yes, yes. We're going back. We'll go down to a lower level, pick up the northerly wing, then we'll try to land near a telegraph line and report to McClellan. Stand back now while I open the hydrogen valves. Down we go. McClellan, here we come. We're... we're getting the northerly wing now. You feel it? We're moving north. Back. Mr. Low, can you steer this contraption? Sure. No. Look ahead. On that stretch of road. The Confederate infantry. We've come around behind them. Thousands of them. But we're going to pass right over them. A hundred feet above their heads. Can't... can't we drop a sandbag and get up out of rifle range? But if we go up higher, we'll catch the wind that takes us south. And we've got to get north to McClellan before it's too late. We've... we've just got the chances, Mr. Poggedy. Quick. Get down in the basket. They... they can't see us now. No. But I can see them through the basket. They're right below now. They're looking up. They see us. They're shooting at us. That was close. They... they've hit the balloon, Mr. Low. They've hit the balloon. I know. It's just a slow leak, Mr. Poggedy. And we're past them now. We can stand up. Well, we made it. But we're dropping, Mr. Low. We're dropping. That's all right. We... we merely compensate for it by making caches in these sandbags. There. Now... now you see the gradual loss of hydrogen will be compensated for by a gradual loss of sand ballast. We ought to keep it at the same height. Remarkable, young men. Remarkable. Except what happens when all our sand is gone? How do we say? If my calculations are right, we should run out of sand just inside McClellan's line. Yes. And if your calculations are wrong, we'll be captured and shot at by them. Well, young men, I hope you had a first-rate mathematics teacher. Sand's almost gone, Mr. Low. We're getting lower and lower. Look at those trees ahead. Yes. Do you think we're in Union territory? I can't tell. Wait. In those bushes. And soldiers. Are they ours or rebels? Look out. Oh, my gracious, the trees. We're going into the trees. Oh. You're right. We're going into the trees. Oh, my goodness. The trees. We're going into the trees. Oh. You all right, young men? Your head. Looks like a kind of bleeding there. I'm all right. If I just get loose from these branches. All right, you. Come down from there. Keep your hands up. Soldiers. Well, nice to have known you, Mr. Low. Mr. Pogedy. Look. They're in blue. They're Union troops. We're safe. Oh, good enough. Come on, Mr. Pogedy. We've got work to do. We've got to find a telegraph line and fast. You sent for me, General McClellan? Yes. Yes, indeed I did. How are you, Low? Glad to see you. This is Mr. Pogedy, General. The telegraph operator who flew with me the other day. Pleasure to meet you, General. How do you do, sir? Well, gentlemen, I don't mind admitting it. As I told the Secretary of War, the information you brought back the other day meant the difference between victory and disaster. Well, what do you know? We were glad to be of service, sir. And I have a message here from him. Inform Mr. Low, he says, that at the suggestion of President Lincoln, he has just been appointed to the newly created post of Chief of Aeronautics, United States Army. Chief of Aeronautics. That's a fine sound title, sir. Yeah, but there's more. It goes on to say, he will proceed immediately to organize a United States Army Balloon Corps, consisting at first of five balloons and the personnel necessary to operate them in the fields. My congratulations, Mr. Low. And to you, Mr. Pogedy. Well, thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Well, just don't stand there. The Army wants a balloon corps, and being in the Army, it wants it immediately. What are you waiting for? Quite right, General. Come along, Mr. Pogedy. It appears that there's a war to be won, and they need a little assistance from us. Music Thaddeus Low, an almost forgotten pioneer of the air, whose thousands of balloon ascensions, many of them under heavy enemy fire, would prove of tremendous value to the Northern Army. By his enterprise and bravery, Chief Aeronaut Low revolutionized the theory and practice of military observation, and the tiny balloon corps he founded was eventually to grow into the mighty air services with which America safeguards our freedom in the frontiers of the sky. Music Our thanks to Lee Bowman and the Cavalcade players for tonight's story. Fly high, fly low. And now Bill Hamilton speaking for the DuPont Company. In pioneer days, it took nine people working on a farm to produce enough food for themselves and one person in a city. At late of the year 1830, three and a half hours of backbreaking hand labor were necessary to harvest a bushel of grain. Then the Reaper was invented, and other farm machines followed. They were crude by present-day standards, but even so, by 1896, the labor necessary to harvest a bushel of grain was reduced from three and a half hours to ten minutes. A hundred years ago in the textile mills of New England, men, women, and children worked 14 hours a day. Then one improved machine after another followed, the spinning jenny, the cotton gin, and the power loom. The working day dropped to 12 to 10 to eight hours. Not only that, but the work became easier. Today in America, hard manual labor plays a smaller role than it did only a short time ago. Diesels dig our ditches. Electric hoists lift our loads. This is what invention and industry have done for us in a century and a half. Just the length of time the DuPont Company has been in business. For 1952 is DuPont's 150th anniversary. Now we Americans are proud of our technical progress, and we are proud of our social progress, of the laws which mark our social gains, the laws which help us to live better. And that raises an interesting question. Which came first, the laws or the machines? The machines came first. They had to. It is worth remembering that all the legislation, all the government in the world, cannot bring about a single reform until the technical knowledge and progress make it possible. Helping to make many social gains possible is the continuing progress of the American business system, which brings you, among other things, the DuPont Company's better things for better living through chemistry. Music Next week, the DuPont Cavalcade will present The Yankee and the Scales, the story of a dramatic challenge in a man's life and his struggle to turn a dream into reality. Our star, Mark Stevens. Be sure to listen. Music Tonight's DuPont Cavalcade, Fly High, Fly Low, was written by Warner Law and based on material from the book Lost Men of American History by Stuart H. Holbrooke. Original music was composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Voorhees. The program was directed by John Zoller. In tonight's cast, you heard Lee Bowman starring as Thaddeus Lowe. Parker Fennelly was featured as Pogarty. Others in the cast were William Podmore, Melville Rueck, Jimmy Lipton, Bill Adams, Rock Rider, and John Harper. Music Ladies and gentlemen, today more than ever before, the great scientific minds of our country, are hard at work solving the mysteries of cancer. To continue and expand the tremendous research program, money is needed. Join the 1952 Cancer Crusade. Your contributions should go to cancer. Care of your local post office. This is Cy Harris speaking. Music Don't forget next week, our star, Mark Stevens. The DuPont Cavalcade of America comes to you from the Velasco Theater in New York and is sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Applause Next, it's Barry Craig, confidential investigator on NBC. Music
