Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-10-13
BALLOON FATALITIES.

BALLOON FATALITIES.
The recent unfortunate and probably fatal
balloon ascension of Mr.. Thurston, which has
created such painful interest throughout the
country, has also brought ont, through the
columns of the Newspaper press, many scraps
OF history connected with balloon travelling.
The Providence Journal has complied quite a
list of fatilities, and adds that it does not
know of one distinguished eronaut that has
not met with violent death by means of 4
balloon
Among the first who commenced these voy-
ages were VI. Pilatre and N. Romin, of France.
They made ascent from Boulogne, June
10, 1885, with Montgolfer Balloon, fire be-
ing kindlcd underneath, and the balloon as
cending by means OF rarefed air. At an
amazing height the balloon took fire, burned
the cords by which the car WAS suspended, and
the unhappy occupants were precipitated 10
the earth, dashing them to pieces in 4 manner
too shocking to mention.
NJ. Zambeccarri, accompanied by friend,
made an ascent from the same place, Sept. >,
1872. On his decent, the balloon became en-
tangled in the branches of high tree, and
ere it could be disengaged, caught fire. The
;eronants, lcaped ont. Zambeccari was killed
on the spot, and NJ. Bonoga survived but a
short time.
About the same time mechanician, named
Bittort, asccnded from Mannheim At con
siderable height, he preceired too late that
his vehicle was damaged. He opened the
valve, descended with great velocity, and was
dashed in pieces against a house.
Madame Blanchard ascended from TivoH,
July Sth, 1919, during the progress of fefe
there. At the height of four hundred feet,
her balloon caught fire. She was precipitated
upon the pavement and instantly killed.
Mr.. Harris very experienced s,ronaut, was
killed May 9th, 1924. He went up from
City road, London. At the height of two
miles, he commenced to descend very rapidly,
vas precipitated to the earth and dashed to
pieces.
4 Mr.. Green ascended from Cardiff, July
l4th 1919. His body was found some time
after, on the FlatHou shoals, in the centre
of Bristol Channel.
NJ. Arban, celebrated French aronant, as
cended from Barcelona, in Sept, 1913. Moth |
ing was heard of him till the middle of No |
vember, when his body was found near Rosas !
Lieut.. Gale ascended from the Hippodrome |
Of Fincennes, on Sunday, Sep. Sth, 1850. |
Some days subsequently,, the body found |
n ciump of ferns, his limbs broken and |
nutilated, the face completely eaten away by |
logs and other Wild animals. He had previ- /
ously met with several narrow escapes.
James Goulston made an ascent in the eve
ling from the Bellevue Gardens, June I'd, 1852.
The Balloon was new one. forty feet high,
hirty three feet in diameter, holding twenty
hree thousand cubic feet of gas. 1t being
loudy at the time, the car was lost to view in
wo minutes. He fell from his vehicle in at
empting TO descend at the town of Lees a
considerable quantity of blood and brains,
battered over a wall, marked the spot where
le struck the earth
Mr.. Knight ascended from Bombay, Decem-
'er 14th, 1852. in the presence of large con-
curse of natives, amongst whom was the
saiah Of Oar, who promised the feronaut two
hundred rupees, If it went up and came douca a.
ain. Cf which the Rajah seem to entertain
reat doubts. Tile balloon travelled straight
ut to sea, and Mr.. Knight has not since been
card from.
In September, 1851, ". Merle and CON-
anion were carried of by balloon that broke
rom its moorngs. They assembled to such
eight that Merle was frozen to death, and the
ther descended in the greatest peril.
Mr. Timothy Winchester made an ascent
rom Norfolk, Ohio, in August, 1855, starting
q good spirits, and amid the cheers of large
oncourse of people, since lrhich time he has
OF been heard from. He may have gone on an
NcursIon to the North Star, as the last seen
+ him he was passing rapidly over Lake Erie