Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-10-06
Explosion of Balloon-Fearfnl Disaster

Explosion of Balloon-Fearfnl Disaster
4 balloon Containing Messrs. coe aud Cottman.
two professional eronaur, assembled froR, the fair
,.roands ut Rome, N. Y. on Thursday last. 1t
exploded when about tw" miles high IN the a,r'
and TIE adventures had fearful return TO the
earth The Utica Herald, which records its ac-
count from one of the occupants Of the frail air
ship. says:
The sound accom- panyng the explosion vas
about equivalent to the discharge OF musket. In
about one minute after, the descent was rapid
as to increase the rent Of the texture of the balon
about fifty feet thus lcaVing almost the entire up
per portion of the air vessel open. Ia half inis-
ute after the second rent was discovered there
no. foot of gas in the balloon For nearly half
Il mile, the yoyagers came down at most terrific
speed-feeiing the same en-ation that one expert
enccs in high swing in rapid motion. The silk
and rardage, the balloon aseiilated, caused Il
rattling sund like the rieeingof ship ia storm.
descending hall a mile, the nain portion Of The
balloon WITS thrown side Of the netting. and
caused the air vessel IA sway violently, aud the
basket and passengers were RAJ sed To an even
height with the valve ii the vessel itself. This
m itun was experienced several times. and as of
ten was hr ken hy TIE S.!l-posses>ion Of the zero
nauts IN ciiangin1, THAR position in the ca. Ii
nay this swaying in"ti"a was increased l'y the
voya.crS until they succeeded in torminS pata-
chute If tie remnants OF the balloon, when the
rapid rate Of speed in their descent was measure
b,y Inueded. During the last han nile hri re
reachtng the earth. their rate Of speed was bat Il
trinc m re rapid than that &c the Ordinary Desert
81 well ordered ball'nn.
" ncu ,raeiliGg point within Que hundred feet
oc the tnps at the trees near Pond Knobs in the
Rome Swamr each "f the passengers. having a
sand ag ready to throw oat discharged this
amount # weight md the balloon concNdej it, de-
scent to the ground viii, less speed. The pas~cn-
gers we're suspended some 50 feet in the air. the
Ri ,rl,S OF one of the taest trees in tie Swamp,
"a t|n he balloon spread itself several otiIrr
81 tro. trees. BY g"ud f'rtune Messrs, toc end
n cached terra iirna in safety, after ma.
a . ~ - eful descent from the tree. ArrjyjH.
4 IL -uemp in safety, they part"pk OF refresh
II jaeutsraainng in the car, and gave three entEu-
IA ssc cheers for the fortunate result of their per
81 i,us trip.
Ia A. the moment Of the explosion, Mr.. Co;tman
~ '.s&d Mr.. Coo what wcs IL be done? The ieronant
a assured him HEAT the balloon would come down all
4 i'h except at fearful rate of sTeed. At "nce
lie srafple and ropes thrown unt and AL ;he
extra weghts except the sand-bagS. The "ria!
extursonists were perfectly ca"i, and cUnycrse1
gether during their descent. But for their pres
'''"r OF mind. they would not probably have es-
cared alive, They both assured Us that after the
baIloon formed into parachute. they had not the
slightest fear Of harm. But, for tue few moments
alter the explosion, when the car and the rru-
"'ots Of the balloon were swayins alternately.
'''e each ether, their fears could not wei! be
oppressed.