Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-10-26
Death In the Air.


human heing, which in Il few seconds
was dashed, mangled and bleeding, upon
the earth at my feet L would have
written of it before, but the sight so I'M
strung my nerves that / was rendered
utterly incapable even Of collecting my
thoughts, much less of putting on pa
per deliberate account of the facts in
the case. To see man whom scarcely
minute before l had spoken to as n
friend jerked up into the clouds and
then hurled down again, his hair stream
ing wildly behind him like that of Luci-
fer, hurled over the battlements of
heaven, falling, falling, whirled, doubled
up, and then spread out, his arms apart
as if rushing to embrace death, might
well unstring the strongest nerves, and
when to this are added the agonized
cries of the dying mans wife as she
clutched by arm and shrieked "My
God Ny God, will he die ?" wonder
that even yet, with these things i'll my
mind, / am able to record what | heard
felt, and saw.
You have doubtless received by tele-
graph brief dispatch telling how Pro-
fessor Wilbur, the well-known aeronaut,
fell while attempting to climb into his
balloon and how he was killed, but facts
so meaGre are but an a2gravNtion. ]
will therefore state the affair simply as
it occurred. The Agricultural Associa-
ton of this county had been holding
its annual fair for some days, and no
greater interest attached to it than is COM
monty connected with such exhibitions
of the industrial products OF large and
fourishing community. The farmers
came in their wagons, bringing with
them their wives and daughters, all
dressed in a gorgeous array rs their
circumstances would permit The large
pumpkins and enormous squashes, the
new patent churn and washing-machine,
and the country boys lounging about
and gazing in open-mouthed admiration
of the voluble gentleman who displayed
with all the eloquence of Cicero his
infallible toothache eradicator, received
their due share of attention, and before
long the interest IN the fair was on the
wane. But it had been announced that
ON Saturday, the last day of the exhibit
ton, Professor Wilbur, the great Ameri-
can aeronaut, would make an ascent in
his balloon, rs he had done one week be-
fore at Croydon. 1t is not often that
the inhabitants of Orange County have
an opportunity of witnessing such a
sight, and, curiosity being on tip-toe, it
is not to be wondered Mt that when
Saturday arrived the fair ground was
full almost to suf'ocation, while on the
outside OF the enclosure large crowd
had assembled to witness the flight of
the great ship Of the air. 1t was the
gayest day of the week everybody was
in holiday dress, the girls looked their
prettiest, the farmers their ford, and
the country beans were be-necktied and
invested in colors vying not only with
the rainbow but with the utmost powers
of anohne. The center of attraction
was, of course, the enclosed space where
the balloon was to be inflated, about
which gathered an eager crowd, looking
at everything connected with the expect
ed event, studying the ropes, peering
about to find where the gas was to come
from, and Fostering the amiable pro
lessor with questions as TO how the gas
was made, what made the balloon go up,
and other things of the sort. The pro-
fessor laughed good naturally, explain.
ed as much as possible, and everybody
was Jolly in the anticipation of witness
ing that to them most unusual Of things
Il balloon ascension.
At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon
the initiation OF the balloon was COM
menced, and as the bag swelled out al
most to bursting and struggled to be
free, everybody was on the qa rice,
those remote from the spot straining
their necks, climbing into carriages,
and even upon the fences, to see the
car. 1t had been announced that the
editor of the Orange County Union
would accompany Professor Wilbur in
his ascent, and great things were expect
ed from the report which his well-known
ability as descriptive writer gave every
reason to believe would be forthcoming
in the next issue Of his newspaper. /
was standing beside the professor, laugh
ing and holdinga necessarily disiointed
conversation with him, for he was busy
with preparations for his flight. He
had Just nodded his head and said laugh
ingly, "Well, good-by, old fellow. I'll
see you again soon." Then Mr. Knapp
stepped into the car, and the professor,
who had hold of the rope fastened the car
to the body Of the balloon, shouted
Let go" But he had spoken too
soon and was unable to reach the cart
but still unwisely kept the rope in his
hand and endeavored to climb to his
place, succeeding only so far as to get
one arm over the rim of the basket,
where he hung dangling and struggling.
His motions and the fact that the bas-
ket came in contact with a rope which
had fastened the balloon to the earth
while it was being inflated, upset the
Cur when it was about twenty-five feet
from the ground, and Mr.. Knapp fell
stunned to the ground. But there was
no time for caring for him, for terror
held every body spel-bound. A shout
of admiration went up from those who
were too far distant from the scene to
know that an accident had befallen the
adventures, and who supposed that the
ascent was being made sans conh'etemps.
But to those in the immediate vicinity of
the car the sight was an awful one, and for
moment everybody seemed paralyZed
with terror, and stood rooted to the spot
without uttering cry or word. The
balloon lightened by the fall of Mr..
Knapp, shot upwards with dreadfully
increased velocity, and scream Of
terror which chilled the blood OF the
hearers came down from the upper air,
where the doomed aeronaut hung utter
ly hopeless of escaping death. At my
side stood q woman who. nA | afterwards