Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-07-21
A TERRIBLE FALL.
DETAILS OF THE AWFUL DEATH OF l.

DETAILS OF THE AWFUL DEATH OF LA
MOUNTAIN, THE BALLooNIsT.
The following extract is from the
Grand Rapids, Mich, Eagle of July 5:
1.-The balloon was one of the hot-air
kind, intended to rise by the we'll known
upward pressure Of the heated air con-
fined, until, cooling in the upper rarefed |
atmosphere, it gradually descends. 1t
is thought by some that the renowned |
La Mountain would not, after all his
great experience, have been likely to use
this inferior means of ascension But.
as there is no gas at Iona, it was imprac-
ticable for him or any one to use any
other than hot-air balloon. At fifteen
minutes before four o'clock the sack
was supposed to be properly inflated,
and at that moment the tether was cut,
and up it flew from the assembled null
titude
The sack of this fatal air-vessel was
about one-third or one-fourth larger
than the one of the same kind which
recently made two ascensions in this
city. 1t probably held about 10000
feet of air. The form was, as usual,
oval, except where it closes to a point
Of hn
was capped by wooden hub, supposed
to be fixed there, and perforated by
three holes, through which ran the
three suspension cords of the basket,
crossing each other and coming down
and around and beneath the sack. FORM
ing six ends. To these the basket con-
tanning the aeronaut was suspended.
There was no netting, such as always
sized gas balloon, or the accident result
ing thus horribly could not, probably.
have occurred. There was but little
wind at the time, and the balloon arose
|
directly upward. remaining right over
the courthouse square whence it started,
appearing. of course, to diminish in size,
till it was judged, by that appearance
and the rate of its upward movement,
to be 5000 feet high. The shouts had
ceased, and 10000 upturued faces watch
ed the diminishing object intently when
the basket was seen to separate from
the sack, which hung and wavered about
in one spot for half minute or SO, while
the basket and the man were shooting
downward with the velocity of a cannon
shot
As the vast throng of witnesses COM
pretended the frightful tragic spectacle,
thrill of intense horror spread through
them, as from among them issued one
wide spread suppressed groan of agony,
for all seemed too horror stricken to
shrek. Of course, there was no such
length of time in the downward flying
of the devoted man as the reader has
occupied reading these last few lines
describing it. From the instant of the
disaster to the balloon till he struck the
ground. the time was not probably more
than fifteen seconds, as measured off on
the watch dial by the second hand. Al
height of five or six hundred feet from
the earth, the unfortunate man got sep
arated from the basket-in fact, it ap
peared as if he leaped from it intention
ally. This certainly made no difference
as to the fatality of the fall. The con
e cussion must have killed him just al
quickly had he struck the earth with
the basket beneath him. Wonderful
as it may seem, from the time he sprans
S from the basket his position in the ali
D remained erect, feet down, till he struck
Notwithstanding the greater weight o
the head and body, which causes mos
human bodies, to turn and fall heat
. first. 1t is possible he had acquired
n faculty of controlling his position in tn
! air by athletic force. Perhaps in tn
hurried thoughts of despair he fancie,
he might, by striking feet down, b
spared from death.
But the understandable swiftness of hi
:, descent must have knocked the breat
out of him, even had he struck upon
newly -made haystack. Many peobl
declare that they saw such movement
% in his limbs and even expressions i
i his face as showed him to be alive an
y conscious until he struck. But this
y considered by the greater number t
IL have been entirely improbable. Hi
shooting through space with such ligh
e, ning-like swiftness deprived him of a
ID breath and sense of life, undoubtedl,
is while part way down. Indeed, it
hardly possible that he intentionly juml
ed from the basket. 1t is more likel
~ he fell from it when he had no longt
y any power to hold on to it. With tie
- = rifle violence he crashed upon the eartl
~ =, feet down, his legs driven up into h
- body, and all but his head being instan
- ly mashed into a sickening, quiverin
y mass Of squirting blood, protruding bone
and dropping flesh. His feet strut