Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-07-19
Terrible Accident.

B,LLooNrNG WITH Hot AIR-Fight-
ful Death of La MOuntain.-The Chi
caso Tribune has dispatch from lonla'
Michigan, giving all account OF the
death by the collapse of his balloon OF q,
La Mountain, at that place, on the Attn
of July. He was brother of the cele-
brated La Mountain, who, it will be
remembered, was a very successful zero
naut in the employment Of the govern
ment during the war in observing from
q balloon the movements Of the Conted-
crate forces. His balloon was what is
known as hot-air one, and was simply
filled with rarifed air, and gas. The
canvas had somewhat Of worn appear
ance, as if the worse for being filled
with heated air too often. AT the sum-
NIT, where the canvas was sown togeth-
er, a block some ten or twelve inches IN
diameter was fastened, and through a
hole in this six guy-ropes were secured,
hanging down over the sides OF the bal
loon, being at the bottom some seven
teen feet apart, and these were tied to
the basket by the professor himself.
There were ropes running around the
balloon horizontally to keep the guy
ropes from slipping, or to prevent the
whole thing from sliding out between
the ropes with gust Of wind. AT 800
p. NJ. the professor stepped into the
basket, and the balloon took a shoot up
almost perpendicularly, with the profes-
sor swinging his hat to the crowd, all
apparently enjoying the sight. In a
few moments more, however,the mouth
of the balloon was observed to move
about two OF three times, then to pass
through the ropes, careening over on
the side, when the ropes broke out from
their fastening at the top, and the fail
commenced. La Mountain was noticed
to be apparently making some efforts to
break the fall, but arter the first struggle
he fell so rapidly that nothing could be
distinguished, but the falling body, his
hat coming after him, about 100 feet or
more behind, the old canvas, nearly col
lapsed, falling down gradually. The
body struck the ground half a dozen
feet from the northwest corner OF the
Jail building. 1t struck with such a
thud that it Jared the ground for hfty
rods around, and made an indention in
the solid ground eight inches in depth.
There was scarcely bone in the whole
body not broken into fragments. 1t
was as limp as a rag. There were very
few fractures of the skin, except the
right foot, the bone of the right leg be-
ing driven through the bottom OF the
foot.
The body was laid out on couch, a
circle formed, and procession OF all
who wished to view the remains passed
around. The professor is brother OF
the celebrated eronaut who died Two or
three wears ago. This ones name was
Edward La Mountain. He was a jew
eller by trade, and lived in Brooklyn
NY. He had said just before he went
mn that he wished to take the train for
home as soon as possible after coming
down. as his wife was very sick. He
himself had not had his clothes off for
ton davs There were from 10000 to
12 900 people who witnessed this horri-
bIe tragedy. He was seen by people
fonr miles from the city at an angle of
tb;rtv-fye degrees The best estimates
make the height from which he fell
from ! 600 to 1900 feet. Those who
were on the hill back of the town said
the strangest sight was to witness the
neople swaying backward and forward
Ike a field of wheat moved by the wind.