Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-07-31
A Half Vile Fall--Death of the Fro.
naut LaMOuutain.


Letters from Ionia, Mich. give the follow.
ing report of the fearful and fatal fall of the
Aeronaut La Mountain at that place on the
4th:
The balloon was what is known as a hot
air one, and was simply filled with rarifed
air, and not gas The canvas had somewhat
of worn appearance, as if the worse fol
being filled with heated air too often. AT
the summit, some Is feet, where the canvas
was sewn together, q block some ten or
twelve inches in diameter was fastened, and
through hole in this six guy-ropes were Sc
cured, hanging down over the sides of the
balloon, being at the bottom some seventeen
feet apart, and those were tied to willow
basket by the Professor himself. There
were no ropes running around the balloon
horizontally to keep the guy-ropes from slip
ping, or to prevent the whole thing from
sliding out between the ropes with a gust OF
wind. The ropes were il. no manner fasten-
ed together between the top and the basket.
AS each piece was 100 feet long, it seemed
even to the inexperienced eye, that there
should have been some webbing or network,
at least, over the bag or bulge of the canvas.
1t was also noticed that the ropes were un-
evenly distributed, three or four being in a
comparative cluster, leaving the other
strands far apart.
Everything being in readiness. the words
''let her 60. were given, and the air-ship
dartcd up with great rapidity, while the daI-
certain multitude, who almost brea,hlessly
and in silence watched his flight. Immedi-
ately upon leaving the ground, the mouth
Of the canvas began to flap around with
great violence. When fully half-milc from
the earth, and when the whole structure look
ed no larger than hogshead, the balloon
slipped between the ropes, and was instant
ly inverted. The car and its occupant drop
ped like shot, when the ropes were pulled
taut, the round piece of wood before alluded
to was torn from the canvas. With the
most terrific velocity, the unfortunate man
descended clinging to the basket. That he
was conscious was evident from his strug-
giles. With all the intensity of life, with
but one chance, he strOve to raise the basket
above him, evidently hoping to use it as a
parachut. He succeeded in his object, but
when about 100 feet high he loosed his hold,
folded his hands and arms before his face,
and his feet first struck the ground with Il
dull, heavy thub. Then ensued panic and
uproar in the crowded multitude which is in
describable. Women tainted, strong men
wept, and to add to the confusion, the can
vas came tapping over the crowd like huge
bird. Some one cried out to get from the
way, as it would fall with crushing force
Then the cry was taken up, and a general
rush was made for safety, in which many
were more or less injured. LaMountain's S
body struck with such Il terrible thug that it
Jared the ground for fifty rods around, and
made an indention in the solid ground eight
inches in depth. The body was crushed to
literal pulp. Not a sign or motion of life
was visible when he was reached. A medi-
Cal examination disclosed the fact that hardly
a whole bone was left. Many were ground
and splintered to powder. His jaws fell up
on his arms and were pulyerized; the blood
spurted from his mouth and ears.
The corpse was laid out upon, the public
square, where it was viewed by thousands
during the afternoon, and was sent to his
home the following day. The Professor is
brother of the celebrated eronaut who died
two or three years ago. This ones name
was Edward LaMountain. He was a jeweler
by trade, and lived in Brooklyn, in this State.
He had said just before he went up 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 ten days.