New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-13
THE BALLOON COLLAPSE.
A GREAT BUBBLE PRICKED.

BALLOON OF THE FUTURE.
Transatlantic balloOning as represented in
che monstrous sir-ship The Daily Graphic" collapsed
yesterday afternoon, at the CapitOlne Grounds, in
Brooklyn. The accident occurred when the initiation
proceeding prOsperousy, and there seemed good
prospect that at last the muchbruted ascension would
take place The great multitude at the grounds drawn
together by the repeated and emphatic assurances WHOM
had made that at last the long trumpeted enter
PRISE would reach successful issue, and by tine news
the increasing bulk of the great globe as 1t expanded
hour after hour with the volume Of gas Ola not IN spite
Of the serenity and quiet OF the day, manesta hVey
faith that the departure OF aSronauts was near 30
the fan OF the and ruined balloon was not gener
ally received bitter disappointment by people pre-
pared by previous mshaps and fortified in their IN
credulity The dissensions among the men connected
with the enterprise and the damaging statements Of
Prof Wise in regard worth and strength Of the
balloon had lowered the popular estimation OF an ex-
pertinent which seemed to the majority to be vtiated
by much effort at money making, as wen as by its
apparent foohardness.
On Thursday evening the netting spread over the
sack readiness for imitation. The vanished sheetng
which the sack lay in plas brought together In
two long rectangular ridges with the center line upper
most that when the gas entered the neck it would 90
through the entire length and lift it without disarrange
ment The of the balloon was raised by rope
passing crosspoles that the might elevate
that first and weights lay the paits to insure
the filing of all the parts in proper order The Signal
Service predicted for Friday fresh to brisk
southeast TO southwest Winds rising temperature, and
partly cloudy weather. AT 1880 O'Clock, yesterday morn
ing few thousand feet of gas let into the balloon
TO aid in arranging the netting aud to elevate the upper
part At o'clock superintendent Benson Of the Nassau
Gaslight Company came and ten minutes later the gen
era imitation began under the superintendent OF Mr..
Steiner of Albany, who had been engaged 70 take
charge OF the work OF filing the balloon, and Mr. Donald
About $4,000 feet Of gas had been stored and it
mad IN, . ri foo HON Uhanf M
swelling of canvas its Enclosure OF netting, had
reached hight of 20 feet, saDdbaEs fastened TO
the netting all sides to regulate the rise.
BY O'Clock moro than q quarter Of the
quIred quantity OF gas mad been put in. and it was
estimated that the imitation might be completed by 3
IN the afternoon. This announcement was spread
throughout EewYork and Brooklyn and the favorable
weather with the steady expansion of the swelling sack
of the balloon infused hope in the minds OF those who
had lost heart and shook the doubts OF the skepcs 1t
had been decided Thursday TO abandon the lower
part Of the and Donaldson's paper canoe, and 10
rely upon upper portion Of the and upon the life
boat Chicago" which is % feet inches long, with
breadth Of of feet and 10 inches and depth Of
feet inches The boat and its equipment weighed 400
pounds the provisions be taken 500 pounds the drag
rope and guy rope $50 pounds the scientific outfit rs
pounds water ballast 800 pounds; and ballast, 1000
pounds; while the balloon and netting weighed
5000 pounds sundy articles and margin 990 pounds
allowed making total OF 1880 pounds. II was
proposed to put 100000 feet Of IN the balloon The
sustaining power Of the gas computed by Mr. Don
ALLISON at 45 pounds to thousand feet 80 that 200
feet would sustain 1900 pounds. Mr.. Steiner and
others put the sustaining power of the gas at 40 or
pounds per 1000 feet Probably then. some Of the bal
last which 1t proposed TO carry would have been
necessarily left behind In the event Of start Four
thousand OF the 1000 pounds OF sand ballast in
I7Spound bags and the rest in % pound bags Early In
morning the fe-boat ngged with strong stays
and aYta limo
packed the articles which were TO be taken in the air
voyage.
SHOW OF PREPARATION
At O'Clock $50 men busy about the balloon.
changing sandbags upon the netting as the balloon
rose and holding down the rising The grounds
were visited by many in the forenoon, and after mid
day the throng hourly till the approaches were
choked up and the great rope within which was the
balloon surrounded by deepset host OF expectant
observers Among the thousands assembled the great
majority Of respectable character and not few
notable persons OF New-Yorh and Brooklyn pres
emit With good representation of ladies. The tent lin
which, previous days, the Accomplishments OF the
balloon trip had displayed now barc tof inter
est as all noteworthy articles (which had been dis
played edAcston Of so many thousands, and to
the profit Of the ipropretors OF this "scientc enter
prise~ had been taken out. Two hundred policemen
kent order and secured the charmed circle wherein
was the center Of attraction, from the intrusion
OF even ubiquitous reporters. Charles NJ GoodseH OF
the firm Goodsen Bros propr1etors OF the balloon,
was the ringmaster and gave the orders while Mr..
steiner attended all the practical details OF the na
ton Mr.. Donaldson moved nervously about aiding in
the preparations About O'Clock he mounted upon the
prov OF the lifeboat, which placed trucks,
and took an attitude "like the herald Mercury new
lighted on q heaven.kissing HILL" while a photograph
was made by a Brooklyn firm These photographs I'M
fortunately were OF finished time for sale before the
collapse Of the balloon The theory the grounds vas
that the photographer had not kept his engagement
promptly.
At O'Clock Mr. Steiner stated TO TRIBUNE reporter
that the balloon about 26O feet Of gas that
the imitation was proceeding smoothly, and would be
nshed by O'Clock except In the event Of an accident
The capacity OF the balloD he said, was 6Ooo cubic
feet but not than 5000 TO be put In as that
amount would prove sufficient in sustaining power
The strain Of filing the balloon to Its full capacity
would much for its strength though ne was con-
vinced from his experience in trials and from the way
In which had borne the handling had received that
twas very strong for cotton balloon he had said
days before that the material must be rotten from
exposure but he had found himself mistaken. The en-
velope was sti sound and remarkably impervtous
account Of the great amount OF varnish laid on It,
The varnish added excessive weight and had been
unsllfuly applied 1t had been smeared on thickly,
and made the balloon too heavy. Though the cotton
sack had not rotted the netting considerably rot
ten. II had broken In many places when the weights
were attached.
THE CAPTAIN or THE CREW HRsrArEs.
Although the hour set for the start was now 30 near
n was impossible TO ind out with certainty who were
"a start Prof Wise came the grounds about 1
O'Clock Upon his entry. he asked intended to
eoup He replied in q manner expressive Of doubt
Accompanied by his son. Chas K Wise, he went to the
orcle into which by orders of the Messrs Goodsell
his son was not admitted Charles E. Wise formerly
hsn enovea by the propretors of the balloon IN con.