The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-12

Full DEATH OF LA MoUNTAIN.-The Chi
oago Tribune has despatch from Ionia,
Michigan, giving an account OF the death
by the collapse OF his balloon OF Tia
Mountain. at that place, on the 4th OF
July. He was brother Of the celebrated
La Mountain, who, it will be. remem-
lered, was very successful oeronaut, in
the employment of the Government dur
ing tue war in observing from q balloon
the movement of the Confederate forces.
His balloon was what was known as hot
air one, and was simply filled with rari-
fed air. and not gas. The canvas had
somewhat OF worn appearance, Us if the
worse Tor being filled with heated air too
often. At the summit, where the canvas
was sown together, block some ten or
twelve inches in diameter was fastened,
and through Il hole in this, six ropes
were secured, hanging down over the
sides of the balloon, being ut the bottom
some seventeen feet apart, and these
were tied to the basket by the professor
himself. There were no ropes running
around the balloon horizontally to keep
the guy-ropes from slipping. or to pre-
vent the whole thing from sliding out
between the ropes with gust of wind.
At 355 P. Nj, the professor stepped into
the basket, and the balloon took shoot
up almost perpendicularly, with the pro.
lessor swinging his hat to the crowd, all
apparently enjoying the sight. In few
moments more, however, the mouth of
the balloon was observed to wave about
two or three times, then to pass between
the ropes, careeniug over ou the side,
when the ropes broke out from their fast.
ening OF the top, and the fall commenced
LA Mountain was noticed to be nppa-
rently making some efforts to get The
basket above him, aud if possible to
break the fall, but after the hrst strng-
gle he fell 80 rapidly that nothing coul,,
be distinguished but the falling body,
his hat coming after him, about 100 feet
or more behind, the old canvas, nearly
collapsed, falling down gradually. The
body struck tho ground half dozen feet
from the Northwest corner OF the Jail
building. It struck with such terrible
thud that it Jared the ground for fifty
rods around, and made an indention in
the solid ground eight inches in depth.
There was soafoely bone in the whole
body not broken into fragments. It was
| as limp as rag. There were very few
fractures of the skin, except the right
foot, the bone of the right leg being
driven through the bottom of the foot.
The professor is brother of the cele
brated ,eronaut who died two or three
years ago. This ones name was Edward
La Mountain. He was jeweler by
trade, and lived at Brooklyn, N. Y. H.
had said just before he went up, that lie
wished to take the train for home as soon
as possible after coming down, as his
wife was very sick. He himself had moi
had his clothes off for ton days. There
were from 10000 to $4,000 people who
witnessed this horrible ira gedy. lie
was seen by people four miles from the
city, at an angle OF thirty. five degrees
The best estimates make the height
from which be fell from 1000 to l, SOC
feet Those who were on the hill back
OF the town said the strangest sight wa:
to witness the people swaying back anc
forward like field of wheat moved by
the wind.