The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-06

and it was thought the number drowned
would considerably exceed 200. 1t is yet
too early to furnish correct estimate of
the loss of property, but it is immense,
probably exceeding $3,OOO,OOO.
The Styling Man,
The London Daily telegram of the 10th
inst. gives the following account of the
fatal accident to NJ de Groof, the ely
ing Man.: 1t was announced yesterday
that at 7:2O p. m. M. de Groof, the Flying
Man, would repeat at the Cremorne
Gardens his astounding performance of
flying through the air distance of 1000
feet" True to his announcement the
Flying Man did endeavor to repeat the
exploit which he had accomplished in
safety ten days before, and persisted in
the attempt. NJ. de Groof was Belgian,
who had expended years in constructing
for himself an apparatus with which he
believed it possible to initiate the flight
of bird. The general outline of this
apparatus was in imitation of bats
wings, the framework being made of
cane, and the Intervening membranes
of stout waterproof silk. The wings
were in all thirty-seven feet long, with
an average breadth of four feet, while
the tail was eighteen feet by three.
These wings were inserted into two
hinged frames that were attached to a
wooden stand ON which the aeronaut
took his place. Here he had three levers
which he worked by hand to give his
machine propulsion or guidance as might
be required; his theory being that having
started from a given height he could
manage his descent so as to reach the
earth by a sort of inclined swooping
motion, without risk of conclusion.
About year ago NJ. de Groof made an
attempt, OF which our correspondent at
the time telegraphed the particulars,
on the Grand Place at Brussels.
The effort was failure, but
Z H0mme VALIANT, as he was then called,
escaped unhurt, though his network was
afterward torn in pieces by the crowd
On Monday, the goth ultimo, however,
NJ. de Groof repeated his experiment at
Cremorne Gardens with success. Mr..
Baum, the proprietor of the gardens,
had, it seems, after making an engage
ment with him, felt some uneasiness as
to the result, and at first refused to
allow the trial to be made The Flving
Man protected the absolute feasibility
Of his scheme, and insisted on the con-
tract being carried out; and this was
done. The wings and stand were at
tached to balloon guided by MIR. Sim
mons, who, after drifting over London
toward Brandon, in Essex, released his
companion at considerable height = 800
or 900 feet, it is said-and the lying ap-
paratus was Immediately set in motion.
For a time" it is said, lit was a race
between the aeronaut and the flyer, De
Groof winning by two fields lengths, and
attaining the ground in perfect safety"
How the accident occurred last night
cannot be clearly ascertained. The APP
paratus, previous to the descent, seemed
in satisfactory order, and De Groof-
though, according to custom, he took an
atfectionate farewell of his wife-ap-
peared to be fully confident of making
successful ascent. About a quarter to
eight O'Clock the balloon was cut loose,
and rose slowly in the air, bearing with
it the Flying Man and his gear. There
was hardly breath of air, circum-
stance which might have been supposed
to be favorable to the performance of an
aeronautical feat of the kind. Be this
as it may, however, when the balloon
had attained a height of 800 or
400 feet the unfortunate performer
seemed either to mistrust his own powers
or the capability of his apparatus,
for he was heard by the spectators
below shouting to the man in the
balloon to bring him nearer the earth
This request was complied with, and the
balloon descended slowly toward Robert
street, which lies quarter of mile or
SO to the north of Cremorne Gardens,
On approaching st. Luke's Church Mr..
Simmons, the ballOOnist, was heard to
say: You must cut loose now, or you'll
come on the church roof" The answer
was, Yes; let me drop into the church
yard" and these were, no doubt, the last
words DE GrOof uttered. He cut the
rope when about eighty feet from the
ground, but, to the horror of the spec
tators, who must have numbered many
thousands, the apparatus, instead of in
hating with the pressure of the air, col
lapsed, and turning round and round in
Its descent fell with great violence ia
Robert street, yard or two from the
curbstone. Assistance to the unfortunate
man was instantly forthcoming. Al
though still breathing, he was insensible:
but the dispatch with which he was ex-
treated from the wreck of his apparatus
and conveyed to Chelsea Infirmary proved
In valn he never recovered conscious
ness, and on his arrival at the hospital
the surgeons pronounced him dead.
Mime. De Groof, who witnessed her hus-
bands fall, tainted at the sight, and
still more painful scene took place
short time later, at the hospital, when
she learned the whole sad truth. The
apparatus was carried off in shreds by
the crowd before the police could secure
it. From the hospital the body was re-
moved to the dead-house, where it awaits
the Coroner's inquest. It only remains
to add that the balloon, on being freed
from the weight of De Groof and his fy-
ing-machine, scared away over the me-
tropolis in a northerly direction, and at
dark was seen at great height above
Victoria Park, where it was watched with
much interest by large numbers of peo-
pie, who were, Of course, ignorant of the
shocking tragedy in which it had played
part.
A Rat Story.
A LADY living in the country had her
attention drawn one day to some rats in |
an outer room. surrounding a nail which |