The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-11-11
Another AerOnant PrecipIJated fro,n
u balloon.

From the Bowling Grocp (Ky) Panta.
graph
10 make their falr successful the
directors OF the Mclean County Fuir
last week advertised grand balloon
ascension. The services of Prof ), d.
Atcheson, daring eronant Of Gin
cinnati, with II large and handsome
balloon, equal to the dimensions of an
ordinary cottage house, We're procured.
Thursday was the day, and 4 o'clock
in the afternoon the hour, for the
grand ascension. The bold Wronant
stepped gracefully toward ana grasped
the trapeze. He WAS cool, calm, col
lected and full Of nerve, rs though en-
.joying the commonJ It everyday pas
time. Ills appearance was quite at
tractlve. He was comparatively
young in years and had the muscular
wiry elasticity of the triumphant
athlete. As he grasped tue trUpeze the
stays were cut and up, up
shot, straight as an arrow,
the air ship, swift and
graceful in fe0thery lightness. AS he
assembled the guy-ropes were dropped,
and on he sped among tumultuous and
deafening shouts OF the people to
whom he waved his hand. Higher
and higher went the balloon amid the
unrestrained enthusiasm of the people.
When she had reached sn altitude OF
nearly half n mile, dense smoke was
seen issuing from the balloon, curling
bluely toward the bluer skies, and the
balloon was discovered to be on fire,
us some thought ii was before it as
oended. Tongues OF red flame would
pierce through and dart from her sides.
She was soon enveloped in flame and
smoke, and instantly collapsed. The
scene now beggared description Down
with the velocity of the eagle came the
RrOnaut Ia ball of fire aud smoke.
The sight was sickening and painful.
The shouts of enthusiasm were changed
into wild walls Of despair Every cheek
was blanched with terror Women
shrieked and screamed and tainted
away; children uttered piercing cries
and ran TO and fro; ola men in groans
and stiiled sobs turned away their gaze
only TO look again and find the terri
bic reality all too real horses riderless
and unnursued in all directions;
men on horses gulloped to the
spot where the unfortunate man
seemed falling. Downward, still
downward with arrow swiftness, came
the Hr0naut, sea of fire Kissing and
roaring above his heAd, and clonds of
smoke enveloping him. His feet struck
against projecting green limb Of a
tree larger than a man'sleg, and ii was
snapped from the body rs though 1t
had been blade of fodder upon corn
STALK, so great was thd force OF the
concession. A second more aud he
struck the ground with such force rs to
make quite an excavation. lie IN |
stantly fell senseless, aud was thought |
by all to have been killed outright, He
was rescued and borne away from un-
der the burning balloon, which was de-
RestoratiVes and proper me-
dicinNl appliances were resorted TO, !
and soon the perilOus voyager through |
air and fire was brought to conscious
ness. His left thigh between the knee
and hip point was shattered to splint-
ers; his other leg was bruised and hurt; |
his right hand was badly lacerated,
and bleeding and painfIl abrasion
on the left temple. Besides
these his breast was mashed in, and it
was thought he had sustained fatal iu-
ternal injuries. He manifested the ut
most GOODNESS and forttuie, and was
taken to the Lucas hotel, of that town,
where he was kindly cared for. lie
was still alive when we left Calhoun
on Friday, though little hopes were en-
tertaned of his recovery.