The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-07-29
THE MISSING AERONAUTS.

THE MISSING AERONAUTs.
Eothing Heard from Donaldson or Grim
wood-Belief That They Perished in Lake
Michigan.
GFrom the Chicago Journal, 19th.l
The last lingering hope 10 which the
friends of Donaldson and GTimwood
have cluug so earnestly, despite the stern
facts which almost forbade hope, has
died away, and the two must now be
given up for lost. For four days we
have been listening intently to every
click of the telegraph, anNiously inquir-
ing of every incoming vessel, assid-
uously hunting down every rumor, no
matter how idle, and tenaciously cherish
ing every theory of safety and deliver
ance to them, only to be confronted at
last with the sorrowful reality which
must now, we fear, be acknowledged as
such, that they met their death in the
terrific hurricane of Thursday night,
and are buried beneath the waters of
the lake. Exactly how they met their
doom il is impossible that we should
ever know. Undoubtedly in the storm,
which frail airship like the one which
carried them could by no possibility
Withstand. But how lorg and desper-
ately they SD ugsled for lie, bow they
cheered each other SO long as they re
manned together in the basEeS in
which they We're borne on their
journey, bow they recalled their
friends on the land, and regretted
the venturesome spirit that induced
them TO take their lives In their
hands and go out on such
re.ilous journey, are all matters
of the merest conjecture. The balloon,
caught in the gale, d,iven btther and
thither like desperate creature gone
mad, could not have made long resist
ance. When that became useless to
them, either by being torn in pieces or
being cut loose by themselves, it left the
two men engaged in fearfully unequal
struggle for life hard and valiant
struggle no doubt it was against wind
and wave. They could hear only the
ihunderiLgs of the storm and the
screaming ard kissing of the waters
they saw only The vivid flashes of the
lightning and the foaming heads of the
waves. The wilGness of such scene
can only be imagined. The struggle
could not have continued long-the odds
were too great.
There IS good cause to believe that for
some reason or other, Donaldson intend
ed, before star, ing Oh CHS last fa5al trip,
to attempt a voyage across The lake.
Whether it was because he had been up
braided for not making a more sensa-
honal tip on the previous day, as is Cir
crlmstantially asserted, is unknown. But
if he ouly contemplate an ascent simi-
lar 20 that of Wednesday, why was it
that he insisted that only one of the
newspaper men should accompany him?
Two we're intending to go; they were
actually in the car, but at the last mo-
ment one was compelled to get out and
remain behind. They had 900 pounds
of sand, $50 pounds of which might
have been left and another passen-
ger taken, had the aeronant not
been intent on making an unusual
performance But of that intent his COM
panion, Grimwood, and his friends had
no knowledge. He and they only knew
that the day before four newspaper men
went up, remained an hour or two
and descended in safety. There was
apparently no reason why this should
not be repeated with the same results.
And it was with this expectation, and
in no spirit of recklessness, and with no
I thought that any unusual feat was to be
attempted, that Grimwood was induced
to go on this journey of disaster and
death. However unjust this was to Grim
wood, poor Donaldson, SO far as he was
responsible, is rs far beyond the reach
| -, H. Il
calling the resolution made in Ignorance
of facts which should have been divulged
to him.
[From the Chicago Journal, July 21.l
To the universal inquiry Have you
heard from the balloon 2" there is the
the day before and every day since it went
out of sight. Nothing has been seen or
heard that throws any light ON its fate. If
seems most extraordinary that if it went
into the lake, as is now the almost uni
versal opinion in Chicago, no certain
traces of it or the men who were in it
have been discovered. AS one of the
lake men remarked this morning, the
vessels that have gone out from and
come into Chicago and other ports dur
ing the last six days bave been SO nu-
merous that every square mile of the
surface of Lake Michigan has been
crossed again and again. And yet
| with the exception of the re-
ports, which were not verified by any
, tangible evidence, of three boats which
reached this port on last Sunday, not a
relic or trace of balloon or men has been
! Tlo.n who hox-a ha1l 10 fha
opinion that they got over the lake and
went into the wilderness, find their hopes
of the men ever being seen alive fast Civ
ing way, too. For if they came down
in the forest they have certainly not YET
succeeded in finding civilization, while
exposure and hunger must by this time
have told upon them fearfully, if indeed
they have lived so long. If there was
any hope of their being restored yester
. day, it is less to-day. But it would be
3 an intense relief to suffering friends tc
l have some certain indication of theil
Q fate 1t is curious to note the flying
rumors, and especially of balloons
l being seen flying through the al
4 in one direction and another IL
various parts of the county. No persoI
, can be found on the street but has eithe
lately seen balloon in the air himself O
n seen some one who has. For instance
= a balloon was plainly seen going over tn
: city in q southeasterly direction yester
day morning. From various, points il
Indiana there are similar reports of flying
balloons.
: 1t may be that the balloon reported a
e having been seen at several points in tn
: air is the one sought, and that it is wan
$ dering through the air with the bodies O
the men, who may have died from escap
( ing gas or from exposure.