The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-06
EXTINCTION IN THE ETHEREAL,
OR DYING ABOVE THE CLOUDS.


BALLOON zESITH-THE SAD STORY TOLD BY
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF TIE MAR
TYRs TO SCIENCE.
Mr. Cation Tissandier, in letter TO the
President OF the Erial Navigation Society.
thus describes the voyage in which the eN-
perienesd ser0nsuts, Capt. Sivel aud Mr.
Crcce-Spineili lost their lives. One OF their
objects was to tTV experiments of the effect
upon human lungs OF an extremely high at
mosphere. MI. Croee-Spinelli also proposed
to continue those spectroscoPic observations
bv which be has already proved thai DO
wstary yapors exist in the suns atmosphere.
NJ TIssander was to snalyys the upper air,
while Capt. Sivel attended to the osilooD;
CIRON (lNDRE1, April 10.
MoNsIEUR-A telegram, sent officially
will have informed you OF the SAD inIsiOr-
tune which has befalien us. Swell and
Crocs-Spiuelh are no more. They sue
cumbed TO aSpbyxia in the high regions o.
the air 10 which we bad ascenOed. 1 Will
relate TO you wbatI kno " OF this sad drama
for dunng two consecutive hours, was ia
5 ssats Of cOmpi6ts uncOnsciousness. The
ascension from the gas works sc La NlIIette
was accomplished tavorably. 81 in the
afternoon We were already at more than hvs
:i41Hsaod yards OF attitude (Pressure 400
:. - isrf Ds sssei air litO the potassium uoes,
.ri. car pulses, measured tue interior tenn
t.-ts Hrs of the balloon, which was more
4si % = l6S Fair }, while the exterior air
we Tess ioaG .. t4l Fenr). Sivel htd
iI5.s1ed tie ear; CrOc9 mad used MS spec
trO=cs5s, and We we're
ALLIN HIGH SPIRITS.
Sivei threw out ballast, and we assembled,
brea hing oxygen, which produced an excel
lent eff.ct. At ID. 2Om. the barometer
marked 820nm.; we were over 1000 yards
high, and the temperature was less than
~ Il arso IL.
1 felt weak, bus inhaled a little of the gas,
which, somewhat revived me. We still as
eended. Sivei turned toward me ard said:
1--WE have large quantity of ballast; shall
throw some ont9" L replied: "Do as you
please" He put the same question to our
friend. who nodded energeticaliy, in
token Of approval. We had five sacks with
Us, each weighing twenty five kilos, aud at
LEAST Jour more were hung OUTSIDE the car.
SveltOok his kHita aud excessively cut
thi es cords. The bags were emptIed, aud
We mounte1 rapidly. All at oncs
found myself 50 feeble that L could
not even turn my head 30 look at
my companions, who, believe, were
seated. desired 10 obtain the oxygen tube,
but could not lit my arm, but my miud
was still quite lucid. had my eyes on TIE
barometer, aud saw the needle pass over
the figure of pressure 200 mm., then 80,
which is went beyond. L wanted t9 eX
claim, ave are st 5000 ysrds!' but my
tongua seemed paratyZsd. All at once my
eyes closed and l tell inert, entirely losing
all recollection. The time was thea about
1880. At I:52 l revived for moment. The
balloon was desceudiDgIapidly. 1 was aoo
30 cut "A sack OF ballast 90 siaclSen the speed,
and 10 write on nay register the following
lines. which | e pS: We are descending.
Temperature @. tl7.6 Fshranheis) an
throwing out ballast. Elevation Sl5. Slve!
and CEoce stu
ISsEysIBLE AT THE Bottom or THE CAR.
Descending very rapidly. I had scarcely
written these lines when a sort OF trembling
TT seized ma, aud sank down faindDg for
the second time. I was conscious of v-O-
lent wisd, lniicsting a very rapid descent.
a lev moments later I felt myself shaken
by the arms, aud recognized CEoce, who had
revived. "fhrOW out ballast" said be, ''we
are going down" But L could hardly open
my eyes, and did nOs notice whether Swell
was aroused. l remember that Croce I'M
fastened Tie sspiraiOr and threw it out, as
well - SONS ballast, extra Wreps, and tue
like. All this is extremely confused
reCOlle cbiOn, which was quickly extln-
pllished for / relSpsed into insensibility
more thoroughly than before, and felt as il
/ WIS going on into an eternal siumbsr.
What happened then? l suppose that the
BALBOA being, llghtened IA in per
meabie as 1t was, ana 49, very
IL.
upper regions At about 3;l5 O'Clock re-
opened my eyes, feeling giddy and weak,
but my consciousness returned. The bal
loon PAS rushing downward with fright!ul
velocity. The car swayed violently from
side to side and descri bed great oscillations.
raised myself on my knees, and pulled my
companions by the arm. "Sivel, CEOceV
cried, trouss yourselves" They were both
SrOucAed down IN the car, with their heads
concealed III their cloaks. sumrnoned az
a., .ls.V.r m han
up. Sivei's fao3 was black, his eyes duh
mouth wids open aud full of blood. Crocs
Spinusiii had MS eyes closed, and bis mouth
biood-ssaiusl also. To relste what occur
red then l. quite beyond my power. l no
tlced Tremendous wind from DeEO"
inward. We were sill st an alitud3 Of
5000 upst,es. There were still la the Cal
two bags OF ballast, which L cast out. SoOI
we neNred the earth, and sought for my
knife in order u cut the attachment OF tin;
anchor, but could not fiHd is. L WAS dis
tracted, and kept calling out: ''Sivel, Swell
.FOrtan ately land cay hand on kuiIe, an'
was enabled to free the grspnel IN uma
The shock OF
TER FALL WAS EXTREMELY VIOLENT.
Tue balloon appeared to hatten itself on
completely, and l thought 1t would 50 re
main Bot there was strong wind, whie
carried is along. The grapnel did not hol
firmly, and toe ear was dragged across 10
fields The dead bodies of my unfortunat
friends were jerked about, and feared q
each rselnent that they would fall out OF 10
car MeanWhile / succeeded in graspin
the cord OF the valve, aud the balloon wa
olekly emptisd, and was finally exhsusts
against a trse. Fhis WAS about O'Clock
GA gsttinS out OF the car was attacked b
a tsVurIsh excitement of the must vioiet
kind. and very soon Tell exhausted, and 81
came H7id. 1 thought tnet was Sbou.
i0in nv companions in tbe next worlc
Nevertheless, gradually recovered IN
senses | examine my poor comrades, an
found them cIlc aud stiff. / had chs
corpses Transported 10 tins she.t
of nsighboriLg farm. soobt
to su ffocation and even yet have not r
covered am 1t CrOn, nsar La Blsn
-. 10, raoatv.a xri- hDun9ls