Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-05-19

An Account Of the Late Fatal Ascension a,
Paris,

balloon ZENITH, when TWO OF the
acronauts died of asphyxa, and the third
returned to the earth half dead. Fuller
accounts of the affair reach us by mail,
and we have the following from the
Paris papers,:
The list, already SO long, of victims to
science, now contains two more names.
M. Croce-Spinelli and NJ Sivel, the in
trepid natural philosophers, who under
took yesterday, q scientific ascension
with NJ CASTOR Tissander, have perish
ed in the course of their dangerous voy-
age. The object of the ascension of the
balloon, ''Zenith" was the study of the
high regions of the air, and the savans
who went up in it were resolved to 20
as high as possible-beyond the highest
elevation attained by any of their prede-
cessors-to study the chemical and ply
steal composition of those re-
gions of the atmosphere situa-
ted seven or eight thousand me-
tres above the earth. In undertaking
these studies they were not ignorant Of
the dangers to which they would be ex-
posed. They knew that at 5, 800 metres
the air is no longer fit for respiration
that even birds cannot live in an at1nos-
phere so rarifed as to be untitled for
the aerifcation of the blood; they knew
against how many difficulties they had
themselves contended in former ascen-
sion, and at the price of what fatigues
they had the first time escaped the
death which they were about to face
anew. But these considerations were
not sufficient to deter them, aud they
departed.
The unhappy men sought to struggle
against death by artificial processes. TO
resist the mortal effects of the irrespir-
able air, the intrepid Swans had taken
with them some little balloons full Of
oxygen gas, according to the sugges-
tons of DR.. Paul Bert. At the altitude
Of 5, 500 metres this gas, becoming more
and more rarifed in the atmosphere,
they would have recourse to an artificial
respiration. Then, said they before
their departure, they would give them
selves up to their venturesome expert
ences; then they would study the COM
position Of an air which would stife
them, which no living being had ever
risked before them; then they would
examine, as far as possible, each
other, in order to know how
many pulsations their hearts, beat
ing a mad dance, attained to in
a minute, and to notice to- what degree
Of stupidity they descended in raising
themselves to these deadly regions; for,
at the height of more than 7, 900 metres,
one not only dies, but before death be-
comes stupefed. They would be oblig-
ed, in order not to succumb, to breathe
by means of slender pipes, oxy gen con-
tanned in fragile bags of gold heaters
skin. 1t was owing to this apparatus
that they would be able voluntarily to
allow themselves to become stupefed,
then to arouse themselves at will from
this torpor of the upper air; to allow
Themselves to go to the verge Of Sitting,
then to breathe again, and thus, after a
fashion, to play with death.
At II 80 o'clock in the morning of the
10th of April the 'Zenith assembled
from the gas mandatory of Vilette. A
favorable wind took them in southerly
direction, and they arose rapidly. Ten
minutes after their departure from
Vilette the GO Zenith disappeared in a
thick fog. After that nothing was
heard of them; but upon the 18th
of the month some travellers arriv-
ing in Paris from Indre spread the news
that the aeronauts had fallen victims to
an accident Afterward the Aerial Nav
igation Society received the following
dispatch:
Set out from Paris at 1885. The balloon
arose to height of 5000 metres, at which the
two companions of NJ. Tissander were stiffed.
1t was noon. The descent was only effected
at o'clock, at a distance Of two kilometres
from Ciron Department of Indre), upon one
of the farms of NJ. d'Aubeigne. The bodies
were placed at the house Of N. d'Aubeigne.
Certified as correct, according to information
received on the spot. EMILE OUZEAUx.
At the same tins the Project of Po-
lice received from the Project OF the
Department of Indre a telegram an
nouncing the fall of the balloon, carry
ing in it's basket the bodies of MN.
Sivel and Croce-Spinneli, smothered,
and of M. Castor Tisssandier, insensi
BILE, but living, and whom the efforts
made had soon restored to conscious
ness. What is the cause of the death OF
these two voyagers? We are reduced to
conjectures in regard thereto. Per-
able to make use of the provision of pure
oxygen which they carried with them,
according to the advice of M. Paul
Bert. Perhaps the gas Of the balloon,
expanded by the sun, escaped by the
opening below, enveloping in it's cur
rent and poisoning the observers who
were in the basket Immediately below
the opening, and who were powerless tc
prevent the escape. This last hypothe
sis will appear very probable by consid
ering that the balloon was very full al
it's departure, and that M. Sivel, an ex
perienced person, had himself com
planned OF this superabundancc of gas
but we must await more ample informa
ton in order to be settled upon this
point.
Diamonds from Sugar.
A French chemist has so far succeed
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diamonds, if not colorless ones, from
sugar. He has already obtained car
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