The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-10-30
THE SAN FRANCISCO BALLOON AC4
CIDENT,

ClDENTs
Ascend In an Overloaded Air.Ship,
which IL Dashed Against Chimneys,
TELEGRAPH Wires and Buildings
The Occupants Thrown Out and
Killed.
Yesterday was windy day; a strong
west wind came In over the western
hills, driving the dust about the streets
and whistlfng around corners, and
many of the large crowd which congre-
gated at WOodward's thought the aerial
trip advertised by Professor Colgrove,
a gentleman who has made seven as
tensions from the gardens during the
past summer, would be postponed un-
til a more favorable time. The vi
cious wind, however, seemed not to
cause any apprehension on the part
OF the aeronaut, and shortly after
noon the monster balloon General
Grant" was brought out into the open
space near the animal dens, and in the
presence of the crowd the filling began.
Professor Colgrove was present, appar-
emily entertaining no intention of ADAM
doning the trip, directing the Initiating
process, which was in charge of Thom-
as Abbott, and conversing with those
inside, the Enclosure. 1t had been an
noumced that a young man employed by
Wells, Fargo & Co.'s bank would ac-
company the aeronaut, but an hour be-
fore the ascension he backed out, and it
became necessary to provide substi-
tute. Professor Martin, the well-known
balloonist, was one of the many pres.
ent, and at this stage of the proceed
ings, and owing to the wind, he advised
Colgrove not to attempt the trip,
prophesying an accident if he did.
Colgrove, however, refused to. enter
tain the idea, and it was finally arranged
that Charles II. Williams, the manager of
the Gardens, who was present, should go
with him in lieu of the passenger first
proposed. All Mr.. Williams friends
opposed this, as he was a heavy, stout
man, weighing fully two hundred
pounds. and should not run the risk.
When Williams informed Mr.. Abbott
that he was going, the latter told him,
in joking manner, that he had better
leave part Of himself on the ground.
Williams replied jocularly: mo, l am
going to take all of myself up" AL
though Mr. Williams had arranged for
a large number of ascensions from the
gardens, he had never before contem-
plated trip himself, and, while the
preparations were being made, he re-
marked to newspaper man in the
crowd: @'You ought to give this an
extra dash tomorrow on my account. -
This was about the last remark he
made, and in few moments after
Colgrove stepped into the basket and
called for his companion.
At this time, about fifteen minutes to
four o'clock, the wind was blowing a
gale, and the balloon, which is the
largest air-ship ever on this coast, was
swaying violently to and fro in the effort
to release itself from the ropes which
bound it to the earth. Williams stepped
into the basket. An instant before
Colgroye gave the word to cut The air.
ship loose, he was seen to make mo-
ton as though to step out, but the ropes
were suddenly released, and the bal
loon mounted into the air. 1t seemed
at once to every one in the crowd that
it was too heavily freighted, and, al
though it rapidly shot about $50 feet
above the ground, it did not do
so as quickly as usual. From
this distance the balloon rose slow
ly to perhaps 800 feet, when, be.
ing overloaded, it began slowly to
sink. At the moment of reaching
the highest altitude it was struck by the
strong southwest current and moved of
slowly in southeasterly direction, all
the while gradually descending. From
this time until the men were thrown
from the basket no one upon the ground
in the gardens could see the balloon.
Henry Ohnimus, the proprietor of the
candy-store in the amphitheater, was
standing in the door of the pavilion at
this time, and saw the .air-ship from the
moment it left the gardens until the
accident. His story is to the effect that
as soon as the balloon began to descend
he was conscious that a terrible acct.
dent would happen, and, therefore,
from his elevated position he watched
it closely. .f .t. a.
It passed over Mission street at q
height Of about one hundred and fifty
feet, and by the time Howard street
was reached it had descended so neal
the earth that it struck the telegraph
wires on the left side of that street, be.
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth, vic.
lently. The contact was made between
the gas-bag and the basket. For mo.
ment the balloon remained in this posi-
ton, spinning around rapidly, both the
occupants of the basket being thrown
right and left. The wires were torn of
the poles moment after, and the bal.
loon, free again, proceeded on its way
The contact with the wires had appar.
emily severed some of the ropes attach
ing the basket with the gas-bag, for AZ
the air-ship shot across Howard street
the aeronauts were seen clinging to the
sides of the basket, which was tipped ur
sideways. On the east side of Howard
street the gas-bag struck the chimney
of a house on the corner of Fourteenth
street, and tore it down.
Between Howard and Folsom there is
large vacant lot, extending the entire
block, and after demolishing the Chin
ney the balloon swept across this vacant
space like an arrow, the bag twisting
itself into every shape and jerking the
basket in every direction with great
violence. While passing over tins lO1
Williams was seen standing up in the
basket and clinging to the sundered
ropes. Colgrove was apparently clutch.
ing the upward side of the basket. BY
the time the balloon reached Folsom
street, between Fourteenth and Fiji
teenth, the basket was hanging
by not more than one rope,
and was just a little higher in
the air than the telegraph wires run.
ming along the west side of the road
just as this moment Williams was seer
to fall like shot to the earth, and .
few seconds after the basket came dowr
with Colgrove. About six feet from
the ground the latter pitched head frs
from the basket. Both men fell within
ten feet of each other. Williams struck
upon the top of his head and was killed
instantly. Colgrovc struck upon his
back and lived about an hour. The
whole affair transpircd inside Of fifteen
minutes, Francisco CGu.
Reading Before Spelling.