Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-10-24
DASHED TO DEATH.
The Late Balloon Accident at San Fran
cisco,
San Francisco Call, Oct. &.

y esterday was q windy day; strong
west wind came in over the western
hills, driving the dust about the streets
and whistling around corners, and
many of the large crowd which congre-
gated at Woodward's thought the aerial
trip advertised by Prof. Colgrove. a
gentleman who has made seven ascen-
sions from the gardens this summer,
would be postponed until more favor
able time. The vicious wind, however,
seemed not to cause any apprehension
on the part ofthe areonaut. and shortly
after noon the monster balloon Gen.
Grant" was brought out into the open
space near the animals dens, and in
presence of the crowd the filling began.
Prof. Colgrove was present, apparently
entertaining no intention of abandon
ing the trip, directing the initiating pro-
cess, which was in charge Of Thomas
Abbott, and conversing with those in.
side the inclosure. 1t had been an
nounced that 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 a substi-
tute. Prof Martin, the we'll known bal
looniss, was one of the many present,
and at this stag of the proceedings, and
owing to the wind, he advised Colgrove
not to attempt the trip, prophesying an
accident if hed did. Colgrove, however,
refused to entertain the idea, and it was
finally arranged that Charles III. Will
liams, the manager of the garden, who
was present, should go with him in lieu
Of the passenger first proposed. All
Mr.. Williams friends opposed this, as
he was heavy, stout man, weighing
fully 200 pounds, and should not run
the risk. When Williams inform
ed 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: "No | am
going to take all of myself up" AL
though Mr.. Williams has arranged for
q large number of accensions from the
gardens he has never before contemp-
lated 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 a moments after Colgrove STEP
ped into the basket and called for his
companion.
AT this time, about fifteen minutes to
4 o'clock, the wind was blowing gale,
and the balloon, which is the largest
air-ship ever on this Coast, was swaying
violently to and fro in the effort to re-
lease itself from the ropes which bound
it to the earth. Williams stepped into
the basket. An instant before Colgrove
gave the word to cut the air-ship loose,
he was seen to make motion as though
to step out, but the ropes were suddenly
released, and the balloon mounted into
the air. 1t seemed at once to every
one III the crowd that it was too heavily
freighted, and although it rapidly shot
about $50 feet above the ground, it did
not do so as quickly as usual From that
distance the balloon rose slowly to per-
haps 800 feet, when, being overloaded,
it began slowly to sink. At the moment
of reaching the highest altitude it was
struck by the strong southwest current
and moved off slowly in southeast
erly 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
amphitheare, 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 bal
| loon began to decend he was conscious
that terrible accident would happen
and therefore, from his elevated position
he watched it closely.
1t passed over Mission street at a
height OF about $50 feet, and by the time
Howard street was reached it had de.
seconded so near the earth that it struck
the telegraph wires on the left side oil
that street, between Thirteenth and
Fourteenth, violently. The contact was
made between the gas-bag and basket
For a moment the balloon remained in
this position, spinning around rapidly,
both the occupants of the basket being
thrown right and left. The wires were
torn off the poles moment after, and
the balloon, free again, proceeded on its
way. The contact with the wire had
apparently severed some of the ropes
attaching the basket with the gas-bag
for as the air-ship shot across Howard
street the aeronauts were seen clinging
to the sides of the basket, which was
tipped up sideways. On the east side
of Howard street the gas bag struck tho
chimney of house on the corner Of
Fourteenth street. and tore it down.
Between Howard and Folsom there
is large vacant lot, extending the en-.
tire block, and after demolishing the
chimney 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
this lot Williams was seen standing III
in the basket and clinging to the sun
dered ropes. Colgrove was apparently
clutching the upper side of the basket
BY the time the balloon reached Fol.
som street, between Fourteenth a..d