The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-06-26
AN &RIAL ACCIDENT,
Resulting in the Drowning of e. L.
Stewart, an Amateur
HrOnaut.

The press dispatches have already chron'
name of E. L. Stewart while making a
balloon ascension under the auspices Of
Prof. /. n. Fisk, at Fayette, last Monday.
Prof. Fisk was in the city yesterday
and during call at the BAZoo Office re.
lated some additional particulars of the
sad affair
the professor says that he met young
Stewart at Clinton just before going to
Fayet,e, and upon the representation 4
that gentleman that he possessed some ex-
perience as al aronaui, employed him.
Together hey went to Fayetts. Stewar,
being very anxious to make an
aerial voyage. it was agreed that he should
take Prof. Fisk's place in the ascension ar
ranged for Monday.
The weather was most suspicious, a
dead calm prevailing. The balloon was
inflated, all of the arrangements were COM
pleted. and after receiving full and minute
instructions from Prof. Fisk, the daring
eronaut started up n his Journey TO tn.
clouds.
A few minutes past five o'clock. the
moorings Of the air ship were cast off: and
propelled by gentle breeze from the west,
il moved off gracefully in an eastern direc-
ton. After reaching an altitude of ten or
twelve hundred feet, the balloon began to
slowly descend A party of men on horse
back had followed the aeronaut bat only
one or two succee ded in getting near
enough to witness the descent. colored
man, who saw the balloon as it came down
over the tree tops on the banks of Bonnie
Femme creek, says that Stewart when
within fifteen or twenty feet OF the water,
assumed au upright position upon he bar,
and loossniDg himself from the life lines,
sprang forward into the water. alightiDg
upon his face. He sank out of sight, but
soon rose to the top and called for help
several times. Being un .ble to swim, the
colored man could not 60 to young Stewards
assistance. A gentleman by the name of
Pierce rode up to the bank, and seeing the
young mans peril, attempted to reach a
plank to him, but before he could
get tie board out into the stream
the young man threw up his hands and
exclaimed 'Oh, God, l am gonew and
sank in eight feet of water. Prof. Fisk at
once instituted an active search Tor the
body, Offering a reward for its recovery,
ard he himself leading in the search,
plunging into the water and there remain
ing until the corpse of the unfortunate
man was recovered, about $50 clock that
evening. The conduct of the professor was
very highly commended by the citizens Of
Fayette, whose unanimous verdict was
that he is possessed of all the characters
tics going to make up a brave, noble and
generous hearted man. The relatives of
Stewart were telegrapbed the sad intelli
gence, but after waiting some time for
them to take charge of the body, Professor
Fisk had it decently inferred al his own
expense, assisted ty contributions from
some of the generous young men Of Fay
cite.
A special to the Globe Democrat from
Fayette dated the 10th, giving trief &C
count Of the accident, states that the bal
loon was old and of poor construction, was
inflated with hot air and had rent in its
side fnlly six feet long, which let the air
out with a rush. This statement, Prof
Fisk claims, does him great injustice, and
is absolutely false, without any foundation
in fact. The balloon was of recent con-
struc,ion, of the very best material proper
ly inflated, and every possible precauIion
taken to guard against accidents.
Prof Fisk will make his next ascension
from Clinton on the Fourth of July.