The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-15
An AERONAUT'S LUCK.
uNHARMEp BY A fRlcHrFuL EALL.
Prof. Warmers Air-ship Bursts High In
the Air Above Pittsburgh, but Al
most by Miracle the Daring
Man Floats to Earth.
A MIRACULOUS EscApR.

A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Sept. To-
There was thrilling scene at the Exposi-
ton grounds Thursday afternoon. Prof.
Warner, aeronaut, has been making balloon
ascensions during the week, generally tax
ing up one or two persons with him. This
afternoon he made the ascension alone, no
one being willing to accompany him. This
was fortunate, as it no doubt saved the
Professors life
The balloon was inflated as usual and cut
loose amid the cheers of thousands of spec
tators The inflated sphere rose slowly and
steadily, there being very little wind, until
a height of a mile and a half was reached.
At that height the balloon looked like
small speck against the sharp outlines of
bank of clouds above it. Suddenly the
spectators saw that something unusual had
happened to the aeronaut. The speck was
descending with fearful velocity, momen7
tarily growing larger as it approached the
eartn. The cause of this was soon ascer-
tanned The balloon had yielded to the i'm
mense pressure of gas and burst.
Every eye was fixed upon the Professor,
with the expectation of seeing him thrown
out of the car and dashed to the earth. BY
this time nearly all the gas had escaped
from the balloon and it came down with the
rapidity OF rocket. Fortunately, it struck
a tall chimney, which checked its
progress. The balloon scraped along
the side of house and finally
landed on the ground, when the Professor
stepped out, badly scared but uninjured ex-
cept few scratches and bruises received
when the balloon struck the chimney. The
descent was made in a minute and a half.
TIE additional weight of another person
would have increased the velocity so that
death to the occupants would have been I'M
ayoidable. Prof Warner says he has had
many narrow escapes but was never In such
great danger.
The Professor tells his experience to
reporter as follows:
@ had the balloon inflated under my
personal supervision, and considered her all
right. When the men let 90 shot right up
into the air, hanging to the trapeZe- bar,
making my usual revolutions. | went up
very rapidly, and in shors time the eXposi-
ton grounds were hidden by heavy cloud.
| continued to exercise, for it was quite
chilly, until | was about a mile and a quar-
ter above the earth. paused to rest min
ute, when l heard faint sound overhead
and, looking up, saw white smoke pour
| ing out of the gas bag. | knew what was
wrong in an instant, and got up into the
basket as quickly as l could, and then
| climbed into the netting
Il never thought about the safety-yalye
| but began to throw the sand bags attached
| to the netting overheard as rapidly as pos
sible, to tighten the fall l knew was COM
| ing. There was a second of suspense, and
then / began to shoot downward like a
| piece of lead, while the balloon swayed ter
| ribiy. l hung on with feet and hands to
| the netting, or 1 should have been thrown
| off. All at once the envelope collapsed,
| or turned over. and | was thrown
right into the center, the envelope
forming a parachute l was nearly suf-
located with the gas, and the bal
| loon was pitching and rolling terribly.
don't know how long was in coming
| down. l mind of seeing the city below, and
then felt shock, and fell into somebody's
yard. A man rushed up, and l told him to
pound me on the back to get the gas out Of
my lungs. l was stunned by the fall, but
| guess l am all right now
Notwithstanding his terrible experience
| Prof. Warner will make another ascension
| in few days, if he is able.