Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-20

HOW rHR MOST xxPERIENcEp ARRosAur IN THE
WORLD NET Hs DgAfH.

HOW THR MOST xxPERrENcEp ARRoaAur IN TIE
WORLD MET as DEATH.
The coroners inquiry into the death recently, in
Essex, England, OF the famous aerohaut. SIM
mons. has brought out q singular feature OF the
accident by which he lost his life and his two COM
panions were dangerously injured, and Indicates
new danger In ballooning. The evidence shows
that the accident. which followed an attempt to
,a curing which the anchor was caught In the
soit was caused by the bursting OF the balloon
Inc SILK was unusually large and correspond-
ingv neavy, but It was not ripped with one large
on tree but was found torn into several Distinct
p,eceS BESIDES this the bursting was accompa-
nT w loud report which was heard not only
put py persons Considerable distance AWAY who
knew nothing or the balloon until atterWard Mr.
s, n was an aeronaut OF thirty years experl-
enc, ana TINS was mis- 48oJh ascension. Waen be
landed from his last previous ascent lew days be-
lore an Old lady said to him: "You men cannot
nave much care for your lives and he repl led: ~
fear now" VIZ
The balloon was the cosmo, one Of the largest
OF carrying :, 400 pounds. The basket was OF IRON
wire network, Instead or wicker. lie carried 30
pOuna grapnei and 81 feet Of rope-tOo light an
went up about the ,.iddle Of the afternoon with
". l. Field and Mr. Meyers the latter OF the south
M6os nad NATURAL History Museum both OF
tended 10 cross the channel TO France, but dark
MSS coming on, the party decided to descend for
ana two or three attempts were made to land, but
each Time ballast had TO be thrown out and the
balloon sent up again. A field that seemed fairly
GIodr was at last chosen and the grapnel let out
~ dragged through neid OF wheat and then
caught In large tree In an instant the huge
oaIloon pulled up short, swung 10 the ground, and
vi iIa tether. summons pulled desperately on
me valve rope, and shouted to Field 10 help
him. Meyers held bag OF ballast awaiting an
order to throw 1t out Three times in scarcely
more imam as many seconds the great D lloon
bounded up and down. struggling franticaiiy Ike
some immense wild beast az the end OF long
IL rose the third time TO that height there came
sudden report, the silk collapsed and the with
Tue Ilree men In 1t Tell TO the ground. Men from
shapeless wreck and It's three late Inmates un-
conscious. simmons skull was fractured and he
mad suffered other injuries He died In three nourS
simple fracture OF the rignt thigh aud compound
fracture OF the left leg besides innumeTaDle
bruises Mir. Meyers ha1 internal injuries, and
was covered with bruises and cuts.
AeronautS can give no satisfactory explanation
Oh The bursting Of the balloon. 1t was undou0t-
etlly caused by the sudden stoppage, but why the
strain OF quantity OF gas should become Excess
siVe on lnat account has not been explained. IL
Is said that there Is one similar case on record.
simmons, during his life as u balloonist, had
made ascents In India Egypt and the United
SAID that no man in the world had had more ex-
perence In aerial navigation than he. In 1875 he
assembled With De Groof, the Belgian "aying man."
VINO was 10 descend from great height Dy means
Oh parachute. Something went wrong and the
Belgain was dashed 10 pieces. In 1882 with Col.
Brine OF the royal engineers, he started TO cross
10 France, but dropped into the channel, and
after perilous time was rescued by steamer.
few months later Sir Claude de Grespigny,
assembled with him, was thrown out and badly
hurt simmons stuck TO the car, and after an
exciting time made a safe descent. The next
year SIR Claude and he succeeded In crossing the
Channel, and ne has repeated the feat since.