The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-25
An AEROSAUTS FATE,

Van TaSsel Makes Hn Ascension At Honu
lulu and AIIGhts In the Ocean, Where II
Is DsVOured by SHARKS,
SAN FRANCIsCo, Nov. 2+-Aeronau
Van Tassel, who is well known all owe
the United States as daring adVen
turer among the the clouds, met fear
tul death at Honolulu, on November 10
by falling into the water from his bal
loon, where he was eaten by sharks
The occasion OF his last ascension wal
the Kings birthday. There was a grand
celebration, and the festivities were "a
conclude with parachute leap,
Shortly before O'Clock Van Tassel
entered his balloon alone, after all the
necessary preparations had been made,
The conditions were favorable for his
landing on land, and when the balloon
shot upward it was thought ho would
not land more than half mile from the
starting point The balloon assembled
steadily to the heighth Of 1000 feet,
when It was caught ny bretZ' blnwlng
seaward and carried over the water,
Tue Aronaut evidently saw he must
inevitably fail into the water, and those
who were watching him With glasses
saw that he was hurriedly making pre-.
paratiOns for descent. Thu parachute
opened nicely aud the man eram fully
descended into the water, about two
miles oil shore. This was the last srUu
OF him.
The steamer Zsalaudia, which brought
the news to-day, was ut the time enter
iGg tbs harbOr. Two bOaLs were imme.
dlately lowered, and the men were
soon Ut tho spot where the man was lust
seen. They could tiud no trace Of him.
The parachute had sunk, owing TO the
weight Of its iron, and three or four
monster sharks were seen swimming
nearby. They followed the boats buck
t9IhG steamer.
Though the search was continued for
several hours, no trace was found. Van
rasael was u daring swimmer, and under
ordinary circumstances could not have
drowned before the boats reached him.
Thu hunt for his body has been contin.
ued every day since the accident, but
without avail.
Ihu mrn who were in the boats say
Van Tassel must have been seized by the
sharks almost Immediately after he
struck the water, for not mOrr than eight
minutes elapsed from the time the boats |
were lowered until the spot was reaches,
where the daIlug man died. News oi
his death was not long reaching shore,
and Immediately thousands who had
seen him go up went TO the UrRCh aud
wharves, aud small boats without mum.
Der were rOwed eastward. The first dill
gent search WIS not ended until dark,
aud there is no hope whatever OF recUv.
ering the body now.
Van 'IaSsel was well known In San
Francisco and throughout America
There are few large cities In the United
States in which he has not made usren.
siOns, and few men understand the
business 81 we'll as he did, rs he has
been up hundreds OF times. lie made
many discussions from WOOdwufd's Gar.
den, Central Park, and the Ocean
Beach, aud he successfully performed
parachute jump in this city, at the beach,
a few months ago. On one occasion be.
tore the leap nearly cost him his life, the
parachute not opening, aud descending |
With Lightning rapidlty nany hundred
feet before spreading. lie was aDsut 40 |
years Of age, and left Il wife, but no
children.