The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-11-25
An AEROyAUTS FATE,
Van TaSSel Makes M Ascension Mt Homo.
lulu aud AlIghts in the Ocean, Where lie
Is DSVOuFed by Sharks,


Van TASsel Makes nu Ascension Mt Homo
lulu and AlIghts In the Ocean, Where Ill
Is DuvOured By Sharks.
San FRASCIsCo, Nov. 24-Aeronau
Van Tassel, who is well known all Ovel
the United States as a daring adYen
turer among the the clouds, met a fear
iul death ut Honolulu, on November 49,
by falling into the water from his bal
loon, where lie was eaten by sharks,
The occasion OF his last ascension was
the Kings birthday, There was grand
celebration, and the festivities were to
conclude with u parachute leap,
Shortly before 8 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 no would
not land more than half mile from the
starting point, The balloon assembled
steadily 10 the heighth Of 1000 feet,
when It was caught by u bretz' blowing
seaward and carried over the water,
The SrOnaut evidently saw he must
inevitably fail into the water, and those
who Were watching him with lasses
saw that he was hurriedly muking pre-.
paraliOns for descent, Thu parachute
opened nicely aud the man graz, fully
descended into the water, about two
miles of shore, This was tho last seen
OF him,
The steamer Z.alaudia, which brought
the news to-day, was ut the time enter-
log the barbOF. Two boats were immB.
diately lowered, and the men were
soon VI the spot where the man was lust
seen. They could iiud no trace Of him.
The parachute had sunk, owing 10 the
weight Of It's iron, and three or four
monster sharks were seen swimming
nearby. They followed the boats buck
t4IhG steamer,
Though the search was continued for
several hours, no trace was found. Van
Tassel was daring swimmer, and under
ordinary circumstances could not have
drowned before the boats reached him
The hunt for his body has been COntn'
ued every day since the accident, but
without avail.
Ihu men who were in the boats say
Van Tassel must have been seized by the
sharks almost Immediately after he
struck the water, for not more than eight
minutes elapsed from the time the boats
were lowered unlil the spot was reached
where the daring man died. News OF
his death was not long reaching shore,
and Immediately thousands who had
seen him 90 up went u the teach and
wharVes, aud small boats without mum.
Der were rowed eastward. The first dill
gent search was not ended until dark,
and there is no hope whatever Of recUv.
ering the body now.
Van lassel was well known in San
Francisco and throughout America.
There ar1 few large cities 10 the United
States in which he has not made ascen.
siOns, and few men understand the
business 81 well NJ he did, rs he hus
been up hundreds OF tiues. He made
many discussions from WOodwafd's Gar.
den, Central Park, and the Ocean
Beach, and he successfully performed Il
parachute jump in this city, at the beach,
u few months ago. On one occasion be.
tore tue leap nearly cost him his life, the
parachute not opening, and descending
with lightning rapidity many hundred
feet before spreading. lie WIS abaut 40
years Of age, and left Il wife, but No