The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-22
BURNING OF A BALLOON.
A Wierd Sight Witnessed When
the Big Air Ship Chicago
Was Destroyed.
Lightning Ignites Escaping Gas
and Flames Roll to tho
ft Very Sky.
Furlsus Battle for Life In n surEinE
DillOw Of Flame-Ths Wreck IL
Complete.

DillOw Of Flamo-Ths Wreck IL
Complete.
Aeronaut Eugene GODDARD, the little
Frsnohman who was to have made an as
cension yesterday in the big air ship Chi
capo from Cottage Grove avenue and Fifty
second street. says the Chicago Herald, IL
lying upon his bed at 610% Fifty-third street.
with his head and hands wrapped in cotton
and oil. Aeronaut Pillas-Panis. his COM
panion from Paris, who was to have taken
a flight in the big gas bag to-day, il walk
ing around the same house with his arms
~bandaged to his elbows. The air ship itself
was destroyed late Monday night by a fash
of lightning, which exploded the escaping
gas.
Weeks ago a company composed OF ex-
Sheriff Matson, T.. s. Cragin. George Nor
gan and State Senators Evans n Crawford
began making preparations for the flight OF
q captive balloon every favorable day until
the Worlds fair was over. They leased near
ly q block of ground at Fifty-second street,
secured the famous captive balloon OF the
Paris exposition, with its asronauts, GODDARD
and Pillas- Pants, and made other arrange
ments for the introduction OF the sport in
Chicago. During the past fortnight a score
of French balloonists and lake sailors have
been al work at the Fifty-second street
park getting the great gas bag in shape. 1t
was to have made its first flight on the
Fourth of July, but the men who we're in
fating il were unused to water gas and the
work progressed slowly. Over in France
coal gas was used, but this gas is much
more buoyant than the coal gas Of Chicago.
and it was therefore deemed wise to use
the water gas of Hyde Park, which was
light and easy at hand. From great
mains the gas poured into meters and
thence through a silken hose into the we'll
beneath the balloon. The experiment WAS,
however, unsatisfactory. Unused to the
overpowering influence of the stuff. the
Frenohmen. who were at work within the
balloon, toppled over and had to be borne
out into the air. Twelve NOR were nearly
suffocated in one day. One of them was re-
susoitated with difficulty. The company
was impatient. The aeronauts were angry.
1t was evident that the air ship would not
be in readiness to leave its anchorage on
the Fourth of July. There was a big crowd
outside the fence ready to pay the admis-
sion fee, and, if possible. pay the extra fee
for.a chance to ride with GODDARD. But the
people were turned away late in the after
noon and the work of initiating the bag was
In great peril of their lives. n BY inch
the immense air ship filled out until Sunday
night, when its yellow dome rose far above
the trees in the neighborhood.
The dimensions were then 7Ox50. and it
was estimated that, when the wicker car
was attached. the continuance would tower
ninety feet in the air. Eight Thousand
pounds of sand, scores of guy ropes. and an
inch and a quarter cable wound with n tele-
phoe wire and securely fastened to the
windlass Of a steam engine held the balloon
upon it's false platform. With good weather
and no mishaps it was expected that the
ship would get away on Monday. When
Monday came, however, it was found that
the rigging of the car could not be made
taut and snug before nightfall. Sixteen
but they made little progress as had tue
.Frenchmen in their efforts to initiate
the bag, which now contained 10000
cubic feet of gas. The little aero
nauts stamped around impatiently.
Three days had been set for the
trial ascension and yet there was poor pros
pect of it being made that day. GODDARD
spanked the seven folds of silk, which com-
posed thea air ship, with an air of satisfac.
tion. Pillas-Panis tested the engine which
was to regulate the flight anddescent of the
balloon. The ropes were freshly tarred and
the netting covering the bag was as SNUG
and neat fitting az n young woman's boot
All that prevented a test there and Their
was the fixing of the rigging Of the car
which was to haul fifteen persons to the
height of 1000 feet.
1t was after nightfall when the sailors
stoppad work and went home. The car wal
then ready to be attached to the balloon ano
it was announced by the officers of the COM
pany that tho test "trip would surely be made
the following day if the atmospheric condi-
= L..
air ship except to dine with his companions
Even after ii grew SO dark that only tn,
outlines of the gas bag could be seen, til,
nervous aeronaut was scampering about tn,
false platform testing the ropes and sand
bags. His knowledge of the atmospheric
disturbances told him that n storm wa
brewing, and he worked with hands ane
feet to tighten the guy ropes which wer,
Juggling away ut the posts and now and the1
creaking a warning as the growing wind DO
gan to test the resistance of 10000 cubi'
feet of pent up gas. Pil!as-Panis, bare.
hauled and strained at other ropes, ant
ever big Wat0hman A%lphonse Lauviere ant
Isaac Peterson, an able bodied seaman, ral
to the assistance of the excited %aeronauts
TIL storm grew in vigor every moment
The wind blew a living gale from tho north
east, and with it came a torrent o
water. Above tho to,ling asronauts an,
their strong comrades was the great balloon
swaying ominously, and still farther ava,
were almost incessant flashes of lightning
OF n sudden there came a terrific broadsid
of wind and rain. The silken monster ca
reened so that its crest was imraled upol
She post outside the platform. GODDARD an,
Pillas-Panis were fourteen feet beneath it
folds, still ~clinGing to the ropes in q will,
endeavor to save the ship. Lauviere an
Peterson managed to crawl off the plat
form just in time to hear a noise whicI
Lauviere says sounded like scores of stear
whistles blowing in concert.
The watchnlan knew what had happened
Crying first in French and then in Englis
he warned GODDARD and PillRs- Pants an
Peterson, the seaman, that the balloon ha'
burst. The posts had torn n hole in tn
silken bag and 10000 cubic feet of gas wa
pouring into the air. Almost before Lauvi
ore could utter his last cry there came
flash and Il deafening report. A stream G
lightning had ignited the gas and over n
area of half a block there rolled a wave c
flame 200 feet in height. Lauyiere, VIII
had not been stunned by the explosion, fe
faco downward upon the ground, but 500
arose and began to search for his comrade
Peterson was hurled away from the pla
:oin, nut was uninjured. Meanwhile 4,0
-..l ar-~ ,. .Aa1 rnt ."