The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-05
COLLAPSED HIGH In AIR
TH0 AER0NAUTs KILLED IN boston
WHILE 7HOUsANDs WATCHEn.

In rryine to Avoid Rei.e Blown Dat 10 Sec
the Balloon Was Burst-An Three o..
eupnnss OF the Car TumbieA late che nay
and but One OF Them Was saved.
BosToN July A tragedy closed the cityis
celebration Of Independence Day The ball
loon ascension from Boston Common was the
last feature OF the days observance with the
exception OF the fireworks. and fully one hun.
dred thousand persons were crowded within
sight OF the parade ground where the big bal
loon Governor Russell wns Juggling at the
ropes.
Prof q. A. Rogers. who had made 115 bal
loon asccnsions before to-day's, was the aero.
naut He had for IN assistant Thomas Fen.
ton. gas filter. who is employed at Austin b
Stones museum. The third occupant Of tho
car was Delos Goldsmith. q reporter.
The wind had been blowing strong from the
northwest nll the morning and In the carly
part Of the afternoon. but at the hour Of asoen.
zion. $50 o'clock. 1t had died down. The mes.
sengers which were sent up to tost the wind
currents did not show any dangerous current
and Prof. Rogers gave the order to start. fully
expecting to come down safely on terra arma
The balloon shot up almost perpendioularly.
and the rope that dangled from the car came
very near decapitating q baby in its mothers
arms. but the child was rescued before the
loose end snapped around its victim.
After reaching a height Of about . mile
the balloon suddenly changed it's course and
sailed senward at o rapid rate. Then It began
to descend slowly. 1t was too far up for the
reople to see what was being done. yet they
knew Prof. Rogers had opened the safety valve
and was trying to descend before the balloon
was blown out to sea.
While the crowd watched tho balloon sud-
denly collapsed and fell like shot. A CRY Of
horror was uttered by the great crowd on tho
Common. yet they knew nothing OF what was
going on at tho scene Of the tragedy.
Dorchester Bay was alive with craft Of all
kinds. for the City Regatta was being sailed
there. When the balloon was seen rushing
seward all interest was transferred from tho
regatta to the balloon. Prof. Rogers could be
seen Juggling at the safety valve rope.
He had already made rent in the lower
part Of the balloon. and that had caused the
airship to descend. But he was not dropping
fast enough. and the safety valve refused to
open. Suddenly the yaohtsmen saw the bal
loon collapse.
The three occupants Of the car were seen
clinGing to the ropes and then the wreck
struck the water. The car sank immediately.
The folds OF the immense balloon settled over
the struggling occupants.
score Of boats were instantly rushing to
the rescue Two Of tho occupants Of the car
were seen to emerge from beneath tho bal.
loon. One was PROT Rogers. The other was
Reporter Goldsmith. Fenton had not como to
the surface.
Reporter Goldsmith was swimming easily.
but Prof. Rogers seemed in distress. When
the foremost resouing boat was loss than
twenty feet away the venerable aeronaut threw
up his hands and sank. His body has not yet
been recovered
Goldsmith was taken on board tug which
then steam ed to the balloon and many hands
tugged at the ropes until Mr.. Fenton's body
was dragged into view. His neck had been
caught in one OF the meshes OF the net His
body was warm and while the boat was steam
ing back to the city efforts were made to re-
vive him without success.
Narrowly Escaped His Employers Tass.
WAIrHAM. July 4.-Prof shattuck attempted
to make q balloon ascension from the Com
mon to-day. but the balloon collided with tho
telegraph wires. and the ropes holding the
basket were cut Prof. Shattuck WAS thrown