The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-05

y
ascension from the common, conducted
by Prof. Augustus A. Rogers of Maiden.
Within 10 minutes it had become terri
Bile catastrophe. Prof. Rogers was ac-
9, mpanied by his assistant, Thomas Fen
ton, and Delos Goldsmith, reporterot
the Boston City Press Association. The
ascension was perfect one.
The great bag which when filled stood
some twcnty-fiv or thirty feet above the
bottom of the basket, was apparently OF
new and very stout material. There was
no name upon the exterior of the balloon,
although 1t had been christened for the
occasion the Governor Russell.
Unhappily there was
A Strong on. Shore Breeze.
and when at the height estimated at
about mile the balloon was caught in
the current and sped along very swiftly,
directly out over South Boston and
Dorchester Bay, straight for the open
sea.
The balloon kept going higher but
with no especial change OF current, and
right ahead grim death itself was lurking
under those foam crested waves below.
that was to descend as rapidly as possible
before Boston Light was passed, and the
trackless waters were beneath.
Prof. Rogers knew the danger into
which they were whirling at so rapid
pace, aud tugged at the valve cord, the
only communication with the outlet for
the gas at the top of the swaying globe.
There was no responsive yielding, and
again he exerted all his strengh to pull
that rope again, on which so much
depended and liberate the gas.
The balloon was now directly over Dor
Tala net
ahead, offered
A Temporary Chance.
There was but one thing left to do. There
was the other line, provided for just such
emergencies as this. Its purpose was to
burst the bag Just below the bulb, as it is
called-that IL, the large inflated portion
and let the gas slowly escape from near
tbs bottom of the balloon.
The amount let out in this way is nee
essarily small from the light specific
gravity OF the gas and its tendency to as
cend.
This cord was pulled and the balloon
slowly began to sink. Suddenly there
was change. The bag collapsed, as il
were, at once, and the basket dropped
like shot into the waves, only 200 yards
from from the island, disappearing in
stantly from sight. The descent was so
awfuliy sudden, so entirely unexpected,
that the shock paralyzed for a moment
those who witnessed the appalling spec
tacle from below.
Not far away were mum ber of schoon-
ers and tug The latter, the Nathaniel
p. Doane, at once
Started to the Rescue.
The boys at the Thompson's Island Farr
School quickly manned their life boat
Two heads were seen to rise above the
surface.
When rescue was almost at hand one
of the men in the water threw up his
hands and disappeared. The boat reached
the other and hauled him board. In less
than two minutes he was on board the
Doane. He was pretty we'll exhausted,
though conscious, and there was strong
reaction from shocks afterwards. He
proved to be Reporter Goldsmith OF the
City Press.
Soon out OF the tangie OF netting an
oil-skin clad body was taken. 1t was
that of Prof. Rogers, but he was dead.
The other man, Thomas p. Fenton, was q
resident Of Lynn. "a years old, and leaves
wife and six children in very poor cir
cumstances.
Professor Rogers was daring ascen-
ionist. He told reporter that he had
made 11S previous ascensions, and IL
Had Been Blown to Sea
and landed In the harbor.
Some seven years ago, while ascending
from Lynn In an old balloon, the rotten
bag burst and collapsed, giving him.a fall
of $50 feet, from the results OF which he
was laid mp for about two years.
His death will be lamented by many
friends. He was about 20 years old and
leaves wife In Maldsn4 49,