Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-08-21

his reputation on the other end OF the bet Z
The earth was overcast with haZy clouds, '
but this fact did not shake Collins in his 4
certainty.
"Hub." said he, "them's only fog clouds {
an ye won't see one on 'em an hour from '
now"
Collins was right and by the time the
hrst cartridge was exploded the sky was
cloudless. II
While the crowd was discussing the stu
alton 8 man drove into the yard and was I
recognized as g. W. Chapel, an expert In
the use of dynamite. He had driven all
the way from Heriden, where he IL now
wooden boxes of dynamite cartridges and
400 feet of fuse. The crowd opened its
eyes when Mr.. Chapel lifted the boxes out
Of his buggy and throw them upon the
ground an csrelessly as lie they were filled
with soap. When he began to pry the
boxes open with a ohisel some of the more
timid ones edged off distance.
Mr.. Chapel had hardly unloaded his
stuff when Mr.. Clark drove into the yard |
| with William Stephens, q representative of
| the Consolidated Fireworks company of |
| New York. Mr.. Stephens was there for the |
| purpose of sending up the balloons which |
were to carry the dynamite.
Mr.. Stephens was preparing TO get the |
first balloon in the air, or get the air in the |
1
nearly put an end to the experiment
there and then. Somebody in the crowd
| found an editorial in this mornings Hart
ford Courant which asked what would
| happen In case fuse gave out and the
balloon drifted in this direction and drop
ped the dynamite into one of Hartfords
| streets.
| CAUsED CONSERVATION.
The editorial was read to the crowd and
1t created CONSERVATION. Mr.. Clark and
G. E. Fuller were assuming all the OK
pense and responsibility of the experiment
and when they reckoned on the possibility
of blowing section of the Second ward
into the Sixth they were inclined to quit
right away. They had about made up
their minds to defer the experiment to
some future time, when Mr.. Chapel ex-
planned thati one of the cartridges fell to
the earth from any distance whatever, it
| would not explode. He said fire and cap
were necessary in order to cause the cart
|. ridges to explode. By way of illustration
he volunteered to light one of the cart
ridges and guaranteed that ID would burn
like punk. Mr.. Chapel evidently knew
his business and his statement restored
confidence to Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Fuller.
They held a conference and decided that q
: balloon should at first be sent up without
/
isfactoriy they would determine if the ex-
pertinent should proceed.
a A stone equal in weight to one of the
: cartridges and fifteen feet of fuse was
I procured. Mr.. Stephens got one of his
balloons, and a few minutes later three
men were holding the red and white
!, tissue paper bulb until 1t expanded to a
distance of n dozen feet in the air.
Then the stone was attached and the
4 balloon was released. 1t rose al
. most perpendicularly to height of
!. about 4, 900 feet, when 1t struck q current
J. of air and was carried southwark. Within
J. five minutes the balloon could hardly be
diecerned, and few minutes later ID was
Il lost in one of the fog clouds. Mr.. CLARK
a and Mr.. Fuller both agreed that the bal
n loon worked all right, and they quickly de
!. oided to go ahead with the experiment.
THE FIRST EXPLOSION.
n II took less than ten minutes to prepare
: for the first explosion. The balloon wa:
h inflated in the usual manner, and Mr.
II Chapel prepared his dynamite. A writ
WAS tied to the cartrige, and tied to the
u bottom of the balloon. Attached to thu
ID cartridge was illuminate cap, and attached
~ feet in length. The fuse was regulated t.
10 burn three feet for each minute.
70 When the word was given, the light wa
- touched to the end of the fuse, and the bal
10 loon was released. It sailed upward, ant
the dangling fuse began to leave behind
i, trail of smoke. Higher and higher 1t aros
" " until at the end of two and q quartz
III minutes the red and white sphere changed
. instantly into cloud of black smoke. TIL
!, spectators saw the balloon shattered, snt
-. y in two seconds later heard q terrific re
- port which Jared the wagons on whiol
they sat. The defamation was like that o
~ very sharp thunder clap. Mr.. Chsppe
10 said the balloon was about 4, 600 feet higl
when the cartridge exploded.
10 Everybody agreed that this was a sue
/ cess, and Mr.. Fuller instructed Mr.. Chap
pei and Mr.. Stephens to get ready the Sec
u; ond balloon. This was soon done. !
% longer fuse was used this time, and fou
been released, the cartridge exploded at a
be altitude of about 6, 900 feet.
ss Thus far the experiment proceeded with
out hitch, and some of the more conf
~ dent in the crowd expressed regret this
ar they had not brought along their umbre
k. las. They felt that rain was likely to dro
bs | at any moment.
~. The third cartridge sent up was as big
- success az the ones before 10, and order
~ were given to the experts to send up th
- remainder of the fifty balloons and car
az ridges as quickly In succession as possible
he The next balloon was prepared and II
he leased. It rose dozen feet, when 1t Wa
an caught In a current of air and sagged. Tn
ha paper near the base took FIRE, aud in
40 moment the balloon began to descenc
be while the flames began to envelop 1t fro1
an bottom to top.
49, CAUSED A GRAND SCATTERING.
d. The mass of fire with u dynamite car
ce ridge dangling from 1t created panic an
I. scattered the crowd in all directions. Th
long fuse kept eating it's way toward th
=, bomb, and Ii would be at lssst four mir
Ne ules before the cartridge would be touche
Up off In tbs regular way, but there was dsr
"A ger that the fire from the balloon woul
N. ignite the fuse close to the cartridge. Nj
,g Stevens and Mr.. Chsppel kept their vii
about them, and as soon as the fuse coul
bs be reached tore the cartridge from th
!. flames, and the balloon sank to the groun
Nv q orumpled msss. 1t was decided that
he would be too risky to have O repetition c
Ok the accident, with people standing aroun
h. in danger, and the experiments were CT
short.
GO 1t has been decided to continue the el
ne periments another day with rockets. n
z. rain has fallen, but it is expected the II
"a suits of the experiment will be made mar
ifest within twenty-four hours.
|