The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-08-04
How it Feels to Fall q Mile.

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aeronaut, had a phenomenal escape
from death a few days ago at Nash
Vile, Tenn. He fell from a height Of
5000 feet and lives to tell Of his
thrilling experience. The balloon
which supports his air ship burst
when nearly a mile above the earth.
He and his apparatus plunged back to
solid ground, and the remarkable fact
is that he escaped serious injury. He
was badly shaken up, but quickly re-
covered from the shock sufficiently to
walk. The daring aerial navigator
owes his escape to the fact that his
balloon luckily transformed itself into
q parachute. Prof. Barnard arranged
to make a quiet voyage with his air
ship for experimental purposes, and
his ascension was not advertised. He
made it from the grounds of the Ten
nessee Centennial Exposition. Not
many persons knew Of his intention.
He began his flight into the upper re-
gions without demonstration and with
no crowd present to cheer him on.
He had made careful preparations,
forcing nearly 5000 feet of hydrogen
gas into the balloon. This was more
than he had used on any of his previ-
GUS trips, and the fabric of his balloon
was distended until it almost snapped
with the tension. There is a theory
that the gas expanded when the float
ing machine reached the rarefed
atmosphere Of a high altitude until the
strain became too great for the balloon
to stand.
When Prof. Barnard shouted "Let
her go p his assistant released the
machine and it shot away from the
earth like a mighty bird. AS it rose
above tic trees and buildings it at
tracted the notice Of people, and news
of the ascension spread from mouth
to mouth. The streets we're quickly
filled with spectators and many hur-
ried toward the Exposition grounds.
The daring inventor was plainly seen
manipulating the machinery until the
air ship was high in the air. When
it had become a mere speck against
the sky the spectators saw it suddenly
reverse it's course and begin to fall.
It was soon observed that the bal
loon and it's attachment were %Wobbling
in a strange manner, and it became
evident to the anxious throng below
that something had gone wrong with
the air ship. AS the falling machine
and it's lone passenger came near
enough to be seen distinctly it was
noticed that the balloon had lost much
of it's gas, for it had lost it's shape and
its loose sides were tapping like SO
many streamers. The word was pass
ed that the balloon had burst and the
city was filled with excitement. The
flying machine at times fell with fear
full velocity, aud at others foated with
an easy motion. The balloon was
hattened out and had somewhat the
effect of an irregularly- shaped para
chute. 1t swayed from side to side
and threatened to throw the navigator
from his seat.
As the air ship shot down to the
earth Prof. Barnard could be seen
holding with a grip of death to the
ropes. '. len within about two hun
dred feet Of the earth the balloon be-
came partially filled with air as it
rushed rapidly to the earth. 1t filled
out, and the speed of the descent was
checked. By the time it struck the
ground it was travelling at a moder-
ately low rate of speed, and Prof.
Barnard was not even stunned when
he finally landed on Mother Earth
after his thrilling experience. The
balloon, after it struck the earth,
drifted up against g fence, where it
lodged. The gas which was escaping
from the rent in the balloon was suf-
locating. The balloon fell in a vacant
lot outside the Exposition grounds,
not far from the main entrance.
AS soon as the crippled air ship
with its human freight struck the
earth a large crowd rushed out Of the
Exposition grounds to see what dam
age had been done. Some were breath
less with excitement, for they conf
IDENTIFY expected to find Prof. Barnard
a dead man. They had seen the bal
loon tumble down to the earth in an
unnatural shape and knew that the
chances of a horrible result to the ac-
cident wal almost sure to follow.
They were relieved to find the daring
aeronaut safe and sound. The pro-
fessor was naturally ratified a bit, but
he was only too glad that he landed
on a soft place. The lot in which the
ship fell is covered with grass knee
high, and was about the most comfor-
table spot that Prof. Barnard could
have selected, even if he had an op-
portunity of making a choice. It is
almost a miracle that he escaped a
horrible death. The trees, houses and
fences zeal by we're objects that he
dreaded, and as the affair turned out he
was fortunate enough to escape every
obstacle.
Prof. Barnard said his intention
was to go as high as possible and
strike a different current Of air.
When the air ship was about a mile
from the earth, and while he was
busily engaged in adjusting the ma
chine, he heard a popping noise. He
looked up and saw there was a rent in
the balloon. He supposed the burst
ing of the balloon vas due to the rare
fed air and the heat from the sun,
the pressure being so great. The de-
scent of the air ship, due to the gas
escaping from the balloon, was gradual
for a few minutes. The balloon as
sumed the form Of a parachute and
the descent became more rapid as it
approached the earth. He threw out
some ballast to prevent a serious col
lision, and seeing that he was likely
to land upon a fence he cast out more
ballast, and finally succeeded in land
ing safely in an open ot.-lhiladd-
phia Times.
- Some butterflies have as many as
$1,000 distinct eyes.
Tho horseless wagon ia surely