Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-11-27
FALL OF JUST A MILE.
AERONAUT'S THRILLING EXPERIENCE
UP AMONG THE CLOUDS.

q
UP AMONG THE CLOUDS.
| The Balloon Burst and His Airship
Plunged Rapidly Downward - In Its be-
! scent the Balloon Formed q Parachute
| .-PhenO,ninal Escape From Death.
Professor A. W. Barnard, the aero
naut, had phenominal escape from
death at Nashville, Tenn. He fell
from height Of 5000 feet and lives to
tell OF his thrilling experience. The
balloon which supports his airship
burst when 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
ss ssesa sarhsAas aSAsss arrT6fessor Barnard
arranged to make quiet voyage with
his aifship for experimental purposes,
and his ascension was not advertised.
He made it from the grounds of the
Tennessee Centennial exposition.
He began his flight into the upper
regions 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.
When Professor Barnard shouted
"Let her go" his assistants released
the machine and it shot away from the
earth like a mighty bird. AS it rose
above the 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
airship was high in the air. When it
had become mere speck against the
sky the spectators suddenly saw it re-
verse its course and begin to fall.
1t was soon observed that the
balloon and its attachments were
wobbling in strange manner, aud it
became evident to the anxious throng
below that something had gone wrong
with the airship. As the falling ma
chine and its lone passenger came
near enough to be seen distinctly, 1t
was noticed that the balloon had lost
much of it's gas, for it had lost its
shape and its loose sides were tapping
like so many streamers. The word
was passed that the balloon had burst
and the city was filed with excite
ment. The flying machine at times
fell with fearful velocity, and at others
Hoated with an easy motion. The
balloon was Aattened out and had
somewhat the effect ofan irregularly-
shaped parachute. 1t swayed from
| s;1a +n a;I~ ...l ti,ivnteneu 10 throw
the navigator from his seat.
As the airship shot down to the
earth Professor Barnard could be seen
holding with grip Of death to the
ropes. When within about two hum
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 moderate
~ low rate Of speed, and Professor
Barnard was not even stunned when
lie finally landed on Mother Earth af-
ter his thrilling experience. The
balloon. after it struck the earth,
drifted up against fence, where it
lodged. The gas which was escaping
from the rent i'll the ballon was suf-
locating. The balloon fell in vacant
lot outside the exposition grounds, not
far from the main entrance.
As soon as the cripple airship with
its human freight struck the earth a
large crowd rushed out of the exposi-
ton grounds to see what damage had
been done. Some were breathless
with excitement, for they contiden-
TALLY expected to find Professor Bar
mard dead man. They had seen the
balloon tumble down to the earth in
an unnatural shape aud knew that the
chance of horrible result to the acci-
dent was almost sure to follow. They
were relieved to find the daring aero,
naut safe and sound. The professor
was naturally ratified Il bit, but he was
only too glad that he landed on soft
place. The lot in which the ship fcl
is covered with grass knee high, ani
was about the most comfortable spot
that Professor Barnard could have
selected, even if he had an opportunit,
OF making a choice. Tt is almost ,
miracle that he escaped horrible
death. The trees houses and fences
near by were objects that he dreaded
and rs the affair turned out he wa
fortunate enough to escape every OBJ
stacle. - Philadelphia Times.