The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-14
STALLED IN NIDAIR
IN HIS BALLOON
Thrilling Experience of an
AerOnaut at Paris.
MOTOR FAILED TO WORK
COMPELLED TO RIP THE SILK IN
ORDER TO DESCEND.

Paris. July I'm antos-Dumont,
! the Brazilian aeronaat, made the Off
cial trial Of his balloon in the attempt
TO win the prize of 100000 francs Of
fered by Henry Deutsch for a manage
/ able balloon, before a committee Of the
Aero club today. Starting from the
Paret de MudOn, he reached the Eiffel
! tower in a quarter of an hour and af-
/ ter sailing around the tower, started
TO return TO the Paree de MudOn, but
lack of motive power neceSSitated a
descent at BoulOgne-S ur-Seine. The
/ trials Will be resumed later.
The condition of the winning of the
Deutsch prize is that the trip from
I St. Cloud to the Eiffel tower and back
must be made in half an hour. Santos
DumOnt started at 7:40 a. m He
reached the Eiffel tower in fifteen min
utes, turned around il and had begun
his return trip when the motor failed
and the aerOnaut ripped the silk of his
/ balloon fearing disaster unless he could
quickly reach the ground. The balloon
pitched forward head foremost into
clump of trees on the Rothschild es
tate near BOulOgne, where it was
caught and suspended in the branches
on the opposite side Of the Seine from
the starting point. Santos-Dumont was
not hurt
A number of spectators had congre-
gated on the platform of the alffel
tower to watch the trial They cheered
the ballOOnist as he rounded the tower.
I The wind, which was lacking during
the first part of the trip, sprang up
after Santos DumOnt started on the re-
turn journey and probably is response
! bic for the collapse of his machinery
as the balloon was seen to turn partly
over on its side. 1t is calculated that
I but for the accident the trip from the
PaTee de MudOn around the tower and
| back would have been accomplished in
fifty minutes. Santos DumOnt as he
climbed down from the tree where his
balloon caught when questioned as to
what had occurred. He said:
Motor Refused to Work
MY motor was badly regulated and
| suddenly refused to act, when 1 was
preparing TO descend. 1 saw at once
that unless some action was promptly
taken the balloon would be carried
away by the wind So I ripped the silk
in order to come down Immediately
All had gone well on my trip UP to that
moment. 1 did not succeed entirely
this time, but I hope to be more fortu-
nate with my next attempt L am not
bruised or hurt in any way
SantOs-DumOnt, before he made his
ascent this morning, said: My bal
/ doom differs somewhat from my proceed
ing one and it will consequently re-
QuiIE several dSCEESlOllS before L VIII
be able to handle it properly and con
troll all its movements. [ succeeded
yesterday because the weather was
| favorable. One does not try a new
vessel in storm and unless today be
suitable, I will postpone my trip
The aerOnaut did start, however,
With a light breeze blowing. When the
word to let go was given the balloon
rose horizontally, maintaining perfect
equilibrium, until the height of sixty
feet was attained. Then SantOs-Du-
mont pointed the head OF his balloon
in the course he wished to take the
machine, and 1t assembled spirally in the
direction of the Eifel-tOWer. Loud
cheers greeted this successful depaT-
ture. The balloon soon disappeared be
hind the trees. After being hidden
from sight for an interval Of forty min
utes it reaPpeared on the home jour
ney, travelling al an extraordinary rate
of speed.
A few more moments would have
brought Santos-DumOntf safely back to
his port of departure, when suddenly
the balloon stopped short and its
screws commenced to reVolVe. Con-
steFnatiOn prevailed among the meD1-
hers of the Aero club committee and
the crowd and some one exclaimed t'He
is done for"
The balloon. however, was carried
slowly by the breeze & towards the
grounds of the Aero club, but subse-
quently it was blown back to BOulogne
where the aerial traveller ripped its
! siIken sides and descended into a clump
of trees.