The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-08
SANFOO-DUMONR'S MISHAP.
The AerOnaut Has a Narrow Es,
cape in Paris.


aeronaut. met with an accident this
morning He started at 6.12 O'Clock in his
attempt to make the trip from St. Cloud
around the Einel Tower and return in
order TO secure the Deutsch prize He
reached the tower in nine minutes.
When halfway back. about fifteen min
utes after he started, he noticed that the
front Of the balloon was bulging inward,
which would indicate that the gas was
escaping. Thareupon. NJ. Santos -Dumont
attempted to drive air into the balIonet,
which IS small balloon within the
large one but the motor failed to act
Then the gas went out Of the rear bal
loon. which hung I'm a habby way and
threatened TO catch the screw. NJ San
tos-Dumont became fearful Of an eSPlo-
sion and fan and. in order to avoid this.
he stopped the motor, thus leaving the
balloon at the mercy Of the winds 1t
drifted about a while and then came
down in an awkward position between
two blocks Of the Exposition Troeadero
Hotel. where it hung suspended. N. San
tos-Dumont climbed up to the roof as
quickly as a cat by means Of rope
which was lowered and escaped without
INJURY.
Meanwhile the people at St Cloud were
beginning TO congratulate NJ Aime, the
former secretary Of the Aero Club. and
a partisan Of N. Dumont, on the apparent
success Of the young Brazilian's attempt
to win the prize When II WAS seen that
the balloon had ceased 10 advance and
was Tapping and drifting away there was
an immediate rush for cabs, automobiles,
and bicycles. There was a general STAN
pede. the cry being "to the Eiffel Tower"
for when the balloon sank 1t was hidden
by trees and appeared to be drifting to-
ward the tower. NJ Deutsch drove Prince
Roland Bonaparte. who is president OF
the committee Of the Deutsch prize, in his
automobile. N. Aime took cab with his
wife and daughter. VI. Georges BesancOn
drove out
When ihc exit Of the Bois de BOuIogne
was reached IL was learned that the bal
loon had caught in che Trocadero Hotel
The only place where view could be had
was a small yard at y Quai Passy be-
longing TO a restaurant keeper named HUI
go The committee gathered in this place.
Prince Bonaparte explained the cause OF
the accitent 10 a correspondent and made
a sketch 20 eNpiain the failure Of the bal
lonet 70 work.
NJ. SantOs-Dumont told the story Of the
accident 10 the few persons who were ad-
rr-fr rH 8 is rHrf4F he
wore the religions medal presented TO him
by the Countess DEu. daughter Of the
late Dom Pedro. Of Brazil. which he
iaughlngiy kissed, saying. 1t was this
that saved me-
He was as merry as a cricket NJ. Du-
mont's worst enemy. if he has one. can
not say that he is not a genuine and
plucky sportsman.
On the arrival Of the pOmpiers, salvage
operations were begun The pOmpiers. ac-
cOmpaUied by NJ Santos-Dumont and a
few others went 20 the roof. There the
machine lay at an angle Of go degrees. the
screw resting on the roof Of the lower pa
vilion Of the hotel and the PROV leaning
against the side wall Of the upper pavil-
ion. ten yards from the summit. The bal
loon proper hung limp and badly torn by
the explosion when IL cOlided with the
I
ally across and bridged yawnins cavern
sixty feet deep. If it had not caught as
IL did, the chances are 100 to / that NJ.
Santos Dumont would have been killed.
but the young Brazilian seems to bear a
charmed life
NJ Sautos-DUmont first ascertained that
the motor had not been damaged. Then
ropes were affixed TO the PROV and ef-
forts made 10 hoist up the machine. but
the angle was too great. Then all the
available men fixed rope round the
screw end Of the machine. using the
chimney stack as a fulcrum. After
heavy labor they succeeded in releasing
the stern and the balloon hung perpeu-
dicular and then descended into the
yard The roof suffered somewhat dur
ing the operations and there were several
| escapes from injury OF the people up
| there. some Of whom slid partly down the
steep incline.
NJ. Deutsch. the donor Of the prize. said
TO a correspondent II am terribly upset
by this accident and being fearful lest
an accident shall happen TO some one
desirous of gaining my prize ] wish 20
retire. but the committee say 1 cannot
honorably do so. Consequently / must
remain, but / am hIIed with moody ap-
pTeheusiOus.'
Whine on the roof before the release Of
the balloon Artillery Lieutenant NoiN, who
was the Official timekeeper Of the bal
looms start. told correspondent that ne
timed its progress through glasses. II
reached the Eihel Tower In nine minutes
and rounded IL one minute later and laid
the course for home The time limit for
the round trip in order to win the Deutsch
prize OF 10000 francs is thirty minutes.
Lieutenant NoiX attributed the accident
TO the same cause as Prince Roland Be- =.
raparte-the failure OF the motor 10 pump
air to fiu the inner FalIOOu SO as TO com
pensate Cor the ga= which had escaped
When the stern fell in "a tabby way the
and the only chance left 10 NJ Santos
Dumout was TO stop the machine and
drift with the wind
When n Santos DUmont was asked il
he wouId repair the machine and begin
all over again he said DC had not had
time as yet TO think about that.
A huge crowd gathered 30 the Quai
Passy, and there was great excitement
NJ Santos-Dumont and Prince Boraparte
were the least excited Of any Of those
present Much sympathy was expressed
with NJ. Santos-Dumout over todays mis-
hap. He has a charming manner and
makes friends constantly.
4 Mortgage for SS5.OOO.OOO.
VAN BUREN. Ark. Aug. S.-A mort
gage for SS5o10.OcO. given by the St Louis
and San Francisco Railway Company in