The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-14
THE AIR.
SANTOS-DUMONT's DIRIGIBI.E BAL
LOON is IN A MEASURE A
SUCCESS
FROM ST. CLOUD TO PARIS
The Aeronaut steered His Machine
Successfully, but, Return
ing, His Motor Broke
Down

PARIS, 0ay 13.-M. Santos-D Dumont, the
aeronaut, made the official trial of his
balloon in the attempt to win the prize
of 100000 francs offered by Henry De-
tusche for a manageable balloon before
a committee of the Aero club today
Starting from the Pare de Meudon he
reached the Eiffel tower in a quarter Of
an hour and, after sailing around the
tower, started to return to the Pare de
Meudon, but lack of motive power neces-
STATED a descent at Boulogne-sur-S Seine.
The trials will be resumed later.
The condition of the winning of, the
Dutesche prize is that the trip from St.
Cloud to the Eiffel tower and back must
be made in half an hour. Santos-D -Dumont
started at 1880. He reached the Eiffel
tower in fifteen minutes, turning around
it 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 headfore-
most into a clunp of three trees, where
it was caught and suspen ed in the
branches on the opposite side of the
Seine from the starting point. Saa1os-
Dumont was not hurt.
A number of spectators had congregated
on the platform of the Eiffel tower to
watch the trial. They cheered the ball
loonist, as he rounded the tower. The
wind, which was lacking during the
first part of the trip, sprlng up after
Santos-Dumont started on the return
journey and probably was responsible for
the collapse of his machinery, as the ball
loon was seen to turn partly over on it's
side
1t IS calculated that but for the acct
dent, the trip from the Pare de Meudon
around the tower and back would have
n nod in ~
Santos-Dumont as he climbed down
from the tree where his balloon was
caught was questioned as to what had
occurred. He said:
MY motor was badly regulated and
suddenly refused to act when 1 was pre-
pairing to descend saw at once that
unless some action was promptly taken,
the balloon would be carried away Ky
the wind. So 1 ripped the silk in order
to come down Immediately. All had gone
well on my trip up to that moment I
did not succeed entis ely this time, but
l hope to be more fortunate with my
next attempt. / am not bruised or hurt
In any way
Santos-Dumont, before he made his as
cent this morning. said:
MY present balloon differs somewhat
from my preceding one and it will const.-
quentIy require several ascensions -bNSo-e
l shall be able to handle it properly and
control all it's movements I succeeded
yesterday because the weather was fa-
VoraDle. One does not try a new vessel
in storm and unless today be suitable,
l will postpone my trip
The .aeconaut did start however, with a
light breeze blowing. When the word to
let go was given, the balloon rose horI-
zontally, maintaining her equilibrium
until the height of sixty feet was reach
ed. Then Santos-Dumont pointed the
head of his balloon in the course he wish
ed to go and the machine ascended
speedily in the direction of Eiffel tower
Loud cheers greeted his successful de-
parture. The balloon soon disappeared
beyond the trees. She was hidden from
sight for an interval of forty minutes. 1t
appears, on the home journey, travelling
at an extraordinary rate Of speed a few
more moments would have brought San
tos-Dumont safely back to his port of de-
parture, when suddenly the balloon
stopped short and its screws ceased to re-
volve. CONSERVATION prevailed among
the members of the Aero club committee
and the crowd and someone exclaimed,
He is done for
The balloon, however, was carried slow
ly by the breeze towards the grounds of
the Aero club, but subsequently it was
blown back to Boulogne, where the aerial
traveller ripped it's silken sides and de-
scended in a clump of trees.
Santos-Dumont will resume his attempt
to win the Detusche prize week hence.