Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-10-28
THEFIRST AERONAUT
HIS INITIAL FLIGHT INTO SPACE WAS
AT PARIS IN 1893.
Pflntre des Rosters Was the Pioneer
OF the Long Line of Daring spirits
Who Perished In Their Attempts to
Navigate the Air.

Rosters was the first and most ilIustri-
Gus of the long list Of aeronauts who
have fallen victims TO their desire TO
advance tie art OF aerostatics.
In July and August of the year 1883
balloons filed with hydrogen gas were
sent up from Paris. and in September
at Versailles the first balloon was sent
up freighted with living animals.
In the same year Montgoiier con
structed balloon which he claimed
would be capable of carrying passen-
gers. his workshop being in the gardens
of the Faubourg St Antoine. The bal
loon was sixty feet in height and forty
eight broad. Its exterior was richly
painted and embroidered, there being
represented upon it the twelve signs of
the zodiac. the arms of the king of
France and numberless fieurs-de-lis and
lower down. amid a crowd of grotesque
heads and garlands of flowers. a flock
of eagles. with extended wings. that
seemed to be flying and supporting the
huge balloon upon their shoulders
Below the balloon proper was con-
structed a circular platform of wicker
work. covered with silk. which was
used as a car. This platform was very
large and was surrounded by a balus-
trade to prevent the aeronauts from
falling out. In the center of this plat
form or car was an opening. below
| which was suspended by chains an iron
stove which was to be used for rarely
| ing the air in the balloon, while in one
corner was a magazine intended for the
storing up of an Immense quantity Of
| straw which served as fuel.
Pilatre des Rosters, generally alone.
but at one time accompanied by the
| Marquis d Arlandes and on another oc-
casion by NJ. Girond de Villette. had as
cended in the balloon without cutting
the rope which held it captive to a
height of 29O feet
Rosters had much difficulty in obtain
ing permission from the king to make
an ascent without being held down by
the rope. but consent was at last Sc
cured. and on the Goth of November
! 1888. everything was made ready. Dur
| ing the dag the wind and rain were vic
lent. and it was found necessary TO
| postpone the ascent. The next day. the
21st, the weather was more favorable,
and at 80 in the afternoon in the pres
| ence of the dauphin and his suit Pi-
latre DIES Rosters and the Marquis d Ar
| landes set out together from the Jar
dinS de la Muette upon the first aerial
voyage ever attempted and performed.
! The wind was still very rough and the
/ weather stormy. but in spite OF these
disadvantages the balloon rose rapidly.
| Having passed over Paris and be-
come free from all fear of getting en-
tangled among the buildings of the city,
| the aeronautS suffered themselves to
descend considerably until they found
| themselves in a fresh current of air,
which bore them in a southerly direc-
ton.
After proceeding a few miles farther
| the fire was allowed to die out. and the
balloon descended about five miles from
Paris. When the aeronauts returned to
the Chateau de la Muette. they We're
| greeted with the utmost enthusiasm by
the assembled crowds. Benjamin Frank
| lin was n witness of the whole specta-
Gle, and when asked what he thought
| of it he replied, Il have seen a child
born which may one day be man."
Aerostatics had advanced to such a
degree that on the 9TH Of January.
/ 1855, Blanchard, rival Of Rosters.
crossed over the channel from Dover
to Calais.
| Rosters was spurred on by Blanch-
/ ards success and set to work con-
structing balloon which. when COM
| pleted. he called an aeromontgolfier.
/ 1t consisted of an immense balloon of
/ hydrogen gas, with large cylinder
placed under ii, the use of it being to
rarely the air without losing gas.
When a favorable day had arrived. |
| Pilatre for the last time made his
| preparations. He was assisted by a
Bculogne physician named Roman. |
and on June Is. 11S5. they stepped into
the basket. the ropes were cast of. and
the balloon rose with the utmost maj
esty from the earth.
When it had risen about 200 feet. II
struck a fresh current of air which |
took 1t directly toward the sea. IL soon
found another current which rapidly |
carried it back again 1t possibly may |
have been the desire of the aeronauts |
to descend to find a more favorable cur
rent of air. for while opening the valve
to let the cold air into his cylinder un- |
fortunately a huge rent was made in
the balloon. The consequences were
immediate and horrible. At that time |
the balloon was LOO feet above the /
surface of the earth. A few moments 1
afterward the two aeronauts lay on /
the ground dead and horribly mutt !
lated
Near the spot where Pilatre des Ro- /
siers was buried monument was /
erected in 1858 to commemorate the al |
most miraculous crossing of the sea by 1
Blanchard, upon the very spot of earth /
On which that intrepid aeronaut de /
scended. He had become for France /
a hero. and numbers of inscriptions are
still eadable-New York Times
SpOo1s and Thread.
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