The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-14
THE TRIAL A FAILURE
DUMoNT's BALLOON BECAME
 UN1IANAGEABLE.
The Aeronaut Cut the Silk in Order to Insure Hasty Descent He Was Not In-
 jured.

Paris, July 13.-M. Santos Dumont, the Brazilian aeronaut, made the om- cial trial of his balloon In the attempt to win the prize of 100000 francs of- fered by Henry Beutsch for a manag- | able 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 af- ter sailing around the tower. started to return to the Pare de Meudon but lack of motive power necessitated a descent at Boulogne- Sur Seine. The trials will be resumed later. The condition for the winning of the prize is that the trip from the St. Cloud to the Eiffel tower and back must be made in half an hour. Santos Dumont started at TAO a. m. He reach ed the Eiffel tower in fifteen minutes, turned around 1t and had begun his return trip when the motor failed and the aeronaut ripped the silk of his ball. loon. fearing disaster unless he could quickly reach the ground. The balloon pitched forward headforemost into a clump of trees on the Rothschild estate near Boulogne, where it was caught and suspended in the branches on the opposite side of the Siene from the starting point. Santos Dumont was not hurt.
 A number of spectators had congre- gated on the platform of the Eiffel tower to watch the trial. They cheer- ed the balloon as she rounded the tow CT. The wind which was lacking dur ing the first part of the trip, sprang up after Santos Dumont started on the return journey and was probably re- sponsible for the collapse of his ma chinery as the balloon was seen to turn partly over on :ts side.
 It is calculated that but for the &C., cident the trip from the Parie de Meu- don around the tower and back would have been accomplished in fifty min- utes.
 Santos Dumont as he climbed down from the tree where his balloon was caught, was questioned on what had occurred. He said:
 My motor was badly regul- ted and suddenly refused to act when l was preparing to descend. I saw at once that unless some action was promptly taken the balloon would be carried away by the wind. So ripped the silk in order to come down immediately. All had gone we'll on my trip up to that moment. l did not succeed entirely this time, but I hope to be more for tunate with my next attempt I am not bruised or hurt in any way"
 Santos Dumont, before he made his ascent this morning. said:
 My present balloon differs some- what from my preceding one and 1t will consequently require several ascen- sions before will be able to handle 1t properly and control all its move ments. I succeeded yesterday because the weather was favorable. One does not try a new vessel in a storm, and unless the day be suitable. I will post pone my trip,"
 The aeronaut did start however, with slight 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 and the machine ascended spirally in the di- dection of the Eiffel Tower. Loud cheers greeted his successful depart ure. 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 at an extraordinary rate of speed. A few more moments would have brought Santos Dumont safely back to his port of departure. when. suddenly, the balloon stopped short. and its screws ceased to revolve. Con- sternation prevailed among the mem bers of the Aero Club committee, and the crowd and some one exclaimed: 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 silken sides and descended in a clump of trees.