The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-14
TWO AERONAUTS KILLED
FELL WITH THE HEAVY CAR OF A
LARGE DIRIGIBLE BALLOON.
Were Sailing Over the Suburbs Of
Paris when the Wire Ropes Part
ed-Both Men Crushed.

PARIS. Oct. Is-De Bradsky, the aero
naut. and a companion named Norm were
killed by falling from a dirigfble balloon
to-day. The balloon started from the aero
static station az vaugiriard. a suburb Of
this city. at 7:55 a. m. on a trial trip.
After preliminary maneuvering with rope
attachment De Bradsky released the bal
loon and proceeded southwark at a height
of 800 or 400 feet The accident occurred
about go When the balloon was above
Staines. near St Denis. De Bradsky called
to some workmen in the fields. asking the
direction OF Psntin. De Bradsky and NORM
were seen moving about in the car. SUD
denly one OF the wire ropes broke, and then
another gave way and the car. weighing
$50 pounds. crashed TO the ground. buryins
the aeronauts beneath il. They were
crushed. their legs were broken and their
faces were bloody. but they were not dis
figured. The bodies were taken 20 ST.
Denis. The balloon disappeared among the
clouds.
The accident sent a thrill OF horror
through Paris, following the disaster 10
the Brizilian aeronaut Severe. who was
killed May II last and whose balloon start
ed from the same station. De Bradsky's
wife and their friends waited at the sta
ton from till 10 o'clock, and grew anxious
at the prolonged absence. When the bal
loon was perceived at an immense height
this increased the anxiety, as IL was known
| the airship was never intended TO rise 70
such a point. 1t was. however, merely the
| inflated envelope which drifted back across
Paris after the accident had relieved IL OF
| the weight OF the car. A few minutes later
telegram arrived with the news Of the
disaster.
An eyewitness gave the following account
| Of the accident: II was standing on the
| steps of my building when heard a voice
calling. L looked up and airship
a hundred yards in the air. NJ NORM was
| leaning out OF the car and asked through
/ a megaphone where was a suitable spot 10
descend. i indicated place in the neigh
borhood and the airship proceeded In the
| direction 1 had Indicated. A few seconds
| later / saw the balloon turn sharply and
at the same moment heard noise like
/ the tearing of cloth. The piano wires at
| taching the front of the car TO the balloon
had broken. Other wires followed suit, the
| car became detached and il fell 10 the
| ground 200 yards distant. The balloon itself
1 bounded up in the air and disappeared.
| De Bradsky was a Hungarian baron, thirty
| six years of age, rich and clever, and had
| been in the diplomatic service. He made
his first ascension i'm 1901. NORM was his
engineer. He leaves widow and three
| children"
The balloon used by Aeronaut De Bradsky
4 to-day was an improvement on his original
| design, its size being increased, as IL was
found inadequate TO carry the weight in
tended, and this entailed lengthening the
| car. rearranging the suspension wires and
| other changes 1t was in the form of a
| cylinder, ending in a cone twenty-five feet
| long in front and twelve feet long behind,
| the same length as the Santos Dumont
| airship which won the Deutsch prize,
| though its volume was larger because the
| length of the cylinder was longer. The
| balloon proper contained 2.279 cubic feet.
The frame was seventy feet long and was
| made of steel tubes. IL carried car six
| teen feet long. suspended ten feet below the
| envelope of the balloon. which guarded II
| against risk of fire from the sixteen-horse
| power petroleum motor. The frame weighed
| 500 pounds. The airship was propelled by
| a screw twelve feet In diameter and had
| a rudder with a surface of five square
| yards. A notable feature was sail APP
paratus consisting of wings made OF light
| canvas, thirty-six feet long and I'VE feet
wide. fixed to the right and left OF the en-
velope, giving IL the appearance OF an enor'
| nous aeroplane. and intended TO enable the
airship to sail about descend slowly IN
| case the motor stopped.