The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-24
LEAPED A THIRD OF A MILE.
BOODOO OFF ON THUNDERBOLT
BALLOON ASCENSIONS.

Balloon Went Up Yesterday From
Casino and Aeronaut Did Stunts
LEO Feet in the Air and Then
marsh IsIand-Ihe Ascent Was One
of the Most Daring Seen About Sa-
vnnnah.
After various and sundry trials, all
of which have been unsuccessful, a
real balloon ascension took place yes
terday afternoon at Thunderbolt.
The ascension was a trial trip and
had not been advertised, although a
large number of people, who had got
ten wind of the affair went to Thun-
derbolt and We're rewarded for their
efforts in seeing the first successful as
cension of the season.
The only persons invited to see the
ascension were newspaper reporters, as
it was decided to see if the balloon
really would go up. before promising
treat in aeronautics for next Sunday.
The balloon was scheduled to start
at o'clock. but an hour before the
time set rain began to fall and at
o'clock steady drizzle seemed to have
Phillips, the colored aeronaut. had de-
cided not to make the trial, but he
finally was urged to do so. He stated
that the rain would probably make no
difference, but nevertheless he seemed
rather dubious.
A score of men were put to work to
hold the huge bag while it was inflated,
and finally amidst the plaudits of
about one hundred people Phillips
shouted to those holding the balloon to
let go, and grasping his trapeze he
prepared for the ascent.
AS soon as the ropes were loosened
the huge balloon arose with a great
jump, and within a few seconds the
aeronaut was soaring westward, high
in the air, apparently only a. speck
hanging to q thread. The assembled
crowd applauded vociferously as the
ascension came in the shape of a sur
prise Many had begun to think. that
a balloon ascension at Thunderbolt
was an impossibility.
Over the river, high in the air, the
balloon sailed towards the marshes on
the other shore. The daring aeronaut
still chung to his trapeze, doing aero
batic feats at an altitude of LOO feet.
Suddenly the balloon gave a jump
and the man was seen to fall. A. gasp
went up from the crowd as he was
apparently coming towards the earth
like a shot. He had not fallen many
yards, however, before the big white
parachute spread out and his fall was
arrested. His descent was then grad
ual and he landed. light as feather
in the marsh, many hundreds of yards
to the east of the casino.
The balloon continued to go up for
several minutes afterwards, and at
first It was feared that it would not
be recovered. 1t finally turned upside
down and a thin line of vapor was
visible in the sky. The big silken bag
collapsed and began falling rapidly,
appearing merely a black dot on the
horizon.
A launch went out from the Casino
to pick up the aeronaut, but a row boat
had already taken him aboard and he
was Landed safely, having suffered no
injury from his daring aerial voyage.
| The ascension was one of the pretti-
est ever seen about Savannah. Not a
| single hitch occurred, and the perform
! ance came up to the highest expecta-
| tons of the street railroad manage
| ment.
Now that Phillips has proven he can
J really go up in his balloon, another as
cension has been scheduled for Sun
day. and a record breaking crowd is
expected at Thunderbolt to witness it.