Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-10-14
Wind Takes 'OSHtrol and Bears Balloon
Along In Spite Of stssnman.
WIRES BREAK AND CAR FALlsTo GROUND
Occupants Crushed by Catastrophe Expire
without speech.
AERoNAUrs WIFE SEES RETURNING BAG
Thinks n TO he Entire Craft end
Fears for Dead Husbands Safety
at So Great
Height.

PARIS, Oct 1s.-De Bradszy, the aero
naut. and q companion, we're killed by
falling from a dirigible balloon today.
The balloon started from the aerostatic
station at Vaugiriard, suburb Of this city,
at 1855 a. m. on a trial trip. After pre-
liminary maneuvering with a rope attach
ment De Bradsky released the balloon and
proceeded southwark at q height OF 800 or
400 feet.
The propellers OF the machine appeared
to work we'll, the rudder, however, was not
quite successful At about $3.50 the balloon
had returned to above the point Of de-
parture and then 1t gradually mounted
higher and higher until 1t disappeared In
the clouds.
Ropes Break ,yifh Fatal End.
About $3.50, when the balloon arrived
over Stains, the aeronauts called to some
workmen. asking the direction Of Pantin.
De Bradsky and NORM were seen moving
about the car. Suddenly one OF the wire
ropes broke and then another gave way
and the car, weighing $50 pounds, fell to
the ground, burying the aeronauts beneath
II. They we're crushed, their legs were
broken and their faces were bloody, but
they were not dishgured.
An eye witness gave the following ac-
count OF the acclueuL.
'I was standing on the steps of my
building, when / heard voice calling. 1
looked up and saw an airship a hundred
yards in the air. Nj. NORM was leaning
out Of the car and asked through a mega
phone where was a suitable spot to de-
scend. ! indicated place and the airship
proceeded in that direction. A few minutes
later the balloon turned sharply and at
the same moment heard a noise like the
tearing Of CLOTH The piano wires attach
ing the front of the car to the balloon
had broken. Other wires followed suit, the
car became detached and II fell to the
ground 200 yards distant. The balloon itself
bounded up in the air and disappeared.
'T hurried to the spot and found De
Braasky dead and terribly bruised. NJ.
Morin was lying under the remainder of
the car. He lived but a few minutes"
number Of aernonauts and Madame De
Bradsky were present at the start.
De Bradsky first tried the ascensional
screw, situated below the car, and the air
ship, held by ropes. rose easily and main
tained lee equilibrium. Satisfied with this
he said he would maneuver over the drilling
ground. A whistle was blown, the ropes
released and the propelling screw behind
was set In the proper direction, when sud
denly a southwest wind sprang up and the
airship swerved to the northwest instead OF
the northeast. Crossing the main boule-
wards, II continued northward with the
wind, eventually disappearing over the great
white basillca Of the church OF the Sacred
Heart and the top OF the hill Of Mount
Matre. The aernonauts wife and friends
waited at the shed from till 10 and grew
anxious at the prolonged absence.
Friends Think Balloon Too High.
About this time what they took to b,
the balloon was perceived at an immens'
height and the anxiety was increased, al
1t was known the airship was never in
tended to rise so high. They saw, however
merely the inflated envelope which drittec
back across Paris after the accident hat
relieved It of the weight OF the car. A few
minutes later a telegram arrived with tn,
news of the disaster.
The balloon was in the form of cylinde
ending In a cone twenty-five feet long II
front and twelve behind, the same lengtl
as the Santos -Dumont airship which VOL
the Deutsch prize. though its volume wa
larger, because the length Of the cylindrica
part was longer.
The balloon proper contained 2,7s9 cubi
feet. The cylinder was seventy feet lon
and was made Of steel tubes. II carried
car sixteen feet long. suspended ten fee
below, which guarded the gas bag agains
risk OF fire from the sixteen horse-powe
petroleum motor.
The airship was propelled by a scre'
twelve feet in diameter and had a rudde
with a surface Of ave square yards.
notable feature was a sail apparatu
consisting of wings made OF light canvas
Ss feet long and five feet wide, fixed to tn
right and left Of the envelope, giving 1t tn
appearance OF an enormous aeropane an
intended to enable the airship to sail Q
descend slowly in case the motor stopped.