The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-15
His Motor ut the Bottom of Monaco
Bay and the AerOnsut Given
Saltwater Bath.
NARROWLY ESCAPED DEATH
BUT is UNDAUNTED AND WILL TRY
1T AGAIN, HE SAYS.
Envelope of the Balloon Ripped by
Himself Because He Feared
Fire and Explosion.

MONACO, Feb. H-Santos-Dumont, the
aeronaut met with a disaster here
to-day and had a narrow escape from
death. His airship is a tattered wreck,
while tonight his motor lies at the bottom
of the Bay of Monaco.
The morning broke gloriously, but. as
there was considerable wind, Santos-Du-
mont decided not to attempt flight. To-
wards o'clock in the afternoon, however,
the wind dropped and the weather appeared
to be perfect. With the exception of an
omnibus little cloud hanging over the Hill
called Tete de Chen, which overlooks the
bay, the sky was clear and blue. At this
hour Santos-Dumont announced that he
would make a trip in his airshp.
A big crowd assembled at the entrance
of the Aerodrome. and as the large doors
of the building rolled back, the airship
emerged at 2:4O. A number of steam
yachts and launches, including the Prince
of Monaco's yacht, Princess Alice, and
launch belonging to Eugene Higgins, with
parties on board, were cruising about the
bay with the intention of following the
balloon. Cheers greeted Santos-Dumont as
his airship rose and it's head pointed for
the middle of the bay! 1t was soon noticed,
however, that instead of maintaining its
usual equilibrium, the balloon rose and
pitched in a way that created considerable
anxiety among the spectators. The aero
naut, however, kept on his fight, and,
pointing his airship to the left, continued
to ascend until the long guide rope was
quite twenty feet out of the water. In
turning the balloon the guide rope caught
in the screw, and this, with the erratic
working of the airship. created a situation
of great danger. At the same time squall
burst from Tete de Chen, and Santos
Dumont tilted the head of his balloon up
wards in order to disengage the guide rope.
But in so doing the ballast shifted and oil
used TO run the motor began to spread
the emergency cord. This ripped the en-
velOpe of the balloon, which at once began
rapidly to descend.
HIS HEAD COOL.
Santos-Dumont did not lose his head. He
could easily be seen from the shore watch
ing the various parts of the airship. At
this time the balloon had slightly righted
itself, and, the lower part having become
empty, the airship dropped slantingy to-
wards the pigeon-shooting ground which
borders the bay. In front of these grounds
there lies a reef of sharp rocks, and the
excitement on shore became intense APP
would drift on these rocks and be dashed
to pieces.
In the meanwhile the steam launches in
the bay were making toward the spot
where it was supposed the balloon would
fall The first TO approach was the Princess
Alice, belonging TO the Prince of Monaco,
and those on board seized the balloons
guide rope, which somehow mad become
disentangled. At the moment this was
done a sharp cracking sound made by the
motor could be heard, and the screw was
seen again 10 revolve. The balloon, which
was then almost in the sea, rose slowly for
a few moments. But the motor stopped
again and the airshp descended a second
time until Santos-Dumont was immersed
up to his armpits in the water. This scene
was witnessed with great excitement by
the onlookers ashore and af1oat. The aero
maui, with the pluck which has character
lied him throughout his dangerous expert
ments, could be seen standing UP In his
car gesticulating and shouting directions
TO those on the launch which was towing
him towards the Princess Alice.
At five minutes to o clock the end of
the balloon burst, and the Prince of Mon
AGO. who was on board the launch, then
gave orders to rescue SantOS-DumOnt from
his perilous position. The launch then
came alongside the half-dehated balloon or
the airship, which threatened at any mo-
ment 10 smother SantOs-Dumont. The lat
ter half pulled ana halt clamDered
over the gunwale into the boat. The Prince
of Monaco took MIN by the hand and urged
him To allow himself 10 DE taken on board
clothes But the aerOnaut energetically re
fused To do this until the remnants of the
airship had been saved. With the sea wa
ter dripping from his clothes and looking
like a water rat, the inventor stood in the
bows of the launch shouting directions for
the salvage of his airship Ii was impossi-
BILE TO save more than the silk envelope.
The motor had 10 be left TO its fate, and
il sank. The launch on which was the
inventor then made for the shore, escorted
by fiOtilla of other launches and boats.
As Santos Dumont landed the great as
sembage which had gathered on the shore
acclaimed him with extreme enthusiasm.
His first words of a hurried interview, OBJ
tanned as he made his way toward his resi-
dence. were: Il am not discouraged. My
trip 10 Cape Martin is only postponed.
will start again as soon as l can get ready.
This accident was due 10 the entangling
of the guide ropes with the screw and wires
OF the balloon. The balloon was not fully
inflated when I started. Seeing that an
accident was inevitable l pulled the emer
gency cord. but pulled il harder than | in.
tended. This made a bigger rent than /
wanted. Consequently the airship col
lapsed too quickly, and for a moment there
seemed 10 be danger OF the casing falling
me- But luckily this danger was avert
ed. / shall try again"
a subscription was started this evening
10 aid Santos Dumont TO continue his ex-
periments. The Duke De Dino heads the
list with 5000 francs.