Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-01-23
THE FIRST AERONAU7,,
HIS INITIAL FLIGHT INTO SPACE WAS
At TAE;s in 1888. 5

HIS INITIAL FLIGHT INTO SPACE WAS
At PsE,s in 1888.
| Tilntre sles Rosters Was the Pioneers
| OF the LOa. Linc OF Daring SpiritA
| Who Perished la Their Attempts tts
| Navigate the Air.
| The first attempts to make ascene
sions by means Of balloons were madO
\ In Paris in The year 1888. Pilatrc tlcs.
Rosters was the first and most illustri-
Gus of the long list of aeronauts who
have fallen victims to their desire to-
advance the art of aerostatics.
| In July and August of the year 11Sss
balloons filled With hydrogen gas were
sent up from Paris, and in September
Mt Versailles the first balloon was sen.
UP freghtcd with living animals.
In the same year Montgolfier con-
structcd balloon which lie claimed
would be capable of carrying passen-
gers, his workshop being in the gardens
of the FaNbourg st. Antoine. The ball
loon was sixty feet in height and forty
eight broad. Its exterior was richly
| painted and embroidered, there being
represented upon it the twelve signs ct
| the zodiac. the arms of the king Of
| France and numberiess fleurs-de-lis and
lower down, amid a crowd of grotesque
heads and garlands of flowers, flock
of eagles, with extended wings, that
1l,,;
huge balloon upon their shoulders.
Below the balloon proper was con-
structed {: circular platform of wicker
work, covered with silk, which was
used as a car. This platform was very
large and was surrounded by balus-
trade to prevent the aeronauts from
falling out In the center of this plat
form or car was an opening, below
which was suspended by chains an iron
stove. which was to be used for rarely
Ing the air in the balloon while in one
corner was Il magazine intended for the
! storing up of an immense quantity OF
straw, which served as fuel.
| Iilatre des Rosters, generally alone,
but at one time accompanied by the
Marquis d'Arlandes and on another oc-
caslon by NJ. Girond lie Villette, had as
cended in the balloon without cutting
| the rope which held it captive to @
height of 1890 feet.
| Rosters had much difficulty in obtain
ing permission from the king to make
an ascent without being held down by
the rope, but consent was at last Sc
cured, and on the Goth of November,
1888, everything was made ready. Dur
ing the day the wind and rain were vio-
lent. and it was found necessary to
postpone the ascent. The next day, the
2lst, the weather was more favorable.
and at $50 In the afternoon in the pres
cnce of the dauphin and his suit P-
latre des Rosters and the Marquis d'Ar-
landes set out together from the JAR
dins de In Muctte upon the first aerial
| voyage ever attempted and performed.
The wind was Still very rough and the
weather stormy. but in spite of these
disadvantages the balloon rose rapidly.
Having passed over Paris and be-
come free from all fear Of getting en-
tangled among the buildings of the city,
| the aeronauts suffered themselves to
descend considerably until they found
| themselves in n fresh current of air,
which bore them in a southerly direc-
! ton.
| After proceeding few miles farther
the fire was allowed to die out. and the
balloon descended about five miles from
| Paris. When the aeronautS returned to
the Chateau dc III Muette, they We're
greeted with the utmost enthusiasm by
the assembled crowds. Benjamin Frank
lin was witness of the whole specta-
Gle, and when asked what he thought
of it he replied, II have seen a child
born which may one day be n man."
Acrostatics had advanced to such u
degree that on the 9TH Of January,
1856. Blanchard. rival of Rosters,
crossed over the channel from Dover
| to Calais.
| Rosters was spurrcd on by Blanch-
| nrd's success and set to work con-
| structing a balloon which, when COM
| plcted. he called an aeromontgoltier.
| X consisted OF an immense balloon OF
| hydrogen gas, With a large cylinder
placed under it, the use of it being to
rarely the air without losing gas.
| When a favorable day had arrived.
Pilatre for the last time made his
| pre- eparations. He was assisted by Il
Boulogne physician named Roman.
and on June 10, 1855, they stepped into
| the basket, the ropes We're cast off, and
the balloon rose with tie utmost mai.
esty from the earth.
When it had risen about 200 feet, it
struck a fresh current of air which
took it directly toward the sea. 1t soon
| found another current which rapidly
carried it back again 1t possibly may
have been the desire of the aeronauts
tu descend to fad more favorable cur
rent of air. for while opening the valve
| TO let the cold air into his cylinder un-
fortunately q huge rent was made in
the balloon. The consequences were
immediate and horrible. At that time
the balloon was 170O feet above the
surface Of the earth. A few moments
afterward the two aeronauts lay on
the ground dead aud horribly mutt
lated.
Near the spot where Pilatre des Ro-
sicrs was buried n monument was
erected in 1858 to commemorate the al
most miraculous crossing of the sea by
Blanchard. upon the very spot of earth
on which that intrepid aeronaut de-
scended. lie had become for France
hero. and numbers of Inscriptions ars
| 81 i'll in lla-Nau, Norl. tr;,,os