The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-01
BALLOON KIDNAPS DR.. THOMAS
HE SCARS UP 5000 FEET CLING
ING TO ROPES.
Basket Gets Tangled In wires and He Cuts
II Avay-Falls In n Cotton Field and Is
Dragged q Quarter MIIe-Bruised and
I.scerated. but IL Ready 20 Try Again.

I~acerated. but IL Ready 20 Try Again.
AUGUSTA. Ga. Oct. 3i.-Entangled in the
ropes Of his big balloon Nirvana, and with
out basket or ballast. DIR. Julian p. Thomas
OF New York was borne through tho air,
thousands Of feet above the earth. this
afternoon, while throngs OF spectators
at the Augusta fair grounds gazed in
horror, expecting every moment to see the
aeronaut fall to death.
But DR.. Thomas was lucky, az usual, and
after being whizzed through space for
six miles the balloon came down with him.
His descent was made at q terrific rate,
and il seemed that he must be mangled
when he struck the ground, but Just as he
touched the earth the balloon dashed away,
dragging the doctor along for a quarter Of
u mile.
The balloon continued its fight near the
ground. DIR. Thomas being bumped and
bruised and scratched, but escaping serious
injury.
The experience was the most thrilling
DR.. Thomas has had, and tonight he says
his escape from death was almost miracu-
lous.
DIR. Thomas got the balloon into shape
to be taken to the fair grounds at noon
to-day. 1t had been inflated on a vacant
lot beside the canal. IL was his purpose to
take it to the fair grounds on a boat and
he did start to take it there that way. When
within about a quarter Of a mile Of the fair
grounds the balloon broke from its fasten-
ings on the boat and drifted into a field
ah,,NtsHr Nha Fatn ,wD,YnIa Ernpa fhfa
field DIR. Thomas decided to fly over into the
fair grounds and from there make the
main ascent.
Near where he intended starting up were
a lot of electric wires. He made an effort
to avoid them. but hardly had he left the
ground before the balloon was tangled in the
wires and the basket threatened TO overturn
He drew a big sailors knife. which he car
ries for such an emergency. and slashed
the ropes. This separated the basket
from the gas bag and disentangled the
apparatus from the wires, the basket falling
to the ground, but DR.. Thomas was caught
In the ropes below the balloon.
Relieved Of the basket and ballast the
balloon shot up like a rocket and in a minute
il was so high that the navigator could
not be seen by the crowds at the fair grounds.
The balloon came down Of it's own accord
as the gas escaped.
DIR. Thomas says that when he got en-
tangled in the wires he seated himself on
the ring and proceeded to cut away the
basket. TIT balloon shot up, rising, he
says, more than 5000 feet. DIR. Thomas
says that the balloon travelled so rapidly
that he had difficulty in getting his breath.
Six miles from Augusta the valve began
to leak and the balloon came down almost
as rapidly as it had assembled, falling in the
middle OF a cotton field. Because he was
tangled in the ropes DR.. Thomas could
not get from under and was enveloped in the
folds Of the balloon when it alighted.
The balloon then began a journey across
the field and DIR. Thomas was bumped along
the ground for a quarter OF a mile.
He is badly bruised and his face is dis
figured with decorations. but physicians say
he is not seriously injured.
DIR. Thomas declares that his experience
has not lessened his ardor for ballooning;
and he has arranged to make another sscen-
sion from the fair grounds tomorrow or
FRIDAY.