The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-11-01

ENTANGLED IN WIRES.
Airship Sailed Away With Sky
Pilot Unable To Manage
The Craft.

AUGUSTA. Ga. Nov. /. - Caught
without warning by rope IN which
he had become cntanglcd. DR.. Julian
4. Thomas, the New York aeronaut,
was carried on by runaway balloon
here.
Mrs. Thomas, who was 20 make an
ascension. witnessed the accident TO
her husband.
High up over the city the balloon
shot like an arrow. without basket
or ballast. suspendIng by thirty foot
rope from the gas bag. Dr. Thomas
was carried up among the clouds and
disappeared from view OF the crowd
which stood dumb with terror. unable
90 aid the unfortunate aeronaut
The accident happened at the fair
grounds nc this city. DR.. Thomas had
been engaged 10 make an exhibition
ascension.
lie was preparing his apparatus to
go up when the bag became entanglcd
In some telegraph wires. II was while
trying 10 dlscngagc his balloon that
Dr. Thomas was forced TO cut the
ropes which held the ear.
Suddenly the balloon freed Itself. As
n rocket up shot the wildcat bag. Bc
meath II hung a maze Of tangled ropes
and In these DR.. Thomas became
caught.
In an instant he was jerked from
the ground and, helpless. carried on
high. Several assistants tried TO hold
the car, but without success. II broke
from them and rose. leaving the thou.
sands OF spectators helpless. Not
word was spoken. Then with a cry
Mrs. Thomas swooned She was ear.
rled to an exhibition booth. when on
recovering consciousness she became
hysterical.
The last seen OF the balloon and Dir.
Thomas at Augusta was at $3.50 o'clock.
about twenty minutes after II rose. AT
that time Il was n mere speck In the
sky. travelling rapidly toward the south.
east.
Dr. Thomas landed In the open coun
try without being seriously hurt last
night.
The first aerial voyage made by DR.
Thomas was early this year. when bal
looming I'm this country received an i'm
petus from trips made around New
York by Count de In vaulx and Charles
Levee, the French aeronauts.
lie owns the balloon Nirvana, the
largest In this country.
Or. Thomas and Roy Knabenshue
made a fight from New York to Brant
Rock, In Massachusetts, 240 miles
This is the record for balloon trips In
the United States.
DIR. Thomas has made many expert
ments in midair with devices intended
to make ballooning less perilous.
Mrs. Thomas. his wife. accompanied
him on a few of his flights. Once,
when the Nirvana was crossing the
Hudson river, the balloon dipped into
the water while Mrs. Thomas was In
the car.
Dr. Thomas was able to mount into
the network and seat himself on the
concentrating ring. The balloon rose
like shot and Travelled in a southwes'.
erly direction to an estimated height OF
5000 feet.
When about seven miles from Au
gusta the valve which had been dam
aged Monday and had been patched
with surgeons adhesive plaster began
leaking rapidly, and the aeronaut shot
downward too rapidly for comfort
Not having any ballast, he endeavored
to tighten ship by cutting off his shoes
and heavy leather legglns and also
threw away his coat and the contents
of his pockets.
The descent was but little checked
and he pumped down in the middle Of
the rigging Dr. Thomas was unable to
get from under and was caught in the
folds of the balloon when 1t struck. 1t
then started across the field, dragging
DR.. Thomas nearly quarter of mile
before he could extricate himself. He
was badly scratched and lacerated, but
not seriously injured.
Dr. Thomas described 1t as the most
trying ascent he has yet made. He said
the local difficulties were insurmounta-
BILE for making a regular ascension and
in order to not miss the opportunity he
dared to go up without any care or ap
paratus, not even having ballast He
presented sorry appearance after the
rough experience, but says he will be
all right in a day or two