The bee., 1908-10-15
BALLOON FALLS 1000 FEET.
BALLOON BURSTS LESS THAN
TWO MINUTES AFTER
MAKING START.
BAG ACTS AS A PARACHUTE
Twenty-Three Balloons Participate
In international Race In
Germany for the Gordon
Bennett Cup.

Berlin. oct 12.--The international
balloon race. which started Sunday,
from the suburb OF Schmnrgcnacri
Was the occasion of a thrilling acci
dent, two American acronauts having
miraculous ercs2e fro.n death. The
American balloon Conqueror, the only
American built craft Ia the contest
having on board A. Holland Forbes
and Augustus Post. less than two
II inutes after the start, burst at an
altitude Of 1000 feet For 1000 feet
II shot like bullet, and then the silk
bag spread out like a parachute and
the rapidity of the descent was
checked Coming close to the earth
however. the basket smashed into the
roof Of house, but the two men
escaped with but slight injuries.
The race In which twenty-three bal
looms participated, representing Great
Britain, France. Germany, the United
States. Switzerland, Italy, Belgium
and Spain, started at 3 o'clock Sunday
afternoon in the presence Of at least
80 900 spectators The sun shine was
brilliant and the heat was that OF
summer. Amid the strains America"
and yOlleys OF cheers the first balloon
was sent away. II was the America
H." under command Of James G. Nc
Coy, who was accompanied by Lieut.
VoEhmRnn. The balloon was decorated
with the stars and stripes, and II sail
ed away to the southeast at q rapid
pace, the aercnauts waving their hats.
A representative OF each of the
other nations followed the American
balloon in succession at intervals OF
two minutes, the national hymn OF the
respective countries ringing forth ~
the ropes were cast loose.
Had Difficulty in Starting.
The second batch OF eight balloons
was led by Forbes in the "CohquerOr"
was started with some difficulty ow-
ing to Eusty wind and too much
ballast. But eventually 1t shot up and
reached a high altitude In an in
credibly short period, the basket
swaying violently. Then almost in
stanily a cry Of horror arose from the
crowd. who saw the silk collapse and
shouted The balloon is ripping up"
Thousands who had gathered there
stood for moment petrihsd. Some
turned away, fainting as they saw the
balloon falling with lightning like
rapidity. AT the same time, showers
of sand and appurtenances Of the bal.
loon shot downward with equal rRpIdity
and then daylight was seen through
the envelope, great ragged edges of
the silk showing on either side.
They are killed" went In n hushed
whisper through the crowd, but
shortly the remainder Of the envelope
to take. frat a triangular
shape and then was transformed into
q sort Of parachute at the top Of the
net and the progress of the wrecked
balloon was considerably arrested.
II came down slower and slower
meanwhile being swept by the wind,
far to the southeast, and finally dis
appeared from view behind a block OF
houses. The suspense among the
crowd was terrible. But few minutes
later a telephone message was re.
ceived from Friedenau which SnHOunc.
ed that the men had landed and had
not been seriously injured. A great
sigh Of relief went up among the
people who threw their hats into the
air for Joy. The other balloons were
sent up after brief delay without
further accident.