Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-12
BIG BALLOON BURSTS.
AeronautS Forbes and Post
Fall 1000 Feet.
THEY BOTH ESCAPE UNHURT
Bag Forms Into Parachute and
Makes Descent Gentle.
LANDING MADE ON HOUSE ROOF
Sand Bags Cut Away and Allowed to
Fall in Streets-One Smashes
Baby Carriage.
THEY BOTH ESCAPE UNHURT
LANDING MADE ON HOUSE ROOF

| BERLIN. October ia. Holland
| Forbes and Augustus c. Post, the TWO
| American aeronauts who yesterday had
! such "A narrow escape from death when
| their balloon, the Conqueror, burst in the
air at an altitude of 1000 feet, have
| completely recovered this morning from
the effects of their thrilling experience.
Forbes drove out this morning and
examined what was left of the balloon
prior to having it packed for tran oorta-
ton back to New York, whittier it Will
be shipped tomorrow. The envelope is
torn into five pieces. mere are also
MANY hoes as a result of its contact
with roofs.
Although nothing definite has been es-
taDlisned, che general opinion is that the
accident was caused by the Length OF
The appendix, which dId not permit the
gas to escape with sufficient rapldlty as
Ii expanded with ascent. InlS occurred
IN spite of the fact that the valve was
completely opened.
Inc result was the concentration OIL d
great pressure at the top OF the baiioon
Wnlcn ended in d break. 1t was Inc
purpose of the aerOnauts by this ar
ianeement to get greater h1uns capac-
lty.
t'orbes said today he could not tind
words adequately to express his thanAe
Tor the kindness and assistance received
from all sues he has been overwhelmed
with inquiries as To his condition, and
has received hundreds OF caidS, letters
and te.egrams of congratulations as We'll
DIS large quantities OF flowers.
Emperor William has sent one of MS
personal adjutants to make inquiries. He
| expressed desire to meet FORBES this
evening.
| Forbes probably will go to England,
where he Will make other ascensions.
No News of Competitors.
No news has yet been received con-
corning the positions of the other contest
ants who started from here yesterday In
| the race for the International cup.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators
yesterday witnessed at the Schmargendort
Sport Park the start of the race tor the
Coupe Internationaie deS AeronauteS.
The ConQuerOr, having as plot A. Hol-
land Forbes. assisted by Augustus Post,
started ninth in the race. the departure
| taking place exactly at $50 o'clock.
The French balloon LIE Condor started
| three minutes before the German balloon
the Berlin steered by Herr Erbsion.
Four minutes later the Conqusror made
a bad start, the basket hitting a strong
| fence built to keep the people back, caus-
ing her TO sway badly.
At exactly $40 the spectators were
watching the still swinging progress OF
the American balloon when suddenly they
saw what looked like streak of light
ming just below the word "ConquerOr,"
the light coming through.
Balloon Forms Parachute.
In moment all eyes were turned
toward the balloon. Women screamed
and all expected tragedy as they saw
the split open larger and larger.
The balloon opened out as though with
wings. For a few moments there was
terrible suspense. Then the balloon cloth
was seen to form a parachute. 1t was
evident the lives Of the two men were
saved.
Forbes returned to the Hotel Adlon. He
was unhurt except for a bad shaking up
and was in excellent spirits.
He made drawing of how he landed
and described the fall by saying:
I'VE were 1000 feet up at the time and
about two miles from the start. Suddenly
l heard Post say, 1T has come There
was kissing rush of gas and the balloon
knife l at once started cutting OF the
bags of sand.
There were, including those inside the
car, thirty-nine bags. They went as they
How or upon what they fell l do not
know One l distinctly saw fall through
a baby carriage. Luckily the baby was
absent. Post and I got rid of them
with Inc utmost rap1Qlty.
There was house at No. WilhelmS-
| hof, Friedman. built around three sides
of a court. We just cleared the first roof
and the basket hit the corner Of the
| second. making six-foot hole and knock
! ing the chimney down,
| I'VE crawled over the roof. Soon the
police and the fire brigade arrived. They
treated me splendidly. They took charge
of my balloon and everything Lieut.. Won
Esmarch, sent by the Aero Club, took me
| home by automobile"
Cheers at the Start.
Amid the strains of America" and VOL
| leys of cheers the first balloon was sent
away. 1t was the America II. under
command of James C. Mccoy. who was
accompanied by Lieut.. Voghmann.
| The balloon was decorated with the
Stars and Stripes. 1t sailed away to the
southeast at rapid pace. the aero
nauts waving their hats.
The balloons were sent off in fine time
| The America II started at minutes past
| 3. Bushley Germany made an exemplary
| debut five minutes later. The Banshee
made a record, rising two minutes after
| ward. and Valencia four minutes later.
| with Capt. kindelan, SPANS premier
| aerOnaut
| The Cognac Hope (Switzerland). with
| De Beauclair. got off three minutes later.
| the Belgica Aetos two minutes after the
| Cognac.
| At 4:45 O'Clock all Of the twenty-three
| competitors were off. 1t had been quick
| work.
| AS they went out of sight the America
| III was off on high course which would
probably take her to southern Russia
| while Busley was taking a more norther-
| ly course. All he rest. barring the Con-
| queror, were going well.
! Until today I did not know l had so
| many friends" said Forbes. The crowd
| treated me as though / had done some
| thing heroic and wonderful. 1t all merely
| shows the absolute safety of balloons.
Hang to Ring.
When we saw the collision with the
house was inevitable Post and l hung to
! the ring and thus saved ourselves"
St John Gaffney, American consul gen.
eral at Dresden, who was watching the
race from an automobile, hurried to the
building After climbing to the skylight
in the Wilhelmhofstrasse building he
| found Forbes, pale and agitated. but I'M
injured, with a number of people around
him.
! The street was full of people when
| Forbes came out. The pOpulace gave
him a great ovation, to which he bowed
| acknowledgements.
| Il could cry with vexation." said Forbes
later after coming far to take part
in the race and then be knocked out by
!