Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1908-10-16
avFR 1000 FEET DURING A
RAGE IN GERMANY.
TT Forbes and A. Post, While 1000
Ton. in Air, Meet With Horrible Elk
..risnce-Balloon Takes Sudden Drop
, so- ooo0 Feet and Then 1t Forms a
parachute, Saving Their Lives.

porl;n Oct. 12.-The international |
..lIoon race, which started Sunday from
.ho suburb of Schmargenberg, was the
...osion of a thrilling accident, two
,merican aeronauts having a miracu-
,ous escape from death. The American
balloon Conqueror, the only American
,uHt craft in the contest, having on
hoard A. Holland Forbes and Augustus
poot less than two minutes after the
.tart burst at an altitude of 1000 feet
For 2OOO feet it shot down like bull
lot and then the torn silk bag assumed
the shape of a parachute, thus checking
tbe rapidity of the descent. Coming
close to the earth, however, the basket
smashed into the roof of house, but
tbe two men escaped with but slight
injuries.
The race, in which % balloons par
ticpated, representing Great Britain,
France Germany, the United States,
switzerland, Belgium, Italy and Spain,
started at o'clock in, the presence of
at least 5000 spectators. The sunshine
WAS brilliant and the heat was that OF
summer. Amid the strains of "Ameri
eau and volleys of cheers, the first bal
loon was sent away. 1t was the Ameri
can H., under command OF James G
Mccoy, who was accompanied by Lieu
tenant Voghtmann. The balloon wal
decorated with the Stars and Stripes
and it sailed away to the southeast at I
rapid pace, the aeronauts waving thei
hats
A representative of each of the othe
nations followed the American balloo
in succession at intervals of two mir
utes, the national hymn of the respect
i've countries ringing forth as the rope
were cast loose.
Conqueror Rises High, Explodes.
The second batch of eight balloon
was led by Forbes, in the Conquero
which was started with some difficult
owing to a gusty wind and too mu'
ballast. But eventually it shot upwal
and reached high altitude in an I
eredibly short time, the basket swayn
violently. Then almost instantly c
of horror arose from the crowd, who SO
the silk collapse and shouted, ''The b'
loon is ripping up.
Thousands who had gathered sto
for a moment petrifed. Some turn
away fainting as they saw the ballo
falling with lightninglike rapidity.
of mr.
purtenances of the balloon shot dow
ward with great rapidity and then d;
light was seen through the envelop
great ragged eddies of the silk show
on either side.
"They are killed. went in husl
whisper through the crowd, but shor
the remainder of the envelope appea
to take at first a triangular shape
then was transformed into sort
parachute at the top of the net ana
passage downward of the wrecked
loon was considerably arrested.
1t came down slower and sloN
meanwhile being swept by the wlnd
to the southeast and disappearing 4
sight behind a block of houses.
suspense among the crowd was terri
but a few minutes later telepn
message was received from trieden
which announced that the men
landed and had not been seriously
jured. A great sigh of relief wen'
among the people, who threw their
in the air for joy. The other paii
were sent up after brief delay
out further accident.