Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1909-10-28
A PIONEER AERONAUT.
The Brave and Daring French
man PiIatre &c RozIor.
TRAGIC END or HIS CAREER.


His Life From a Balloon, and he
Was Dashed to Death With Com
psnion From a Height of t7oo Feet.
Jeon Francois pilatve de Rozier, who
WAS born at Metz in 1906 and who was
killed. martyr 70 his zeal. by lat
from his balloon nj Boulogne, France
June Is. 1893. was the first aeronaut
10 lose his life in the dangerous work
of mastering the air.
pilatre de RoZier, who had mace
asceuts in the Montgalher balloon, ue-
termiued to solve the question or pal
looms as mediums for carrying passen-
gers and could think and dream OF
nothing but how be could fashion |
machine that would carry him on an
aerial voyage. When his balloon was
finished he made some tWenty-three
asceuts nearly always alone, but occa-
sionally accompanied by the Marquis
a. Arlandes. Il brave soldier ana one
who had faith in Pilatre's ideas. Inc
balloon was always held captive by
strong cords.
Whenever he went up there was
crowd to watch him. One day there
was Il thrilling moment Inc pailoon
drffted toward some high trees, ana IL
seemed inevitable that the tissues
would be torn by the branches and
piatre dashed to the ground. 1hes
saw the young man calmly throw
hnnch Of straw On his fire aud quickly
no11r over it two small bottles OF OIL.
Instantly the fierce heat sent the bal
loon M safely. and it swept beyond
the danger line Of the trees. \ mighty
shout went up from the crowd. ana
when he came down Pilatre hau an
ovation.
He now felt ready to make ms
grand experimental tri;tl trip, but the
king would not allow him to so. as he
feared to lose so brave and sclentlne
q man. Pilatre was in despair. ana'at
length the king said that he wouid
give him the opportunity to test tue
safety of his balloon in the following
vay. He would give full pardon to any
two criminals who We're willing to go
up in it, provided Pilatre did not him.
! self go.
The scientist was very angry. He
said: What Shall vile criminals, foul
murderers, men rejected from the bos.
ON of society, have the glory of being
the first to navigate the air: Never
while Pilatre de Rozier draws breath.
After repeated prayers for permis-
| sion to make his experiment he ap~
pealed to the influence of the Duchess
! de Polignac. the governess OF the royai
children. To her petitions the Mar
ouis d'Arlandes added his and asked
to be allowed to accompany Pllatre.
Ar length consent was obtained.
On Nov. q, 1888. Pilatre and the
marquis made an ascent from the gar
dens of the Chateau de la Muette. in
the Bois. They sailed safely across the
Seine. over the Hospital For Old Sol
diers. over the Military school and
landed about five miles from Paris
Their return was greeted with wild
enthusiasm.
The marquis rode back. but Pilatrt
had to go first to his house and get
, coat, for some one had stolen his II
1.-THE mixup Of their coming down, whe1
the balloon, of course. collapsed.
Pilatre now announced that he wouit
, cross the channel from Boulogne t
, England. A wealthy Frenchman ad
yanced the money to construct an ln
= proved machine that he was CERTAIN
could stay in the air as long as neces
= sary. This new invention was a ba
: loon filed with hydrogen gas. Unde
:, it was cylinder by which he expecte
= to rarely the air contained in 1t so tina
;, he could either ascend or descend eas
: ilv and so reach currents of air tha
- would take him in any desired diret
! ton
1t was FIVE months before there cam
day suitable for making the aeris
trip. A physician who loved adventur
and believed in the success of the e.
;. periment went with him from Boz
q logne.
e They cut the cords that held the ba
= loon at { o'clock in the morning. III
ascent was majestic. and when at
:, height of 200 feet the balloon sweI
- into q current Of air that took 1t t
:, ward the channel. Suddenly a eros
:, current swept it back.
- Piatre FASTENED to let some cold
, into the cylinder and in some wa
made a rent in the balloon. They wei
- 17OO feet high. and instantly the
u were dashed to the earth. mangled al
:, crushed frightfully.
- France still remembers his enthus
- astic faith in his scientific efforts, az
- in many places are memorials and /
y scriptions that perpetuate his fame.
= Boston Globe.