Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1909-10-25
A-P|0NEER AERONAUT
TRAGIC END OF HIS CAREER.
No Wa the First Asronaus TO Lose
His Life From q Balloon. and No
Was Dashed to Death With . Com
psnion From . Height Of 100 Feet.

His Life From q Balloon. and No
Was Dashed to Death With . Com
psnion From . Height Of LOO Feet.
jean Francois Pilatre dc RozIcr. who
WIS born nj Metz In 1856 and who was
killed. n martyr TO his zeal. by a fall
FROM his balloon nj BouIogne. France.
June 10. 1895. was the hrst aeronaut
to lose his life ia the dangerous work
Of mastering the air.
Pilatre de Rozier. who had made
accents In the Montgal6er balloon. de-
termincd TO solve the question 81 bal
Icons as mediums for carrying rassen-
gers aud could think and dream Of
nothing but how he could fashion a
machine that would carry him ON an
aerial voyage. When his balloon was
finished he made some twenty-thrce
ascents. nearly always alone. but occn.
sionally accompanied by the Marquis
d'Arlandes. n brave soldier and one
who had faith In pilatre's IDEAS. The
balloon was always held captive by
strong cords.
Whenever he went up there was n
crowd 10 watch him. One day there
was n thrilling moment. The balloon
drifted toward some high trees. and II
seemed inevitable that the tissues
would he torn by the branches and
! pilatre dashed TO the ground. They
saw the young man calmly throw a
bunch of straw on his fire aud quickly
/ pour oversit W small bottles of oil.
Instantly the fierce heat sent the bal
loon up safely. and II swept beyond
the danger line OF the trees. 4 mighty
shout went up from the crowd. aud
when he came down Pilatrc had an
ovation.
: He now felt ready TO make his
grand experimental trial trip. but the
king would not allow him 60 20. rs he
feared 10 lose so brave and scientific
a man Pilatre was In despair. and nj
length the King said that he would
give him the opportunity 10 test the
safety Of his balloon 10 the following
way. He would give full pardon TO any
two criminals who were willing 10 20
up In II. provided Pilatre did aot him.
self 60.
The scientist was very angry. He
said: what. Shall vile criminals. foul
murderers. men rejected from the hos.
ON OF society. have the glory OF being
the first TO navigate the air. Never
while Pilatre dc Rozier draws breath
After repeated prayers for permits.
sion Z o make his experiment he ap
pealed 10 the influence Of the Duchess
de polignac. the governcss of the royal
children. To her petitions the Mar
quis d'Arlandes added his and asked
20 he allowed 10 accompany PiIatre.
At length consent was obtained.
On Nov. 81. 1857. pilatrc and the
marquis made an ascent from the gar
dcns OF the Chateau de In Muettc. In
the Bots. They sailed safely across the
Seine. over the Hospital For Old Sol
diers. over the Military school and
landed about Ave miles from Paris
Their return was greeted with Wild
enthusiasm.
The marquis rode back. but Pllatrc
had TO 60 FIRST 10 his house and get n
coat. for some one had stolen his In
the mixup Of their coming down. when
the balloon. OF course. collapsed.
Pilatrc now announced that he would
cross the channel from Boulognc 10
England. A wealthy Frcnchman nd.
vanced the money TO construct an i'm.
proved machine that he was certain
could stay In the air as long as neccs-
sary. This new invention was n bal
loon filled with hydrogen gas. Under
II was a cylinder by which he expected
TO rarely the air contained In II so that
he could either ascend or descend cas-
lily and so reach currents OF air that
would take him In any desired dircc-
tlon.
II was i've months before there came
a day suitable for making the aerial
trip. A physician who loved adventure
and believed IN the success OF the OK.
pertinent went with him from Bou-
logne.
They cut the cords that held the bal.
loon nj Z o'clock In the morning The
ascent was majestic. aud when at n
height OF 200 feet the balloon swept
into n current OF air that took Il to-
ward the channel. Suddenly n cross
current swept Il back.
pilatre hasfancd "a los sorno LILA al
into the cylinder and In some way
made a rent In the balloon. They were
LOO feet high. and Instantly they
were dashed 10 the earth. mangled and
crushed frightfully.
France still remembers his enthusl.
faith In his scientific efforts. aud |
In many places are memorials and IN.
scriptions that perpetuate his fame
Globe.