Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-11
BALLOON FALLS;
AER0NAUTS ARE
HURT IN TUMBLE
A.. Holland Forbes and j. G..
Yates Are Unconscious for
Hours After Accident.
BIG BAG DESCENDS
ON KENTUCKY FARM
Aerial Voyagers Started Monday
Night from Quincy, ILL.,, for
Record breaking Trial.

GLASGOW, KY, May 11.-Bearing
numerous cuts and bruises and posi-
bly, internal. injuries. A Holland
Forbes. of New York. holder of
the Lahm trophy. and J. C. Yates. a
New York astronomer, who accom-
painted him in a flight against the bal
loom distance record. are lying in a
farmhouse six miles north of Center,
which, is about twenty miles from this
city. The balloon Viking, with which
they assembled at Quincy. ILL.,, Monday
might, is a mass of tangled silk and
cord, torn beyond repair.
Forbes and Yates recovered con-
seriousness about noon today, and Mr..
Forbes was able to tell briefly his adj
ventures of yesterday. Mr.. Yates is in
SO critical a condition that physicians
will notflet him talk. Mr.. Forbes says
heslost control of the balloon during
the afternoon, and seeing a favorable
position pulled the rip cord to effect a
landing.
s He gave it too much Of a tug, it APP
pears. and the entire side of the bal
loon was ripped open n the big bag
descended with too great rapidity. Mr..
Forbes today dictated a few kilograms
to friends n relatives and said he
would probably make a full statement
tonight or tomorrow.
The balloon was first sighted south
of Center about 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. Those who saw 1t could dis
Germ no passengers and suspected that
something was wrong. 1t was going at
a rate of about five miles an hour. AS
1t moved over Center and to the north
It appeared to be settling toward the
ground, when suddenly the bag col
lapsed and the dash to the earth fol-
lowed.
Farmers soon reached the spot where
tn balloon had fallen in a field. They
freed the two apparently dead men and
carried them to the nearest farmhouse.
where restoratives were administered.
1t was not until several hours later
tina Forbes showed signs of returning
consciousness, and he rallied only for a
few minutes at a time. He seemed to
have no knowledge of what a hap
pened. Yates has reused for a few
moments, but like Forbes was unable
to give any details.
Forbes during conscious moments
made disconnected statements declar-
Ing that the balloon had passed over
portions of Illinois. Missouri, Tonnes
see and Kentucky. He said they were
over Illinois yesterday morning. He
failed to say what happened to the bal
loon, but an incoherent statement about
a leakage of gas furnished a plausible
clue. His statements about the gas
caused some of the country people who
heard about them to declare that the
aeronauts had been overcome by escap-
ing gas from the balloon, but the sup
position was hardly borne out by any
thing Forbes said.
NEW YORK, May ia. Holland
Forbes has had a long and adventurous
career as a balloonist. He Is VICE
president Of the Aero Club of America.
On october II, 1908. while he was COM
peting for the James Gordon Bennett
distance trophy at Berlin his big bal
loon, the Coqueror, burst at q height
of 5000 feet and fell swiftly. The gas
bag, however, spread after its collapse
into q parachute form and lowered the
aeronaut gently to a housetop. unin-
jured. Mr.. Forbes won the Lahm cup
on October IA. 1909, for the longest fight
of that year. With Max C. Fleisch-
mann, of Cincinnati. he started from
ST. Louis on October IL, and. landed in
Chesterfield county, Virginia, after COW
ering a distance of 731 miles In 10 hours
and Is minutes.
balloon Had Erratic Flight.
ST. LOUIS. May 1.-THE balloon
Viking had an erratlc flight. 1t
assembled at Quincy. ILL.,, Monday re-
ming at $50 o'clock and travelled south
ward slowly. Early yesterday morning
1t was sigted at WentZville, Mo-, and
1t passed over the Mississippi
river within the limits of st. Louis. 1t
was next reported in southern Illinois.
At Nashville, ILL.,. the drag-rope touched
the treetops. Ballast was thrown out
at North Prairie and the balloon
assembled to an altitude of 5000 feet
and slowly sailed toward Kentucky.
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