The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-26
4 PIONEER AEROHAUT
The Brave and Daring French
mar PiIatre de RoZier.
TRAGIC END OF HIS CAREER.

He Was tho First aeronau: to Lose
His Life From, a Balloon. and He
Was Dashed 20 Death With q Com
panion From Height OF 1.70o Feet
Jean Francois pilat-e dc Rozicv. who
was born at Metz in lIJ6 aud who was
killed. martyr TO his zeal. by I fall
from his balloon ii BouloSne. France,
June Is, 1895. WIS the first aerouaui
to lose his life in the dangerous work
Of mastering the air.
Pi!are dc Rozier. who had made
ascents in the Moatsaitev balloon. de-
ternined 10 solve .bc question Of bal
looms rs mediums for carrying p:ssen,
gers and could thini, and dream OF
nothing but how be could fashion :
machine that would carry hita or an
aerial voyage When his balloon was
finished he made some twenty. three
ascents, nearly always alone. bat occa'
sionally accompanied by the Marquis
GArla ndcs. 4 brave soldier and one
who had faith IN Pi!asre'S ideas. The
balloon was always held captive by
strong cords.
Whenever he went up there WAS a
crowd to watch him. One day there
was thrilling moment. The balloon
drifted toward some high trees. and It
seemed inevitable that the tissues
would be torn by the branches and
Pi!atre dashed 70 the ground. They
saw the young man calmly throw Z
bunch Of straw on his FIRE aud q::ics!y
pour over il two small bottles OF Oil.
Instantly the terce heat sent the BAL
loon up safely. and il swept beyond
the danger line Of the trees. \ mighty
shout went up from the crowd. and
when be came down pilaTc had IN
ovation.
&c now felt ready to make bis
grand experimental trial trip. but The
king would not allow him 70 30. as Ee
feared to lose so brave and scientific
q man. Pilatre was IN despair. aud 1T
length the king said that be woHd
give him the opportunity to test the
safety of his balloon 10 the following
way: He would give full! pardon 10 any
two criminals who were willing 10 go
rp IN it. provided Pi!at7e did not him
self so.
The scientist was very angry. He
said: What: Shall vile criminals. foul
uurderers. men rejected from the oos.
ON Of society. have the glory OF being
the first to navigate the air: Never
while Pi!atre de Rozier draws breath"
After repeated prayers for per'nis-
sion to make bis experiment be ap
peaied 10 the influence OF the Duchess
de Polisnac. the soverncss o. the royal
children. To her petitions the Mar
cuis d'Arlandes added bis and asked
to be allowed 10 accompany P!a're.
st length consen, was obtained.
On Nov. 81. lIS. pilatre and the
marquis made an ascent from the gar
dens OF the Chateau de II Muette. in
the Boss. They sailed safely across the
Seine. over the Hospi,a! For Old Sol
diers, over the Military school and
landed abou, eve miles from Paris.
Their return was greeted With wild
enthusiasm.
The marquis rode back. but Pi!atre
had to so FIRST 10 bis house and get 4
coat. for some cne had stolen his in
the uizup Of their coming down. when
the balloon. OF course. collapsed.
pila,re now announced that he would
cross the chanue! from Boulosne TO
England. 4 wealthy Frenchman ad-
vanced the money 70 construct 10 i'm
proved machine that be was certain
could stay IN the air rs long as neces-
sary. This new Invention was Z bal
loon filed with hydrogen gas. Under
it was cylinder by which be expected
to rarely the air contained in it so that
he could either ascend or descend cas-
liz and so reach currents Of air that
would take hIm io any desired direc.
ton
1t was Eve months before there came
a day suitable for making The ae7ia!
trip. 4 physician who loved adventure
and believed in the success Of the e3-
pertinent went with him from Rou-
logne.
They cut the cords that held the bal
loon at { O'clock IN the morning. The
ascent was majestic. and when at 4
height OF 200 feet the balloon swept
into a current Of air that took it TO
ward the channel. Suddenly cross
current swept it back.
Piiatre FASTENED 10 let some cold air
into the cylinder and in some way
made q rent in the balloon. They were
1.T0o feet high. and instantly they
were dashed to the earth. uanSled and
crushed friShtfully.
France still! remembers bis enthus:-
ast:c faith in his scientific efforts and
IN many places are memorials and in
scriptions that perpetuate bis fame
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