TERRIBLE BALLOON ACCIDENT.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 324, 26 June 1875, Page 3

TERRIBLE BALLOON ACCIDENT.

The Paris correspondent of the Times, writing on April 18th, gives the following account of a fatal balloon ascent:—A terrible accident happened on Thursday to a party of three aeronauts, MM. Tissandier, Croce-Spinelli, and Sivel, who had ascended at half-past 11 in the balloon, the Zenith, from the gasworks of La Yillette. Shortly before 12 o’clock I myself saw the Zenith passing in a southerly direction towards the Seine. It was a beautiful day, and crowds were watching the balloon, which, being of light color, glanced in the sun like a ball of crystal. The altitudfe at that time seemed great, but few people could have supposed it to be 8000 metres, or that the Zenith was rising at the extraordinary rate of 320 metres a minute. Such, however, was the case, and before 1 o’clock two of the aeronauts, MM. Croce-Spinelli and Sivel, had died of asphyxia, caused, it is supposed, by the rarefaction of the atmosphere. It seems from accounts which appear in this evening’s papers that the balloon fell about 4 o’clock at Giron, a small place in the Department of the Indre. As stated above, two of the aeionauts were already dead, and the third, M. Tissandier, was in a very precarious state. It appears that M. Tissandier, on coming to himself, saw MM. Croce-Spinelli and Sivel lying motionless at the bottom of the car. He thought they had fainted, and attempted to rouse them. Blood was flowing from their mouths, noses, and ears, and M, Tissandier soon perceived that his efforts were in vain. Meanwhile the balloon continued its descent, though driven before the wind at a fearful speed. Soon after the River Creuse was crossed the balloon was close to the earth. M. Tissandier then threw out the anchor, but his first attempt was unsuccessful, The balloon brushed against several trees in the park of Du Barre, and finally struck an elm with a terrible shock. M. Tissandier climbed into the network, burst a hole in the silk covering, and again threw out the anchor. Some men ran to his assistance, and at last the progress of the Zenith was finally stopped on the estate of M. d’Aubigne at a commune of Ciron, in the Department of the Indre. M Tissandier was, when rescued, in a deplorable state, and besides being severely bruised, was perfectly deaf. Later accounts state that he is now, however, in a fair way of recovery, though deeply grieved at the loss of his companions, who were, as has already been stated, lifeless when the Zenith reached Ciron, when medical assistance was at once sent for, but it was too late. M, Tissandier has addressed the following letter to the President of the French Aeronautical Society:— “ Ciron (Indre), April 16th, 1875. “ Dear Sir, —An official telegram baa already told you of the deplorable disaster which has struck us. Sivel aid Croce-Spi-nelli are no more. They were seized with asphyxia in the high aerial altitudes which we reached. I will tell you what I can of this drama, for during two consecutive hours I was in a state of complete coma. The ascent from the gasworks of La Villette was successfully accomplished. At one o’clock we were already at a height exceeding 5000 metres, the pressure being 400

millimetres. We made the air pass through potassium tubes, felt our pulses, and calculated the temperature inside the balloon, It was 50. Sivel arranged the car, Croce used his spectroscope. We felt quite happy, Sivel threw out ballast and very soon we rose, while inhaling the oxygen, which produced an excellent effect. At 1.20 the barometer marked 320 millimetres ; we were at a height of 7000 metres. The temperature was 10. Sivel and Croce were pallid. I felt weak. I inhaled some oxygen, which reanimated me a little. We still ascended. Sivel turned to me and said, ‘We have a great deal of ballast; shall I throw some out V I answered, ‘Do as you like.’ He turned to Croce and asked him the same question. Croce nodded affirmatively in a very energetic way. There were at least five bags of ballast in the car. Each bag of ballast weighs 25 kilogrammes. There were at least four others hung by small ropes outside. Sivel took his knife and cut three ropes. Three bags were emptied, and we rose rapidly. All of a sudden I became so feeble that I could not even turn my head to look at my companions, who were, 1 believe seated. I wished to take hold of theoxygen tube but found it impossible to raise my arm, My brain was still quite clear. My eyes were fixed on the barometer, and I saw the needle point first to a pressure of 290, and then to 280 and over, I wished to call out, ‘We are at a height of 8000 metres but my tongue was, as it wfre, paralyzed. Suddenly I shut my eyes, and I fell senseless in a complete trance. It was then about halfpast one. At eight minutes past two I awoke for a moment. The balloon was rapidly descending. I was able to cut off a bag of ballast to stay the rapidity, and to write on my register the following lines, which I copy— ‘ We are descending; I throw out ballast ; barometrical height, 315. We descend ; Sivel and Croce still fainting in the bottom of the car. We descend very quickly.’ Scarcely had I written these lines when a kind of trembling took possession of me, and I again fell fainting. I felt a violent wind, which indicated a very rapid descent. Some minutes after I felt my arm shaken, and I recognised Cruce, who was reanimated, throwing out ballast. He said to me, ‘ We are descending,’ but I could scarcely open my eyes, and did did not see whether Sibel was awake. I remember that Croce unhooked the aspirateur, which he threw overboard, as well as ballast coverings. Of all this I have a very confused recollection, for I fell again into a state of coma even more completely than before, and it seemed as though I was wrapped in eternal sleep. What happened 1 I suppose that the balloon lightened, impervious to damp, had again ascended to high altitudes. At about a quarter past three I opened my eyes again. I felt giddy and dejected, but my brain was clearer. The balloon was descending with frightful rapidity, the car swaying about violently and oscillating to and fro. I dragged myself up and took Sivel and Croce by the arms. ‘ Sivel I Croce!’ I cried, ‘rouse yourselves.’ My two companions were huddled up in the car, their heads hidden in their cloaks. I collected my strength, and tried to raise them up. Sivel’s face was black, his eyes dull, his mouth open and full of blood. Croce Spinelli’s eyes were shut and his mouth was covered with blood, I cannot tell you what then passed ;it is impossible. I felt a fearful wind blowing upwards. We were then at a height of 6000 metres. There were two bags of ballast in the car, which I threw overboard. Soon earth drew nearer. I wanted to find my knife to cut the rope of the anchor ; it was impossible to find it. I I was like a madman and kept calling out 1 Sivel I Sivel ! ’ By good fortune I found the knife at last, and cut the anchor adrift at the right moment. The shock on touching the earth was extremely violent. The balloon seemed to steady itself and I thought would remain so ; but the wind was strong and drove it on. The anchor would not catch, and the car glided quite flat over the fields. The bodies of my unhappy friends were shaken from side to side, and I thought every minute they would fall out of the car. Nevertheless, I managed to get hold of the rope of the escape valve, and the balloon soon emptied itself and then crashed against a tree. It was 4 o’clock when I pat foot on earth. I was seized with a violent febrile convulsion, and soon I became livid and dejected. I thought I was about to join my friends in the other world. However, little by little, I got better. I was close beside my companions, who were already cold and stiff. I caused their bodies to be carried into a neighbouring barn. I was choked with sobs and am still. lam at Ciron, near Le Blank, where I have been most hospitably received. 1 have been feverish all night. I have not been able to eat anything yet, and am very weak. I embrace you.— Gaston Tissandibr.”