FLOATING TO HIS DEATH. The Journey of an in a Disabled Airship.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 398, 31 August 1889, Page 6

FLOATING TO HIS DEATH. The Journey of an in a Disabled Airship.

A New York special of July 16th states : — An awe-struck crowd of men and boys gazed upward from the streets in the neighbourhood of the Nassau Gas Company, Kent Avenue, Brooklyn, this morn- j ing. Floating far above was an object? that resembled a balloon, and dangling from it was what seemed to be a rope. It was Professor Campbells airship which a short time before ascended from the gas company's yard, and the swinging object which seemed scarcely attached to the netting from which it hung was Professor Hogan, the aeronaut. The airship capsized thousands of feet above the earth, and the unhappy man having lost control ot the serial vessel, which, was hurrying on toward the sea, seemed in imminent peril of dropping from that dizzy height to certain death.

Starting on the Perilous Trip. Circulars announcing that the trial of the airship would be made this morning were circulated in Brooklyn, and before the appointed time a large crowd ot curious per- ■ sons gathered on Kent Avenue. At 8 o'clock Prof. Peter Campbell, the inventor, and Prof. E. D. Hogan, the aeronaut, arrived with a moderate-sized bundle. It was taken into the yard and spread out on the grass, over i which muslin had first been placed. A j pipe was run into an opening in the balloon and gas forced into it. At 10 o'clock Campbell ordered the supply of gas turned off, the opening was closed, the ropes [ tested and sandbags fastened to the netj work which covered the inflated bag. ' Professors Campbell and Hogan looked ab one another in silence. Campbell did not seem at all concerned. His actions and gestures seemed to say, * Well, in any event no funeral is mine. lam not going to navigate the air to-day.'

Going Into Space. Professor Hogan seemed to interpret Campbells thoughts, for as he stepped into the car a nervous tremor shook his frame. The blood mounted slightly to his usually pale face and his voice was husky as, takiner in a few sandbags, he said : ' Let her go. 5 The ropes were cut and the airship darted into space. The ascent was cheered by the crowd. The balloon took a southeasterly course, although Hogan worked vigorously turning a crank, which kept the steering apparauts and propelling wheels re^ olving, with the hope that he could compel the gasbag to face the wind. When over Hooper-street, about a mile distant, the wheelintendedtoraiseand lower the ship became detached and fell into the yard of No. 74 of that street. It was picked up and taken by an officer to the nearest station house.

Sailing Towartj the Ocean. At 11.45 the air ship was in a fair way for Coney Island, at an elevation of several thousand feet. At the transfer office, Graham Avenue and Meserole-street, it was seen by a reporter. It seemed turned on end. A black streak about the size of a rope was suspended from it. Occasionally it could be seen reaching up te the netting of the balloon, where it would remain for a time and then descend again. The balloon was apparently overturned and the moving object was the aeronaut, vainly endeavouring to put the great air ship in position again. The balloon remained in "sight until 12.30, when it vanished from view, the aeronaut still dangling from its meshes as the bigr ship faded from sight. At midnight the balloon was seen hovering over Astoria, the wind having during the twelve hours veered to the south. United States Commissioner Museale was one of the many spectators. He said that at that time it was apparently stationary and fluttering like a dove. The air-ship was the same one u<-ed at the polo grounds in this city on July 4th. At that time the projectors did nofc succeed in obtaining a sufficient quantity of hydrogen gas from the fact that they attempted to manufacture it by the immersion of iron into acid. The balloon was about 300x50 feet in area and oval shaped. Beneath was a car or boat of the same length, fastened to the netting with ropes. Below the boat was the wheel which became detached and perhaps had something to do with the overturning of the ship. One end was a wheel used for propelling purposes. On the other end was a rudder It was stated that the ship was operated by the Edison electric motor. Such was not the case. The wheels, which are shaped similar to those of a screw propeller, are set in motion by turning a crank in the centre of the car. 'A week ago,' said Superintendent Benson of the eras work?, ' I asked Hogan what direction he was goiner to take when the air-ship was in re&diness. He said he would , go all over Brooklyn. To-day I asked him which way this wind would take him. His answer was hesitating, and showed that he wasnot over-confident that he could sail against wind.'