A BALLOON BUNGLE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4742, 8 June 1894, Page 2

A BALLOON BUNGLE.

. '"lt ends in Smoke/" S 1 A Disappointed Crowd. ® Fully mi hour befovo thotimoap- J| pointed for the ascent by Miss Leila ■ ';i|? Adair, large crowds of people- lmd'j .>;f mado tlioir way to the Masteton Park Oval, in anticipation of • the event. The weather was all' that ! could be desired, foi; the successful. ' :: M tlie; feat. ; ; Tlie!dayi', -,'J though M was calm and still, tatora, of whom fanners and tlioir j families, and country folk generally, formed tlio predominant part, made ' ] their way to the contre of the Oval, > ;■ , where the balloon, suspended by ropes from two tall posts, was about , to bo inflated. .

At 2 p.m. Pearson's Brass Band, with the usual retinuo of unsoaped urchins, marched from tho Club Hotel to the grounds, and took up its stand at a short distance from tho balloon,

Miss Adair mado her appearanco soon afterwards in a closed carnage, which was driven several times slowly round the Oval, the occupant followod by the admiring glances of the spectators, By this time the fur- s naco for supplying the balloon with hot air—by means of which it was to ascend—hadbeen got in readiness, and was slowly'filling the great ball, which at this stage appeared not unlike a small circus tent. '■ Everyone was on tho tip-too (A, expectation, In fact, tlio only peisoV 011 the ground who scorned entirely'? cool and indifferent was tho parßohu^jJ^*"" fet herself, who driven slowly round juiid deeply engaged in : tho perusal of ft • newspaper. The crowd round the balloon was still increasing. Many of those prosent (who appeared to have heard of > a balloon only as a fabulous mooter) gazed at it, open-eyed and openmouthed, with undisguised suspicion and distrust. 'Tlio corners wero being held up from the ground by littlo boys, and four men hold as many ropes atkehed to tiio top of tho; balloon, by which it wasto bo 'kept ; to the ground, Once or, twice, at tho commencement of tlio process of inflation, light smoke of a yellow colour was noticed issuing from tho •. top of balloon; but this was under- ; stood by those assembled to bo" part ' of the programme." " The upper part of tho balloon, which was now assuming a definite form, was perhaps ton feet from tho . ground, whoit the smoko which had' for somo time ceased, was obsorved to issue from the topmost point in > greatly increased volumes. Amomeiit ' later and tho smoko became aflame,' which found its way through the top of the calico.

There was an awed !" f rom ' the crowd around, followed by a hasty retreat, and fronu safo distanco tlioy watched tlio spread of the fire which was incredibly rapid, In a few moments after the first outbreak of tho flames, the calico was blazing fiercely towards the '! ground, while a strong smell of burning keroseno, gavoa : clue to tho cause of the misfortune.

Any tendency to mirth that tho crowd may have felt at tho comenco* ment of the fire was ycry;quickly. quelled, 011 it being whispered that there was a man inside tho balloon. Soon, as tho fire burnedswiftly down, he was to be seen vainly attempting J to leleaso himself from the burning ; wreck, This proved impossible.and, waiting until tho fire had burned low enough, he sprang through tho' names, blackened with the fire. He appeared to have come off very fortunately, however, for with tho oxcoption of someburnsabouttho hands and arms, ho seemed little tho worse for Ins unpleasant experience. ' At this moment a little boy in tho crowd exclaimed " Look nflfaw tho kerosene." , It was then.noticed that three tms of kerosene were standing m dangerous proximity to tho fire' This exclamation was folte'd by a stampede on the part of theWiookors, until 0110 of .tho men employed by Mr Adair rushed to tho spot and re. moved tho tins,

After doing till that was possible to save the balloon, Mr A, B.Adair hurried to where Miss:Adair ••was n standing -by her cab,'%king. very.: ? pale, and after a few words with herhe; mounted the 'box ' seat, ! Tho } crowd .had closed about tho cab, and waited for Mr Adair to speak. 4o expressed.hisregret' at the disappointment they had Buffered. - He;had not another, balloon in Mastoton j but would wire down to W ellington at once for their spare one, iHe stated that by the wi*eck of -■ I the b a iioon ho had lost £140,, Gen. |but this one had been ' used only ! j twice before, In order that the > * people should not lose their.nioney's ; !l 1 worth, he promised a freejjfw on Saturday, and stated (fIM those ' i m the ground should rcceiv? passes out.-His remarks ; wow generally i 'well received,althougUtomo showed j signs of dissatisfaction, iiitd. ovon- • " - ■ giist that.fclie 1 burning ;of- the balloon was; pro-aiTauged:;;' Some; littlo troublo oooomd at the gateiWon .the. phole tho cro#beh'riveii and no disturbance oniiiwdi ' : >