Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 August 1885 — The First Balloon Accident. [ARTICLE]

The First Balloon Accident.

Pilatre de Hosier was born in 1757 at Metz. He and the Marquis d’Arlandes were ihq first human beings who ventured to ascend in a free balloon. He first conceived the idea of crossing to England, and chose this town as his starting point. .Pilatre and Romain drew up an agreement to attempt the crossing. The latter was to make a balloon of thirtythree feet diameter on the Montgolfier system. It was made of lustring, covered with a glutinous substance and several coats of linseed oil, which rendered it perfectly air-tight and waterproof. The aeronauts arrived at Boulogne with their apparatus on Dec. 20, 1784, inflated the balloon, and waited for a favorable breeze. In the meantime Blanchard and Jeffries crossed from Dover, thus taking away from the Frenchmen the honor of the first balloon voyage over the sea. However, after six months’ tedious, but patient waiting, they, on the 15th of June, 1785, decided to attempt the crossing, there being a good wind from the southwest. All being put in working order, the balloon rose to a great height, amid the cheers of the populace and a salute of artillery. But fifteen minutes had not elapsed when these shouts of joy were hushed. A vivid flash of light was seen, and the balloon shot down to the earth. The warming apparatus used to keep the great bag inflated had communicated with the gas and caused an explosion. Three miles from here is the small village of Wimille, which was the scene of the catastrophe. There the bodies of Pilatre and Romain, lying in a mangled state, were found, having fallen from a height of 1,000 yards. The remains were buried in the cemetery of Wimille, and a monument was raised over them. On the spot where they fell is erected an obelisk with a Latin inscription. To-day the Societe Academique of Boulogne witnessed the unveiling of a marble slab, let into the ramparts, to mark the point whence these two unfortunate men rose, and afterward a pilgrimage was made to the tomb at Wimille, upon which numerous wreaths were deposited.— Boulogne letter.