Terrible Airship Disaster.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 5698, 30 June 1902, Page 4

Terrible Airship Disaster.

An Explosion m Midjair.

The extreme good fortune to which time after time M. Santos-Dumonfc owed hia life has not attended the aerial experiments of M. Severn. . La Pax, his brand new airship, was destroyed early on the morning of the lltb. May by an explosion while at a height of 1600 ft, and the two aeronaues m charge of her met awful deaths, the Brazilian Deputy being practically dashed to pieces. How : the accident occurred is not known, butib is said to have been caused by a leakage of eras, and the envelope of the balloon seems to have caught light after the motor had get fire to the leaking gas. Madame Severe and family witnessed the awful disaster. Less than 20 minutes elapsed from the time of the ascent until the accident happened. , The aeronaut had anticipated the most suooeesful demonstration of the capabilities of his balloon, and had invited a large number of friends to witness the ascent. About 60 accepted the invitation, and these withered m the balloonist's abed m the Eve Quintinie, at the early hour of 5 o clock m | the morning, Madame Severo and other members of the inventor's family bemg . with them. . .... 1 The balloon made the ascent at 5.30 a.m., and atoDCe sailed away m the direction ot the field at Issy, which had been selected as the spot for manoeuvring. M. Severe-8 entire family and most of the friends who had witnessed the ascent followed the course of the balloon m motor cars. Everything then promised a most successful experiment. ATBBBIBtiTB' SCENE. Suddenly the spectators were horrified to observe a" bright flash of light almost envelop the balloon, and instantly after a ' loud explosion occurred. The heartrending shrieks of Madame Severo and the cnea of the friends following added to the terrible scene. The machine was at that time at a height of about 500 meters, or 1500 ft. It appeared to break up by tho force of the explosion, and commenced dropping to mother earth instantly, and m its descent smashed the branches of trees and the roof of one house and partly on the ground, a complete wreck. . M. Severo Mmself Ml from his balloon Jato the Avenue dv Marne, near the Montparnasse railway station, on the south side of Paris. Th© aeronaut fell on his feet, and was smashed to pieces, the force of his fall bein^ so great that the bones of hia legs ware forced throxigh the soles of hia bootß. , The engineer alao perished, but he seems to have suffered death from burning. The horribly astitilated remains of the victims were transported to their homes. Eeuter sends the following details of the fatality :—" Ihe Pax, manned by ( Senor Severo and by an. engineer named Sacher, m the employ of the Puecet firm, which made the motors of the airship, left the park where it was kept at half-past 5 this morning. The motions of th c baloon, which seemed to be executed with great facility, were followed by a large number of persocs, some m carriages, some m motors. The airship had arrived over tlie Avenue dv Maine,nearly opposite the Eve de la Gaiete, when all of a sndden a huge flame was seen to burst from it. The flame was followed by a tremendous report, like that of a cannon, and the balloon,which was at the time at an altitude of about 160 yards, dropped to the ground. The two occupants fell on to the pavement. Efforts for their assistance were at once made, but both M Severo and Ma assistant were dead, They had terrible wounds on their heads, and moreover, their legs were broken. Their bodies were taken to the police station m the Rue de la Gaiete, the officials of which had at once been apprised of the accident." According to information supplied by the workmen who had taken part m the construction of the airship, the sole reason of the accident was the explosion of one of the reservor'rs of the balloon. Others think that the explosion was due to an escape of gas, which became ignited at the point of issue. Itfi* believed that the flamea broke out on the side where Sachet was sitting, as his body bears the marks of serious burns and hiß clothes are completely consumed. Sachet wafl 28 years old. Another engineer was to have taken paitin the ascent, lv; he had to be fef t behind at the last moment as he would have made the machine too heavy. The awful disaster caused a most painful consternation m Paris, the" news having spread through the town like wild£cs, TH® PAX AiaSHIP DESCEIBED. The ihape of the pax was very similar to that of Dr Dumont's airship which rounded the Eiffel Tower, though the diameter of tha balloon was far greater, as was neces* eary, considering that the whole ship weighs two and a-faalf tons, and waa intended to carry a orew of three men. Through the centre of the balloon passed longitudinally a bamboo and aluminium ehaft, connected with fche hull underneath by bamboo struts, and the Pax had two propelling screws placed fore andaf t at the ends of the baloon itself instead of at the ends of the hull. This was one Seyero's great inventions, aa through its position Severo's balloon no longer offered the dead resistance to the air which the Santos balloon does. The Pax waa driven by two motors, one of 16 horae-povter m thebowa and the other of 24 horse-power m the stern, these motors also serving to turn four smsill screws which were used instead of a rudder to steer the air-ship, beside two other small propelling screws for the aft of the hull itself. The total cost of the Pax was about £6000.