May 1876 News – Blazing Billiard Balls and a Flight to Remember
Local News
A Perilous Balloon Voyage – The Fermanagh Mail and Enniskillen Chronicle 1st May 1876
On the 1st May, the Fermanagh Mail and Enniskillen Chronicle carried an extraordinary story originally published in the Belfast News Letter concerning a near tragic hot air balloon journey.
The journey began with the gentle ascent of the balloon in Botanic Gardens, Belfast. On board were two gentlemen, Mr Joseph Simmons, an experienced and respected ‘aeronaut’, and his passenger, Lieutenant Bailey, on his first ever hot air balloon journey.
The journey commenced satisfactorily with the balloon rising slowly to a height of 2,000 feet, travelling westward before being engulfed in heavy clouds. After 10 minutes drifting in the clouds Mr Simmons took action to stop the ascent fearing the stronger winds at higher altitudes. He was also mindful of the nervousness of his passenger as they were flying blindly at great height.
Mr Simmons decided to descend below the cloud to see where they were. Before emerging from the clouds his passenger asked, with some alarm, if the aeronaut could hear crashing waves below. Just as Mr Simmons confirmed this the balloon dropped below the clouds. He was shocked to see that the balloon had dropped to a height that was below the peaks of surrounding mountains. There was no time to ascend, a collision was inevitable.
Realising that there was a better chance of survival on the lower slopes, Mr Simmons instructed the Lieutenant to hold on for his life and allowed the balloon to drop at speed. The Lieutenant shouted that the balloon was drifting towards a house on the hillside. There was no time to manoeuvre and the balloon crashed at some speed into the dwelling, tearing off a length of the roof, before bouncing up into the air. With no safe place to land, Mr Simmons descended to a height of 10 feet and instructed his passenger to drop to the ground. The Lieutenant landed heavily but safely on a patch of sloping land.
With the Lieutenants weight removed from the balloon it shot up rapidly to a height of 7,000 feet before Mr Simmons could bring it under control. To his horror, he realised that, of the 17 ropes attaching the car to the netting of the balloon, 10 had been severed by the collision with the roof. Other ropes were beginning to unravel.
Releasing the gas from the balloon, a rapid, uncontrolled descent ensued. Approaching the ground Mr Simmons was thrown from the car into a stone wall, his body dislodging stones before dropping into a small stream on the other side of the wall. Dazed from the impact, Mr Simmons was unable to avoid further stones dropping from the damaged wall on top of him. The stones almost covered his body but, he he was grateful that he had survived.
At this point he watched in horror as the balloon, relieved his weight, had risen slightly and was now being driven by heavy winds in his direction with the substantial iron balloon anchor/ grappling hook gouging the earth as it was dragged directly at him. Death, or serious injury, seemed inevitable. Miraculously the stones covering his body saved his life as the anchor was dragged across the heavy stones on his chest without penetrating that granite-like layer.
Mr Simmons blacked out for an indefinite period before the cold steam water revived him. The balloon had disappeared from sight. He rose from the stream and walked in search of assistance. He came across a cottage owned by an old man named Bradley who arranged transport for him to the nearest town where he continued his journey to Belfast to complete his recovery.
The following telegram was sent to the curator of Botanic Gardens:
” Kev Thomas Madill, Garvagh, to Curator, Botanic Gardens, Belfast: Balloon fell at Liscall, Garvagh, County Derry, all right and safe.”
Tragic Accident – Weekly Examiner and Ulster Observer 27th May 1876
The Weekly Examiner and Ulster Observer carried an article on 27th May 1876 on an unfortunate, fatal accident at Messrs. Calder & Co.’s factory, Bedford Street, the previous day.
A 32 year old man, Patrick Crozier, was employed whitewashing the factory. At 4pm he was working in close proximity to heavy machinery. Unfortunately his canvas clothing became ensnarled and we was dragged along a beltway to a pulley. Others working nearby rushed to shut down the machinery and take his body to the ground. Dr Ross was immediately sent for but the injuries were so serious that the Patrick died approximately 15 minutes later.
That evening at 8pm, an inquest was held on the body by Dr. Dill, coroner, and a jury, housed in one of the factory offices. Statements were taken from the employees who witnessed the accident and from Dr Ross.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and suggested that men should not be expected to work in close proximity to working heavy machinery. They concluded by offering sympathy to the victims wife and children and expressing hope that the family would be provided for.
House Robberies – Ulster Echo 11th May 1876
The Ulster Echo reported on a number of burglaries that took place in Hopeton Street and neighbouring streets the previous Friday night.
In one house, the residents rose in the morning to find that they had not closed a downstairs window before retiring to bed. An intruder had taken advantage of this opportunity, entering the house and stealing a pair of boots valued at 17 shillings.
On the same night residents of a house in Fairview. On this occasion the thieves made off with a large tub full of washed cloths, and a number of small kitchen utensils.
The report concluded with the recommendation that householders should double-check that doors and windows are secured before going to bed.
Fatal Railway Accident – Belfast Evening Telegraph 22nd May 1876
On May 22nd, the Belfast Telegraph carried a report on “a melancholy accident” that happened the previous evening on the Belfast- Holywood- Bangor Railway.
An unfortunate middle aged domestic servant named McGee, a resident of Sydenham had travelled to Bangor with a sailor. In the evening, at 8:20pm, she heard a train whistle as it approached the station. Assuming it was the whistle of the train that was to take her back to Belfast, she began to clamber across the tracks. With her attention focussed on the Belfast-bound track she was struck by a train heading to Bangor, knocking her to the side of the rails.
The train was stopped immediately but the victim was found to be deceased, having suffered serious head and leg injuries. The body was taken to a nearby house with an inquest to be held. It was reported that the sailor proceeded to Belfast. Police there are currently searching for him.
Shankill Accident – Belfast News-Letter 29th May 1876
A further fatal accident was carried in the Belfast News-Letter on 29th May.
On Saturday evening a number of boys were playing in a field near Beresford Street, Shankill Road, rolling an old boiler. One of the children, a 13 year old boy named Orr, tripped and fell into the path of the heavy rolling boiler. Despite efforts to help him, he died a short time later. An inquest is to be held.
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Other News
Great Balls of Fire! – Banbridge Chronicle 6 May 1876
On 6th May, the Banbridge Chronicle carried the story of an interesting incident encountered at a billiards establishment in London.
Setting the scene,
M. Henri de Parville, in a scientific article in the Bulletin Français, mentions a curious product: “In America billiard-balls of artificial ivory are made of remarkable hardness and of a perfect resemblance to the natural substance. Jewels made of the same. material have been quite in vogue for some months.
M. Henri de Parville, reported in the Banbridge Chronicle 6 May 1876
The new billiard balls, it is claimed, are much admired and have been introduced to billiards establishments in a range of countries including England and France. The balls however were found to have one substantial flaw:
Lately, in London, it so happened that a player, in lighting his cigar, let a match fall on a ball, which at once burst into a flame, to the great stupefaction of ail present.
M. Henri de Parville in Banbridge Chronicle 6 May 1876
Curiously, all efforts to extinguish the flames failed. Those in the room had no option but to watch the ball burn until it was consumed completely. This took about 15 minutes.
It was noted that no-one had ever seen a billiard ball act in such a “marvellous manner“. Spectators were fascinated and much public debate took place on the possible cause of this unexplained combustion.
An American chemist was the first to identify the cause, explaining that
“the substance with which the new ivory is made is called celluloid in the United States. It is a mixture of gun-cotton and camphor. compressed and dried. It forms a hard, elastic material, which, when polished, has an absolute resemblance to ivory. Everyone knows that camphor burns readily, with a blue fame. Gun-cotton does better still, it explodes.
The two combined and compressed therefore present quite a risk of combustion.
Are Friends Electric? – Banbridge Chronicle 6th May 1876.
The Banbridge Chronicle reported on a remarkable invention, covered in New York newspapers, to discourage boys from the practice of “joggling” at school. (“Joggling” in this context relates to students jostling, pushing or pulling each other during class).
In the seat of each school-room chair is placed a small metallic plate connected by a wire with a galvanic battery placed within the teacher’s reach. Every alternate chair is connected with the positive pole of the battery, while the remaining chairs are connected with the negative pole.
Let us suppose that a boy addicted to “joggling” seats himself on one of these chairs. He is, of course, in close contact with the metallic plate, and though it is possible that the mind may be thereby gently stimulated, he experiences no shock, and remains unconscious of the fact that a current of electricity is passing through him.
Presently the great adversary tempts him to “joggle” his nearest neighbour, and he stretches out a surreptitious foot or hand, but no sooner has he touched his victim than the galvanic circuit is completed, and the unseen torturer has them both in an inexorable grasp.
Two yells of contemporaneous human agony startle the school-room, and the teacher beholds the “joggler” and the “joggled” writhing in anguish and unable to break the bond that holds them in contact.
When this spectacle has been fully seen by every scholar, and the teacher has improved the occasion to point out the wickedness of “joggling.” he breaks the current and the victims are released.
It is safe to say that a boy thus punished would never “joggle” again, and that the chief effort of every scholar would be to avoid the slightest contact with another while in the sehool-room.
Correspondence / Opinion
On Matrimonial Advertisements – Banbridge Chronicle 6th May 1876
The Banbridge Chronicle reported on an opinion expressed by the President-Elect of Peru in London regarding the fashionable trend of advertising for potential marriage partners in newspapers:
The latest novelty in the way of matrimonial advertisements is the precision with which the details are entered into. A lady of Liverpool, for instance, thus puts forth her catalogue of requirements.
After stating that she is 40, and has £2300, she says, “The gentleman must be 40, not beyond 45, tall, of good carriage, have good teeth and hair, and be most particular in his personal habits, accustomed to daily immersion”
THE PRESIDENT-ELECT OF PERU IN LONDON.
A Lady on Ladies – Derry Journal 15th May 1876
Regular readers of the historic monthly news will be well aware of the continuing debate surrounding the role of women in society, their demands for the vote and growing refusal to adhere to previous norms. The Derry Journal presented us with the (lengthy) opinion of one particular lady, Mrs. Lint in Belgravia.
Extracts from her correspondence are presented below.
The letter commences with a simple summary of the role of women in society.
“Women have their own place both in nature and society, a place beautiful, important, ennobling, and delightful, if they would but think so – if they would but care to make it so. But, with the curse of discontent resting on them from the beginning, they prefer to spoil the work of men rather than to try and perfect their own.”
In fact “these women who complain of their own stunted lives, and who demand leave to share the lives and privileges of men” seem to be unaware that the important duties they undertake could not be left to their partners:
“Do the husbands ponder the dinners or decide on the length of the train or the fashion of the dress?”
Scorn is then heaped on “the women who want to influence the councils of the empire, to have a voice in the making of laws which are to touch and reconcile contending interests.”
In conclusion…
Women as a rule do not care for knowledge qua knowledge. On the contrary they prefer ignorance.
There is not a sentimental craze, not a superstitions fancy, not an unworkable crotchet, which does not count its women advocates by hundreds where its men supporters are in units; and their attitude towards science and free thought generally is lamentable.
Link to Previous Monthly News
Previous monthly news stories can be viewed here Monthly News of 150 Years Ago
Related Post
Botanic Gardens Belfast – An Eventful History
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