Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-10-15
Reileontng Extraordinary:

last, by citizen OF our neighborng town of
Aeronaut, par erccttence, had announced his
intention to make his 80 Balloon Ascension, on
that day, from an enclosure in Gettysburg
and with his usual punctuality. was ready on
the day and hour promised. His balloon was
infated-his ballast, graphing iron, &c. duly
| slowed, and he was about to step into his basket
AT that moment, Mr.. John Mcclellan, young
gentleman of Gettysburg, cnqured of Mr. Wise
whether it would not be possible for too per-
sons to ascend with the power then in the bal
loon. On receiving negative reply. Mr.. Nc
Clellan seemed much disappointed-sad he
was determined TO have ride, and enquired
the price at which Mr.. Wise would permit
him to make the voyage alone. 'One hundred
dollars, Sir said Mr.. Wise, who did not ap-
peai to consider the enquirer to be in earn
est i will give you fifty dollars = agreed
fork over = The joke was carried on and
the cream of it was soon transferred to the
pocket of the Aeronaut-and his substitute was
snugly seated in the car, vociferating his d.
rectlon to 'cut loose = Mr.. Wise thought that
matters had now gone far enough, and request
ed his customer To get out as the time had ar
rived at which he had promised to be off But
he refused to do so, and insisted that he had
regularly hired and paid for a passage 'in this
boat and 60 he would. AS Barney O'Reardon
said to the man in the moon, when the latter
IA A.
hould.' The more he bid him, the more he
wouldn't" "
Mr.. Wise then let the balloon up short
distance by rope, thinking probably, that as
there was considerable wind, and the air horse
consequently turbulent that his substitute
would have his courage cooled and give in
But this was no go-and thinking that he had
as good a start as ever he would have, Mr.. Nc
Clellan cut the rope-and was eft, ANcr he
found that it was the determination of Mr.. Nc.
Clellan to 90, Mr.. Wise had but time to give
hun ew hasty and imperfect instructions in
regard To the management of the balloon--and
in few minutes the daring amateur aeronaut
had ascended to height of about two miles.
Here he struck n current OF air, which bore
him directly towards York He says that the
earth receded from him very rapidly after he
had thrown a bag or two Of sand upon it--that
| Getty ysburg passed off toward IIagerstown, and
that he'saw Carlisle, Hanover, Abuttstowu, Ok
ford and Berlin stroling about--and that soon
after, just ahead of him, he saw Old York COM
t,IlI n N 10 rb
parently taking and afternoons walk to Get
| tysburg.
| Having determined to stop at York, and fear
ing, from the remarkable speed at which our u
that she would soon pass under his balloon,
and give him the slip he pulled the string at.
tacSed y the safety valve, in order 10 let off a
portion of his gas This valve is so constructed,
that when the rope attached to it is pulled, the
valve opens 10 the interior and again closes by
the force of the gas when the rope is let go.
| Unfortunately, however, the unexnerenced
aeronnut pulled too violently at the valve rope,
tore the valve door completely off lis hinges,
and 5rought 1t down into the car When this
occurred he was more than a mile high, and
he immediately and with fearful rapldlty de-
scended, or rather tcH to the car When the
valve door came off, the gas of course escaped
rapidly, but the balloon caught sufficient air To
form parachute, by which the fall was moJer.
ated-and We are happy tos'y that the voyagrr
reached the earth about five miles from York,
entirely unInjured He says that as soon as the
valve door came dowa upon him, he knew that
something had "broke loose - and Just then re-
memberng that Mr.. Wise had told hn To be
sure when he descended to throw uut his crap
ping iron, he was preparing 10 get at il among
the numerous things In the basket, ''whea. the
earth bounced up against the bottom Of the
car !"
When first seen from York, the balloon was
about thirteen miles od nearly due West. II
; appeared To be approaching directly toward our
town, until the valve was pulled and il had ial.
len considerably. As it fell it seemed to find
a current that bore it rapidly toward The
North. The spot at which il landed is about
North West OF our borough.
The escape Of the gas was distinctly seen
from York and as the balloon neared the
earth ii had lost It's rorundity anu appeared to
the gazers here 70 come down heavRy like a
wet sheet.
We hope that Mr.. Mcclellan will give to
the public the particulars of his voyage
York Gdsetfe