Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1842-10-19
BalIOoning Extraordinary.

A daring feat was accomplished on Saturday
last, by citizen of our neighboring town Of
Gettysburg. Mr.. John Wise, the American
Eronaut, par excellence, had announced his in
iention to make his thirty ninth Balloon Ascen-
sion, on that day, from an enclosure in Gettys-
burg-and with his usual punctuality, was ready
on the day and hour promised. His balloon
was inflated---his ballast, graphing iron, &C.,
duly slowed, and he was about to step into his
basket. At that moment, Mr. John Mcclellan,
a young gentleman of Gettysburg, enquired Of
Mr.. Wise whether it would not be possible for
two persons TO ascend with the power then in
the balloon. On receiving negative reply, Mr..
Mcclellan seemed much disappointed---sai he
was determined TO have ride, and enquired
the price at which Mr.. Wise would permit him
to make the voyage alone. 'One hundred dol
lars, Sir said Mr. Wise, who did not appear to
consider the enquirer TO be in earnest Il will
give you fifty dollarsp 'Agreed---fork overp
The joke was carried on and the cream of it
was soon transferred TO the pocket of the Aero
maitland his substitute was snugly seated in
The car, vocferating his direction to 'cut loose!'
Mr.. Wise thought that matters had now gone
far enough, and requested his customer TO get
out, as the time had arrived at which he had
promised to be off But he refused to do so,
and insisted that he had regularly hired and
paid for passage 'in this boat and 60 he
would. As Barney O'Reardon said to The man
in the moon, when tho latter respectable per-
sonage told him 10 lave his hould' The more
he bid him, the more he wouldn't
Mr.. Wise then lei the balloon up a short dis.
tance by rope, thinking probably, that as there
was considerable wind, and the air horse con-
sequenlly 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.. Mcclellan cut
the roPe--and ras off, After he found that it
was the determination Of Mr.. Mcclellan to 60,
Mr.. Wise had but tire to give him few hasty
and imperfect instructions in regard TO the man
agement of the balloon --and in few minutes
the daring amateur aeronaut had ascended 10 a
height of about two miles. Here he struck
current of air, which bore him directly toward
York. He says that the earth receded from
him very rapidly after he had thrown bag or
two of sand upon it; that Gettysburg passed off
towards Hagerstown, and that he saw Carlisle,
Hanover, Abbotstown, Oxford and Berlin stroll
ling about; and that soon after, just ahead Of
him, he saw Old York coming full tilt up the
turnpike toward him, apparently taking an af-
ternoon's walk to Gettysburg. Having deter.
mined TO stop at York, and fearing, from the
remarkable speed at which our usually s,ad and
sober town was travelling, that she would soon
pass Under his balloon, and give him the slip,
he pulled the string attached TO the safety valve
in order to let off portion Of his gas. This
valve is so constructed that when the rope at
tached TO it is pulled, the valve opens to the in
ierior and again closes by the force Of the gas
when the rope is let go. Unfortunately, how
ever, the inexperienced aeronaut pulled too vo-
lehtly at the valve rope, tore the valve door
completely off its hinges, and brought ii down
into the car. When this occurred he was more
than mile high, and he Immediately and with
fearful rapidly descended, or rather fell to the
earth! When the valve door came off, The gas
Of course escaped rapidly, bu, the balloon caugh,
sufficient air to form parachute, by which Tho
fall was moderated; and we are happy to say
that the voyager reached the earth about fivo
miles from York, entirely uninjured! He says
that as soon as the valve door came down upon
him. he knew that something had broke loose
and Just then remembering hat MIR Wise had
told him 10 be sure when lie descended 10 throw