The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-07-26
Air Line Steam Balloons,
Il Panorama of lie neat Fi6y Year

IL L UNIV d"t" " iHC HS%t Il DtY c"fo'
This Balloon which was to leave New
Y ork for San Francisco the 9Th of A pril,
did not start promptly at the appointed time
stopped probably to have her fly ,eheets,
or some part of the running gear fixed right.
The craft must 90 through--the first trip
may be rather slow, possibly it may take as
mach rs 'ceek-the gearing wont work
smooth on the first start--but when all is in
order, the run Cor fly rather) viii be made
in two or three days, easy enough. Start
ing from New York they'll come round the
Lakes in the summer months SO as To get
the cool breeze off Saginaw and Thunder
Bays, and drop down upon Maclnnc TO take
in nice trout or two. W ont it look odd
though some summer day to look out on the
lake and see queer thing come 90 Sc0oiing'
along through the air, looking for all tic
world ike Il big cigar with a tea kettle tied
to one end, aud "a big basket with a cover,
on to the other? Over our streets, high
above the steeples, away, away, over forest
and field, prairie and river, at the rate of
from sixty to a hundred miles or more, per
hour. " think it'll be safe conveyance
too. No running Off the track, striking
snags or going aground on rocks or sand
bars. Some people say IT will be torn IN
pieces by the wind-nonesense--onl let the
pilot and engineer keep a sharp eye all about,
and there IS no danger. Suppose Il little
blow comes up astern, why just clap on more
steam, give the engine full play, and away
g the consarn" goes beating that sloWsh
breeze behind there, that's dragging on SIX
ty miles an hour, Just as e0Sy. Or the gale
may he bearing down ahead, then just wear
about double quick time, fire up. Jehu!
how the thing moves off on the back track |!
and when the strong wind that's raising such
a commotlon among the copper crust" Of
the clouds aloft yonder, is left far enough in
the rear, Just take r0und-takc a circum
bendibus to steer clear one side of the path
of the rushing blast, and then go ahead, all
right with care. Probably some incredu-
lous persons may suppose we don't believe
in this air navigation business. Don't we,
though? Why, this is an age of progress.
| In our childhood, five miles an hour with a
1 horse and chaise was fair travelling for a
/ long journey, and if we made eight miles
| per hour in telegraph stage coach, it was
almost hazardous speed. Now we go eight
cen miles by steamboat, and thirty or more
/ by Notwithstanding of a change that;
but what nonsense, what selt-sufficient ar
rogance IN us to suppose we have straitened
the last link, in the line of drive-aheadtive-
( htSS3 uilu ttIdN tii w IOHiC, VIC
shan't do more than drag along in rail-
road car thirty miles an hour? Certainly it
would; air steam balloons are in acceptance
with the onrara, and lofty aspirations of
universal Y ankeedom; and again we belev e
/ in this matter as feasible for another reason.
This is an age of skeptcs'n, the tendency
of the public mind is to unhelief'-lhis ten
dency should be checked, 1t is the duty of
all connected with the press to oppose it
fcarlessIy, thoroughly, radically, earnestly,
constantly, unconpromisngly and we mean
to do it. We believe an erery thing, air.
/ line steam balloon navigation, and oil, and
have great mind 10 buy ticket in the first
conveyance of said line to California, not to
stay there long though, but just ge, lump
of gold as a specimen, for the stuff as there.
a forty pound piece hung by stiff cord
to the air-I,ner, would gllsten beautifully in
the sun shine, and make the naiiUes stare
some, as the swift ship of the air flew along
as though verifying the words Of Shak-
speare's e tricksey spirit % III put girdle
round the earth III forty minutes. "-Daity
" isconSin.