The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-04

Never came together such crowd IN bprtpgueu
as was assembled on ard around Springfield at
hsif-past three o'clock in Tire Afternoon at three
o clock. on entering the enclosure, we found all
busy in filing the remaining unoccup'ed spsce IN
the balloon, with atmospheric air. Ascending the
ground at the east Of the balloon the ecene pre-
sented was one of the finest imaginable The hill
itselfwas occupied principally b. ladies' aad chill.
dren. Ia the foreground arose the huge monster ct
balloon-sleek and smooth, ard blood rec--caugh.
in a net, and forty pulling AT his whiskers 70
keep him down. In the enclosure. upon tho leye!
ground, grouped around the car or boat, stood
large Dumber Of persons, and beyond the enclosure
In the Streets on fences, on houses, on treess-not
only near but in instances, a. the distance OF
half mile, were disposed the uncountei thousands
The Springfield Brass Band nlternated With the
Springfield Comet Band ip the entertainment OF the
crowd with music At last. tho sack was con-
siderod sufficiently full, aud it then to be ro-
moved TO the on the level plat outside Eagle
Engine Co, No. |, mannsd the Jopes, and the sand
bags that had thus far kept the balloon down were
unlocked, aud tho immense bulk submitted 10 the
guidance Of he men.
At the word of con mapd, the company marched
out to the locality Of the and then attached the
ropes to The frail vehicle IL consisted Of a small
boat with the fixtures necessary to secure ii to tho
cordage OF the balloon This having been done,
the cords in the hands Of the were foot by foot,
relaxed, until the whole thu &, taus and trim stood
resoy tor its celestial journey
At this mon emit, the excitement was Intense.
Every body was in momenthry eXpectR tion Of lite i'm
mediate ascension. The question was circulated on
all sioeS-' Who is going up with himv 1t became
known that George Wells, of G5eeuted and IL
n. Pomeroy, of this city, bad made arrangements
fer the trip. But unluckily, there was not gas
enough in the ballon to raise these two, with NJ.
Petin, and enc Of his employees So the two anna
teur voyagers obliged to iorego the oonsumma-
ton Of their enterprise
Atffteen minute Spas four the balloon swung loose,
only slightly held 10 the earth with ropes. Mons
Petin I'D sh iken hands with number Of friends
who crowded around the car, as well as the gentle
man, Frenchnan who alone shared the prospect
of the ascension with him. IL was found necessary
to throw overheard nearly all the ballast, and then
the word was given. cannon on the hill an.
nouuced that he had started The two flags that
hung from the side cordage gradually unfolded
themselves in the air-up, up, for n few seconds,
and then cheer burst fro the crowd. such as man
hears but once in his lifetime Mons Petin stood
in the car, swinging his hat, and receiving re-
sponses tina. might have reached his eye aud ear to
great distance. At this moment, the sea of up.
turned faces was sight to behold, more eyes bsing
turned heayenward than often seen in these day
of low morality.
Petin threw out single flowers and bouquets, and fre
quenty exchanged salutatons with those below.
At the first rising, the wind was from the south.
west, and as the balloon rose, it was waited over
skirts of The city. Then, striking a higher current
of air, the direction of the balloon changed and it
came back over the city. passing southwark, in the
direction of Hartford. The balloon at no time rose
10 u EefSnJ tnas OF observation,
and very slowly it passed southwark beyond the
sight. At quarter past five O'Clock, just an hour
after it started, we caught the last glimpse Of it,
though it was undoubtedly observed somewhat later
by others.
1t was q ms gni&esKt ascension. A moro perfectly
splendid and sa)4SesoTy oae cannot be imagined.
The sky was cear,%he sun brilliant, the air balmy
and the ascent into the far ether almost perpon-
dicular. When far up brilliant, part colorcd par
achute was throw cut, and dalled long in the air
before reaching the ground After watching the
balloon some ten or fifteen minutes, the crowd
commenced moving off, and So far as we are in
formed, not an accident occurred during the day
to mar the enjoyment of the occasion.
To those who know the disadvanta ges under
which Monsieur Petin labored, the fact that, with
in three quarters of an hour Of the time appointed
for the ascension, he had started, viii be deemed
wonderful. 1t was after TO o'clock on rdesday
night, before particle of gas was in the bal
loon In one day ard d half, the Springfield Gas
Company furnished fifty thousand feet Of gas, be
sides supplying their regular customers and in this
time Mons. Petin manufactured 20 900 feet of ny
drogen. To the enterprise and efficiency Of the Gas
Con pany, to the abouI ding aud enthusias c energy
of 81. Petin himself, and to the public spirit OF
Messrs lugersoll and Ailiu, and mrny woykmen OF
the U ) Armory, are the people indebted for one
Of the finest entertainments ever prepared for them
The balloon, we learn, was seen in Northampton.
During the evening. there were various aud con.
aic,ilg accounts Of NJ Petins progress The gon-
eTal drift of the reports was that he hai passed
Hartford. gentleman in our Office during tne
evening him, fiom Hartford, and he was then
making manifest progress towards that city. He
will turn up in good time The number present
at the balloon ascension calculated ut -, 900,
though as politicians reckon political gatherings it
would have run up to thirty thousand
a CORE spondenJ of the Hartford Cogant, who
was present at the descent os I've balloon gives u
the following particulars:-M. Petin landed at East
Windsor about mile west OF the village Of
Broad Brook, on vacant spot in a large tract OF
small wood, about ten minutes past sunset. \
great many persons were wat hing it, aud many
were following it to see it descend About ten or
fifteen were present when it struck. 1t was most
magnificent spectacle; the balloon was sad to be
one hundred and eight feet in height and the djl-
meter at the largest place about thirty faet. Two
FIenchmen were in the attached to il, bu. they
could not speak English. Some hundred aud fifty
persons were present at the letting off Of the gas.
1t was evening, ard hey were greatly excited. The
place whore it landed is about fifteen miles from
Springfield. 1t was supposed by those that looked
ut it with glass, thai it was about one mile from
the earth while it was moving The men in the
car could be seen distinctly, and when cheerei
waved heir flags.
Naval Intelligence.