Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-09-14
TIE BALLOON ASCENSION AT sH An
NONDALE SPRINGS, SEPT. 8, 1888.

!.
T rHr BALLOON ASCENSION AT sH AN
NONDALE SPRINGS, SEPT. 8, isss'
TO Tie Editor ofDt Spirit Of Jeferson
/ Having made arrangements with capt
q. w. SAFpIrcroN, 10 make Balloon as
cension from the Springs on the lst cay Q.
Sept. il was generally Understood thai
would ascend myself. and such was ofigina'-
lly my iniention but my son CHARLES,
aged IL years last June. who has accom- :
panied me three different times on eri1i ex-
eursioos. being very s6licitous TO make
voyage by himself, and the day beng very
cain + gave him the Balloon and started
him of alone.
He made beautiful sscent--satisfseiory
! TO every person assembled at Shannonuaie,
and he gives you the history OF his voyage
in his own words.
would embrace this favorable opportu-
nifty of saying that have been pleased
nav, delighted, with every living soul that
I came 10 contact with since sojourning a:
the Springs, and in all my dealings with
| CAPT. G.. w. Sappington, proprietor Of
Shannondale, fonnd him gentleman Of
The true Virginia stamp. He provided for
the occasion on liberal and expensive
scaIe-delermined to make every one COM
Portable and happy within the circle OF his
sphere, 10 the fact Of which host OF visitors
will bear honorable testimony, and will.
am satisfied, with myself, always recur 10
Shannondale with pleasant emotion.
JOHN WISE.
SHANNosDALE SPRINGS, Sept. 3, 1853.
Qur,er past 2 o'clock. "Charlie, jump
| in The basket" Eyes sir, what for''' ITO
| 90 up 10 The Balloon Jump out" Gee,
in again" This was the conversation that
passed between my father ard myself !
then requested him TO give me my knife.
and moaey 70 pay ny passage With the Bal
loon, back 10 Shannondale, and a, ~ min.
uies past two O'Clock, on the LIST day OF Sep
TENDER. 1853. was cast loose from terra
firma, to make my first ariel voyage alone.
The last words heard my father say. we're,
that should ascend until passed through
the clouds, and then come down again. AT
% O'clock was about midway between
Charle.,own and Shannondale, at this time
heard what appeared to me TO be child's
voice, saying there goes the Balloon.
then cried, Huzza, Huzza. Huzza, and
waved my flag and in moment or two
heard faint noise coming from, as sup
posed, the large mbly of persons at Shan
nondale. A few moments after this, threw
out box Of matches wrapped up iii white
paper, and | watched il until it fell in clo-
yer field. | found now that / was rising
rapidly above the clouds, then tried The
valve to see whethe it would work. This
done BY drawing the valve cord and letting
il go again, TO see whether IT would snap
and make noise, which il did not do
While was doing this, | thought heard
the cars coming up the railroad, and while
was looking for them let the valve cord 60,
then found that the noise ceased | open
ed the valve again and heard the same
noise, therefore concluded the noise was
occasioned by the gas escaping through The
valve when opened. l now looked for
Shannondae. and one of the mos, magnif-
cent views met my eyes that have ever
beheld There was the Shenandoah, wind
ing its serpeniine course down TO the POLO.
mac a, Harpers-Ferry. with numerous small
Islands at lis mouth. also the bridges a, Har-
pers-Ferry and Point Of Rocks, and the Po-
tomac winding its crooked course up and
down until it seemed TO enter the clouds
each way as mere thread of silver again
thought Of Shannondale. which found by
looking for The horse shoe bend in the river
which | had noticed before. soon found
il and had fair view of Shannondale and
its vicinity; also, the Blue-ridge and the
country beyond, until the earth seemed TO
rise into the clouds. now looked for
Charestown, aud found that was nearly
over it, l was at this time very high above
the clouds, and moving very slowly; stood
over Charles,own for half an hour and saw
pool Of water and what appeared to me TO
be circus ring close together, the balloon
then slowly moved off towards Harpers-
Ferry, and kept in that direction until COL
within three miles of it. then came down
some distance al this point and struck an
other current Of air which took me towards
Shepherdstown. Not knowing what place
it was came down TO within OF mile Of
the earth and asked how for it was to Win
chester several times, to some persons
ploughing 10 field, and they commenced
huzzaing. told them to listen, and asked
them again how far II was TO Winchester,
bu they said you are on the wrong track.
asked them what town that was meaning
Shepherds,own, and | understood them TO
say Dover All this time | was close to the
groua6, and could hear the ducks chickens,
geese and peaiowls cacklipg. the dogs bark
ing aad men Auzzaing.
now commenced ascending again and
saw another large town TO the left of Shep.
herds,own, and thought would come
down there, 5u, as | was going above the
clouds happened to look at large cloud
beneath me. bot broken 10 several places,
and on this discovered rainbow in the
shape Of quarter circle, bu, casting my eye
little more to the right ! saw that the rain
bow was continued, and looking still more
to The righ, found il formed perfect cir
Gle abou, as large as a circus ring. | was
now ascending very rapidly, and the rainbow
was gradually diminishing until il vanished
altogether was at this time al my high
est elevatou, which supposed to he about
two miles, a this time crossed Kerneys-
Vile Depot when gave a loud huzza and
x..H r,x Hau | hpo hao ri har