The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-09-04
Censspes6ssss Of "a. Dispstst.
THE LAST BALLOON ASCENSION.
CHARLOTTESVILLE Aug. 81, 1854.

CesrsspeaAepse Of the pispstst.
THE LAST BALLOON ASCENSION.
CHARLorTrsyrLLE, Aug. 81, 1854.
Professor ELLIOTT having for several
weeks stimulated the curiosity OF the people
of Albemarle by captivating advertisements,
and q liberal distribution of Autographed red
bslloons sailing triumphantly through pur-
pie sky, and bearing to the moon pea green
.I.ronaut with two yellow flags, the desire to
witness the ascension from Charlottesville
announced for to-day, extended to people liv-
ing many miles from the town. Under the
Influence of this very creditable and natural
excitement, q largenumber of gentlemen and
ladies' poured into town from all portions of
the country, from an early hour until four
o'clock, the hour announced for the ascen
sion.
Prof. ELLIOTT selected a lot midway be-
tween the University and Charlottesville,
and made preparations for the accommo da-
ton OF large crowd. There were thousands
attracted to the spot exclusively to witness
| the ascension, but. as is usual upon such oc-
| casions, very large number enjoyed the ex-
| hibition without contributing copper to-
| wards remuneratiBg the exhibitor. The hour
If fodr in the afternoon had been advertised
| as the hour for the ascension, but there were
| slight and unavoidable delays which, in spite
of scorching sun, the better portion of the
| spectators bore very good humoredly.
The most anxious and impatient for the
performance to commence, and tor Professor
| Elliott to cut the acquaintance of mother
earth, were the inquisitive and economical
hundreds of various colors, sizes, and cOndi-
tons in life, who, by peeping through crew.
ces and climbing to the tops of the adjoining
houses, trees, sheds, walls, and hay stacks,
saved their money and at the same time be-
held everything worth seeing from their ele
waited perches. These outside barbariaDs,
| evidently from their free and easy manners,
| regarded the veteran Eronaut as a phian-
| thropic gentleman, who travelled about and
| endangered his life for their especial benefit.
Not ten feet from the adventurous Professor,
| noticed number of these outsiders run
ming like bees on the top of a low shed, en-
| livening his operations, and by much noise
| and graceful use of their legs urging him to
put ON the gas a little faster. This many col
Ored group the Eronaut eyed as amiably as
| farmer does flock of crows enjoying his
corn, but out of the reach of his old musket.
Good Lord" Elliott's looks said, 'if could
just scatter that crowd with heavy load of
small shot, would willingly fall mile thro'
the air, and split a happy man"
But the juvenile and cOlored outer cir.
Gle, in high state of perspiration and fra
GRANGE, looked down complacently and rather
triumphantly upon their victim, and loudly
requested him to hurry himself by such deli.
cate and elegant hints, as 'let her slide, "cut
her loose" put on the steam and burst her
boiler &c. &c.
Others who, with industrious knives had
whitfield holes in the rude board fences
through which they eyed the inner circle and
that mysterious operation of initiation, shrilly
and encouragingly whistled scraps and frag-
ments of those tunes which KUNKEI. and Jul
LIEN have made immortal with the Masses
AS particularly appropriate to the occasion,
the Eronaut was assured that Jordan is q
hard road to travep'-a fact which the poor
Professor was not prepared to deny.
In vain were appeals made to the hundreds
who had collected to witness the ascension of
the balloon, without the remotest idea of
paying, that unless they contributed little
the poor man would hazard his life, and lose
money by the experiment, eUen If he escaped
unhurt. But these penurious worthless, know
ing that ErOnauts could not, like Barnum's
unclean beasts, be shut up in big tents from
the vulgar gaze, steeled their hearts and pur
ses against all such appeals. They were evi
IDENTIFY of BEAU HICKMAN's way of thinking,
''that any fool can see show by paying, but
that it requires cuteness to do so without the
cash. Hence crowd that would have net
ted Barnum thousand dollars, was sorry
to learn would hardly enable the balloon
man to clear expenses.
There were, however, several hundred per-
sons within the rude enclosure, enjoying the
spectacle of the balloon tretting under the
restraint of the snowy cords by which its i'm
patience to be off was curbed. There were
the ladies and gentlemen of Charlottesville
and the surrounding country, who were Ell
ther seated upon the rude benches or looked
on whilst the Eronaut made his preparations
for his 1o4th ascension. Hooked with some
interest, as the man who had so often, at all
seasons and in all weather, braved the scorch.
ing sun not less than the chiliier winds and
electric charged clouds, in his arial voyages.
ELLIOTT is a small, pale, middle-aged man,
ugly, and somewhat lame, but with face de-
noting courage, frmness, and energy. The
preparations for his dangerous ascension,
from force of habit, he went through with as
coolly as a shopman behind the counter, or a
farmer at the plough. ---
The imitation Of the balloon was slow, and
the machinery for generating the gas cum
brous and ugly. 1t consisted mainly of a
large numbes of huge hogsheads connected
by tin pipes about the size of a man $ arm.
The balloon, during the process of imitation,
was kept down by some dozen boys and men,
who held the cords to which the car was at
| tached. AS the quantity of gas increased,
the huge and gorgeous globe of silk strug-
gled with those who held it down, and seem
cd as anxious to dash forward as a young and
spirited horse. At ten minutes Of FIVE, the
tedious work of imitation was completed, and
the car was fastened to the balloon bya large
number of small cords. The Car is nothing
but small wicker cage, not much larger
than the baskets used by our washerwomen
and certainly not half the size of the "buck
basket" in which the merry Wives of
Windsor" had the amorous Falstaff. Why
sits single gig concern said fellow near
me, and it certainly reminded me of some
wag's statement that like MIR. Jeffrrson's
gum boat, 1T was only large enough for one
small man and a pocket pistol" 1t seemed
barely large enough for the little Eronaut
who, it is said, only weighs zone hundred
pounds" Into this fraiI wicker basket the
Professor stepped as coolly rs would into
one of your Main street omnibuses, quietly
adjusted the ropes and tackling, the ropes
were cut, few sand bags were pitched out,
and in moment the balloon was high above
the heads of a yelling and screechi1g multi
fude. The evening was singularly calm, the
sky clear, and for nearly twenty minutes the
balloon was visible, as it foated along to-
wards the low range of mountains in South.
western direction from Charlottesville. First
we could see the little man waving his hat.
then his figure became less flistinct and -