The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-02-14
EXTRAORDINARY BALLOON AS
CENSION BY A LADY, AND MI
RACULOUS ESCAPE.
EAsroN. Pa, Jan. 2e. 1855

| GASTON, Il q. du ~, lCOOs
1 see that you have in your telegraphic
column of to-day's Herald brief ac-
count of the balloon ascension of Miss
Louisa Bradley from this place yester-
] day. Her escape from death was so
miraculous that think you will find a
more detailed account interesting. Miss
B. filed her balloon entirely with gas
| from one of the street mains, and at |
o'clock stepped fearlessly into the car
She is small, delicate looking woman,
and was dressed in Bloomer costume
of scarlet and blue The balloon, held
by rope, was then permitted to rise
about twenty feet from the ground,
when she made short address to the
crowd of people. It then rose gently,
still held by the rope, until she was one
hundred feet from the ground, when she
cut the cord, and the balloon rose per-
pendicularly, with great velocity, until
she had reached mile, or a mile and a
quarter, as it was estimated by those
who were best able to judge. 1t would
appear, from herown account, that she
knew very little about the business she
had undertaken, or of the effects likely
to be produced upon the balloon when it
reached the rarified atmosphere. The
balloon was an old one, and the silk had
become so rotten that it is wonderful
that it would bear imitation at all When
she reached this hight she states that
the balloon, which was not entirely filled
when it left the earth, expanded, until
the gas began to escape at the seams,
and became very offensive to her. She
had been SO absorbed by the enchanting
prospect spread out beneath her, which
she says was magnificent beyond the
power of language to describe, that she
had not noticed the balloon. The es-
cape of gas alarmed her, and she pulled
the valve rope, but permitted but little
gas to escape, as she was afraid she would
fall into the Delaware, which was direct
ly beneath her. In few moments af-
ter this the balloon collapsed, and to our
horror and alarm, we saw her fall with
frightful rapidity for the distance of six
hundred or seven hundred feet, her pro-
gress then being checked, from what
cause we below could not see, although
we then observed that she was descend
ing quite slowly. 1t seems that when
the balloon burst it was torn into rib
bons, except the lower part or neck of
the balloon. So completely was the up
per part torn to pieees that large pieces
of silk blew away, and the remainder
hung down even below the car. When
she had fallen this distance the neck Of
the balloon suddenly 6lea0 up, turning
inside oust, and catching against the net
aoOrl, formed a parachute, sclich bore
her safely to the ground She came
down in an open field, and SO lightly did
the car strike the earth that she says
there was not the slightest jar. Her
presence of mind was extraordinary
After this fearful fall, and when the
balloon was still descending with terrific
velocity, she threw out her sand-bags
and anchor, and then with the utmost
calmness, commenced singing hymn.
She alighted about four miles from this
place. The trip must be considered
quick one, as at quarter past twelve
she rode into town safe and in fine spirits.
-Easton Correspondent, ~. Y. Herald,
goth alt.