M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1855-02-09
WonderfnIE Esenne-

We puuiieu ho'uay iuh uCCOuut IIOm
a correspondent Of the New York Herald.
Of the recent balloon ascension of Miss
Bradley, at Esstion. IL isa narrative
Of the most extraordinary and peIilous
@rial voyage on record, and for startling
effect completely eclipses the exploits
Of all previous ud.scalins peregrina-
tors:
! see that you have 10 Jour telegraphiC
column Of to-dsy's Herald q brief ac
count Of the balloon ascension Of Miss
Louisa Bradley from this place on the
2oth. Her escape was so miraculous
that think you will ind more de.
tailed account interesting. Miss b. fill
ed her balloon entirely with gas from
one Of the street mines, and at IL O'Clock
stepped fearlessly into the car. She is
a small, delicate looking woman, and
was dressed in q BloomeT costume OF
scarlet and blue. The balloon. held By
a rope, was then permitted TO rise about
twenty feet from the ground, when she
made short address to the crowd Of
people. II then rose gently, still held by
the rope, until she was one hundred fee /
from the gTonnd, when she cut the cord
and the balloon rose perpsndicularly
with great velocity. until she had reach.
ed mile or a mile and a quTrter. as it
was estimated by those present who were
best able to Judge.
1t would appear. from her own ac-
count, that she knew very little about
the business she had undertaken, or Of
the effects likely TO be produced upon
:he balloon when it reached the rarified
a atmosphere. TIE balloon was an old
one, and the silk had become so rotten
iha il was wonderful that il would bear
iLAalion at all.
When she Riched this heigh. she
states that The balloon, which was not
entirely filled when she lett the earth,
expanded until the gas began to escape
at the seams. and became very often.
sive to her. She had become SO absorb
ed By the enchanting prospect spread
out beneath her, (which she said was mag
nifient beyond the power Of Language to
describe, that she had not noticed the
balloon. The escape Of gas alarmed her,
and she pulled the valve rope, but per.
mitted but little gas to escape, as she
was afraid she would fall into the Della
ware, which was directly beneath her.
In a few moments after this the balloon
collapsed, and 10 OUT herror and alarm,
we saw her fall with lrightful rapidity
for the distance Of six o, seven hundred
feet, her progress then being checked,
from what cause we below could not see,
although we then observed that she was
descending quite slowly. 1t seems that
when the balloon burst il was torn into
ribbons. except the lower part or neck
Of the balloon. SO completely was The
upper part torn to pieces. that large
pieces ofsilk blew away, and the re.
mainder hung dowh even below the car.
When she had fallen this distance the
neck Of the balloon suddenly blew up,
turning inside out, and catching against
the net. work formed parachute, which
bore her safely to the ground. She came
down in an open field. aud so lightly
did the car strike the earth, THAI she
says there was not the slightest jar. Her
presence Of mind was eKtrsoTdinsry.-
After this fearful fall, and when the
balloon was descending with fearful
velocity. she threw out her sand bags
aud anchor. aud then with the utmost
calnness commenced singing hymn
She alighted abut four miles from this
place. The trip must be considered q
quick one, as st quarter past l2 she
rode in;o town sale and 10 6ns spirs.