Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-10-12

PERIIOus DESCENT IN A BALLooN.-Mons. GODDARD,
with four other persons, made an ascent in a mon
,ter balloon at Cincinnati on Monday last. re-
porter of the Times, who was one of the aerial voy
ayers gives the following account of the descent:
Soon after Monsieur GODDARD had furnished the
altitude from his barometer he gave us notice that
we were descending. BY gesture he ordered us to
law flat down in the bottom Of the car when he gave
the word of command, and not TO jump out OF the
ear under any circumstances. Just then struck
q tremendous gale of wind, and 1t was evident that
we were not only sailing furiously, but descending
rapidly 1t was so dark that nothing could be dis
covered but our commander mounted the side Of the
car cast out his anchor and waited the result. He
commanded US to lie down, and we had hardly
oeyed before we felt the brushing the tree
tops. The anchor caught and held us tor moment,
then dashed with furious speed into an adjoining
con6ed-a field, however, that was full of stumpS.
Suddenly the car was dashed with great force
against a tree then up we went, then down, now
d-aggng on a fence, again striking stump or
tree with great velocity, and again whizZing over
the COrnStaks at a lightning gaIlop Every man
laid close to the bottom of the except Mons.
Godard who stood up holding upon the valve, all
hoping that the monster would soon be controlled,
and we landed safely on terra fyTnG.
Suddenly the balloon took a fearful leap and
brought the car with a tremendous crash against
stump, half upseltng it. Mons. Godard'S face
struck the fence, and he was thrown 10 the ground.
al the same moment Colonel Latham and Mr.. Hole
were thrown headOremost out of the Mr.. Bell
man and ourseLf LETT in the Car alone, and,
"eVed OF the greater portion of it's weight, we ex.
Pected 10 bound again into the air. MIR. Bellmdn,
with great lntrepdlly, cambered up the car side and
seized the valve rope, while Mons GODDARD took hold
OF The rope swinging below. A furious wind at that
moment swept past, the balloon made another bound,
ana dashed the car against tall, heavy dead tree
The blow knocked US insenslble, and the next we
knew we were lying with our back upon the ground
The ram beating in face, our head crowded into
one corner of the car and the trunk of tree lying
across our body. We could not move. 1t appears
mai the netting caught in the tree we have mention
Gu and SO strong the force of the wind that the
Da~oon pulled 1T over to the car, and the gas then
escaping rapidly, the tree held the balloon secure
UNCOMMON GRowTH-There is hanging in our
yuce lsays the New Haven Register) the forked
go1gn OF an apple tree, each part of which measures
IIu'y y inches in length, on which there are one
IlaadTed and seven apples! thicker upon the wood
.lan human ingenuity could possibly afix. They
a.e Vi an average diameter of two and ahalf inches,
GDo the weight of the branch IS Is lbs. 1t cut
from tree on the premises of Mr.. John Haley, in
o western part of the city, and is called the anti
~" nothing apple" from It's great yield.
y, ine steamship Adriatic,' being built for
oS Collins line of steamers, will be, it is said the
a.seSl and most magnificent vessel afoat. She will
ST1Suie hYe thousand six hundred tons; her length
oe three hundred and forty-fve feet the broad
Iias5 depth of hold thirty-three feet breadth OIL
Oean fifty feet