The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-09-26
Ballooning Extraordinary.

ers, Mr. Wise will have probably made his
second ascent from this place, yet the follow
ing article will not be without interest to our
readers, as being an act of rashness and fear
lcssucss unparalleled. Not the least interest
ing. is the manner in which it is told. 1t
originated in the York (Pa) Gazette:-
a daring feat was accomplished on Sat-
urtay last, by citizen of our neighboring
town of Gctty sburg. Mr.. John Wise, the
American aeronaut, par excellence, had an
nounced his intention to make his thirty-ninth
balloon ascension on that day, from an enclo-
sure in Gettysburg; and with his usual pune
tuality. was ready on the day and hour pron,7
ised. His balloon was inflated; his ballast,
graphing iron. &c, duly slowed, and ne was
about to step into the basket. At that mo-
ment. Mr.. John Mcclellan, a young gentleman
of Getty@b;rg, inquired of Mr.: Wise whether
it wo,lid moi be possible for .t,ro persons to
ascend With the power then in the balloon
On receiving negative reply, MIR. MClel-
Ian seemed much disappointed; said he was
determined to have ride, and inquired the
price at which Mr.. Wise would permit him to
make the voyage alone. ..One hundred dol
lars. sir said Mr.. Wise, who did not appear
to consider the inquiry to be in earnest. 4
will give YOU fifty dollars" 'Agreed-fork
over The joke was carried on and the
cream of it was soon transferred to the pock-
ct of the aeronaut, and his substitute was
snuglv seated in the car. vocifcrating his III
rection to cut loose Mr.. Wise thought that
matters had now gone far enough, and re-
ru"sted his customer to get out, as the time
had arrived at which he had promised to be
off But he refused to do so. and insisted
that he had regularly. hired and paid for a
passage in this boat and 20 he would. AS
Barney OReardon said to the man in the
moon. when the latter respectable parsonage
iold him to fave his hould : the more he
bid him. the more he wouldn't"
MIR. Wise then let up the balloon short
distance by rope. thinking probably. that
as there was considerable wind, and the air
horse consequently turbulent. that his
substitute would have his courage cooled,
and give in But this was no 60 E; and think
ing that he had as good start as ever he
would have. Mr.. Mcclellan cut the rope, and
ras oT' After he found that it was the dc-
termim"ii'm of Mr.. Mcclellan to go. Mr. Wise
had bu; time to give him few hasty and
imperfect instructions in regard to the man
agemcnt of the balloon. and in few minutes
the daring amateur acronaut had assembled to
a hei Sht of about two miles. He struck a
current of air which bore directly towards
York. lie saws that the earth rccedcd from
him very rapidly after he had thrown bag
or two of sand upon it, that Gettysburg
passed off towards Hagcrstown. and that he
saw Carlisle. Hanover. Abbottsown, Oxford.
and Berlin stroling about: and that soon af-
ter. just ahead Of him. he saw old York COM
ing full tilt up the turnpike toward him. APP
taking an afternoon walk to Gcttvs-
burg. Having determined to stop at York.
and fearing from the remarkable speed at
which our usually staid and sober town was
travelling. that she would soon pass un1rr his
Jall"on. and give him the slip. he pulled the
string attached to the safety valve. in order
10 let eff a portion of gas. This valve is so
that when rope attached to it
: pulled. the valve opens to the interior and
again closes by the force of spring when the
opc is let 20. Unfortunately, however. the
inexperienced acronaut pulled too Violently
II the valve rope. tore the valve door COM
,lctclv oil lis Kings. and brought it down into
he car. When this occurred he was more
han 4 mile high. and, he immediately, and
with fearful rapdltv descended. OF rather f;Y
to the earth. When the valve door came off
the gas, of course. escaped rapidly. but the
balloon caught sufficient air To form para
chute. by which the fall was moderated. and
We are happy to say that the voyager reached
the earth about five miles from York entirely
uninjurcd. lie saws that as soon as the valve
door came down upon him. he knew some
thing had broke loose:' and just then re-
that Mr.. Wise had told him to be
on his guard when he descended and throw
out his grappling-iron. he was preparing to
get at it among the numerous things in the
basket when the earth bounced mp against
the bottom OF the car"
when first seen from York. the balloon
was about thirteen miles off, nearly due west.
1t appeared to be approaching directly toward
Our town. until the valve was pulled and it
had fallen considerably. AS it fell. it seemed
to find a current that bore it rapidly toward
the north. The spot at which it landed is
about northwest of our borough.
The escape of the gas was distinctly seen
from York; and as the balloon neared the
earth it had lost its rotundity, and appeared
to the gazcrs here to come down heartily, like
wet sheet"
This was another proof of the efficacy of
atmospheric resistance in. bringing large sur
faces falling through it, down with moder-
ate velocity.