The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-09-03

Professor Marion made his thirty fourth
ASCENSION from Troy, \. T., on the sth ms
tant, under circumstances 10 hazardous and
with result No peculiar, ~ To place il
among the most remarkable events in the
history Of baloouing, tranght IS il il with
"a many thrilling adventures. The Troy
Times states that the ascension took place
from lot near the North Baptist church,
and that lady accompanied the seronaut 10
the height u about forty feet The asccn-
i've power, however, not being sufficient
Tor the weight of the two passengers. the
balloon rapidly descended, and the lady was
lcit ON terra frma. The account Vi the sec
ond ascent Is then described by the Tims.
a. follows
Getting OF again, he sscenied with con-
siderable velosity, put IVES carried BY the
current Of air which lac struck, rapidly to-
ward the church spire. When his attention
was turned from the crowd, he found Ia his
astonishn,cnt, that lac Was within twenty
feet Of the church and going toward IL at .
dangerous rate Of speed To clear himself.
Le Immediately grasped bag of ballast and
threw u outside la descending the bag
passed within some two feet of the head IL
lady who was looking out u the window
II an adjoining building, made = clean h0le
through grape arhor and broke board in
back stoop by il. weight
After throwing oct the ballast, the hal
loonist assembled very fast but II soon be-
came apparent To the crowd below that Z
COLLISION with the church spire was ineyita-
ble. This soon occurred The balloon.
which was then going At a rapid speed, came
"a contact withthe lightning rod Al the aucx.
with blow similar b. that II vessel sung
lng NJ high rate IL speed against n rock.
The concn-sion was terrible. The professor,
who had anticipated the shock, braccd Lim,.
self IN the car, and anxiously awaited the
result. After swaying a. and fro for an in.
slant, the balloon caught, apparently in a
bolt connecting the rod with the spirc, and
tore, with sound that was distinctly heard
from the earth. The rent Was between ten
and twelve feet IN length, leaving mon
strous aperture through which the gas rush
I'd with . sound like that of the wind A
thrill Of horror ran through the crowd be
low, accompanied by ordinations indica-
tive Of the general belief that the death q
sronsut was inevitable But, notwithstand-
ing the hazardous situation In which he was
placed, he maintained the most perfect self
possession and equanimity. The balloon
hung suspended by tue spire Cor moment,
the gas meanwhile escaping ct fearful rate,
and with n sound which 10 q man posses.cd
u only ordinary nerve, would have seemed
q sentence Of death. Then dissnxaginy itsclf,
il rose slowly and with vascillaiing motion.
caused BY the collapse, until il Nd reached
the height Of five hundred feet. II than
descended rapidly again To retard this
momentum another bag VI ballast was
thrown Out, and the effect was 20 cause 1
second ASCENSION. The balloon arose swirl.
" and gracefully, - though the power which
carried u up vas not constantly being lost
u anything could have allaycd the anxious
excitement OF the crowd, Il would have been
the apparent indinersnee Of the Professor 10
the terrible danger Of his situation. When
1t IN altitude 81 thousand feet. he leaned
forward from the car and waved Lis Lat "a
the crowd below. But The q rushed out
. the rafe q over thouaand feet . minute,
and The balloon SOON lot its ascsnsiss now
q, and when near the State dam, bsrsn TO
dsseesd at ths rate u twenty tsst ! secoud.
The danUer a dsscsading IN the river be-
came i9miaent, but By leaning over 3 t.
car and carying the woight a O. side thi.
was avstded, and the donouat ~ unoxle ~.
On tbs dock, withia twsaty ut a. ~ n
ter The concassioa uruu serikinr ~
ground was very greet, ths car yelosndinr
. distance a thsoe ~ lour foot, "A -
drifting towards ths river. 49, q
| psrsoas who wsrs pgs1onG peDgeo1on 4 a.
going. RIO ths wa1sr by ssisiae e.. -
ropss end holding il With ssrcse 49,.
Ths ssssls q shs Pslliag asd psssass q