The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1857-10-24
reriIlous- Balloon Ascension at st. Paul.

After the balloon had been in the air
some thirty minutes, and had gone be-
yond White Bear Lake, they found such
an apparently unbroken wilderness that
Mr.. Markokc deemed it prudent to de-
scend before being carried too far Con-
sequently the valves were opened and
they descended rapidly. A clear open
space was deserted where the aronauts
endeayored to alight, but on coming be
low the tops of the trees on the other
side Of them, the current of air seemed
to draw them into the woods, so that
they were obliged to throw out all their
ballast, even to provisions, to ascend
again and find another clear space. But
on again coming down the same difficulty
occurred, and as they had no more ballast
Tia throw out, they were obliged TO let
things take their course. The car set
tied a moment on the top of a dry oak,
literally crushing the limbs, and then re-
bounded, letting them down into a grass
lake wetting their feet slightly. Another
rebound and the graphing irons were
made fast in the tall grass. Mr. Eaton
then asked if he should not get out and
make fast the rope ; and mistaking Mr.
Markoke's : answer for an assent, out he
jumped, thus relieving the car Of 100
pounds of ballast Sor in other words, ad-
ding 100 pounds to the ascensivo force
of the balloon
As matter of course the balloon
Immediately commenced to re-ascend,
Mr.. +. hanging to it and bringing it
down, but instead of getting into the car
he seized the rope to make fast to tree.
The balloon again asccndcd jerking him a
rod at time he reached the tree the rope
had been drawn so far through his hands
that it was impossible for him to make
fast. After the rope was drawn through
his hands, the balloon shot hcayenward
like an arrow, leaving Mr.. L. in the tall
grass, as much bewidered with astonish-
ment as if the earth had sudden opened
and swallowed them up.
They were almost Immediately out OF
the sight Of Mr.. t., who finding it quite
impracticable to follow, in obedience to
Mr.. Markoke's last order, and thinking
they could not probably descend again
Oh this side Of the British Possessions,
returned home as We stated yerterday
But to the arouauts, When they
found they were ascauainein onsc;3,1.cnce
OF tn" :...st,,,e @:.l.i.st~,,,e oI Mr. F, they were lit
tie alarmed at first to find that their grap-
ping irons had been broken in the sud
den escape Of the car from the earth, and
still more upon finding that valve cords
had been broken, probably when the car
come in contact with the tree by becom-
ing entanglcd with the limbs (close to
the neck of the balloon, SO that the means
of letting themselves down by the escape
Of the gas, was apparently out Of their
power.
This was situation in which the
strongest heart might quail. They as
cended in a much briefer space than this
is written to height of two miles, and
were being driven by the rapid current
of the upper strata of the air to the north
ward, with the most alarming velocity
The alternative presented itself: either
the valve strings, which could just be
seen hanging out of the neck of the bal
loon, must be reached, or they must un-
willingly nav gate the air for an indef-
mite space OF time. But in this emergen-
cy the most unlooked-fo2 GOODNESS and
daring intrepidity was displayed by Mr.
Brown Mr. Markoke relates this Ia
king the end of the eyosa valve cords