The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-09-26

L ~ -
The BALLOON AscEN,IoN-TERNiNAri
OF THE VoyAGE-RErURN OF THE -fRoSAu
r,srs-IxrERrsrING INCIDENTS OF THE "TRIP
We were Yesterday favored with an III
,.rv;ew with Mr.. Crawford, one of the 1Er"
nants who returned to the city in the morn
inn, We give full account Of this interes
ting ascension, which we derived in converse
ton.
But two persons went up il this balloon
1t was originally designed for four to hav.
made an aerial voyage, but Mr.. Markre wa
unable to obtain as much gas from the works
As he had intended, and Mes>rs. Brown and
E,ton were obliged unwillingly to remain be-
hind. At about eleven O'Clock, Messrs.
Markoe and Crawford stepped into the car,
and everything was ready to ascend. But
the balloon refused to rise. They were COM
PEELED to leave behind nearly all their ballast,
provisions, overcoats, &c When this was
removed. the balloon assembled, and moved
off in excellent style, amid cheers, from the
crowd. and a stirring air from the band In
4 few minutes it rose to a considerable height
above the city, and became nearly stat ona-
~; there the eronauts, desiring to ascend
faster, threw overheard all their sand, a coil
of rope 800 feet long, water, some liquor,
and other refreshment. This had the desi-
red effect, they moved off upward, and stri-
king current Of air, crossed the river and
sailed off in a southerly course.
While hanging in the air above the city,
Mr. c. describes the view as most sublime.
He could distinctly see Saltwater and the
whole st. Croix Valley,-St. Anthony and
the Mississippi River as on map,-Shako-
pee, Fl. Smelling, and every settlement and
point for a circle of % or 80 miles around
were distinctly visible. The country around
ST Paul seemed like one vast marsh, 1t was
So dotted with lakes and ponds. The sensa-
ton OF rising was scarcely perceptible. 1t
seemed to our aerial voyagers as If this ''mun-
dane sphere" was sinking and sliding away
from them, The earth seemed like a vast
bowl and even at the greatest height they
attained. it seemed as if the distant horizon
was nearly on level with the balloon.
They continued to move off in the direc
tion Of Pine Bend when TIL passed over the
river, sailed nearly over the city of Hastings,
about noon, aud thea moved oil in the drec
ton of Cannon Falls. They here attained
their greatest altitude, being, as they both
supp sci, about three miles high. They sui
ferei no Inconvenience from cold, as was
feared when they left their overcoats the
weather and air was deli ,htful and balny
during the whole time, ami our erOnalts en-
juyed it highly. A delicious sensation rerva-
ded them, as they sailed noiseessly and
without Earring through the fields of air.
When near the Cannon River, another
magnificent view greeted tie voyagers.-
They were now nearly three miles high, and
probably as glorious a panorama of plain,
field, forest, farm, river, lake and city burst
on their vision as ever was unfoldcd to any
traveller in the heavens. From the car OF
their aerial carr age, they could see even to
the foot of Lake Pepin, dotted, as its shores
are with numerous cities and villages. Be-
meath them many fair farm lay, outsprcad,
and The Cannon River, with its tortuos wind |
ings, lay like a silver ribbon beneath them. !
They overlooked the whole extent of country |
for dozens of miles around, and saw every !
town, house and farm Of that rich valley.
No wonder they fingered over such scene
unwilling to descend. But they were leaving |
the settlements rapidly, and wished to alisht
where assistance could be procured Mr..
Markoe drew the valve, and as the gas es
capped, the balloon slowly descended, until it
finally alighted on the farm of an English
man named Greaves, about five miles from
Cannon Fails. The wind was blowing quite
violently at the time, and as they neared the
ground, Mr.. Markoe threw overheard the
anchor; but they skipped along the ground
without being fastened so that they could
alight. At this juncture man living on the
farm, an European who had no idea Of what
balloon was, ran for his gum intending to
shoot at the monster. Mr.. Greaves, who had
seen several ascensions and descents before,
restra ned him, and with three or four of his
hands, ran to their help, by laying hold
of the ropes, held the balloon until Messrs
Markoe ard Crawford leaped to the ground,
forty-five miles from st. Paul, and just one
hour and thirty minutes from the time they
arose. Thirty miles an hour Commend
us to the balloon for fast travelling, after all.
Aminidab Slocum's view of ''St Paul
Hundred Years Hence" amt much out o.
the way.
MIR. Greaves assisted the aronauts to fold
up their balloon, which was entirely unin-
jured. and at once hitched up his team an |
took them int Hastings, some Il or Is miles
distant. They had just arrivel in town,
when the Frank Steele "neared the whrrf.
and in few minutes they were S, fe on board
Thev landed at St. Paul about three O'Clock
yesterday morning.
Thus successfully AMI pleasantly occurred
and terminate | the first Balloon Ascension
in Minnesota.