The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-10-26

The Creas naIlopn Racs-Thc Rival
sion Of lArce k1AaAoO0s.
1rora the 9speinnA,i 0asette.
Yesterday afternoon the great Balloon Race
which has been the talk Of che town for the past
two weeks, took placs from the City Lot, and
J, vas Witnessed BY probably one hundred thons-
and people. The rival Asronauts were to stat
4 at four o'clock, and long before that hour the
grounds were comfortably filled with people,
while outside, surrounding the entire enclosure,
there was one dense mass Of human beings
Wagons, carriages, carts, and vehicles Of every
description, we're drawn up along the curb
stones Of the stree bounding the square. The
streets we're completely blockaded for con>id.
cradle distance in every direction. The fences
we're taken possession Of, and the trees were
waving with old and young America in the
branches.
The picture, altogether in the region of the
| CITY Lot. was a beautiful one. As far as the
| eve could get sight Of building more elevated
than its fellows, the roof had been taken posses.
| sion Of To have attempted count, would have
been like enumerating the leaves OF the forest
and yet ten thousand persons in the crowd sur
rounding the Lot, could have spared quarter
each, and been none the poorer, and in meas
| ure, remuneratsd the daring @ronauts tor their
| trouble.
THE AVA Mt coURIER or THE RACE.
| AT ten o'clock in the forenoon the imitation oil
| the large Balloons commenced within the en-
closure, and when about half full of gas, the
small balloon, the "Niagara," was brought up
on the ground and filed. At 4 o'clock, j. q.
Belman stepped into the car, and waving the
stars and stripes, was cast loose from the earth,
and rose rapidly above the heads of the immense
mass, amds: the shouts Of thousands. The
voyager moved of in North Easterly direc-
ton, at an altitude Of about one mile The as
cension WAS beautiful one, and quite exciting,
and as first attempt on the part of Mr.. Bel
! man to make trip unaccolnpanied by an zero
naut, may be regarded as entirely successful
He went up beautifully; how be came down we
may be able TO chronicle before our paper goes
to press.
THE BALLOONS IN THE GREAT HACE-fHEIE d.
MESsIoSs AND APPEARANCE.
The balloon of Professor Steiner, which he
styles the s'The Pride Of tho West" IS con.
structed of the finest Irish linen, five handre d
yards being required, and is almost ttanspa-
rent. It is shaped much like an egg, ana pos
sesses an ascending power, when fully inflated,
sufficient to carry one thousand pounds, inclu-
ding its own weight. The amount OF gas con
sumed IN Initiating it, was $4,000 cubic feet
The car in which the aronaut rode was large,
round willow basket, about four feet IN height,
Hastily covered with red velvet and gilt lace
Inside the car the Professor had about six
hundred pounds Of ballast, a basket of pro-
visions, can of water and bottle of wine
the latter contributed by friend.
The balloon Of Monsieur GODDARD, ''The Levi
athan, was mrch larger than its rival 1t was
At cd pf ivrb ;.,H.t
made beautiful appearance, being much more
symmetrical and egg like than "The Pride of
the West" 1t had also greatly the advantage
in the amount Of gas; it requiring 36,s60 cubic
feet to initiate it-giving Monsieur GODDARD g.
500 feet OF gas the advantage over his cempet-
itOr in the race. In the basket with the AFRO
naut, was Mr. William Hoel, whs made an as
cension with Mr.. G. SEINE two or three years
since, and came near losing his life in the de :
scent, getting two or three of his ribs broken
and being otherwise injured. lie certainly ex-
hibited an uncommon degree Of nerve TO at
tempt second aral voyage after his former
experience.
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE RACE--THE ERo-
NAuTS OFF TO THE CLOUDS.
Notwithstanding the well.directed efforts o.
Mayor Thomas, Chief Of Police Rutfan and the
force under their command, (all Of whom de-
most overrun the Balloonists before they ef
the ground. They broke down tb e ropes ant
surrounded the ears and balloons, hardly afford
ing passage-way for communi cation between
the two for the Committee to arrange for thei
departure The utmost an Aiety prevailed t,
see every thing aud hear cry thing connected
with this extraoT binary and novel undertaking
AT ten minutes past 70 ur Prof Steiner an
nounced to the Committee that he was ready
and jumping upon the hoops of bis balloon
called to his rival TO " Come on" Some della
occurred iG getting Monsieur GodarG's appara
tus in readiness, but a. twenty -one minutes pas
four the word was given by Mayor Thomas 10
start, and both balloons were cast loose
Prof. Steiner started of a little in advance O
his competitor, the erouaut standing erect il
the car and waving the American flag to hi
Thousands Of friends below, who smulsaueousi
joined In shout that might have been hear
over half the city. The thousands upon tboui
ands outside were no less enthusiastic IN thei
admiration OF the beautiful ascent, and joine
in the general huzza Tor the stars and stripes
The balloon attained an attitude OF t,erhap
miie, and struck Oh directly in the wake Z
the Niagara the Professor waving his fla
ADD throwing out pspers and hAndbills as h
| assembled.
Monsieur Goddard followed in a second o
two after, rising beautifully above the ilnmenS
| tkrong, and starting off in the same direction
At the height OF Que or two hundred feet Mon
sieGr climbed from the basket upon tae moo y
OK The balloon, and waved a farewell with hi
| cap 10 his friends below. The chasa then be
came exciting. In racing pariance Steiner hat
the "inside track" followed hard and close b
his more powerful rival, who soon appeared t
"jap" him Tor sharp brush. Then Seine
/ n nt fay pntl. ani in
minute after the two appeared to DE neck an
neck, sailing along magesticaily.
( The I've balloons remained in sight for pc,
| haps three-quariers OF an hour, aud lar a
could be determined by the eye, the genera
! impression was, amongst the multitude, tina
! Prof. Steiner was q considerable distance ahea
I of bis rival, while the lgtle q Niagara had Ell
tireiy disappeared from siehf. Whether tn
American colors will be able 10 maintain tn
vantage ground gained on the first few miles
against the more powerful French representa-
I tive, remains to be determined.
Both eronauts carry with them printed des-
! patches to send down to terra frma wheneve
! they pass a town, vita directions to have then
forwarded to the nearest telegraph station
| How long they will remain up, is Il matter o
conjecture. Should nothing unusual occur the
can continue their voyage Tor perhaps twent
hours, aud should they strike rapid current o
/ ar, will be over or upon the borders OF LAX
Are long before our paper goes to press. Bot
| are daring ana experienced -EIonauts, aud "
are confident neither will yield the race so lon
Is their balloons have power sufficient TO kee
them above the house tops.
| The contest is not one for 4 wager. Mensieu
Goddard challenged the world Of Eronants an
Prof. Steiner in particular, and that gentleman
accepted it promptly. The result was the el
citing race of yesterday, which, rs the first Q
its kind upon record, may be regarded as a
event worthy of all the attention it has receive
from the hundred thousand people who witness
| ed the ascensions.
BY our Geographic dispatches, which viii b
found under the usual head, it will be seen tia
the 4Eranauts have been seen at different point
on their travels.
y Master Murdered by his slaves.
| Mrs. Naomi W. Seay, recently published ri