Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-10-30
From the Cincinnati Gazette,
The Balloon Raca.

in his Leviathan." The latter gained
rapidly on itsrival for the first mile or two
from town, until the Aeronauts were within
speaking distance, when less than three
miles from the city, both moving about
twenty-five miles an hour Mons. GODDARD
sailing up majestically beside the Professor,
when the latter greeted his rival with a
welcome, and pointed to the beautiful sight
which everywhere met the eye,l 'eMagnif-
cent" responded the representative Of
France sgs..- ae..,asy.-.s ,.ssvsr=s~ss.s.r
Mr.. GODDARD then introduced his friend
and passenger, Mr. VIM. Hoel to Prof.
Steiner and at the same time, proposed that
they should take a friendly drink Both
.Aeronauts opened bottle Of wine, when
Mons. GODDARD proposed the toast
- 10 the Great Republic"
This was drank with a will in sparkling
Catawba, when Prof Steiner gave the fol-
lowing: ,
4''To Mons GODDARD, the justly celebrated
French Aeronaut"
The compliment was returned by GODDARD
ssTo Prof Steiner-the greatest Aero
naut in America
Mons. GODDARD drank ssbottoms up and
his companion followed suit and then, after
filing their glasses, Mr.. Hoel gave toast
Here's to our sweethearts and wives"
'Three, cheers for that" shouted Prof.
Steiner, as the balloons were coming nearer
together, and the three joined heartily in a
chip hip-hurrah p
TT
Scarcely FIVE minutes after, the balloons
came in collision, at an elevation Of some
5000 feet from the earth! The, balloon Of
Prof. Steiner drove. rapidly towards its RI
val, SO that the basket Of the latter struck
the former about midway Of the balloon. So
Mons GODDARD and his companion promptly
forced off with their hands, and Prof. Stei-
ner shouted to Mons. GODDARD to throw out
ballast which heidi, and rapidly rose above
the Pride Of the West, and out Of danger Of
any further. contact. @ a aeI
The Aeronauts, were not again within
speaking distance during the. race. Steiner
started ahead at an elevation Of about g. j,
900 feet, and gradually gained upon by his
competitor. He found strong current of
air, and taking advantage of it by keeping
at about the same elevation, made rapid pro-
gress.
Nothing could be seen of Mons. GODDARD,
and Mr.. Steiner concluded that he had
taken the under current, and gone south
west. He passed several towns, and sent
down dispatches, but as he could hear moth
ing from the inhabitants, concluded that he
was unohserved, and kept on his course.
THE AERoNAUT GETS ASLEEP AND BRINGS UP
INA TREE TOP. g. l.14f
About half past 8 o'clock, the Aeronaut
became very sleepy, and found it almost
to keep awake. The cold was
quite benumbing. He sung songs, over
hauled his traps in the basket to divert his
and finally attached about 5000
feet ola guide line to his wrist SO thatif
he descended, the drag rope would awake
him. He then threw out ballast and asce n
ded to an elevation Of about IL, 900 feet
and unable longer to keep himself awake,
quietly resigned himself to a comfortable
nap.
About 10 o'clock the Aeronant was awak-
ened by crash, and found that his bal
loon had decended SO low that the car in
which he was enjoying sound sleep, had
struck in the top OF a tree, in the middle of
a small forest The basket was turned
nearly over, and the sleeping Aeronaut was
thrown violently into the hoop to which the
ropes were attached which united the bas-
ket with the balloon The remainder Of
Lis supper was thrown out his wine was
cast overboard-a part Of his ballast fol-
lowed in the descent; his bundles Of de-
spatches and papers kept them company =
The shock was so great as to split the seat
on which the Aeronaut was taking siestn
The basket righted in minute, and the
balloon being relieved Of considerable
weight in the way of cold chicken and other
''Walnut Street House preparations for
long voyage, shot into the air with great
velocity, 50 rapid that the aeronaut opened
his valve III order to prevent going away
up yonder' amongst the stars. Before
being stopped the balloon reached an eleya-
ton of T., 900 feet, and finding the atmos-
phere disa greeably cold, the Aeronaut com
meEced to descend @ @
REHABILITATION OF TIME.
The Aeronauts started at 4 81, and Mons.
GODDARD landed about twenty minutes past
ten having been up about six hours
Professor Steiner landed at 10: 80 ;. having
been in the air ten or fifteen minutes longer
than his competitor, and having travelled
in the six hours about two hundred and
thirty miles. M A-s uss4ss
Both could have travelled considerable
further, but neither having knowledge Of
the whereabouts Of the other, and not feel
ing disposed to attempt to cross the lake
into a Canadian forest, they descended, as
we have described, and returned to town
over the Hamilton and Dayton road last
evening. N,
Both Mons. GODDARD and Prof. Steiner
came into town on the, same train, in com
pany, with the best feeling existing between
them; and although the former has been
vanquished in a contest unparalleled in thN
history Of Aeronautics, the honor is the
greater from the fact that. Mons. GODDARD
has a professional reputation hitherto un-
rivalled in any country. 49, bse es
FIRE NEAR CHARACTERISTICS. We re-
greet to learn that, on Sunday last, Mr..
Peyton S. Coles dwelling, at Estoutte :