The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1858-11-04

remainder Of his supper was thrown Out
.--his wine cast overboard--a part Of his
ballast followed in the descent his bun.
die of dispatches and papers kept them
company. The shock was so great as to
split the seat on which the @ronaut was
taking a siesta The basket righted in
a minute, and the balloon being relieved
of a considerable weight in the way oil
cold chicken, and other "Walnut Street
House" preparations for a long voyage,
shot into the air with great velocity, so
rapid that the @ronaut opened his valve,
in order to prevent going away up yon-
der" among the stars. Before being
stopped, the balloon reached an elevation
of $4,000 feet, and finding the atmos-
phere disagreeably cold, the serouaut
commenced to descend. Finding good
current at an elevation Of 5000 feet, Prof.
Steiner managed to keep his conveyance
in it, and proceeded at speed of sixty
miles an hour, when he discovered Lake
Erie but a few miles ahead. The cement
around his valve had become broken in
the collision with the tree, as he had al
ready discharged considerable quanti-
ty of gas, he did not deem it advisable
to attempt to cross the Lake. The di-
rection in which he was sailing would
nave carried him about North by North
east from Sandusky to Long Point, on
the Canada shore, some $50 miles, with
dense forest for a landing place, to es-
cape which he would have been obliged
to travel probably 800 miles. He there
fore opened his valve and desdended.
The balloon struck the ground about
500 yards from the lake, and dragged to
within 800 yards of the water before the
anchor took firm hold The landing
place was about mile from Sandusky y
City, in corn field. on the farm of Mr.
Townsend. Prof. Steiner called loudly
for assistance, but failing to arouse any
body, he evaporated his balloon, and
gathering a shock or two of corn stalks,
he wrapped himself in his blanket and
overcoat, and lay down by his +" Pride OF
the West" and slept until daylight. AT
ter enjoying a refreshing sleep, he pro-
ceeded to the farm house, and aroused
the inmates, was carried by Mr.. Town
send to Sandusky, where he shipped his
balloon by express to this city. and him
self took the morning train. All this
time, from six o'clock, Professor Steiner
had no knowledge of his competitor in
the race, but on arriving at a station on
the railroad, some fifteen or twenty miles
from Sandusky. Mons. GODDARD came on
board with his monster "Leyiathan. =
He had landed near Hunts Corners,
some eighteen miles this side of San
dusky. a.4 . goaag E1s
The eronauts started at AL, and
Mons. GODDARD landed at about twenty
minutes past ten. having been up abou
six hours. Prof. Steiner landed at 1890
having been in the air ten or fifteen min
utes longer than his competitor, and
having travelled in the six hours and ten
minutes about tro hundred and thirty
miles.
Both could have travelled considerably
farther, but neither having knowledge
Of the whereabouts of the other, and
not feeling disposed to attempt to cross
the lake into a Canadian forest, they de-
scended, as we have described, and re
turned 10 town over the Hamilton and
Dayton road last evening.
. According to the stipulations of the
race, signed and witnessed before start
ing, it was understood that the aronau
who made tie greatest distance, without
regard to time, was to be declared the
winner, and it is with no little personal
qualification as well rs national pride, W.
announce the fact that our young Amer,
lean aropaut has borne off the Aonors.
Both Mons, GODDARD and Prof. Steiner
came into town on the same train, in com
pany. with the best feeling existing be-
tween them and although the former
has been vanquished in contest unpar
alleled in the history of 4Eronautics, the
honor is the greater from the fact thai
Mons. GODDARD has a professional reputa'
ton hitherto unrivaled in any country.
Mons. GoDARD's STATEMENT.
We lost sight of Steiner's balloon al
10 minutes before 6 it was then north
of us and below us. We passed directly
over Dayton at $50 then went in q
northeasterly direction. near the line OF
railroad, for about 40 miles then lefI.h,
railroad, and hoated on in the same gen
eral direction until 25 minutes after IL
O'Clock, when we landed i'm a prairie, OF