The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-06-29
The FrIal Trip from St. Louis 20 the
Atlantic

Prof John Wise, the well-known Fro
naut, is about 10 make a balloon trip from
st. Louis to the Atlantic, as an experiment
designed TO test the feasibility of crossing
the Ocean in the same manner.
Prof. Wise asserts that at a distance Of
from three to four miles from the Garth there
is current OF wind blowing from west to
east, which is constantly the same, never
varying in its direction aud rarely in the
rate of velocity. Or this proposition he has
experimental for years. and has not failed
once to observe the inYariable feature in
the atmosphere. As soon as Prof. ". dis
covered this phenomenon, which was seven
teen years ago, he conceived the idea that it
was not impossible to navigate the air from
America TO Europe, and uurtured the de-
sign Of some day making the experiment.
In furtherance of this purpose he applied to
his friends for assistance to procure the
requisite outfit, but they hooted at the pro-
ject as cracked-brained and nousensical.-
lie next petioned Congress for aid, but that
body was too much engrossed with every
day affairs and paid no attention TO the
prayer And thus the distinguished bal
loonist, not being in circumstances TO take
scheme he had planned, was forced to fore
go his cherished idea until some months ago.
when he associated with him Messrs eager
and Lamountain, the former the inventor of
balloon boat with air wheels, and the lat
ter balloon builder of Troy, Y. Y, and
the united energies OF the three were brought
to bear on the subject They decided to
make a series of experiments-one or two
from st. Louis to New York-and if sue
cessful, then one from California eastwardly,
and then from New York across the Atlantic
ocean.
The balloon is called the " Atlantic" and
is by far the largest air-ship that has ever
been constructed IL was constructed on
the Fair Grounds at Lansinglurg, n. Y
The car, or Mr.. Gasers boat, is sixteen feet
long, and four feet and half ia width,
built very symmetrically, and provided with
roWlOcks and oars, ready for use, in case of
emergency. IL was built in New York by
n most competent ship-carpenter, and will
accommodate halt dozen men five hundred
miles out at sea. Yet its whole weight is
hut one hundred and fifteen pounds. To this
boat will be attached q propeller wheel on
each side, hut we cannot describe the uses
of this mechanical appsratu5 intelligibly.
The balloon proper, after imitation, will
be sixty feet in diameter and with the car
one hundred and twenty feet high. Twenty
| two hundred and fifty yards Of the best
oiled Chinese silk, of ordinary width, have
/ been used in this enormous vessel The
! cords that form the ret work which enclose
1 the balloon, have an aggregate strength OF
one hundred and twenty tons. The cost of
the whole apparatus is somewhere in the
Z neighborhood of $4,000 If entirely in
/ fated, the +" Atlantic" will hold about one
hundred and twenty thousand cubic feet Of
/ gas. At leaving the earth, however, the
balloon viii contain not more than sixty
/ thousand cubic feet of hydrogen, having q
buOyant power of twenty-five hundred
pounds. Being thus half-tilIed Mt starting,
the balloon will expand to its fulLeapacity
as il ascends.
Besides a good supply OF provisions, in
Guiding every thing which will conduce tC
make the voyage comfortable, the nronaut:
will take up with them the usual mathe.
matical and meteorological instruments, and
NJ least one thousand pounds of ballast
They will choose a mild day, and start late
in the afternoon, travelling all night, and
expecting to reach terra frma somewhere or
The ocean shore between Boston and New
York early next day. The day for the as
"ension has not yet been fixed.