Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-07-09

Sailing through the air in a huge balloon
lazily Us thistlc-doSn is no doubt very pleas.
ant mode Of journeying, bat landing in a hurri.
cane is quite another affair. The st Louis
pronauts had q spice OF both and the state
meut Of Mr.. Eager, one Of the party, contains
the following extracts
The principal feature W which the voyagcrs OBJ
served during the night, was the prevalence
about, above end under them, of a remarkable
phosphorescent light, which seemed to invest
everything, and give il a peculiar appearance.
1t made the balloon look like -'Dbe ot fire,
seen through oiled paper, as Wisu described it.
lt was easy to tell tho woods from the open
country by the belts OF black lines which they
indicated--and on crossing a body OF water, it
seemed as though the voyagcrs were passing
between two sheets Of flame OF a mellow color,
which lighted them up, and gave to their coun-
tenances, and TO the objects immediately sur
rounding them, u peculiar hue. This phenom.
enou was as agreeable to those who witnessed
it, as it was remarkable.
At l:20, Rochester was left about a mile
abreast. La Montane stool alone in The boat;
the other two were cliuging TO the basket above.
Wise cried out excitedy to La Montane " For
Gods sake, heaye overheard everything you
can lay your fingers on, La Montalne La
MOntaine, who was standing near the side Of
the boat with opeiler fan IN his hand, ready
10 throw out at the critical moment cried out,
Keep COOL gentlemen it's all right" Mr.
HYDE looked up at Wise, and raid solcmnly,
" This is dreadful time Professor; what shall
We do z" Trust in God and our faculties"
was the answer.
In few seconds more, the ballon went down
with full swoop upon the lake, notwithstand-
ing Wise had thrown out u heavy valise an
express mail bag, and the remaining provisions
The waters were surglng anh boiling awtully,
the waves running from twelve to fifteen feet
high, and moaning as il for the impending doom
of the aeronauts The shock was a dreadful
one. It stove in one side of the boat, and Jerk
ed La Muntaiue 81 that HE hat fell into the
water. For Gods sake, John, are you out!'
shouted Wise over the basket "Don't trouble
yourselves shout me, gentlemen was the re-
sponse, I'm all right and I'm going to take
you across safe yet" And over went the pro
peler fan, lifting the balloon few feet above
the water
The voyagers now began to question h ow
they would be killed Wise SAID he was rc
signed, Gsger was willing to so but for his
poor vile; Hyde prepared but would rather
die on land than water; LaAountain insisted
that nobody was going to be killed, al he would
lauh lltiu All hdlt. n moment dlltIt lnb pro-
peler" Young America was signaled and ask
ed TO lie to, but before she could do 3d. she was
a mile astem. Wise now proposed to descend,
swamp the boat, and trust to the chance of be
ing picked up This La Mountain peremptonly
refused to DO, declaring that such movement
would be certain death for all. By tearing up |
the planks from the bottom of the boat, and |
of his heaviest clothing he kept the |
balloon ailoat until at about 1880, the shore |
was struck, in a piece of woods in the town of |
Henderson. Instantly the anchor was thrown |
ont. It FIRST caught tree an inch ia diameter |
but broke it of Ike a pipe stem-the balloon |
surging ON with a power equal 10 that Of two |
or three locomotives. Next, the anchor caught |
in a larger tree, and the prongs, which were Of |
an inch and quarter iron, were broken squaTey /
of, Mr.. La Mountain might at this moment |
have cut loose the boat, landing himself and |
leaving his companions TO their fate; but ms
stead Of doing so, he clambeIed into the basket
determined to share with them their perils
Overcome by admiration, Mr.. Wise spraDg up,
"My God, John, you are hero.
If can come out alive, you shall have gold |
medal, and the credit Of saving US all. " At
This moment, the balloon, which was whirling
over the trees-the voyagers clinging TO the
basket ard sometimes hanging head downward
struck a main branch Of a monstrOus oak,
head on Away went balloon, car and limb
hundred feet in the air, and down again with
earful plunge, leaving all suspended in the air,
lliye and safe the balloon torn from top TO bot
ON, but the only passenger injured being the
zero Of the voyage, Mr. La Mountain, who was
adly bruised in the side