The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-01

the State will rally at once to the support of
such phalanx, in opposition to rowdyism,
prohigacy and plumber on one side, and
Sewardte disunionism on the other.
The Mania for BnllOOning-A Gush Of
Professors.
The Chinese are generally supposed to be
the most initiative of people We doubt if
they can compete even in that quality with
Americans. From the unshorn philosopher who
used to ring the echoes of Nassau street with
his monotonous cry Of "Twelve-sheets- of-wrt-
ing -paper-for-four-cents" to the little French
man who cooks omelettes as he balances him
self on tight rope over the seething waters of
Niagara, every genius finds that his success
creates for him rivals and imitators on all hands.
The particular novelty Of the hour is decidedly
that Of aerial navigation, and the gush Of pro-
fessors Of that science who have all at once
sprung into existence is really startling. I'm
less corporate authorities generally shall imi-
tate the action Of those of Rochester, who re-
quired De Lave to pay license fee of hun
dred dollars for crossing the Genesee on a
tight rope, and shall require aspiring aeronauts
to pay for the privilege of endangering their
lives, we will certainly need to have a column
in our mortality tables for casualties of aerial
! navigation.
This imitativeness is a very curious pecu-
liarity in our national character. Some months
ago Blondin's performances brought out quite
crop of geniuses whose talents in the highly
meritorious Accomplishment of tight rope loco
motion had never been heard of before, even
in their native villages. A few years since
there was as decided a rage for initiating the
common house fly, and walking in an inverted
position from ceilings. Sam Patch's renown also
brought out large supply of professors, which,
however, became considerably thinned off in
course of time from the accidents incident to
their calling. The CHASTITY body of the last of
Sam Patchs imitators is still circling in the
eddies Of the whirlpool of Niagara. A fright
full sacrifice of life resulted few days ago in
the village of Albion in the northern part of
this State, from the breaking of canal bridge
on which a crowd had assembled to witness a
silly and ridiculous performance in the Bondin
style. The rapids of the Niagara have been
crossed on stills; the feat of walking on the
water has Daen performed on the Ontario; and
Philadelphia, not to be behindhand in mon
strosities, has produced genius to walk across
the Schuylkill on the bottom of the river In
fact, it would seem as if the inventive genius
Of our people had been turned from all useful
pursuits and applied with the utmost ardor
to things that are in themselves absurd and
ridiculous.
In nothing has this curious tendency been
made more manifest of late than in the matter
Of aerial navigation. The records of balloon
ing show the tragical fate Of many an intrepid
aeronaut whose life was the forfeit of his
daring; but they fail to show that any i'm
portant advance has been made in the way of
making the navigation of the air feasible
thing To be sure, theory has been recently
started in this country in regard to the
existence of regular atmospheric currents.
always moving in the same directions, at diff
ferent degrees of elevation; and il has been
suggested that taking advantage Of these cur
rents, long voyages may be made with balloons
from one country to another. That, however,
remains to be proved
1t was to test thistheory that the balloon At
lantic was built in which Messrs. Wise and La
Mountain made their famous trip of twelve
hundred miles from st. Louis to Lake Ontario,
last summer and in which the last named gen
tleman assembled from Watertown last week.
on that voyage among the clouds which, it is
much to be feared, has added his name to the
list OF aeronauts whose fate has been tragical
That st. Louis trip created the greatest excite
ment, and has brought forth an immense crop
Of balloonists. Mr.. Lowe is building monster
aerial ship over in Hoboken, with which he pro-
poses to cross the Atlantic. Mr.. Wise is giving
series Of ascensions at Hamilton park, with
view of creating an interest in the matter and
getting capitalists to engage in an enterprise
similar to Mr.. loves. La Mountain had re-
solved to lead the way across the ocean, and
as there was none more daring than he, the ex
pertinent would certainly have been made
within very brief period if he had returned
safely from his last trip.
In the meantime, balloon ascensions have
grown to be Of daily occurrence, and many
who have had no experience whatever are
rushing madly into the business. AS neces-
sary consequence we must expect to read Of
many deplorable casualties. In yesterdays
HERALD we had accounts Of two ascensions
which were attended with great risk to the
aeronauts. In the one case the balloon ex-
ploded; but in descending to the earth il acted
as parachute, breaking the force of the fall
~ the other, the balloon was torn by coming
in contact with trees and those in the car mar.
rowly escaped with their lives The business
=, 10 ;;9st now in danger Of being entirely over
done, and thus confidence in the final success