Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-09-29
BALLOON ASCENT IN GERMANY.

10 tie Editor of the Montreal Herald
SIR,-In the spring of the year 1851,
happening TO be in the beautiful city of
Berlin on my way to Hamburg, l saw an
announcement in the papers of a contempla
ted balloon ascent by Mr.. Coxwell the ;e C.
naut, to be accompanied by Mr. Risley. an
American gentleman, as passenger Hav>
ing nothing better to do, | went to the
Shustenhaus to witness the accent On ar.
riving there found the enclosure filled
with the rank and fashion of Berlin, ale
though the day was very stormy and win
dy
The balloon was splendid speciman Of
her kind, and very large, being over 60
feet in hight, and over l2O in circumference
and when expanded and swaying backward
and forward with the wind, had truly a
grand and beautiful appearance.
The enthusiasm OF the spectators was
raised to the highest pitch of excitemen by
the violence of the wind, which had nov
increased, and was blowing fearfully The
balloon was held by twenty Prus ian soldiers,
and as che gracefully bent to the blast, the
only fear seemed to be that she would
burst. At the appointed hour the 4Ero-
naut and Mr.. Risley stepped into the car
amid the deafening cheers of the thousands
assembled, who began to fear the Aeronaut
would not ascend in such gale In another
instant the balloon was cast loose and rose
majestcally in the air-but alas, Just at
this critical moment as she was about clear
ing the house tops. an awful gust o. wind
struck her and hurled her with great force
against some trees. Some Of the branches
penetrated the silk and netting and tore
them, and had Mr.. Risley and Mr.. Coxwell
not seized some Of the branches and held on
bv main strength, the balloon would have
dragged them over the house tops and
dashed them in pieces As it was, they
had great difficulty in holding on until she
was so turned that the escape of the gas en-
abled them to let themselves to the ground
in safety. But the beautiful balloon, that .
few minutes before was SO graceful and
buoyant, and seemed anxious to be soaring
in the clouds, was now one mass of tangled
netting and torn silk. All this time the
shouts and screams Of twenty thousand
people who thought both were killed, was
awful in the extreme, and 80 great was the
rush to see them, that they came near be-
ing crushed by the anxiety of the multitude
to assist them.
And the generosity of the people mani.
tested itself, they felt for Mr.. Coxwell, % he
being poor man, could not afford to loose
his balloon. Subscriptions wer. got up ell
over Berlin, and all came forward liberal.
IL. But his fellow passenger, Mr.. Risley,
on hearing Of this, declared that Mr.. Cox.
we'll should not take one penny Of the mon
sy-that it should all bs given to the poor;
and that be would, ct his own expense, re.
pair the balloon, make her - good - ct
frst, and also make another ascension in
precisely one week from the date Of the
frat incident
This WAS thought to Be impossible; but
what won't the enterprise and energy com.
binsd Of the English and Yankees do p
With plenty Of hands, and working night
and day, the thing was accomplished and
on the day announced, the whole city WAS
. witness 70 one Of the most daring accents
ever made Although the day was very
stormy and the wind very high, yst the
enclosure was more crowded than ever BE-.
fore known q % asssnk Many Of the no.
hility we're there, and much ef the rank,
fashion and hssaty Of Dsslla gsassd the
enclosure with their presence.
Precisely st the time stated, the I've gen.
tlsmsu .onts more stepped Int the sas.-
Thslr lkieods psessoa reuaa tAsm - osto
their adisua ~ Mr. 4isisy dla nst sapset
y rstusa, hs ksa his valise ed sleat vith
kl0, a4d latsaoea - teAtseue Als .1supaoy
Ibu9 WASesVoe 10 ~ 1ak1e1 . vjeaxel
Dso1qassotly, all ~ oaeA41 ylee pesosat =
y J, !!1iI;;;i |! i'|4 r.: = ~; i; \: