The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-29
AscenSiOns Of Mr.. WiSes Balloon Jupiter from
Hamilton Park.
REPORTERS ON BOARD,
Birdseye View OF the Metropolis from q
Special Reporter OF the Herald.
Fears for the Safety Of Mr.. La
Mountain.
BAlLOONIN0 TO EUROPE,
&C., &C., &c.


in the clouds Professor Lowe is hard at work, in
the Jerseys, building monster aerial ship, with and
hitherto unred appliances in tho shape Of circular fan
by which the balloon TO be elevated depressed with
out any expenditure Of gas ballast and OF rudder
with which she TO be seered through the Skies Pro
essOr Wise, toO-he who formed Of the party that
made that perous voyage In July last from the MISSISSIPPI
pi to Lake 0ntaro-s in New York, busly engaged in
preparations for other long voyages The balloon which
he now has-the Juper-is smaller by bird than the
Atlantic, in which Ia Mountain proposed TO the
and, Of COURSE is not suited for any such
prise But he is using her for the purpose Of habuang
people to receive the idea of the feasibility of nav
CATION, in hopes probably that enough of interest will be
manifested in the matter by capitalists will induce
some of them to invest little in the experiment
Two or three days ago attempt made to send up
the jupiter from Jones' Wood turned out that the
pressure on the gas there SUFFICIENT initiate the
balloon within any reasonable time and SO the attempt
abandoned. Yesterday II was renewed with better
success, the ground chosen being in Hamilton park at
Sixty sixth street. just east Of Third avenue.
II was expected that all things would be in readiness TO
have the ascent take place at But unavoidable
lays prevented that Hamilton park has been used during
the week for the State Agricultural Fair and under
derstocd that the trial Of the steam plough would have
taken place yesterday, and would have attracted a
large number OF spectators. It was in that idea
that the day selected by Professor
Wise. But the plouehing match was postponed,
and the expected crowd did not come. Mr. Wise
did not seem to have any regre. that account,
for crowds interfere rather too much with the success
ful management Of balloon, and he knew that he
cured his object Of publicity by having half dozen
reporters present. than if his spectators numbered
by hundreds OF thousands
hall ct TAM 'c
The neck OF the balloon being connected by pipe
with the gas apparatus, the gas turned on, with
slight force at first but with as the bal
loon began to assume size and shape Tho netting which
surrounded il hooked TO bags of ballast
arranged in circle, and according as the size of the
balloon increased the bags shifted farther out from
the centre into larger circle
It slow work, this initiation of the balloon and il
tired out the patience Of many persons The admission
into the grounds dependent payment Of twenty
five CENTS for the benefit not OF Mr. Wise but of the
funds of the State fair and there really nothing
exhibition the payers Of quarters not very
Boys climbed the boundary fences railing in
the park from the Third and from the street to
the north, and sat perched the top thereof
TIL tho heat Of the suns rays and the un-
them Off Under the shade of line Of
tall trees we're seated two or three score of
persons men and women who had paid their admission
fees and who, having something wheFewth to regale
themselves either in their lunch baskets the entrance
Saloon awaited the completion Of all the preliminary pre-
parations A few policemen were rendering oiicious
curious from pressing their inquiries too far and
iaboriDg men were lending hand in doing little chores
around.
Professor Wise himself not on hand; but his
Charlie Charlie took things very cooly and imper
turbably to that the netting kept dsenangled,
and referred to Mr. Wilbur, journalist who seemed TO
tions Another member Of the press Captain Smith, who
has considerable scaarng experience rendered mos
important services He arranged the wndass by which
the ascension Of the balloon to be regulated TO
II that was firmly planted in the soil and not likely 10
be carried away by the strain upon it, fixed the coil O.
rope and took general control OF the management of the
cranks.
BY these and other aids from newspaper men, police
and bysanders generally the preparations for ascen-
sion completed little before two O'Clock The only
obstacle then was that there appeared to be too much
wind stirring. The white clouds sailed pretty brsky
over the blue sunny sky, and the waving of the
tree tops showed occasionally that there was con
rather hazardous in that state of the atmosphere,
to attempt ascension. He afraid that the strain
upon the rope by which the elevation or the balloon
be controlled might be too great and that if tho rope
snapped the balloon would be carried out to the wind
blowing from the northwest For trip the weather was
pleasant enough indeed delightful barring the risk Of
heng carried oct to sea- but for cny limited ascent,
restricted by ropes, he thought il too sty.
all but resolved upon therefore, TO defer the ascent till
next day, and in the meantime to secure the balloon
where il Bat spell Of perfect camness determined
him finally 10 make the experiment, and it was arranged
iha the reporter Of the HERALD and the reporter Of
another New York paper should accompany him.
"Now then" said young Wise, 81 want to
place himself at each of those sand bags and do as !
iePhm." Thirty promptly at the posts as
sigIed them, waiting for string from each Of
The pendants Of the nett where was held by the bal
last bags quickly tied the strings of the basket
This operation connected the basket firmly with the bal
Icon Then piece Of strong, rope firmly tied,
these basket strings raiated. An expert hand stood
ready at the proper moment TO attach to this fastcn
the drum of the wind'ass. 50 that it viii be seen
the safety of the aeronaus depended chiefly
on The strength Of the hickory hoop and tho
security Of the fastcrings Both proved all right Wise
gave the word to unlock the sand bags and 10 hold
tight to the ropes The order was obcycd "Now then
hand hand, and draw into the ring" This
gave the balloon an ascension of few feet Three
Or -four sand bags are thrown into the basket The wind
lass rope is firmly knot,d to the hoop Wise and the
two reporters jump in. "Now them ali bat eight let co.
another spring Of the balloon. can but four let go.n
This to test the ascending bag of ballast is
thrown out and the balloon is in proper trim. 'Iet
So" There she gocs and cheers up with her. Some
forty feet from the ground, Wise finds that more
ballast may. be got rid Of. Lifting one 70
tie edge Of tho basket, and singing to the
people bcow TO look out he half empties it OF its
tents. The shouts Of laughter from below tell us that
8, liz the crowd has received shower bath Of
sand. This tightening Of the balloon lifts us above the
tops OF that row o tail trees, and ascend regularly,
though not very rapidly because We are held by the rope
We the crowd gathered around the wndiass, and
watching apxously the Intense strain upon the rope, fear
tg 'ts, II should give way. Wise gives his orders, and
every syllable IS distinctly heard below, just as every
word uttered below is heard by those in the basket At
the height of four hundred feet the word "IIod
on is given. Poised at that elevation and with
cut any sensible motion to ourselves, although the
basket appears to those below 10 sway considerably
stand and look around at the prospect Right beneath
If the Central Park To the we see the Hudson
stretching along lanked by the palisades, and with its
waters pough,d by many steamboat and sailing vessel
The view noi Inward, emb acng all the upper portion Of
tie island Of New York, gives rs beautiful glimpse OF
that a,iy uokng edhce, the High Bridge. Far to the
see the blue waters of Long Island sound, and
b,c prt .
am the islands. And soshward spread before us
tie heautui panorama Of NV York city with the
ii many church spife g,oring in III. sunshine The
st,niplt avenues enable trace like map right
Down Triiy church. From the Battery to the Mar
| ruws The atmos here appears to be rather thick
that We cauno, GET very clear view OF Staten Island
Mr. Wise stranger here asks, he points
the East river, what large town that lisp haH OH tina
the city Of Brookyu containing over three hundred
ihoueand inhabitants: and there, tho other side Of
New tfork, is Jersey City, and near us still the pic
iurosQuc Hcbokepn