The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-10-03
La Mountain and Hadd0ck--NO News
of the Missing Aeronauts--startl Ting
Rumors--A Searching Party in Quest
Of the Missing Men. No.,

]
No reliable tidings have yet been received
Of Messrs. La Mountain and Haddock, now in
the eighth day Of their disappearance. We
learn from the Troy IN. W Daily Times of
Thursday that party, consisting Of Mr.. Ed
ward La Mountain, brother of the aeronaut,
several relatives of Mr.. Haddook, and others,
left Watertown on the afternoon of Tuesday,
intending to follow the route Of tho balloon as
far as it was seen, and, if possible, terminate
tho dreadful uncertainty that exists.
A startling rumor which prevailed in the
village of Rome, on Tuesday, is mentioned by
the Seatinet OF that place as follows, -
i" A rumor was current in our village yes
terday afternoon, brought by the WatertOwn
train due here at 2:40 p. NJ, to the effect that
it was reported in Watertown, that letter
had been picked up in Canada, (near Bytown,
we belive,) purporting to have been written
by La Mountain, stating that Haddoch Zone
Of the balloonists) was insane, and that the
rope was SO tangled up that the valve could
not be opened to let out the gas, so as to allow
the. balloon to come down. We give the story
as,reported at the depot on the arrival Of
cars. We will add that we placeno reliance
upon it.
The Troy Times says that La Mountain's
balloon was inflated to tho full with hydrogen
gas, and had strong ascensive power, so that
q large quantity of ballast was taken up
enough to have lasted for trip across the
continent, and more than was used in the
voyage from st. Louis to Henderson. But for
the engagement at Kingston, and another rap
idly following in Now York, it might be sup
posed that ,.Mr.l La Mountain, anxious always
to demonstrate his favorite theory, had con-
cludod to continue his voyage, away to the
coasts Of Nova Scotia, for that matter; and it
may bo he has done SO. -'
On the other hand, in the case Of an early
descent In the almost interminable north
woods, or the forests Of Lower Canada, there
are thousand circumstances under which it
would be possible for the parties to become
entangled, lose themselves, and be kept, per-
haps for several weeks, from reaching any
point where they could readily communicate
with US. We do not deem it necessary yet to
abandon all hope; but we arc forced to say,
knowing as We do the character of Mr.. La
Mountain, his caution, and his great desire
never to break an engagement, that there are
some reasons to fear that the worst has hap
pened. If SO, one Of tho noblest- hearted
most unselfsh and bravest men we ever kne
has been lost at moment he was about to
reap the rewards Of his labors, in manner
which will excite thrill of horror from one
end Of the country to the other. -
The Watertown Journal of tho 9th ult. has
the following account Of the ascension:
The balloon rose beautifully and msjestcally
above the village, amid the shouts Of the
crowd. After reaching few hundred feet ii
passed off to the northeast, and In about
twenty minutes was out Of sight. II was seen
to pass Philadelphia, some eighteen miles dis
tant, fifteen minutes after its departure. The
last that was heard Of it was its passage over
the town of Fowler, st. Lawrence County,
when it seemed to be moving at rapid rate In
the same direction as before. It was supposed
that they would come down before dark, and
their return to the village was confidently OK
pected by the morning train from Potsdam.
Up to this time-fve days-nothing has
been heard from them, and consequently
there is much anxiety about their safety, and
the balloon and it's passengers are the theme
OF conversation everywhere. We hope, how
ever, that the predictions Of many friends
may not be realized, ,and, that we mayihave the
pleasure of welcoming them back among us
after successful and pleasant voyage. A
gentleman somewhat versed in air travelling
and the condition Of the voyagers states that
the aeronauts, at the last moment, evidently
were disposed to remain in the air over
night if they found circumstances fayoring
such course-that they propably did
80, and landed in the morning in some
out-of-the- wilderness, and that the
distance, on landing, from an inhabited point,
explains the delay Of tidings from them; that
they were we'll clad and could not suffer from
cold; that they had but small quantity of
provisions, say three pounds, but that at this
season Of the year they could not find it very
difficult to obtain the means Of sustaining life;
that they are both resolute men, and well cal.
oulated to surmount obstacles; that they had
from. two hundred and fifty to three hun.
dred pounds ballast, which would enable
them, If they struck the Gulf of st. Lawrence,
to cross that body Of water, and possibly to
cross the ocean, if their course unfortunately
lay in that direction; and that their absence
should not cause especial alarm, even though
they should not return for several days.
Mr.. Haddock is o printer, and formerly
worked in Washington City.