The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-07-13
The Great Balloon Trip.


@ The Great Balloon Trip.
Prof. WISE for many years has been en-
deavoring to establish the practicability Of
Rrial navigation but has been unable, for want
of means. to carry forward, by experiment. his
cherished scheme until recently. Over twen-
~ four years ago Prof WISE made his first
balloon ascension at Philadelphia since which |
time he has made over two hundred and thir
ty ascensions, one OF which was made at this !
place on the l4th of August 1852.
He is the most experienced aronaut living |
He has had his balloon explode when sever
al thousand feet in the air, has been dropped
in Lake Erie, landed in swamps and tree tops,
in fact has been converted bv his air ships in
the war with Mexico he offered to take Vera
Crutz without losing man if the Secretary
of war-Gov. MARcY-would furnish him the
means to build big balloon. His plan was
to fioat his balloon mile above the forts of
Vera Crutz and from that position rain down
a thousand bombShells on The Mexicans Mr..
MARCY withheld the means and the project
failed.
His great object in life row is to cross the
Atlantic in balloon, but as prelude to that
undertaking a trial trip was to be made, start
ing from ST. Louis and endeavoring to land on
the sea coast somewhere between New o1k
and Baltimore. That experiment was attempt
ed on the lst inst- and had it been successful
was to be followed by voyage in the fall
from New York to San Francisco, and next
spring the climax was to be reached by cross.
ing the Atlantic. ..
The party that "went up" from st Lonis
on the FIRST of July, consisted of Prof. JOHN
WISE, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. director in.
chief Mr. JOHN LA MOUNTAIN, of Lansing
burg, New York, aronaut, Mr.. o. A. eager,
of Boston, Mass, navigator, and WIN. HYDE,
of St. Lonis, reporter for the st Louis Repub
hccn The balloon used for the ascension was
the Atlantic"
A few moments before the departure of
the "Atlantic" Mr.. S NJ. BRooKs, of St. Louis
made an ascension in his balloon AComet" as
an escort over the Mississippi He landed at
sundown in safety about fifty miles from ST.
Louis. -n
The freight of the Atlantic consisted of
provisions liquors scientific instruments. news
papers, business cards, and an Express bag
sent by the United States Express Company,
directed to New York A short time before
starting, some one inquired if they had any
water aboard and upon examination it was
discovered that though liquor in abundance
was supplied, that much despised but useful
fluid, water was absent Directly beneath the
balloon was suspended a wicker basket, so
near that the neck of the balloon would rest
in it when distended. and eight feet below that
was attached the boat, which was carried
to be used in case they should be wrecked up
on the lakes. Everything being in readiness,
Prof WISE took his position in the wicker
basket the remainder of company occupying
the boat beneath, and at 6:40 p. Nj: the "At
Iantic" was cut loose and the adventurous voy-
ayers set sail for, New York oia the ethereal
regions The air ship mounted upward to the
height of two miles, the greatest attitude at
tained during the trip, and there finding an
eastsr1y current they moved on at the rate of
mile minute toward Lake Erie. At A.
M, Saturday morning they passed For,
Wayne and Fremont passed Sandusky at 7 20
A. NJ, passed Kelly's Island at Z 80 A. NJ,
passed Fairport at $50, passed Niagara al
l2:15, and Medina, near Rochester, 1890.
1t was arranged that Prof WISE should
sleep during the night in his basket leaving
the balloon in the charge of Mr.. LA Noun
TAIN in the boat, who, if he wished the valve
worked was to arouse him. At half past
eleven Mr.. LA MOUNTAIN called to Prof.
WISE, but but receiving. no answer sent MIR.
GAGER up to him, by rope provided for that
purpose. who found him nearly suffocated by
| the gas escaping from the neck of the balloon
A good shaking, removal of the neck of the
balloon from bis face and the cool air revived
him, but he slept no more that night
The most noticeable thing during the night
was mellow phosphorescent light which lit
up the whole dome of heaven, giving the bal
loon the appearance of a globe of fire seen
through oiled paper r.-....5..- .....
They crossed Lake Erie at slight eIeva
tion passing seven steamboats,. one of which
expressed it feelings on being left behind by
saying to them, "Y ou are going it like thun
der
Finding themselves in the State of New
York, but too far north to reach N. Y. City,
/ they resolved to land Messrs. GAGER and
HYDE at Rochester, and Prof WISE and Mr.
4 LA MOUNTAIN proceed alone and endeavor to
reach Boston or Portland. When they had
decended within thousand feet of the earth
they encountered the terrific gale, which it will
be remembered swept over this and many
sections Of the country on the End inst. The
!, storm was fast driving them upon Lake Onta-
rio and their only hope was to rise above the
Tornado as death was almost certain if thev
attempted to land while it was raging. To ac.
complish this object, all their ballast, consist.
ling o. a thousand pounds. was thrown over
board and was soon followed by their carpet
bags, instruments. provisions, and the Ex.
press bag. By this time they were over
! Lake Ontario one hundred miles from shore
and travelling at the rate of two miles per
minute. Messrs GAGER and HYDE Chamber
ed into the basket leaving Mr.. LA MOUNTAIN
in the sole charge of the boat. Their con-
; versation turning on their prospective deaths.
Prof WISE said be was resigned but thought
he should prefer drowning to being dashed to
pieces on land. GAGER thought he should
j chnnsa the land and hut for his nnnr wife was