The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-09-24
Balloon Ascrnsion-Narrow Escape.

oaIloOn AsCensfOn-NhfF0W ESCape.
Prof. Wise made an ascension from Peters
burg, Va, on Thursday afternoon at54 O'Clock
and In 35 minutes landed upon the farm o
VIM. Allen, in Henrico county, IL miles frcu
Richmond, having travelled 80 miles, thoagl
the distance in a direct line is only IS N las
The Petersburg Express gives an interestin
account of this Brial voyage. 1t says
Before starting, the wind tossed the balloon
II will be rem EN- bered, in such manner as Il
bring it violently, several times, against tn
roof of the Gas Works. A slight fissure wa
torn in the upper portion OF the balloon b,
this accident, but the netting being quite ihici
1t that point, and tightly drawn around il, tb,
escape of gas was scarcely perceptible. Scarce
ly moment had passed after bidding adieu Il
terra TRINA. before the Professor discovered i
throug Oh the reck of the balloon, but being de
termined not TO disai' point our citizens, he re
solved TO go as far As the gas would carry him
at the same time to Try 10 carry out his origi
nal Intention of aiming for Richmond. Tn,
current favored and he overlook the Rich
mond train, which had left some fifteen min
utes before HIM, and WAS even with IL por
reaching Chester. Ten miles from the city
Here he was borne away by an easterly cur.
rent and was distinctly seen from CIty Point
He now reached his highest alltu' e, OF abOui
one mile. then beating northerIy with favor
lug currents. he crossed james River twice de-
scendlng occasionally WITHIN speaking dis lance
OF the earth, and scattering newspape AID
programmes among the people below. A
every point at which the Professor "circula-
ted the documents" he could see the people
enthusiastically running afteS them. The
rapidly escaping gas soon began to tell
upon the buoyancy of the Skylark, and
the hssure gradually Widened with the
strain which continually bore upon it
About fourteen miles from Richmond OF
which city he had fine view, he commenced
10 make Tor large field OF several hundred
acres, and by means of skiilful management
descended gently towards 1t. When aoOut Que
Thousand feet from the earth, and directly over
the field the fissUre in the bail bon rapidly en-
larged, attaining a length of between ten and
ftfjeau feet. The escape of gas was now tre-
meudOus, and the descent fearfnlly rapid md
direct. The Professor laaped up amidst the
rigging, designing to escape the shock which
threatened the car upon reaching the ground
The precauuon was doubtless well, but did
not avert the whole danger fhe car struck
the ground with terrible force, the balloon,
completely collapsed, Tell, and the Professor
was thrown violently backwards over the car,
his back striking the rim and nearly knocking
him senSeless large number OF persons
who were following him below ana saw him
fall were unable to fiud him until after a long
search. The descent being made in Il 5, TT Uf
glen, rankIy overgrown with weeds, where he
lay hardly able to move tor half an hour,
when he was discovered. Such was the vio-
lrnCe OF the sDOck that his watch bOu ugdtd d
from his pCcket, and being torn loose was,
lodged upon prominent bush, aud his catch q
ing sight Of it, he recovered il.
THE ACCIDENT ON THE RACINE AND MIS-
sIssIPPI RAILROAD-Further Pars,calart.-The
telegraph has stated that on the 18th inst the
passenger train bound west on the Racine and
Mississippi Railroad, having on board excur-
sioniSts returning from a county fair, while
taking wood and water al their usual stopping 2
place at Deayan, was rnn into by an extra
freight train which was following. One car
was smashed in pieces and five persons killed,
and some fifteen more or less injured. The
James Vile (Wis.) Gazette says:
Upon arriving at the village of Delavan, the
train stopped to get water, about twenty rods
from the depot They had not been there
more than minute before the freight train
from ElkhOrB came round the curve in the
road, which is rather sharp at this point and
ran into the passenger train. The wood. car
platform was crowded with men and boys,
but they fortunately had time TO jumn from it
and save themselves. The Wood-car was then
driven forward into the rear passenger car,
clear through it, aud portion OF 1t penetrated
the passenger car beyond. In its passage il
just cleared the floor and swept every seat,
with Its occupants, all who stood up and
crowded the passage, the sides and top Of the
car, and piled the wreck into the space be-
tween the cars and upon the rear of the next
passenger car ahead. Upon the top of thi.
wreck the w0od-car reared itself, with its
wheels and The wheels of the passenger car
which had been demolished. Underneath all
this were some seventy five or eighty human
beiugs-sUme killed instantly, others wounded
fatally, and still others writhing in agony
caused by horrible injuries. Our informant
says it was an awful sight. So closely We're
tue materials of the demolished cars jammed
together that it was half an hour before The
wreck could be cleared SO that the people
could be got out.
The following is q list of the killed:
Mr. Baker, produce dealer, of Delavan
MISS Margaret Seaman, aged fifteen, of DarIen:
Mrs. Davis, of Sharon q son of Mr.. Catnn,
hardware dealer, Dslavan; and son OF Mr.
StoOpfui, farmer, Delavan. The names Of the
wounded we have been unable yet 10 learn.