Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-10-09
BALLOON ASCENSION.
Harry Leslie, the Hero or Niagara,
the &oPs - Great Exsitsment,



In this ags IL might be imagined that
there coaId be nothipg new. Solomon, 10
all bis wisdom, asserted near four thous-
and years since that there was nothing
new under the sun. Oh, wise king, had
you lived In these latter days, and had
fate 90 ordained il that you Ga uld take
up your regal abode in tbs nei ghborhood
Of New York, you would Immediately
have denied ever having given expression
to 80 absurd a saying The Egyptians,
with their SPHINX, their Memnon, and
their pyramids, never for once thought
of balloon ascension. Shortsighted
beings The Greeks, with their Olym.
pads, Thermopylm, and Delphian oracles,
never imagined the existence OF Leslie.
Even the RomASs, with a coliseum and
sevsn-hilled city, not 10 mention Cicero,
or Virgil, never dreamed OF = Love
who would rise above them all. II is all
nonsense To talk Of the inventions OF
ancient days, the heroes Of the Middle
Ages; At such time Columbus had not
discovered America.
Yesterday, although Dodsworih's re-
pertoire Of music excelied that Of ell pre-
vions Saturdays, although our Park glow
ed in the light OF autumDal sun, and lured
its visitors on to The lake 10 is tiny ron-
doleta, which SKINNED the surface 10 the
annoyanes of the swans, IL was deserted,
Of least In the neigh5oFhood of the con.
cert. There was q great sensatien. Pro
lessor Lowe was about 10 make detach.
ed BALBOA ascension. This In itself was
sufficient to attract acrowd. But, ia adj
- r
agRra," was advertised to perform ON a
rope beneath the balloon, one thousand
feet high
This in itself was sutFicient 70 fill Pro.
fessor Loves Enclosure From two 70
Eve o clock crowds swarmed in NJ the
door, and at the time the ascension was
stated to take place, not less than 1000
people wers inside, while the outside
ticket holders Numbered probably So
600 On every rock, every mound, every
walk Of the park in the vicinity OF the
balloon Enclosure thousands we're sta.
toned, auxiouely awaiting the ascen.
sion, twas no ule for the orchestra 10
depict the hardships OF Moses in
Egypt o. the raptures Of a Beautiful
Dreamerss" they would not stir Ii is
said that patience and perseverance
overcome ell difficulties; so il was in
this case.
AT 6 p. M. the air-ship United States.
having been made ready, Leslie, amid
.deafening cheers, made his appearance
on the platform in the dress OF harls-
quin. IL had been intended that the
.teats should be- performed mt an eleva.
ton of one thousand feet, but the wind
was 30 high Prot. Live was compelled
10 abandon the idea OF any cable ascen.
sion during the day. In fact, the Pro-
lessor eudeavored az much as possible
10 dissuade Leslie from appearing The
people we're there, they expected to see
Leslie perform, aud be was determined
they should accordingly. Uuwillingly
Professor Lowe consented to allow him
TO perform under the balloon during the
detached voyage.
Leslie is q man Of comparatively low
stature, not appearing to possess any of
that nerve any would expect from one
who had excelled the Frenchman Blon-
din. He is twenty.eight gears Of age,
was born in Troy, N. Y, aud, therefore,
may justly be- considered an American
artistc Although be has crossed the
Falls of Niaraga no less than forty
times, thss was his 6rst attempt as an
@rial gynnasL
At six o'clock T, NJ, the balloon
United States was cut loose from her
rnoorings, aud With the Professor, Leslie.
aud a gentleman of voluminuus beard 1
and fashionable outfit, as passengers,
started amid the voclferatiops Of the |
spectators. When almost two thousand |
feet high, the wind being strong, it rose /
quickly. Two ropes we're thrown from
the balloon. In moment, and with |
daring almost miraculous, Leslie threw |
himself from the car, catching one of |
the ropes in his fall Az such moment |
no one dared to speak and at this M
precedsnted height the Yankee Blondin /
"a he has been dubbed, proved himself /
the Yankee GODDARD.
His 6rst feat was hanging by one
hand, when he changed his position and /
hung by bis feet for some time. Scraul-
bling up she rope, he next placed the \
loop under the back OF his neck. and /
there. swaying backwards and forwards.
he remained for some time His next /
feat Was suspect ding himself by the chin, /
and MT this time he could not have been /
less than half mile high. Ia this pos i
iiion he dsngled in the AR al finally, /
when In the neighborhood of High 1
Bridge, be struck an attitude, placing /
his head in one loop and his feet in the
other, aud, in this horizontal position,
allowed himself to be toysd with By abe !
winds.
Here the professor insisted on his /
sgan entering the Car, which be accord