The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-16

BALLOON ASCENSION on THE FOURTH OF
JULY-A THRILLING AND PER1I.ous AD-
vENTrRE.-On Saturday evening last the
Fair Grounds in this city were the scene of
the most fearful and thrilling spectacle
ever witnessed in this community. Messrs.
Redmond and Yard had advertised exten-
sively that on that day one of them would
make an ascension in their mammoth bal
loon from the amphitheatrc of the Fair
Grounds, and some six or seven hundred
persons inside, and perhaps twice as many
on the outside, had assembled to witness the
ascent. To understand the catastrophe that
ensued it is necessary to state that Messrs.
Redmond and Yard inflated their balloon
by means of heated air instead Of gas, as
is more usual in such cases. To accom-
plish this they had constructed a furnace
the heat Of which was conducted into the
balloon by means of barrel, which scrved
rs chimney to the furnace, and over which
the open end of the balloon was placed. 1T
was so arranged that when the balloon
should be fully inflated board top was to
be placed over the barrel to shut off the
heat At ( o'clock P. M. the balloon was
fully inflated, and Mr.. Yard stepped into
the car or basket, suspended by means ei
ropes from the balloon, and gave the order
to shut off the heat and cut the rope by
which the balloon was held down. Unfor-
tunately Mr.. Redmond gave the order al
most ct the same instant to fire up, anu
quart or more of coal oil was thrown into
the furnace, which blew off the top OF the
barrel, and the flame burned fiercely out
through the barrel, and coming in contact
with the balloon, it was ignited on one side
and at the lower end, and the balloon shot
upward with the speed of n kite.
Some of the audience perceived the fire
| and gave the alarm instantly, but the bal
loon had attained an altitude of n hundred
Yards before Mr.. Yard became fully aware
of his perilous condition. At this time the
intense excitement, commotion, and horror
of the audience beggar description. Women
and children screamed in an agony Of fear
for the safety of Mr.. Yard, and men
looked on in speechless helplessness, in mo-
mentary expectation of seeing him hurled
to certain death and destruction. Mr.. Yard
seems to have preserved his presence of
mind in remarkable degree. He supposes
he attained an altitude of near three
todescend To test the rapidity of his de-
scent, ne InTeW OUT urst NIB pockeL-naHu-
kerchief, and afterwards his hat, by which
he found that his descent was quite gradual,
nnd he began to hope that if the air did not
SO far escape as to collapse the balloon he
might effect safe landing. AS he feared,
however, the balloon partially collapsed
and fell over, but by swaying the basket
and pulling at his ropes he managed to right
her up again :. but he found he was now de-
scending with fearful rapidity. Fortu-
nately, he landed in thicket of small oaks
east of Mr.. Y. Duncan's, and his basket
lodged on the yielding branches of those
little trees, and thus his life was saved !;
and that, too, without the slightest injury
to his person. We can imagine but family
the grateful emotions Of Mr.. Yard at so
happy dcliverance from so great peril.
Me.rico (lio.) Ledger.