The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-11-11
WHOLE No. G3.
uP "a a BALLpoN.
Frightful Experience of Professor La Mon
taine in tile Sag;tnaw Country.


Frightful Experience of Professor La Mon
t;sine in tie Saginaw Country.
From the Saginaw Enterprise Oct II.
The late balloon ascension from Bay
City, on Tuesday afternoon, is perhaps
one Of the most dangerous exploits
ever accomplished by an seronaut.-
The balloon was filled before starting
to its utmost tension, but, owing to
recent repairs, leaked badly, so that,
after one or two unsuccessful attempts
Mr.. Hcadiey, who was TO have accom-
panied Professor La Montaiue was
/ obliged to get out OF the car. Mr..
/ Headley had the eatables, instruments
! of observation and tissue paper, to
ascertain the ascending and descend
! ing force of the balloon, but before he
! could transfer the articles named,
1 those who had hold of the car let go,
and the balloon shot up with a rapid
/ ity that carried it to an altitude of two
miles within few minutes. A per-
fect gale of wind was blowing at the
! time, and moment after rain and
sleet commenced falling. Professor
La Montaine. says it became at once
intensely cold. The cloud he entered
was one swimming mass of snow
flakes, interspersed with rain, which
formed a frostwork OIL the car and
netting of the balloon. The earth was
lost TO view.
By tearing up his handkerchief, and
throwing out shreds, he became con-
scious that he was passing upward
with wonderful rapidity, and along
with the current of air eastward to-
ward the lake. Fearing that he might
be carried into the lake, and without a
pound of ballast to regulate his de-
scent, he reached for the valve rope,
with the intention of lowering him
self gradually. To his surprise, the
valve would not open. The rain and
sieet accumulating on top of the bal
loon, had frozen the valve so tight as
to resist the pressure from below.
Putting the whole strength to the
task, he gave strong pull on the rope
pulling out the iron staples attaching
the rope to the valve, the rope falling
down into the car. The balloon was
mounting up faster than ever. 1t had
passed the storm cloud, which was a
mile below, and the heavens above
were as clear and the sun shining as
brightly as at midday in June. But
the air was very cold and La Montain
was benumbed with cold. He had at
tanned the height of over three miles.
The balloon could not burst, for
when the expansion became too great
the gas could escape from the hue or
valve below, which was open; but he
was fearful of being carried into or
over the lake without having made
/ preparations for such an event.
Mounting the hoop overhead he
reached for his knife only to find that
he had left it Oh the ground. Cling
ing TO the ropes with one hand, with
the other and his teeth, after some ex-
ertion, he succeeded i'll tearing rent
in the balloon from the bottom ten or
fifteen feet upward. Then serving
the opposite side the same way, he
descended to the car to watch the
progress. During the operation the
ends of the fingers OF both hands had
become frozen. For few moments
the balloon kept ascending, then, as
the gas escaped, it reached an equi-
poise, and moment after gradually
descend to the earth. Every instant
increased It's downward speed. The
professor says that he heard the cloth
tearing, the rents charging, until,
with crash that sounded like death
knell, tie cloth gave way to the pres
sure, opening seam on both sides
from the bottom to the top. The gas
escaped instantly, leaving not a thou
sand cubic feet, while the air rushed
| in, filing up the vacuum, the balloon
acting as parachute. The professor
gives it as his opinion that at the
height of two miles there was not a
foot of gas in the balloon. The cloth,
bellying out, formed a strong resist
ance to the atmosphere, and retarded
the descent He remembers distinct
ly passing through cloud, and the
sensation on regaining sight of the
earth. He has an almost indistinct
recollection of approaching the earth's
surface. a dull moaning, like the
surging of the waves, greeted his
ears, the tapping Of the cloth became
louder, and Il moment after he became
unconscious. On regaining his senses
he found himself lying in q woods,
and his balloon several yards distant.
Several persons who had seen the bal
loon descend had come TO the scene.
and were standing near; they after
ward assisted him. His arms and
legs were badly bruised and himself
stunned, put no bones were broken
nor internal injury sustained. The
spot where he fell is seven miles from
Bay City.
To GROW HORSE HAIR-Often-
times the owner ola valuable horse
discovers SPAWN or curb making its i
appearance; a blister is applied, and
the hair comes OF, which, of course
the owner wishes to have grow out as
soon as possible. Now, o gentleman
of Denmark, New York, has furnish
ed recipe which he claims will
cause the hair to start right away on
bare spots caused by blistering, har-
ness gall or otherwise. Take an old
boot or shoe. Dlace IL on tha fire hmm