Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-07-20
An Exciting Balloon Trip = From
: Buffalo 10 the Allegheny. Noun.
tains-TwO Descents into Lake Erie.

RnaaIO TO the Allegheny. Noun.
tains-TwO Descents into Lake Erie.
The Buffalo Commercial Advertiser Of
Friday has long account of perilous
balloon voyage from Buffalo to the Al
leghany Mountains undertaken by Mr..
Albro, of that journal, and others, in Mr..
Kings balloon. Mr.. Albro tells his story
in detail. We copy some interesting
passages:
The party which made the ascension
was composed of Professor Samuel A.
King, Mr.. Luther L. Holden, of the Bos-
ton Journal who had made twelve pre-
vious ascensions with Professor King;
Mr.. Henry M. Appleton, of Boston, who
has made two previous asceDsions with
the same @ronaut; Mr.. Walter I. Chester,
of the Courier, and the writer hereof
At fifteen minutes after four o'clock
the signal was given, the fastenings were
loosed, and the Hyperion mounted sky
ward amid the deafening shouts Of the
vast multitude below. Hats and hand
kerchiefs were waved in the air, and the
friendly signals were answered in kind
by those in the balloon. As there were
but four persons besides himself, Profess
sor King determined not to take the
smaller basket, which is generally placed
above the large car, and was accordingly
detached and left, himself occupying its
place in the heavy iron hoop to which
the ropes of the balloon and main car
are attached. n.
There was light current of air at the
time of casting loose. The balloon rose
almost perpendiculsrly to the hight Of
some four thousand feet, and magnii'
cent bird's-eys view of the city was
afforded. Every street and building in
the city was plainly visible, and the peo-
ple who still thronged the neighborhood
we had left, looked like pigmies. The
sensation, even to the novices, was very
pleasant There was none of that dizzl'
ness which we, at least, had expected to
experience at first. We realized the
feeling which has so often been noted by
balloonists-not that we were ascending
from the earth, but that the earth was re-
ceding from US. As the balloon went
sailing up and along, it was to US ap-
parently stationary, and as if. the earth
was being unrolled before us, like huge
panorama exhibited for our special ben
eft and delectation-we comfortably
seated in front seat meanwhile.
The ballast was contained in twelve
canvas bags ON which the passeh gers sat
when they sat at all. 1t was the aro-
naut's policy to be as saving of his bal.
last as possible, as he had determined, II
everything was favorable, to travel
further than ever before, but little was
now thrown out. and the balloon ascended
some distance.
At twelve minutes to five o'clock the
"drag rope was let down. This drag
rope" it may be we'll to explain, was
some seventy feet in length, and was
made of wire, with the exception of the
upper end, which was of rope. 1t serves
the same purpose as discharging ballast
when permitted to hang from the balloon,
and also allows the balloon, when OF
lesser hight, to skim along over land OF
water as it drags on either element. IL
was coiled around the outside of the bas'
ket. but it seems that the end had not been
properly secured, and when the cords
which kept the coils in place were cut II
unwound itself with such quickness as to
create an alarming sound, and dropped
into the lake. Prof. King expressed Sc
rious regret at its loss.
One Of the several tugs which were in
sight appeared to- be following the bal
loon. The whistle was blown, and those
on board we're heard singing "Up in
Balloon" The "up above" answered
by singing the chorus of that popular
melody in their best style. We contin
ued to hover over the foot OF the lake
and the tug-as those on board had doubt
less abandoned all hope of seeing US com!
down into the bosom of old Erie-turned
and put back. But, as events proved,
their motto should have been. Wait
little longer" lr
Al twenty-five minutes past I'VE
o clock, being then pretty nearly three
quarters of q mile high, and about oppo
ate Point Abino, the balloon commenced
descending, the momentam constantly
Increasing, as Professor King notited us
He also gave us TO understand that w
should 90 into the water, but assured u!
there would be no danger, as we would
ouickly rise again. He instructed all tc
grasp the ropes firmly, to step upon the
edges of the basket when we struck, anc
TO be careful not to be thrown out by thu
shock. All this was uttered in an In
stant. and in less than two minutes, as II
seemed, the balloon struck the water
The shock was quite violent, but we main
tanned our positions, and nothing serious
followed. The bottom Of the basket sank
bat few inches beneath the water, on
which it skinned for something like
hundred feet. A portion of the Prov
sions were soaked, and our overcoats and
feet got wet. A small quantity OF ballast
was discharged, and we again rose.
We had been up from the lake ou'
about fifteen minutes, when the balloon
commenced another rapid descent; but
we we're getting used 10 it BY this time
and we're not to be 'skeered. We barely
touched the water. Unfortuustely bag
of sand, which had become vet at our
first descent, slipped from the hands Of
Prof. King into the lake as be Was IN the
act of emptyisg portion Of Il out and
the loss OF 90 much weight caused Us to
ascend as expeditiously, We thought IS
we had gone down.
At eight miuptes 10 six we we're Of