Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-10-28
Up i'm a Balloon.

On the occasion of Prof La Mountains
recent balloon ascension from Bay City,
he met with terrible adventure, and very
narrowly escaped death.
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.
Headley, who was to have accompanied
Mr.. La Mountain, was obliged to get out
of the car. Mr. H. had the eatables, in
struments of observation, and tissue paper
used to ascertain the ascending and de-
scending force of the balloon, and as he
stepped out of the car, before he could
transfer the articles, those who had hold
of the car let 60, and the balloon shot up
with a rapidity that carriedlt to an altitude
of two miles within few minutes. A per-
feet gale of wind was blowing at the time,
and moment after rain and sleet com
menced falling. The balloon was still as
cending when lost to sight in cloud.
Prof. La Mountain, in relating his expert
ence, says that it became all at once in
tensely cold. The cloud he entered was
one swimming mass of snow flakes, inter
spersed with rain, which formed frost
work on the netting of the balloon. The
cloud, with the snow flakes forming and
| flying hither and thithcr, had, as he ex-
pressed it, the appearance of cloud of
steam through which the sight could not
penetrate. The earth was lost to view.
BY tearing up his handkerchief and
| throwing ont shreds he became conscious
/ that he was passing upward with wonder
1 full rapidity, and along with the current of
/ the air eastward toward the lake. Moth
ing was discernable but the thiclening
mist, and overhead his balloon, which, as
the air became lighter, had expanded the
/ thin cloth covering to its utmost
strength. Fearful chat he might be
carried into the lake, and without a
pound of ballast to regulate the de
scent, he reached for the valve rope,
with the intention of lowering himself
gradually. To his surprise the valve
would not open. The rain and sleet accu.
mulating on the top OF the balloon had
frozen the valve so tight as to resist the
pressure from below. Putting his whole
strength to the task, he gave a 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 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 Mountain was benumbed
with cold But little time was lost in
speculation He had attained height of
over three miles The balloon could not
burst, for when the expansion became too
great the gas could escape from the flue or
valve below, which was open; but le 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 il on the ground.
Clinging to the rope with one hand, with
the other, and his teeth, after some exer.
tion, he succeeded in 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 this opera.
tian the ends of the fingers Of both hands