Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-12-11
sstss ssslssss

~ - ~
fspltiis erfF affampiishei ~ a.
araaaut TIE bailuaa sac diiui ~
f,r .ianinz 10 10 uimesi iensiun
hsi esinE u Tcornt Trlairs leaked
laily. ~ that anef gns 90 too un'
suecossnil siiempis, Nc ncadisy
Wha was n have accompanied frof
a. Moaniain. Vas obliged 10 ct oul
0flhe Gar. NJ II had the eaiabius,
inslramenis ~ observation aud lis
sac paper nsel IA ascertain the as
esaiins and descending hroe Of tho
balloon, aud be6rs he oonid trans
Ter the aHirles hainei, uose who
held the car lel -, aud the BALLOON
shot uP with a rPiiiiy that carried
il 10 an alliiale al Two miles within
a few INMATES, A perfect gale Of
wind Mas bloWing Al the time, ahd
a moment amer rain aad seol SOM
meheel falling, Prof la Mountain
says that il became all az once in
lonsely cold. The clonl No catered
was ono swimming mass Of sn0N'
fakes, Interpreted with rain, which
formed a frOsl work 0n tho ear sud
netting IL tho balloon. The earth
was lost 10 view. BY tearing np
his handkerchief and throwing out
shrels no bocame conscious that be
was passing upward with wonder
hl rapldily, and along with the cur
rent Of the air eastward toward the
lake, and, without q pound OF bal
last 10 regulate his descent, lac reach
ell for the valve r0po, with the in
lehlion Of lowering himself gradn'
ally. To his surprise tho valve
would not open. The rain and sleet
accommodating on the top Of the bal
loon, had hozen tho valve so tight
as 10 resist the pressure from below,
Putting his whole strength to the
task, he gave a strong pull on the
rope, pulling ont tho iron staples
attaching tho rope 10 the valve, tho
rope falling down into tho ear. The
balloon was mounting up faster
than ever. IL had passed tho storm
cloud, which was n mile below, and
the heavens above were ms clear,
and the sun shining us brightly rs
ut midday in June. But the air
was very cold, and la Mountain
was benumbed with cold. lilo had
attained II height of over three miles.
The balloon could not burst, for
when tho expansion became too
great the gas could escape from the
flucs or valve below, which was
open; but he was fearful OF bclrg
carried into or over the lake with
ont having made preparations for
such mn event. Mounting the hoop
overhead, hc reached for the knife
only to find that he had left il on
the ground. Clinging TO tho rope
with one hand, with tho other and
his teeth, amer some cXcrtion, he
succeeded in tearing u rent in the
balloon from the bottom ten or fit.
teen feet upward. Then serving
the opposite side tho same way, he
descended to the ear to watch the
progress. During this operation
the ends of the fingers ofbOth hands
became frozen. For n few minutes
the balloon kept ascending, then,
as the gas escaped, it reached an
cquipoisc, and a moment after com.
mcnccd to gradually descend to the
earth. Every instant increased its
downward speed. The Professor
says that he heard the cloth tearing,
tho rents charging, until, with II
crash that sounded like a death.
knoll, tho cloth guvc way to the
pressure, opening u scam on both
sides FROM the bottom to the top
The gus escaped instantly, leaving
not a thousand cubic feet, while the
mir rushed in filing up tho vacuum.
the balloon acting as n parachute.
The Professor gives it as his opin-
ion that at the height Of two miles
there was not a foot of gas in the
balloon. The cloth, bclIying out,
formed Il strong resistance to the
atmosphere, and retarded the de-
scent. lilo remembers distinctly
passing through a cloud, and the
sensation on regaining sight Of the
earth. lie has an almost indistlnct
recollection of approaching the
carth's surface. A dali mounting,
like tho surging of the waves, greet
cd his ears, the tapping of the cloth
became louder, and Il moment after
he became unconscious. On regain.
ing his senses ho found himself IT,
ing in a woods, and his balloon was
some yards distant. Several per,
sons who had seen the balloon de,
sccnd, h&l come TO the scene, and
wcrc standing near; they assisted
him. His arm 3 and legs were bad.
ly bruised, and himself stunned, but
no bones were broken or interna'
injury sustained. The spot where
he fell is seven miles from Bay CITY