Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-10-26
UP IN A BALLOON.

FrlShtful Experience of Professor In
Mountain In tho saginaw valley.
From the Saginaw Enterprise, of October 14.l
Tho late balloon ascension from Bay
City, on Thuriday afternoon, is perhaps
one Of tho most dangerous exploits ever
accomplished by an nronsut. The bal
loon MAI filed before starting to its ut
moat tension, but owing TO recent re.
pairslsaksd badly, 80 that after one or
two unsuccessful attempts, Mr.. Headlsy,
who was to have accompanied Professor
La Mountain, was obliged to get out of
the car. Ar. z. had tho satables, in.
strumsnts Of observation, and tissue
papar ueod TO ASCERTAIN the ascending
and decesndiog force Of the balloon, and
before he could transfer the articles
named, those who had hold Of the car
let it 70, and the balloon shot up With .
rapidly that carried it to An altitude OF
two miles within q fow minutes. A
perfect gale OF vixd was blowing at the
Tins and o moment after rain and slest
commenced falling. Professor La Noun
tain SAYS that It became all at once in
tspssly colo. The cloud we entered
wac one swimming msss Of snow fakes,
interpreted with rain, which formed =
frog. work on the car and netting Of the
balloon. Tho earth was lest to view.
By tearing up hio handkerchief and
throwing out shrods ho became con-
scious that he was passing upward with
wonderful rapidity, and along with the
curren, Of the air eastward oSerd the
lake. Fearing that be might be carried
into tho lake, and, without n pound
Of bsllhG to regulate hi, de1cent,
be reached for tho valve rope, with the
intention OF himself gradually.
To his surprise, the valve would not
open. Tho rain and s!eet sccumulstiug
on the top of tho balloon had frozen the
vnlyo 60 tight as to. resist the pressure
from below. Putting bis whole strength
to the tasG, no a.ve \ strong pull on
tho ropo, pulling out the iron staples
attaching the rope TO tho valve, the
rops falling down into the car. Tho
balloon was ~moua.inl up faster than
ever. It had pnsssd the storm cloud,
which ives = milo below, md the
heavens aboro were 40 clear aud the
sun shining as brightly m at midday
in Juno. But tbs air vas very cold
and La Mountain Vss bsnumSed with
cold. He had at,cincd = hight Of over
three mile:. The balloon could not
burt, for when tho expansion becsne
too great the gag sould escape from the
hue or valve below, which was open ;
but he vac fearful Of being carried into
or over tbs lake without having made
preesrstiona fer such an event. Mount
Ing the hoop overhead, be reached for
this knife, only to find that he had left
il on the ground. C!inaine to the rope
with enc haad, With tbs other and his
teeth, he succeeded ia tearing q rent in
tho balloon from the bottom, ten or if
teen feet upward. Then serving the
oppouta iida the same way, he descend
ed to the car TO watch the progress.
During ,hi, opsrsiion the ends Of the
6nsers O. bolh hands had become frozen.
For d few moments the balloon kept as
esndins, thcn, IS the gas escaped, it
reached ar equipoiss, and a momeut
after, commenced to gradually descend
to ths earth. Evsry instant increased
it2 downward speed. The Professor
says he heard the elsth tearing and tho
rents erlarsin2 until, With e crash that
sounded like q dsstb-knoli, the Cloth
gave r.y TO tho pressure, opening a
scam on both sides, from tbs bottom to
tn. top. Tbs has escaped instantly,
leaving not a Thousand cubic fest, while
tie air rushed 10, filing up tho vacuum,
thu balloon setirS ssa parachute. The
Profsssor gives it ca his opinion that at
the hight Of two miles there was not a
foot of gas in tba balloon. The cloth,
bellyins out, formed 4 strong resistance
to the atmosphere, and retarded the de.
scert. Hs remembers distinctly passing
through a cload, and tho sensation on
resain'u5 siGat OF tho earth. Ho has
an almost indistiecs recollection OF APP
preaching the esr,h's surface. A dull
moaning, like the surginc of the waves,
crested Ills ssrs, the Tapping of tho
cloth became louder, and a moment
after no became unconscious. On re-
g~ainiss his ssncss be found himself ~
ing in a usod, and his balloon was
some yards die.ant. Several persons
who had rson tia balloon descend had
cons 70 tho eceno, and were standing
uear ; th.y afterwards assisted him. His
arms aad legs were badly bruised, and
himself stunned, but no bones broken
or internal injurieo sustained. The
feo. where he fell is seven miles from
Bay City.