The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1870-03-29
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WEI hHH@l AtANEtAHs so EAas Htt 81 500
caranclel n the Register 81 tbc 2ilb
u,t Many ofout esges eHl rcmem
ben b.s fret balloon ascension Which
tok rlaeg ttm tls Ola Fair Ground
Ga Washington Street. and tom that
portion Of it nearest whore Vice Prts-
dent Co.iax residence nos IS THIS
was IN the iali SO 1857 The balloon Was
a small enc nos ses wgl constructed
and be friends uere under tho greatest
apprehens.ons .es, tie ascent should be
fatal to him, and tried % induce him
no, to make tie trial But la Noun
tain never knew What fear was and
jumping into bis car DC gave orders 70
release the ropes and in less time than
( IT takes 70 write it, was looking down
upon South Bend from a height ofuear.
1 y two miles Tie trip was successful,
and from that time forward Ia Noun
tain devoted his attention entirely 10
aerouautcs Ills reputation became
national and as the New York Tribune
truly says, his lie was iull Of daring
adventures and incidents, which we're
frequently more interesting than agree
able lie was among the most fearless
aerouauts IN this or amy other country,
and porsued bis chosen profession with
a higher object than to moreiy make
money, by exhibiting himself He was
compelled to make balloon asccnsions
for the public amusement as O means Of
support, but he hoped to make bis ox-
I periments useful ia the advancement
Of science and the Development ofmot-
geological theories. A pet theory Of
La Mountain was that there was a cur
rent in the atmosphere corresponding
with the Gulf Stream in the ocean, and
flowing steadily from west to east, He
was ambitious to be the first aeora-
naut to cross the Atlantic, taking adj
vantage Of this current. He built the
famous balloon Atlantic for this pur-
pose, one Of the largest, strongest and
most beautiful balloons ever made. The
aeronaut determined to test bis theory
10y land voyage first and started from
st, Louis for the East, accompanied by
John Wise, Mr.. Hyde, an editor Of the
Missouri Republican, and Mr. eager, a
scientific man of Boston The party
were in the air over nine hours, passing
over Lake Erie and into New York
State Up to this point they had en-
loyed what seemed to them calm,
though their motions must have been
very rapid While crossing Lake On
tario, tornado seized the balloon, and
it was left u wreck in the woods Of JEFF
ferson county, New York, The "Atlan-
tic had travelled 1,1S0 miles in less
Vl@h tSh nuns IulS ulhdSIef ruined
La Mountains plan for crossing the
ocean for the time. He was saddened
but felt that the trip had important re.
suits in showing the velocity Of aerial
motions, and demonstrating the fact
that balloon might cross large bodies
of water. A small balloon was made
from the remnants Of the Atlantic, and
he started on trip from Watertown,
~ Y, with John A. Haddock, editor
Of the Reiormer. The trip was re-
markoble one. The yoyagers who ex-
Ipocted toreturn in few hours, were not
heard from for many days. Public OK
citement became intense. The mystery
was at last explained Having no COM
pas, the aeronauts had lost their bear
ings, and were carried far into the
dense woods Of the Ottawa reservation,
in Canada After wandering for many
days subsisting upon leaves and berries
they were accidently discovered, in the
last stages Of starvation, by some In.
dian scouts in the employ Of a lumber
man. Their story was widely publish
ed and illustrated Ny the newspapers
When the war began, La Mountain
turned bis attention to military bal
looms, and was the FIRST aeiouaut en-
gagod in the service. The Advantages
gained by ballooning we're very uucer-
tain, however, aud the entire system
was very soon given up. Tie last Sc
rious adventure Of Ia Mountain occar-
red in Michigan, fan account Of which
was given in the Register ut the time,
and probably fastened his death. An
inpatient crowd cast him off before lie
was ready, without an oyercoat or in
struments, and the valve rope tied sew
eral feet above the basket. lie shot
like a rocket up into a heavy cloud Of
Of mist and sleet, which froz G the valve
|, board fast. He climbed, with FROST
bitten fingers, upon the network, aud
tore the balloon with his teeth. The
opening extended so far that the bal
loon collapsed, discharged it's gas, and
fell with great velocity from height Of
nearly two miles The aeronaut was
picked up benumbsd and insensible,
though not dangerously injured.