Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-12

Prof c. C. COe arrived here at noon to-day by
propeller from Brockville, which place he left
last evening, having arrived there night before
last. BrOckville is about forty-eight miles from
the place where he landed, which is thirteen
miles back of Irish Creek, station on the
Brockville and Ottawa railroad His trip was
one of the most exciting on record, and the fol-
lowing is, briefly, an account of it;
Prof. G. G. Coe, with his companion, Mr.. V.
G. Stone, of Syracuse, started from Oswego in
the balloon New World, at .: 10 p. M, July 4th.
The crowd, the city, the steamer Rochester
looking no larger than skif, disappeared in
panoramic order, and in about ten minutes the
cloud curtain dropped between the voyages and
the earth, shutting out every thing but the
glowing halo OF the clouds, which was beyond
all description. Soon their breaths grew frosty,
Steaming out at exhalation as in winter. The
sun grew brighter and brighter seeming like
ball of fire, till they shot up through the misty
surroundings into the pure ether On one side
were walled up dark clOuks with minor ones in
gorgeous relief, bound with irridescent hues,
too dazzling to gaze upon roar of intense
depth came up-a signal gun from the contend
ing elements below. "WhatP says Stone, sis
that thunder?" at is, beyond question" was
the reply. On the right and within stones
throw, was the gigantic home of storm
bold thunder heads, collonades of cloud,
and irowning portals, that threatened to en-
close us. On the left was seemingly end
less cloud of Spotless purity, which came
marching right up and laid its leath-
cry folds about the travellers, and in two
minutes they were covered in snow. By throw
ing over a sand bag they made an exit from the
storm at an altitude Of three miles according to
the barometer, though not yet wholly clear of
the clouds. Again there came up peal after
peal from below, sounding nearer and nearer,
though but a single faint fash was seen. II
was accompanied by the roar Of a tornado
raging below Again the snow fell thicker and
r. I 1.
made above it there was two inches OF snow in
the car. The balloon then rose to an altitude of
three and a half miles. There was a short in
terVal of quiet, after which the fures were sud-
denly let loose below The roaring heard so
long below approached and in a moment the
tourists were in the midst of a tremendous
force. The balloon, which had been plump as
an egg, became fearfully agitated; the neck was
thrown up in concave shape within a few feet of
the valve, the fabric rustled and snapped, and
the snow and Seet aSsailed the balloon tiercely.
The "New World" reeled and tOppled over to
an angle of 900 and Coe and his companion
were toppled about like puppets They were
fairly inclosed in vortex between two colliding
storms, out of which the balloon spun like
top, coming out plump as peach. This lasted
but moment when they were in the midst of
rain but no wind from below. For some min
utes their contention could be heard. The rain
fell thicker and faster, coming down in torrents,
were obliged to throw out four heavy bags of
sand i'll order to poise, and in moment they
were in dim twilight, the rain streaming from
the netting in showers.
The thunder ceased, though the storm still
ragged below At 1920 there was scream from
an iron throated locomotive to the north, at rs
another from the SOUTH at 8:27 another from
the east, and soon there was an answer from the
west. At this time Prof. G. thinks he was over
Kingston. In about twenty minutes they de
scended to point where they could see the
earth. The storm was so dense the clouds were
not over 500 TO 600 feet above the earth. Prof.
C. says: eve saw woods bristlng like weeds;
then came zigzag lines of log and rail fence;
fair field with oxen grazing; two or three log
houses spinning by; and then the valve was
thrown wide open, and the anchor was cast out.
1t took log fence, and ripped it from the bot
TOM A log foot through and twenty feet
long was thrown like toy over forty feet. 1t
then grappled about the iangs of a stump; we
swung to the ground with a crash and were
flung into the embrace of the roots of an up
turned stump, two of which drove through the
car, bruising Mr. Stones leg below the knee,
though not seriously. Thence in horizontal
position we were dragged about fifty feet over
brush, stumpS and logs, and came to a sudden
stand still in a wind fall and cedar swampS, and
within ten rods of an Oat field. The balloon
gave but one bound, when the sweeping blast
riddled it into ribbons, that hung about the
scraggy arms of the cross in very melancholy
way, whipping the gale like tattered sails"
1t was raining furioUsly when they landed,
and after lying under the balloon couple of
hours they made their way to a house about
three-quarterS of a mile off, where they staid
over night. The next day the wreck Of the
"New World" was got together, and Thursday
morning at Ave O'Clock the travellers reached
Irish Creek station, having got farmer TO carry
them down.