The Hickman courier., 1871-08-05
NO. 80.
THRILLING ADVENTURE.
4 Brief but EventfuI Voyage by
an EdgefieId AerOnaut.
From the Nashrills Banner.

A Brief but EventfuI Voyage by
an EdgefieId AerOnaut.
From the Nashville Banner.
Early Sunday afternoon large crowd
of people began to gather at the Horti-
cultural garden to witness the balloon
ascension announced to be made by T.
H. Williams of Edgeield, or, as he is
professionally known, Professor Webster,
under which title, during the fairs Of last
year, he made some
SEVENTEEN AERIAL VOYAGES,
All of which, save one at Union City,
proved successful. At that place the top
Of the balloon was burned, and its place
was supplied by new piece Of unvar-
nisbed canvas. When the ascent had
been made and the balloon was sinking
toward the earth, he saw that he was
about to strike a hickory tree, and to
avoid being dragged or hurt he
LRAPED FROM THE BASKET
Into the limbs, falling through the
branches some FIVE or six feet before he
finally succeeded in making a lodgment
This balloon, which is but mere piece
of patch work, weighing 666 pounds
and measuring 115 feet in height and
125 feet in circumference, WAS used Sun
day afternoon.
SUNDAYS ASCENSION.
By o'clock in the afternoon the Hor-
ticultural gardens were filled by large
assemblage, numbering from thousand
to fifteen hundred, with probably about
FIVE hundred outside the enclosure. AS
preparations to fill the balloon with heat
ed air commenced, the crowd became
considerably excited, and awaited the as
eension with no little impatience. Mean
while the mouth Of the balloon was put
over kind of chimney to furnace, and
fire kindled As the heated air began
to initiate the balloon,
LITTLE STREAMS OF SMOKE
Issued out the unvsrnished piece Of can
vas and jets spurted from divers little
holes in the middle portion. Mr.. Will
liams, before entering the basket, a rath-
er weak and dangerous looking concern,
attached to the hoop of the balloon by
means of small cords about the size OF
ones little finger, trimmed down the up
per portion, the top rim appearing to be
somewhat insecure.
FALSE START
Was made at half past FIVE o'clock amid
enthusiastic applause of the spectators.
The balloon was pulled down, again sub
jectcd to the heated air process of infia-
ton. Shortly after six o'clock the huge
air-ship was released from its moorings,
and shot up into the air about the dis
tance Of 100 feet. 1t was driven west
ward, rising, probably, to the altitude OF
$50 to 175 feet. Just before reaching
the cotton manufactory, about 800 yards
from the starting point, it
BEGAN RAPIDLY TO DESCEND
Toward the smoke stack of the manufac
ry, which is 125 feet in height. AS the
| spectators, rushing pell-mell across the
common and shouting to the extent o
their seemingly exhaustless lungs,
SAW THE IMPENDING CATASTROPHE,
They started back horror struck at tn
sight. The balloon had struck the stacI
and had turned over on the other side.
THE AERoNAUT's STORY.
But we give the story of Mr.. Williams
narrow escape from death, in his Owl
words
"On approaching the stack knew
that the balloon was bound to strike il
and at once made preparations to receive
the shock by pushing the basket towards
the stack aud leaning outward on the
opposite side When the basket, which
was about II feet below tho balloon, did
strike it bounded outwardly and then
oAREENED TO ONE SIDE,
l at once saw that if did not ascend to
the top of the stack before all of the
heated air left the balloon l would be
pulled over the stack and dashed to pie.
ces on the ground, distance of 125 feet
You can understand what chance would
have had for life The weight of the
balloon was then pulling me up the stack.
/ seized one of the cords leading from
the basket to the hoop of the balloon,
and determining to risk my life upon it,
pulled myself up to the top of the stack
using my feet at the same time on the
iron cap, which is about seven feet IL
height As l reached the summit, the
weight of the balloon commenced pulling
down heavily against my own, which il
about 140 pounds. Catching hold of the
rim of the stack
WITH A FIRM GRASP
With one hand, 1 Wrapped one of thu
small cords around one of the nuts o.
which there were good many, when th'
swinging of the balloon broke it. /
however, succeeded in tying another
which held fast, and then climbed to th'
top. The feat was q very difficult one
If l had not been tolerable gymnas
and had not had on my professiona
tights and slippers, could never have
attained the top. / was enabled to use
my limbs with much more ease and ad
vantage than would have been the cas-
had l been dressed in the ordinary style
1 was assisted in gaining the top b.
catching the cord between my toes ant
holding it tightly. There is an QUITE
and an inner rim to the cap, both having
a surface of about fifteen or eighteer
inches, upon which / could easily wall
without danger Of falling. L here dis
covered that the hoopof the balloon ha'
caught upon the lightning rod, by whicl
means my life was saved. While yet o.
the top | cut all the ropes, with the In
tention of allowing the balloon to fall t
the ground, but the hoop hung fast. Il
attempting to kick it off | missed it, an
came near losing my balance aud goin;