Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-08-10

top Of the stack. he knew that he could
not long remain in that position, and
seemed TO realize that his only hope of
safety was in reaching the top OF that
! great. high chimney in the shortest
| possible time. Gathering the ropes,
| he sprung out of the basket, and rapid
| ~ climbed To the top. With this foot
hold secured. ne politely bowed his
! respects 10 the numerous spectators.
and made signs TO Indicate that he was
now master OF the situation. How 10
| get down from this giddy height was
now the question. This was soon set
tled, and the asccnsionist began 10 de-
sccnd through the interior of the stack.
sending up clouds of sooty smoke as
he went down. When he safely reach
ed the bottom, he was warmly CON
graduated by his friends on his narrow
escape from instant destruction.
"On approaching the stack knew
that the balloon was about to strike 1t,
! and at once made preparations to re-
| ccivc the shock by pushing the basket
toward the stack and leap outward on
the opposite side. When the basket
which was about seventeen feet below
the balloon, did strike, 1t bounded out
! ward and then carecned To one side.
| at once saw that il | did not ascend
To the top Of the stack before all the
heated air left the balloon. would be
pulled over the stack aud dashed to
pieces on the ground-a distance of
l2J 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, aud dctcrminin.
10 risk my life upon il, pulled myself
up to the top of the stack, using my
feet at the same time on the iron cap.
which j. about seven feet in height
As | reached the summit the weight
of the balloon commenced pulling
down heavily against mv own. which
Is about one hundred and forty pounds
Catching hold of the rim of the stack
with firm grasp with one hand,
wrapped one oi the small cord, around
one of the nuts, of which there were n
good many. when the swinging OF the
balloon broke IL, |, however. succeeded
in trying another, which held fast. AMI
then climbed TO the top. The feat was
very difficult one. II hal not been
a tolerable .ymna~t. ami lad not had
on my professional tights and shippers.
could never nave attained the top.
! was cnablcd 10 use Iny limbs with
| more ease AMI advantage than would
have been the case hal | been dressed
10 the ordinary style. assisted my-
| self III gaining the tup hy catching th,.
cord between my toes AMI holding il
| tightly. There T. an outcr anil an
inner rim T. the cap. both having a
surface Of about fifteen or eighteen
inches. upon which | ronid easily walh
without danger ot falling. ! here dis
covered that the hoop OF the balloon
had caught upon the lightning roi. hy
which mean, INV life was saved. While
vet on the top cut all the ropes, with
the intention of allowing the balloon
to fall 10 the ground. but the hoop
hung fas:. In attempting to kick it OH
| missed il, and came near losing my
balance and going hcadlong h tine
ground SAW there WAS ladder
made Of iron bars about two feet apart.
leading down through the chimney, hy
which means began 10 descend
through more SCOT and dirt than ever
| care 10 encounter again. II seemed
that il required ten minutes for me 10
get 10 the bottom. After hal gotten
half way down | was occasionally
| threatened with suitocation, ami was
fearful that had not yet escaped the
perils of the journey. When ! reached
| the bottom | was covered with layers
| of SCOT, and could hardly have been
recognized bv most intimate friends
No sooner had Mr.. Williams reached
the open air than the excited crowd
pushed upon him, hustling nim about,
asking him a thousand questions, and
otherwise making it very disagreeablc
for man who had just made 50 mar
row an escape from death. One over
curious spectator happened 10 tread
upon the aeronauts corns and got
knocked down therefor, with the
consolatory remark, I'll show you that
amt dead yet"
Once free of the crowd, Mr.. Williams
returned to the garden, washed him
self, and felt equal to half dozen
more trips through space. Before the
SCOT was removed he certainly pre-
sented most extraordinary spectacle
black as midnight from head to foot
eyes, ears, hair, nose, mouth and tights
caked with SCOT; not white spot as
big as nickel TO relieve his blackness.
But he did not receive "A scratch dur
ing the whole perilous episode.
His danger of suiiocation arose from
the thoughtlessness of the people, who
crowded around the entrance and pre-
vented the passage of air up the cnim-
ney.