The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-08-03
Periis Of BalIoOnIng.


The number of accidents attending ball
looms and those who peril their lives in max
ing ascensions in them has of late been more
frequent than ever heard of before. At
Massillon, Ohio, few days ago, a man who
went by the name Of
PRoF. TORRES, WAS DROWNED
In the canal at that place. 1t seems Torres
was connected with G. G. Grady's circus,
exhibiting at Massllon, and among the at
fractions largely advertised and offered to the
gazing multitude was a balloon ascension.-
Crowds of people were present to witness it,
and at six O'Clock the hugo canvas bag was
properly inflated with hot air, and the aero
naut, Professor Torres. stood ready to make
his perilous journey. The ropes were finally
unloosed. The professor caught hold of
horizontal bar attached to the balloon, and
in q flash was carried many hundred feet
into the air. While in his transit he per-
formed all the feats common to those skill>
ed on the trapeEe, as holding himself out
horizontally by the arms, and hanging by
the leg with the head down. The sight was
simply fear full, and showed q daring in the
man that was anything but comnendable.
Starting from the depot, the balloon travelled
in southwssterly direction, and having
been up ten or fifteen minutes. sank in
canal basin. back of the residence of Gen. Jar
Wis. While yet In the air, twenty or thirty
feet from the water, the acronaut released
his hold upon the bar, to prevent the bal
loon from falling upon him. He fell into
the basin at point eight feet deep, and
either by the force of concCssion, or because
of being bindered by muddy bottom, rose
to the surface completely exhausted, and
wholly unable by his own efforts to reach
the shore, distant but few feet. He called
o,,1l lu for halp h,,t fO
10 sufficient time. With another effort he
appeared again above the water, but, almost
instantly sank, never to rise until dragged
dead to the shore. Physicians applied to his
body the most approved methods of resusci>
tation, but it failed to respond. The corpse
was conveyed to the Zielley house, where
funeral services were held on Sunday after
noon under the auspices of the Catholics of
St. Joseph's society. In the procession
were the band and all the attendants Of the
circus. Elegant flowers were freely distri>
buted about the person and grave of the
deceased, and every attention was shown to
the family Of q brother travelling with him.
He was = middle-aged Spaniard, temperate
and industrious, and highly spoken of by all
his companions. It seems he had fallen In
to the St. Clair river, and once into Lake
Erie, and It is said. escaped from Paris DUR
ing the late siege in a balloon. He was ac-
custCmed in all his ascensions to wear a life
preserTer, but here he had no idea there was
any water about.
FATAL ACCIDENT AT PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.
Quite an excitement was created at Portss
mouth, Ohio, on Wednesday of last week oc>
casioned by mismanagement in letting up
the balloon at James Robinson's circus
The balloon being ready to ascend. the bal
loonist, Mr.. George Augenstall, took his
position in the basket and sung oat to 'let
60" Before the poles supporting the ball
loon were lowered, as 1t cleared the ground
it blew against one of the poles and caught
the basket. proeipitating Mr.. Aguenstall to
the ground, seriously injuring him, and also
knocked down the pole whcE fell on young
maa named George Brown, who is not ex>
pected to live.
A BALLooNIsT LANDS ON A TALL FACTORY
CHIMNEY.
At Nashville, on Saturday afternoon week
there was a large attendance at the Horti-
cultural garden to witness q balloon nscen-
sion by Prof. Webster. But the distin-
guished voyage to the clouds failing to put
In timely appearance. a heroic young citi>
zen, George Williams, agreed to go up In
the professors place. The balloon was in
fated with hot air instead of gas, and the
first "send-off" being a "foul," the atmos-
pheric craft was drawn back to it's moorings
before getting above the trees in the garden,
and again filled with fresh hot air. The sec
ond start was more successful, the aIrship
gliding maJestically into the upper regions,
the brave ascensionist trium phautly waving
his handkerchief to thousands of astonished
beholders. The balloon. when many hun
dred feet above the cotton factory, began to
descend very rapidly, and, strange to say,
fell on, or rather across, the smoks-stack of
the factory, being penetrated by the light
ning-rod on the stack
The body of the balloon fell on one side of
the stack and the basket on the other. Here
was periious situation for the youthful bal
loonist, and the thousands who witnessed It
seemed to realize the painful fact. But
George Williams proved that he had nerve,
prudence and agility equal to the occasion.
Hanging with the basket of the balloon
about fifteen feet from the top of the stack.
he knew that he could not longer remain In
that position, and seemed to realize that his
only hope of safety was in reaching the top
OF that great high chimney il the soonest
possible time. Gathering the ropes, he
sprang out of the basket, and rapidly climb
ed to the top. With this foothold secured
he politely bowed his respects to numerous
spectators, and made signs to indicate that
he was now master Of the situation. How
to get down from this giddy hight was now
the question. This was soon settled, and
the ascensionist began to descend through the
interior of the stack. sending up clouds of
sooty smoke as he went down. When he
safely reached the bottom, he was warmly
congratulated by his friends on his narrow
escape from instant destruction.
STOCK RAISING IN TExAs.-The st. Louis
Republican says:
There is no other pursuit or business so
profitable, and stock men are regarded as
the most wealthy and prosperous in the