Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-11-02

THE HORROR IN THE CLOUDS.
The Awful Death Of Pref. Wilbur
Failing Mile from a Balloon.

Failing Mile from a Balloon.
[Paoli (Ind.) Correspondent of the World. ]
1t was the gayest day of the week at
the the fair; everybody was in the holli-
day dress, the girls looked their prettiest
the farmers their most forid, and the
country beaus were benecktied and inves-
ted in colors vying not only with the
| rainbow But the utmost powers of the
an lime. The tire of attraction was, of
course, the inclosed space where the bal
loon was to be inflated, about which
gathered an eager crowd, looking at
everything connected with the expected
event, studying the ropes, peering about
to find where the gas was to come from
and Fostering the amiable professor with
| questions as TO how tue gas was made.
what made the balloon 60 up, and other
things fine sort. The professor laugh
ed good nataredly exp planned as much as
possible, and everybody was jolly in the
an ticipa ion of Witnessing that to
them most unsual of things-a balloon
ascension.
At about 4 o'clock in the afternoon the
lEuatIOu v iiuo pdiiOeh Was CoInMSHCeu,
and as the lag swellcd out almost to
bursting and strugg ling to be free. every
body was on the qui vire- those remote
from the spot straiuing their necks, climb
ing into carriages. and even upon the
fences to see the car. 1t had been ali
nounced that the editor of the Orange
County Union would accompany Prof.
Wilbur in his ascen t, and great things
were expected from the report which his
well known ability as descriptive writer
gave every reason to believe would be
fortl. -coming in the next issue of his
newspaper. l was standing beside the
professor, laughing and holding neces-
sarily disjointed conversation with him,
for he was busy with preparation for his
fight. He had just nodded his head
said, laughingly, We'll, good-by, old
fellow. I'll see you again sOon.' Then
Mr.. Knapp stepped into the car, and the
professor, who had hold of the rope fas-
tcning the car to the body of the balloon,
shouted, Let 90 ?
But he had spoken too soon and was
unable to reach the car, but still uuwisely
kept the rope in his hand and endeavored
to climb to his place, succeeding only SO
far as to get ole arm over the rim of the
basket, where he hung dangling and
struggling. His motions. and the fact
| that the basket came in contact with a
rope fastened the balloon to the earth
while it was being inflated, upset the
car when it was about twenty five feet
from the ground, and Mr.. Knapp fell
stunned to the ground. But there was
no time for caring for him, for terror
held everybody spell-bound. 4 shout Of
admiration went up from those who were
too far distant from the scene to know
that an accident had befalien the adven-
turers. and who supposed that the ascent
was being made sans eo,aretenaps.
But to those in the immediate viciaity,o
the sight was an awful oLo, and for q
moment everybody paralyzed with .crror,
stood rooted to the spot without uttering
cry or word. The balloon lighted by the
fall of Mr.. Knapp. shot upward with
dreadful increased velocity, and scream
of terror which chilled the blood Of the
hearers came down from the upper air,
where the doomed @ronaut hung hopeless
of escaping death. At my side stood a
woman who, as Z afterwards heard. was
the Professors wine. Her eyes we're
bursting from their sockets, and her face
pallid aud CHASTITY with fear. She clutch
ed the air as if for support, and with hand
she erasped my arm, still looking upward
at the balloon, which, swifter than an ar
row, shot through the air. Up, up. it
went, growing smaller and smaller in Is
fight, and then with Increased velocity it
gave a sudden start and shot yet faster
toward the clouds.
Then speck was seen far up in the
air, growing larger and larger as it fei
%, my God 7 cried the woman who
chung TO me with iron grasp, be will die
he W i'll be killed. Yet her eyes re-
Aaiued Fixed upon that fallnig body.