New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-29
alel, Orlea,,s Republican.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
DANGLING IN THE AIR.
AppaIling Adventure of an Ambitious
Aeronaut i'm Attempting an Eighteenth
Aerial Asccnt-Ail Nashville AgOg.
from the Nashville Banner


nounced to be made by I. II. Williams, of
Edgefeld, or, as he is professionally known,
Professor Webster, under which title, dur
ing 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 unvarnished canvas. When
the ascent had been made, and the balloon
was sinking toward the earth he saw that
was about to strike a hickory tree, ana 10
avoid being dragged or hurt he leaped from
the basket into the limbs, falling through
the branches some five or six feet De1ore ne
finally succeeded in making l0dgment:
This balloon, which is but mere piece OF
patchwork. weighing 666 pounds. and meas
uring lis feet in height and l25 feet in cir
conference, was used Sunday afternoon.
Rv five o'clock in the afternoon, the HOr-
ticuitural Garden was filed by large as
semblage, numbering from a thousand to
fifteen hundred. with probably about five
hundred outside the inclosure. As prepare
tions to fill the balloon with heated air
commenced, the crowd became considerably
excited and awaited the ascension with no
little impatience. Meanwhile the mouth of
the balloon was put over kind of chimney
to furnace, and a fire kindled. AS the
heated air began to initiate the balloon. little
streams of smoke issued out of the unyar-
nished piece of canvas, and jets spurted
from divers little holes in the middle pOr-
ton. Mr. Williams before entering the
basket a rather weak and dangerous look
ing concern, attached to the hoop of the
balloon number of small cords about the
size of ones little finger, trimmed down the
upper portion, the top rim appearing to be
somewhat insecure. A false start was made
at halfpa five o'clock amid enthusiastic
applause of the spectators. The balloon
1n1 Il hIpcfpn
the heated air process of imitation. Shortly
after six o'clock the huge air ship was re-
leased from its moorings and shot up into
the air distance of one hundred feet. 1t
was driven westward, rising probably TO
the altitude of one hundred and fifty to one
hundred and seventy-fve feet. just before
reaching the cotton mandatory about
three hundred yards from the starting
point, it began rapidly to descend toward
the smokestack of the mandatory, which
is one hundred and twenty-five feet in
height. AS the spectators, rushing pell-
nell across the common and shouting to the
extent of their seemingly eXhaustiess lungs,
saw the impending catastrophe. they started
back hOrror-struck at the sight. The bal
loon had struck the stack and had turned
over on the other side.
But we give the story OF Mr.. Williams
narrow escape from death in his own 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 toward the stack and
leaping outward on the opposite side. When
the basket, which was about seventeen feet
below the balloon. did strike, it bounded
.outwardly and then careened to one side.
at once saw that if did not ascend to the
top of the stack before all of the heated air
left the balloon | would be pulled over the
stack and dashed to pieces Oh the ground,
distance of one hundred and twenty-five
feet. You can understand what chance l
would have had for life. The weight of the
balloon was then pulling ME up the stack.
/ seized one of the cords leading 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
in height. As | reached the summit the
weight of the balloon commenced pulling
down heavily against my own, which is
about one hundred and forty pounds.
Catching hold of the rim of the stack with
a firm grasp with one hand, wrapped one
OF the small cords around one of the nuts,
of which there were good many, when the
swinging of the balloon broke it. |, how
ever, succeeded in tying another, which held
fast, and then climbed to the top.
The feat was a very difficult one. If l
had not been tolerable gymnast, and had
not had on my professional tights and slip
pers, | could never have attained the top. |
i was enabled to use my limbs with more
ease and advantage than would have been |
the case had been dressed in the ordinary
style. / was assisted in gaining the top by
catching the cord between my toes and |
holding it tightly. There is an outer and |
inner rim to the cap, both having surface |
of about fifteen or eighteen inches, upon |
which | could easily walk without danger |
of 70 I 1isapy-apan hot tha
of the balloon had caught upon the light !
ming rod, by which means my life was
saved. While yet on top cut all the ropes,
with the intention of allowing the balloon |
to fall to the ground, but the hoop hung |
fast In attempting to kick 1t of missed |
it, and came near lOosing my balance and |
going headlong to the ground. | saw there |
was a ladder, made of iron bars about two |
feet apart, leading down through the chin
ney, by which means began to descend, |
after cutting loose the balloon, through |
more SCOT and dirt than | ever care to en-
counter again. 1t seemed that it required |
ten minutes for me 10 get to the bottom.
After l had gotten over half way down | |
was occasionally threatened with sutfoca-
ton, and was fearful that had not vet es-
capped the perils of the journey. When | |
reached the bottom l was covered with
layers of SCOT, and could hardly have been
recognized by my most intimate friends.
No sooner had Mr. Williams reached the
open air than the excited crowd pushed
forward upon him. hustling him about.
asking him a thousand questions and other
wise making it very disagreeable for man
who had just made so narrow an escape
from death. One over-curiOus spectator
happened to tread upon the aeronaut's
corns and got knocked down therefor, with
the consOlatory remark, III show you
that | amt dead yet"
Once free of the crowd Mr.. Williams re-
turned to the garden, washed himself, and
felt equal to half a dozen more trips
through space. Before the SCOT was re-
moved he certainly presented a most ex-
traordinary spectaclc-black as midnight
from head to foot; eyes, ears, hair nose,
mouth, and tights caked with SCOT; not a
white spot as big as a nickel to relieve his
blackness But he did not receive a scratch
during the whole perilous episode.
His danger of sutfOcatiOn arose from the
of the crowd who crowded
around the entrance and prevented the
of air up the chimney.
We understand that the Hercules will be
used no more, but that another voyage in
new balloon will soon be taken by Mr.. VIII
liams. He deserves liberal share of the
of the day in thus risking his life
upon such a hazardous undertaking.
The view from the north terrace of the
capitol was very fine. About hundred
spectators had collected there, including
quite number of ladies and little children.
After patiently watching the cluster oftrees
which marked the location of the HOrti-
cultural Garden in the plain below, for
about two hours with telescopes and field
glasses, the Hercules was seen TO swell up
above the green tree tops like great white
blister, swaying about by the current OF
wind while being inflated After showing
itself above the trees and then subsiding
ont of SIGHT alternately Ii rose high enOugh