Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-11-25
Tho Horror in the Clouds.
PAoLI, Orange Co, Ind, Oct. ..

day last will never be cffaccd from my
memory. see it before me now, aud since
that day have been haunted by sea of
upturncd faces and anguishcd eyes strain
ing to watch in its descent through the air
the body of human being, which in
few seconds was dashed, mangled and bleed
ing, upon the ground at my feet. Irwould
have written of it before, but the sight 50
unstrung my nerves that was rendered
utterly incapable even Of coleotiHgn my
thoughts, much less Of putting on paper
deliberate account of the facts in case; TO
see mau whom scarcely minute before
had spoken to as friend jerked up into
the clouds aud then hurried down again,
his hair streaming wildly behind him like
that of Lucifer hurled over the battle
ments of hcayen-faling, falling, whir:cd,
doubled up, and then spread out, his arms
apart as if rushing to embrace DEATH might
well unstring the strongest nerves; and
when to this are added the agonized cries
of the dying mans wife, as she clutched
my arm and shrieked. "My God My
God will lie dicw I wonder that even
yet, with these things in my mind, am
able to record what heard, felt and saw.
You have doubtless received by tele-
graph brief dispatch telling how Profcs-
sor Wilbur, the we'll known aeronaut, fell
while attempting to climb into his balloon,
aud how he was killed; but facts SO meagre
are but an aggravation. l will, therefore,
state the affair simply as it occurred. The
Agricultural Association of this county
had been holding its annual fair for some
days, and no greater interest attached to it
than is commonly connected with such ex.
hibtions Of the industrial products of
large and hourishing community. The
farmers came in their wagons, bringing
with them their wives and daughters, all
dressed in as gorgeous an array as their
circumstances would permit. The large
pumpkins and enormous squashcs, the new
patent churu and washing machine, aud
the country boys lounging about and gaz-
ing in open-mouthed admiration at the vol.
uble gentleman who displayed with all the
eloquence of a Cicero his iufallibe tooth
ache oradicator, received their due share
of attention, and before long their interest
in the fair was on the wane. But it had
UeCn dUUOuHCcu Ou tuC ldst
day of the exhibition, Professor Wilbur,
the great American acronaut, would make
an ascent in his balloon, as he had done
one week before at Croydon. 1t is not Of
ten that the inhabitants Of Orange county
have an opportunity of witnessing such a
sight, and, curiosity being on tip toe, it is
not to be wondered at that when Saturday
arrived the fair ground was full almost to
suffocation, while on the outside of the en-.
closure large crowd had assembled to wit
ness the flight Of the great ship of the air.
1t was the gaycst day Of the week ; every
body was in holiday dress, the girls looked
their prettiest, the farmers their most for
i'd aud the country beaux were bcdecked
and invested in colors vieing not ouly with
the rainbow, but with the utmost powers
of aDaline The centre of attraction was,
of course, the enclosed space where the
balloon was to be inflated, about which
gathered an eager crowd, looking at every
thing connected with the expected event,
studying the ropes, peering about to find
where the gas was to come from, aud pes
terins the amiable Professor with qucs-
tons as to how the gas was made, what
made the balloon 60 up, and other things
of the sort. The Professor laughed good
naturedly, explained as much as possible,
and everybody was jolly in the anticipation
of witnessing that to them most unusual
of things-a balloon ascension.
At about four o'clock in the afternoon
the initiation of the balloon was common
ced. and as the bag swelled out almost to
bursting and struggled to be free, every
body was on the qui vire, those remote
from the spot straining their neeks, climb
ing into carriages, and even upon the
fences, to see the car. 1t was announced
the editor of the Orange County Uaion
would accompany Professor Wilbur in his
ascent, and great things were expected
from the report which his we'll known abil.
ity as descriptive writer gave every reason
to believe would be forthcoming in the
next issue Of his paper. l was standing
beside the Professor, laughing and hold
ing a necessarily disjointed conversation
with him, for he was busy with prcpara-
tions for his fight, lie had just nodded
his head and said laughingly, "Well, good
bye, old fellow, I'll sec you again soou."
Then Mr.. Knapp stepped into the car,
and the Professor, who had hold of the |
rope fastening the car to the body Of the
balloon, shouted "Let go!' But he had
spoken too soon, and was unable to reach |
the car but still unwiscly kept the rope !
in his hand, and cndeavored to climb to
his place, succeeding only so far as to get |
one arm over tho rim Of the basket, where |
he hung dangling and struggling. His mo-
tions, together with the fact that the
basket came in contact with rope which |
had fastened the balloon to the earth while |
it was being inflated, upset the car when |
it was about twenty-five feet from its
moor ings, aud Mr.. Knapp fell stunned to
the ground. But there was no time for
caring for him, for terror held everybody |
spell.bound.
A shout Of admiration went up from