The New York herald., 1872-07-05
BOSTONS BIG GAS BAGS.
Serious Catastrophes to Sci
ence in Boston.

BOSTON. July 4, 1872.
Among the most interesting features OF the
Fourth of July celebration to-day the ascension OF
Professor Samuel A. King in the great balloon
Colossus was fondly looked to by Boston as by
far the most interesting event of all. This was the
largest balloon, except Lows famous Philadelphia
one, with which he to cross the Atlantic, ever
exhibited in America Its circumference was
191 feet and it could carry $4,000 cubic feet
of gas; the fine cotton cloth OF which it
was formed would have extended over q mile,
and it was calculated to lift six or
seven thousand pounds. 1t stood out In all It's
magnificent proportions on Boston Common this
noon, q perfect Colossus among the many amuse-
ments furnished Dy the city to the patriotic Boston
crowd and the hurdy gurdies, dioramas ig-headed
girl and the thousand and other Mayfair instl-
tutions that Yankee enterprise had put in motion.
Professor King, who is q veteran in the business
having made 1853 ascensions, was confident this
morning Of pleasant trip.
THE PROMISED TRIP uEAvENwARD.
'Tn my Judgment" said he, as he lay on the grass
in the shadow the great monster Mapping Its wings
above him, 'althOugh you can't depend much on
the weather, we will find ourselves about ten
O'Clock tonight somewhere up in the mountains OF
New Hampshire.n To your correspondent he said
"YOu shall have seat, sir; the basket Is pretty
nearly crowded, but must make room for the
HERALD"
By one O'Clock crowds Of country people, supplied
with country lunches, had seated themselves ABOUT
the prominent knobs on the Common, many OF
them accepting seats of vantage even under the
full influence OF the broiling sun, in order to be in
at the departure
| Twelve gentlemen were assigned to seats in the
carr they were all connected with the Boston press
except your correspondent. Four citizens came,
m eaeh for seat n the cer
the ascension, but they were refused. The COM
mttee Of Common Councilmen who had arranged
the ascension, as part Of the city entertainment
for the Fourth, paid Mr. King $1,000 They set a
lunch for the adventurous and rising young journal
lists, and intended to innict platform Of con-
dolence upon them. Everything in Boston, except
the Jubilee, was arranged with special reference to
the great balloon ascension.
'OLD PROBABILlTIES' GOING UP, TOO.
1t was to be an important affair. Furthermore,
in view Of the fact that General Myer, Old PrOba-
bilities" of the Signal Science Bureau at Washing
ton, had arranged to send Mr.. Schaefer, OF his
meteOrOlOgists along in the balloon with his instru-
ments to test the varying currents of the atmos.
phere and to search out the few secrets OF
the elements yet unknown to science. But at two
O'Clock, while the sun was still fercely beating
upon Bostonian heads and gentle and promising
be fully ready by four O'Clock, the advertised hour
to ascend commenced filling his air ship to Its full
Of Tnsrs sa MeT w Ssr g % Se
heavy weights underneath, and expectation was
rapidly eliminating when the clouds lowered, a
sudden darkness Overspread the earth, a lighStor-
nado Of wind and rain came on and wniie the
people were scattering to the shelter Of the noble
oaks Of the Common
THE GREAT GAS BAG EXPLODED
with tremendous report, and, what moment
before seemed captive monster, robust, vigorous,
struggling at his chains lay lnanmate on the earth
a dirty mass OF cotton shreds, dragged and Shiny
In the rain and mud. The aerOnaut was over
whelmed at the disaster, the Councilmen were sOr-
row stricken and Boston generally was sunk in
grief. The ambitious journalists were varied in
their statements. Some had become weakened,
and were rather glad to get out OF the desperate
venture so easily. Mr.. King will lose about two
thousand dollars.
or course the signal Service expedition is post
pOned Tor the present.
ANOTHER BURST UP.
The balloon CaStle-ln-the-Air, with which Pro-
fessOr Allen, Of Providence has been making cap
tiye ascensions from point near the Coliseum
grounds since the 18th OF June, also met with a
similar disaster.