The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-07-13

Yesterdays rce ; and it was fninorrd thai
the hackers Of Henry fad offered there and
then to match him against the Girl tor
$40, 0OQ--the race to take place in Prospect
Park.-Neso York Standard.
I. Up i'm n Balloon "A Gymnast I'm the
Afr Ut Chfeago--Ne AIishts In Lake
Michigan.
From tho Ci,c8go Tribune, July S.
The only feature in the entire days per-
formanee that won the commentator Of any
ore was the balloon ascension. The aero
uaut was a representative of Professor
Steiner. and used his balloon, which was III
f,ated in the usual manner. The ship of the
air was brought upon the ground ready for
its inward fight at 1880 O'Clock. No basket
was used. q trapeze of the size commonly
used by circus performers being suspended
from the iron ring. On one side OF it, about
half way between the ring and the trapeZe, a
little package OF provisions was attached by a
cord. Exactly opposite was suspended a
bundle containing the clothing of the aero
naut colnmictIy folded and tied. a sand.
bag was hun. at each end Of the seat of the
trapeze, and four loops intended for the
hands and feet of the performer were conye-
niently disposed, to he used after Il certain
height had been attained. The Doyagcur OF
the air was clad in simple tights that fitted
his person neatly. His manner was cool and
assured. The process OF imitation lasted only
a brief period.
When the immense bag was filed. thirty
persons kept it to the ground with difficulty.
The aGronaut in positionand the guys loosed,
it shot up into the air with extraordinary IA
piditv. The athlete held by one leg as Ire
left the level of the earth. TO the loud shouts
that arose from the crowd he replied with
cool. dcrisivc gestures. At the height of Il
thousand feet he performed Somcrsault and
lay horizontally across the bar. As the as
cent continued he performed a variety of
Irats, ending, when nearly the height Of IL
mile had been reached, 10y sliding, head down
ward, from the ring and catching his toes
upon the bar. After keeping this position
for a while ne carefully drew himself up,
seated himself upon the bar, and %thrusting
his hands and feet through the loops, 50 con.
tinucd through. the remainder of the voyage.
The atmosphere was almost too fresh for
comfort upon the surface OF the Garth, but
at the height of Il mile and Il half, which was
soon reached, the cold became intense. The
traveller began to suffer from the change III
temperature, his cXcrtions being past. He
was alone in the heavens. Clouds were
around HIM. and occasionally Il field of mist
passed beneath his feet. From below only
the great gray bUdy of the balloon was viSi-
bic. Those who looked intcntly could just
espy a little spcck below it--that was all.
Until the height of Il mile vas gained the
fresh northern breeze WAS sweeping the bal
loon rapidly toward the South. AT that
point Il current of air was met blowing
strongly toward the east. The aCrOnaut had
not expected to come in contact with it so
soon. He states that he has always ercoun-
tered e~astcrly winds in his a~Scents, but never
until he had reached the height of two and Il
half miles. The danger was imminent, and
he had made no preparations. A iifc-prc-
seryer bad not been appended as one of the
fixtures. The balloon was speedily carried
over the lake, which was reached near Six
tecnth street. The alarmed navigator loosed
the sand-hags, hoping to descend intoanothcr
strata of air which would carry him land,
wards and also allowed the escape Of Il Ger
tiin amount of Gas. The descent was at first
slow, and the shore crew farther and farther
distant. Numbncss was creeping over the
advcnturer's limbs. Not knowing the geo.
grapliy of the locality. he was afraid to at
tempt crossing the lake, and he could not
strike the current of air which he trusted
would drive him Iandwarl. Nothing could
he seen beneath him but the yIittcring sur
face of the water. Cla@gy mountains and
wild forests would have seemed to him ut
The moment less terrible.
The last weight vas lo"scncd, and Il large
of part the g;s having escaped, the balloon be-
gan to descend rapidly, and at last struck
a. 49, -, l-r,t t,., Ill a. tt,n. Ia n,4 GiAIl
lis the air had seemed, the water which
closed over his head Tor Il moment sent sliiv-
crS through his exhausted frame and made
him almost helpless. The wind was blow
Ing freely at the surface, and took the strange
craft along with it. His course seemed to be
parallel 10 the shore, and for some time he
could not tell whether he was nearing 1t or
it was becoming more remote. Being en-
numbered by the cord of the tiapeZc he dis
cntanelcd himself. cut it loose from the bal
loon, and chung to the ring and nctwork
Steamtugs and other smaller water crafts
were moving briskly in sight, but none OF
them seemed to regard the salvation OF the
bold fellow as Of any particular consequence.
They kept OH their several ways lmlleedlng.
Alter having drittcd Il mile or two il seemed
To the poor man, whom hope WAS rapidly
upSbElltlr, Will Ills ltSt-itIlltiS StltlStlis tiItt
the objects upon the shore could be more dis
tinctly seen. A train of cars was just leaving
the city. Taking n white pocket handkerchief
from his pocket he wrung it dry us possible,
and waved it in the mir. The signal was at
once responded to. A hundred handker-
chiefs We're seen futtering fl ON the windows
and platforms, like flags of succor and good
cheer. The train ran rapidly, but the bal
loon kept pace with it. The interest Of the
passengers in the being whose fate seemed
sealed was heartfelt and intense. just rs the
cars ran into keuwood station the balloon
approached the shore, driven at a pcrilous
speed. The aGronaut was thrown violently
againsta projecting pier aud dragged through
the surf for fifty feet before his craft could be
secured. A hundred kind friends were wait
ing to receive him. He was rescued stiff,
almost dead with cold, and badly bruised,
and taken to Il pleasant. hospitable house
near by, where he was put TO bed, and oil
and wine poured into his wounds. Rested
and reeuperated, he returned to the city in
the evening, but failed to make the evening
ascent in fire, as advertised. The entire
time spent in the two elements, air and wa
ter. was between two and three hours.
49, IrN uZ- L