Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-08-14
THE GRAPHIC BALLOON.
Description OF the Car and Its Contents-sci.
entinc and Household Arrangeme nts.
(From the Daily Graphic

the car of the balloon, the Dailu
Graphic, as designed by Professors
Wise and Donaldson.
The car is now being carefully
constructed under the direct super
vision of the latter, and when COM
pleted will be a marvel of lightness,
strength and convenience. 1t will
necessarily be combination of
storehouse, dormitory, workshop
and observatory. 1t will be sup>
ported at one points apex-and
besides its own weight and that of
the passengers and ballast, will have
to bear the strain of the life-boat be-
low it.
The car may be described in brief
as to consist, in outline, of twelve
stout ropes looped, with twenty-four
ends tied in the supporting ring
above. These loops viii be distend-
ed Into bell-like shape, by three
great hoops of tight ash, the lower of
which, eight feet in diameter, will
support flooring strong enough to
AOAA AuO0b VI tuO UaildbLs nS
ing will be made of two layers of
narrow ash boards, the direction of
one layer being at right angles to
that of the other This arrangement
is designed to aid in resisting the
pressure on the hoop from the ropes,
which will pass around under the
bottom of the car. Four and a half
feet above this floor is another one,
resting on hoop ten feet in dame
ter. This will consist of one layer
of light pine boards, to be removed
and thrown out if necessary, but
which, nevertheless, will be the
"main floor" of the airy tenement.
Between these two floors, and exs
tending about four feet above the
upper one, the siding will consist of
stout, rope network, with meshes
of about four inches. Outside of
this, and between it and the ropes,
there will be a casing of stout can.
vas or duck, extending, however,
only to the upper floor. About ten
feet above this floor will be placed
the third distending hoop, six feet
in diameter, above which the main
ropes will taper directly to the ring.
From the apex 10 the main floor
the Car will be covered with duck,
the lower part of which will be cut
and arranged to be rolled up in sep-
arate pieces, like curtains. There
will be four windows cut in the can
vas siding, to look from in case it be
necessary to fasten the curtains
down. There will also be an open
ing through the top, out of which
person may climb on rope ladder
into the ropes above. A man-hole
will also be cut in the floor to allow
access to the "cellar," where the
ballast etc., is stored. From ring to
lower floor the car will be about six.
teen feet. The ring will be huge
affair, consisting of three different
pieces of metal, and is designed to
stand all tests, either of TENSION or
jar. As an appropriate adornment,
flags OF various nations will be dis
played from the upper part of the
car.
Still more interesting, perhaps,
than a description of the car, is a
list of the things to be placed in it
The most prominent object in the
lower apartment represented in the
sketch is basket capable of holding
number of men, and designed to
be attached to the ring above, should
it be found necessary to cut the
large car away piece>meal to light
en- the air ship; or, in case it should
be thought desirable, through dis
trust of the large balloon from inju-
ry, it may be attached to the small
balloon, the tender, and the party
thus given new lease of lite. 1t
will also enable them to separate,
leaving q portion only to continue
the voyage, the main balloon being
thus relieved Of a portion of its fixed
weight. In this apartment also will
be placed the ballast, consisting of
sand in twenty-five pound bags, and
in great part also in casks of water.
The water ballast will be especial>
ly valuable, because a small stream
may be set flowing at night, gagged
to compensate the loss of buoyant
power of the balloon. Here, too,
will be placed in abundance various
kinds of provisions, consisting Of
canned fruit. Axes, hatchets, Crap
ping irons, ropes in coil, and other
necessary things will be slowed
away. Torpedoes, with parachute
attachments will also be provided to
be let fall in the night. These will
be set so as to explode when they
strike the water. The direction of
the flash will indicate the way the
balloon is drifting. The furniture of
the upper apartment will be appre-
hended at q glance at the picture.
The main feature is the windlass,
which may be put to several uses,
the principal of which will be the
management of the small balloon
and the raising and lowering of the
rope. Ii should be remembered that
the balloonists will be prepared with
rope TO send the small balloon up 81
900 feet above them, for the purpose
of testing currents without wasting
ballast. The windlass will also be
used for raising and lowering the
boat. A cage of carrier pigeons, for
half-daily, or even hourly, communi.
cation with the shore they are to
leave, will be suspended overhead.
The scientific :outfit will be of
the completest kind, consisting of
all the latest Improvement in mete-
geological instruments, both for OBJ
servation and for safety in manag-
ing the balloon. Among those for
the latter purpose is an electric
alarm apparatus, invented by Prof
fessor Donaldson, to De attached to
both the mercurial and the aneroid
barometer. Thus, if the mercury in
the thermometer should rise to a