New-York tribune., 1873-09-15
PROF. WISE'S CAREER.

INVESTIGATIONS EXPERIMENTS IN BALLOON TX
PLoDING-THE ATLANTIC TRIP A THIRTY YEARS
OLD SCHEME.
The freight accommodations of The Daily
Graphic balloon were necessarily limited but there
doubtless would have been room found for
copy OF Through tho Air." Prof Wises new
book, which his publishers hastened in the hope
that he might carry with him 10 Europe, or
toward IT, his record OF his labors in i'm
proving navigation. thick volume gilmore than half
thousand pages, 1t contains, one would think almost
everything that could be said upon the subject Of air
sailing, besides telling the story OF nearly forty years
experiences in tins hazardous pursuit. Before
Prof Wises ascensons which have numbered 43, natu
rally his boyish experiments which began with
attaching kittens to the tail OF his kite, advanced to
tIssuepaper parachutes, and after setting fire to dwell
ing his native town OF Lancaster, Penn, with tissue
paper fire-balloOn eliminated in the successful
OF a paper Montgolder, which determined him in the
choice Of his occupation Although this purpose was
interrupted by several years service in the cabinet
making and pianOforte trades, he adopted in 1885 the
ayocation which he has steadily pursued ever since.
1t would be hard 20 conceive a daring venture
than that of exploding balloon at great hight. de-
pending upon the forming of parachute for safe de-
scent. The following Prof Wise's experiment:
Having always met with much opposition TO every
proposition in aeronautics that suggested de-
temined to keep the new idea TO myself until IT shond
have passed the ordeal Of actual experiment This idea
was the explosion of balloons at great nights. depending
mosphere for a safe descent. The idea of such eX
Notwithstanding ones balloon mile or two above
the earth, aud permitting, inevitably the gas to rush
out of It instantly-may startle the reader, the
student Of the science nevertheless IL was made re-
great aud principles comprehensive that pocket
handkerchief will not fail a. rapidly to the ground
when thrown out oil 'hlrtstoFy windo"' as VIII
brick.
I observed the sparkling coruscatons of lightning
sprlnging from cloud TO cloud mile beneath me rs the
hunderstorm was passing its last remnants below The
ur1q m 10 = w. N. H..
was sailing from NJ w TO 8 E passing New Village and
Asbury and now could see the earth IN hat direction
[ took out my watch, noted my log book the time
2:20-and as [ about returning it to my pocket,
thinking at the time wheher u were NOT pest 10 Ieeye
the the idea OF this experiment, the balloon
pIoded! Although my confidence in the success of the
contriyance never for moment forsoOk me, must
admit that it moment OF awful suspense. The gas
rushed the rupture in the top of the balloon with
tempestuous noise. and in less than seconds not
particle OF hydrogen remained in 1t. The de
scent at first was rapid, and accompanied
with fearfully moaning noise, caused by
the air rushing through the network and the gas es
Looking up what caused It, discovered that the
balloon canting over, being nicely doubled in, the
lower half into the upper It had fallen condensing the
column of air upon which 1t falling until it had
rived at point where it so dense that the force
OF the whole weight pressing down on It was arrested,
which caused the parachute to tilt over The weight OF
the car however. counteryailed the tting tendency
giving 1t an oscilatng notion which IL retained until IL
reached the earth. The yeoctes OF these zgzag de-
scents marked by corresponding notes Of the wind
reaching the point where the lower current OF air ira
the first took place. From this point the oscillations
became severe, each one causing in me sensation
similar TO that persons experience when dreaming that
they fall.
Prof Wises scheme s well known to have been no
new crotchet but 1t will curious nevertheless to
read following proclamation issued just 80 years ago
in j. W. Forney's Lancaster Integencer, and note the
tenacity with which the purpose then announced has
been adhered to:
"To ALL PUBLISHERS OF NEWSPAPERS ON THE GLOBE.
a
Ocean with BALBOA in the Summer Of 1884, and the
descent landing Of balloons. in my experience has
almost universally created unnecessary alarm and
sernaton to the people near by, therefore give this
general notice 10 the seafarlng community OF all cmes
that should they during time hencefOrth, chance
be In the vicinity of balloon, either the in
the atmosphere they need not be under any apprehen
sons but should endeavor to give aid so its passengers
It must not be inferred from this that its success is
considered Improbable but merely 10 be prepared for
a emer gencies.
convinced that constant and regular current of is
blowing at all times from west to east with velocity OF
% to 4O aud co miles per hour, according TO
its hight from the EARTH aud having discovered com
position which renders SILK or muslin impervous TO
hydrogen gas 80 that balloon may be kept sfoat for
many weeks feel confident, with these advantages
that trip the Atlantic Will not be attended with
much real danger as by the common mode of trans
tiOn.
The balloon is to be 100 feet in diameter which will
give II net ascending power OF 5000 pounds, which Is
sufficient to make everything saie ahd eOmiortabe
seaworhy boat Is to be used for the car which To he
depended on Ia the balloon should fan TO accom-
the regular of wind should be diverted from ts
the iluence OF ocean OF through other
causes The crew consist of three persons viz an
aeronaut. navigator, and scientific landsman.
"Therefore the people OF Europe, Africa Asia. and all
other parts tho elsewhere, who have never
seen balloon win bear in mind that it is large globe
OF clotn. tncl0sed IN network with slOOp hang
lug underneath h containing the latest news from the
United states and for crew the worlds obedcnt servant
john WISE.
Lancaster June, lsl3."
There many stories OF harbreadth escapes which
long to admit OF quotation one OF them fear
fu ride the crest OF tornado which landed the tray
elers from St. Louis in Jefferson County ~ " Prof |
Wise describes tho greatest balloon voyage TINT was
ever made" Probably few would to atteupt to
surpass IT,