The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-03-18

sr3L Ldx61T no. sASo155ra H. ~ SIsts
gro vopsa employed spp 81 III. ). <. North 1 M
as. sssSye6t o. hfsrej deice, Oh Rsyaolds
street., between OAmpbeii and Notsrten
streets. while walking along the street in
front OF therssmp1oy er's : dwelling, Sdis-
covered . large paper collar, covered
with writing. and. to; which .. bunch of
keys and black silk cravat were attsoh-
ed, lying in the dust. Shs immodiately
picked it.ups and carried It TO MI. North,
The mysterious collar contained the fol-
lowing inscription, which was written in
leglble but very nervous hand, upon
both sides of it: ,
''Shonld this fall into the hands OF
any one, send word to my dear wife, Mrs,
J. J. Harte, at Olive Street Hotel, 81,
Louis, Mo. am up some ten or twelve
miles in my balloon, tossed to and fro.
Have lost control of it, and the Lord
only knows where will land. The Wind
has been blowing gale since Saturday,
9Th inst. / am out of food, and ann
nearly famished for water. I left st.
Louis on 7th, and have been floating
about In space ever since. I drop this,
hoping some ono will find it and address
q letter to my vile, soon. I will write,
should 1 land safe on earth again. Nv
name ia J. J. Harte. of Boston, Masss-
ohusetts." u .1. "a ~,
The collar is an ordinary paper one,
size 10. and has, apparently, been worn
for some time. Four small keys, attach.
ed together by black silk neck tie, about
bali inch wide and considerably frayeds
at the edges, were tied, by means OF the
latter. to The collar. the ends Of tho cra..
vat being passed through the end button
holes OF that article, and tied securely
together. The keys were evidently fast
ened 20 the collar to give weight. 60 as
TO make It tall to the earth, The whole
thing bears an air Of plansibility that
makes ue loath to believe it hoax. It
may be said that it 'is not possible Tor
man TO live TED or twelve miles above the
estth.'l Grant this, It is q very easy
matter for person placed, "a the un-
known states that he is, in his HI ystefious
communication, to imagine hfmBeIf q
much greater distance from the eartt,
than he really is. II the story be q true
one, the. balioonist Is, indeed, in q terri.
BILE condition. Miles up I'm the dir. at,
the mercy OF tho capricious Currents. bis
balloon unmanageable. destitute Of, food
and water. o and with no prospect of.
reaching the earth in safety, his fate is
such as to mako one shudder to think of.
Mayor Estes telegraphed yesterday af-
ternoon to the Olive Street Hotel, 81,
Louis. asking whether Q Mr.. Harte left
that city on the 7th, in a balloon. ar.
Patrick Walsh, Agent of the Associated
Press in this city, also autographed to
the agent in st. Louis. requesting in
formation in regard to the same matter.
A balloon was seen high up in the afr,
nearly over the Savannah River, and sail
ing in an ,Esstefly direction. by nama
beg Of persons, about. six. o'clock Janterl
day afternoon. Mayor Estes resolved an
answer ia. his despatch late last evening.
stating that no balloon had left st. Louis
during the last two weeks, within thu
Ip1vlsdgs v q .hs ;oa senaes & TIE sspso
balloon, did. not leave ST. Louis during.
th4attisas. Aagussa Cons!itutionaksG