The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-02-21

pCNALDsOH's PROPOSED BALLOON TRIP TO
FUROPE-TO IRELAND IN sEV Est r-i-l'
uOURS-ALL. ABOUT THE PROJECT

exemplary cltlZcl, S'hcl ''' w -, g..
New York Su. reporter called upon that
I,ontIeman for the purpose OF interviewing
nm We extract: I:
A DESPERATE EXPERIMENT.
seYou see,' said the aerunuat. Il am
over my ears in this affair; and it VIII claim .
every moment Of my attention from now /
until July, in order To have things perfect |
lVarrauged. have just finished my plans, I
specifications and sketches for my ship and +
/ am absolutely certain that what l an
now pertcCting viii carry me to Europe as
sure as the sun shines to- morrow morning. /
'What is this?H asked your corresp0G"I
ent, pointing to miniature DadIooH iIi'''
with gas.
"T6at said Donaldson 'is model OF
the 'WiIlo' the Wisp,' my paper balloon'
which j. going to carry me to the clouds
as soon as the weathCr mOdeIatcs sufficient .
". 1t is composed Of common brown pa
per. and will cost me just $500 whti com
pleted. I intend trying an experiment
with it when at an altitude of half a nile. 4.
/ have a patent parachute l wish to test, .
and To do this | shall experiment with the
paper balloon, by exploding 1t when about
Z. 600 feet high, to see whether can safely
descend | shall first ascend, ana thch
shall open my parachute tthe mouel"I WhIch
look for all the world like three lamp shades
stuck about two feet apart,) see that it is
perfectly filed, and part company with the
Daper balloon, after having ignited a fuse,
which will explode it a few seconds after
ward, to the delight of the people below
With my parachute | expect to descend to
the earth at the rate Of mile an hour.
AN EXPLODING BALLOON
half a mile high will be a novelty and
change of cars, as it were, at that altitude
will also be something new for the sensa-
tional people of this fast age. But this has
nothing to do with crossing the ocean.
Donaldson then produced a series of dIa-
q
moth air ship. He proposes to have one
large balloon, which viii have sufficient
power to successfully carry him through
the trip. But to be more than safe III the
matter he will carry with him two other
supply smaller balloons. Nlth these ne
says he can fill the larger balloon IL case OF
a loss or escape by leakage or cOndenSIng,
and when they are empty he proposes to
naclz them uD label them, and toss them
into the ocean. which will relieve the ship
of $50 pounds weight. During the day the
Il ,atlng power of the gas dInnnlshes at the
rate of about twenty-five pounds per hour
but at night the loss is greater through
condensation ThislOss, however, Is equal
ized by expansion when day comes again.
IF il should rain or be a damp, disagreed
Bile night it would add weight to the bal
loon. Suspended under the large balloon
will be a metallic life boat, with oars, sails,
condensed food. voter, Instrument, barom-
NC.s
e17ll maI ked improvements viii be made IN
tbe construction of his boat. In order to
test the upper currents he proposes to use
a pilot balloon.
The following are the dimensions Of the
GREAT balloon. 1t is to be so feet in diane
ter. with 4 capacity of 25S, coo feet Of gas
To construct It, it viii require :, 800 square
wards of cambria, and it Will be capable, OF
iifting TO the required altitude, $3.50
mounds. The weight of the gas chamber
of this monstTOus air ship VIII pe l,0oS
mounds while the ncttings etc. viii weigh
500 pounds. The two supply balloons Will
be % feet in diameter, which VIII require
37A wards of material, with a capacity of
% GOO cupic feet, and u lifting power Of
$50 pounds The weight of the two supply
balloons. etc, wilIbC 2SOpounds. a small
balloon to save gas as 1t expands VIII veg n
40 pounds, making grand total ol mt
ino mower of 10 COO pounds total weight
in fun about L. 900 pounds including rope,
life boat. provisions, instruments, etc. etc,
leaving for passengers and supplies, 6,OVO
pounds. This outfit viii be sufficient for
TRIP AROUND THE WORLD,
or for a month at least. After the above
accumulation, Donaldson said
Judging from my trips on land, traV-
ell 90 to $50 miles per hour, SO to cross the
Atlantic to the coast of Ireland, which is
the direction of the current, distance ,, 500
miles II will require to make the trip from
seventeen hours TO two days and hall
But to provide for all delays shall be eau
tious and provide for much longer tIme'
aythirty days. IkuOw oftwo cases where
a single balloon travelled half the above dis
tance without any previous preparation. !
shall take two passengers with me scion
tific men, if they can be induced to accom-
pany me. There is much to be discovered
in the clouds and published TO the world,
and | know of nothing 50 extremely unde-
n "a GpiaDph al .aTIal naEIOltIOn. ~
The CORRESPONDENT then asked Donald
son what rood could result from the trip,
even if he were successful.
The aeronaut replied ''If my trip Is sue
cessful can cross the ocean at one-tcnth
of the cost it will require to make the first
journey. | viii
CROSS THE ATLANTIC on a TRAPEZE BAR,
just to show The people it can be done; and
if the whales give NE an audience, II GO
few tricks for them abovn mid-ocean.-
Mail matter. freight and passengers can be
carried with facility, and at n cost Tar OeiOW
that which is paid at the present cay. IN
stead Of seven, eight or ten days the Jour
ney can be accomplished in two and a half,
without the dangers Of storm, fire, etc,
that awaits those who 90 down to the sea
in ships There will be 10 sea sickness,
but in its stead most delightful voyage.
In reply to a question rs to who would
accompany him, Donaldson smiled, and
proceeding to his desk brought forward
twenty three letters, most Of which com
menced: ''Prof. Donaldson-Haviug read
in the sun that you are about crossing -
etc Thirteen came from journalists OF
Boston, New York, Baltimore aud Phua-
delphia. These were from ambitions nov
cIists who desired TO write books.
A YOUNG LADY PROM JERSEY CITY
offered her services, saying if she could not
be n Joan Of Arc she could be the first wO
man to cross the ocean in a balloon. FOul
applicants wanted to go very bad, because
they thought piles Of money could be made
lecturing after the trip. The remaining
two letters came from patentmcdicine hOu
ses, who desire to negotiate with the pro
fessor for some sort Of advertising.
Aside from his absolute and determined
intention of crossing the ocean, find hin
gentleman of reckless daring. lie never
possessed fear or n consciousness of danger