Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-07
VOL. LXXIV.
VA GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
AFRIGHTFUL BALLOON VOYAGE.
From the San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. l9.

\
From the San Francisco Chronicle, Oct. l9.
balloon ascension from the City Gardens,
,r "prof Duret," was advertised to take place
yesterday. Early in the morning the imitation
f,be mammoth balloon, New World" be-
onpiug to Prof Lay, was commenced. The
main belonging to the San Francisco Gas Compa.
ny rupDiag into the Gardens is but small, and
,be balloon. therefore, filled slowly. When the
bour advertised for the ascension approached,
i vas ascertaned that the advertised balloonist,
whose Dame is not, "Duret,' but 9. H. Hull,
vas not going up. Among the passengers bill
el for the excursion, however, was Chronicle
rpnorter, w. W. Austin, who had made two
baIooo ascensions. When the reporter came
npon the GROUND and found that the affair was
Ttelv to prove 6asco, he volunteered to take
charge Of the ascension himself, and under his
Guidance the ascension was made
\ The airship released from the fetters
of the earth. seemed to soar aloft with joy and
pladuess. Up, upit went and at halt-past 4
,he barometer marked an altitude of TWO miles,
Sill yo,ng eastward across the bay, the bask
Of Of The balloon wa. spinning round like a top,
and !, was difficult matter to determine which
wav the balloon was really going. The COM
mass appeared to point 10 all directions. Still
i was possible to make an estimate by the
landmarks, and up to this time the air-ship
had undoubtedly gone east. Within two mio-
utes, however, the balloon began to verge to-
ward the westward The mist" 10 the dis
,ance became more apparent. At this time the
air-Ship must have been travelling at great
speed. The mist the commander took to be
the SEA. and he at once attempted descent.
They were lowering just over the Golden Gate.
II was evident to the Chronicle man that the
only course left was to ascend. Accordingly
ballast was thrown out, and the air-ship once
more rose among the clouds UP for three
miles the balloon assembled Then a current
Of wind blowing directly toward the northwest,
struck it. Suddenly and without any warning
the car began to descend. 1t was at this time
about three miles high, and it came down with
rapidity which would have been startling
10 any one but an experienced balloonist.
Bag after bag of sand was cast into the
>ea, but still the balloon was sinking,
Next went the lunch which had been pre-
yared Tor the landing. Overcoats followed,
and with sigh and almost tear the soda
water was sacrificed. Still the air ship came ra-
Td!y down, and the anchor as last resort,
was cast into the yawning sea. A dash
surge, and the basket touched the water
We balloon careeDed over, and saved the lives
otl,s inmates by keeping the basket ahoat.
Trough the raging waves of the ocean the
basket ploughed its way dragged along by the
huge globe of gas. Clough was on the top,
cipging to the ropes. The Chronicle man, un-
t0ruDately, was at the bottom Of the basket,
and as it rolled around, tearing its way through
the waves, he was battered and beaten, and
carried beneath the waters emerging IN the con-
litou of ducked duck. Said his compan.
On
"Cling on, old boy; there's boat coming to
us"
Two sturdy men bent their muscles to the
utmost, and soou the boat was alongside the
,llsuauted balon. Grab the boat" cried
one of the men. Clough grabbed and was
soon safe on board the boat, The Chronicle
man tried to grab, too, cut he was further off
and the boat veered off. Relieved of the
weight of one man, the balloon at once arose
carrying the Chronicle man with it. Up, up
the balloon went lightened aud buoyant. The
reporter raw that it was going out to sea. His
Ouly hope was to pull the valve rope, bring 1t
lwn again, and trust to the boat. Bring her
lsyp, shouted one of the boatmen; I'm fol-
5w you" She came down with a vengeance,
aud with it came the reporter. Ooce again
he was immersed 10 the waters of the Pacific
Get out of the basket" shouted the boat
uau; get on the outside; we IL have, you all
right yet" TIE reporter tried to obey in..
structious, knowing full we'll that all hope of
saving the balloon was gone He was so ex-
hausted, however that it was utterly impossible
for him to extricate himself from the intricate
meshes of the basket.
A pair of hands grasped the reporters head
another pair took bis right arm, and still
another his left arm. He was fairly dragged
from the balloon. The moment his weight was
taken from the air ship it sprang aloft, shooting
away until it appeared mere dot in the dis
lance.