Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-08-15
Ell Perkins Becomes a BallOonatIc.

To the Managers Of the Daily Graphic:
GENTLEMEN: received your note this
morning, inviting me to 60 up in the bal
loon. You say you desire me to go as
the representative of the Daily GTdphtc---
to be the official historian of the first
great aerial voyage across the Atlantic.
You also say: llef
while your going, Mr. Perkins, might not con.
triDute any great principle to science, and while
we have nothing against you personally STILL yonr
departure would crafty The American people, and
| you would be enabled to carry ont that beautiful
theory Of moral philosophy-'the greatest good to
| the greatest number"
thank you, gentlemen, for your fiat
tering invitation, which l herein accept.
l don't know what ] have done, or why
you single me out and invite me to 90 up
and improve my condition. However, /
will make positive arrangements to go up
in your balloon any time after the goth of
August. have consulted with many of
my friends here, and they all advise me
to go. Of course it makes them feel sad,
but they are glad to make the sacrifice
glad to contribute the life of one they
love so we'll to the cause of science. My
uncle, Consider, says the sadness of my
| fixed departure would be somewhat alleyi-
ated if he could only be assured that i
| would never return. sLs
| You ask me what / desire to take as
| luggage, offering me any space which /
may desire First of all, should like
TO toxic several 6uratOga yvung ladies'.
They like to take up good deal of room,
bat assure you they are very light.
They are anything but solid young ladies.
In case the balloon is too heavy, the
| young ladies are willing TO be thrown out
as ballast. 1t is thought that they would
float away very gracefully-as Virgil
says:
"Sic itur ad astra."
Twelve young ladies here to-day, with
| Worth dresses and hair put up in "hard-
soap scollops," only weighed ninety-eight
pounds.
should like also to take my horse and
dog-cart. We may land miles from
any street cars and out OF the sight of any
omnibus; besides, it will be nicer to drive
| into town in style anyway.
l should also like to take up watch
dog and double -barreled shotgun, to be
used in case Mr.. Wise and / disagree
about the meals served at table, or to pre-
vent my being called too early in the
morning. My theory is to ascend about
| two miles, and then go straight across to
buckingham Palace, and put up with Mr..
buckingham one night, and then go on to
| Canton. In case l considered il danger
GUS or disagreeable to ride in the air, l
should instruct Mr.. Wise and the boys to
strap the bal2oR n & &tt tfHd ladies did not object,
to train of cars. Borne along at the
rate of twenty miles an hour on freight
car, Mr.. Wise could have ample opportu-
nifty to make his experiments with air
currents and toll-gates and things. really
believe that the safest way to do is to all
get in the balloon, put it on clipper
ship, and let the wind blow us any where
except over large islands or continents.
If everything is satisfactory, and you
will send me few thousand dollars to
buy champagne and cigars, and breastpins,
and loaf or two of bread-an absolute
necessity, you know, when you are going
to travel-if you will do all this, why, I'll
take your money now, and saying, MAY
Heaven bless your great enterprise" put
it in my pocket where you will always
know where it is. Yours warmly,
ELI PERKINS.
SARATOGA, August /.