The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-08-15
\ BaiIOOnist in Dnugcr-Iuc Drops
into the River.

Thursday, Philadelphia Press give, the
following account of thrilling scene which
was witnessed Wednesday evening about
dusk on the Delaware in front of that city,
and one which came near being attended
with fatal results;
\ balloon ascension had been announced
to take place at Point Airy, the southern
extremity of Windmill Cor Smiths Island
and as the hour appointed c. l-2 o'clock
drew near, hundreds of spectators gathered
on the city wharfs and upon the street cor
ncrs in the neighborhood to witness the
novel sight II was currently rumored that
the balloonist on this occasion was the same
who had during the present summer given
similar exhibitions at Gloucester and Smiths
Island, on which occasions, before ascend
ing into the limitless eXpanso above, he had
invariably adopted the very sensible pre-
caution of fastening his aerial ship by
means of stout rope, to some immovable
object on tara TRINA. There was no little
CONSERVATION, therefore, when shortly be-
fore o'clock the balloon suddenly shot di-
rectly upwards to a height of several hun
dred feet above the tree tops without any
visible means of holding it in position. A
steady breeze was blowing from the south
west, and as the air-ship moved off to the
northward its progress was watched with
breathless expectancy by gaping crowds on
both sides of the river,
Meanwhile, the balloonist clad in the be-
spanglod costume of n circus actor, went
through variety of cvolutions upon the
suspended bar, which seemed to float along
in the wake of the balloon Now with his
I haa1 . tho nartb t.yi finn "A nd turpinv
the daring man continued to dispoit him
self with the utmost apparent recklessness.
lie reached such a great height that the
| gymnastic operations were hardly visible,
but in n short time the gassy floater was
observed 10 slowly descend over the cham
mel at Smiths Island, the purpose of its
controller having been evidently TO effect a
landing on the northern extremity of the
| island.
Either owing to the failure of the gas to
escape with sufficient rapidly, or because
of the stiffness of the breeze then blowing,
the attempt was unsuccessful, and the bal
loon and its manager did not come within
thirty feet of the surface, but went sweep
ing along over the river beyond. Some
distance above the island the man struck
the river, but still retained his hold of the
rope, which, propelled by the fast drifting
balloon, was dragged though the water nj a
fearful rate
Finding himself growing weaker from
the constant strain upon his muscles, and
being momentariy in danger of becoming
entanged in the ropes of the balloon and
dragged beneath the surface, the man
finally let go his hold, and in his exhausted
condition struck out with tired, overstrained
arms, for the nearest refuge. Several
small sail-boats shot out from the shore and
from their courses on the river, and headed
for the now apparently drowning man; but
before they could reach the sinking bal
loonlst, the ferry-boat America, which had
left the market street slip to cross the bar,
reached him Just as he was about giving up
and took him on board
The balloon, when lightened of its load,
went careering wildly along upon the waves
now white-capped by the stiff evening
breeze, in the direction of Cooper's Point,
whore it finally brought up, in totally di-
lapidated condition, upon the other piers of
the wharf at that point. Luckily there
were no frail craft in the way of the UNI
weldy monster to dispute its right of pas
sage but on the contrary. the skifls and
batteaux above the island were glad to give
the unusual visitor all the sea room to
which its novelty entitled it,
The rescue and its startling incident.
were witnessed by thousands of people up.
on Smiths Island and along the wharves,
and may serve either as another commen-
tary upon the dangers of ballooning or up
On the recklessness Of individual balloonists