River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-07-29
1.-THE GRAPHIC" BALLOUN.
Description Of the Monster Afr-Ship
now IN Construction for Prof. Wise.
From the Daily Graphic

tails as to the dimensions, material,
outfit, etc, of the balloon to be used
in the great Transatlantic voyage.
They are from specifications made by
Mr.. Donaldson
There will be two balloons, the larg-
est of which will be 31S feet in circum-
ference, 100 feet in diameter, and 10
feet in hight. When inflated and
ready to start, the extreme hight Of
the apparatus, from the crown of the
balloon to the keel of the life-boat
will be 100 feet.
The great balloon will require 1915
yards Of cloth The material is un-
bleached sheeting--of thick, close
quality, of the brand known as "In-
dian Orchard" purchased from Ell.
bridge, Durham & Co., $40 Broadway.
The crown of the balloon will be
double for distance of fifty feet from
TIE top, with $50 yards of the same
material, and third thickness will be
added of Manchester Mills" bleach
ed of which $50 yards are required.
There will be IA, $50 yards, or eight
miles of sewing, in which 10, 1877, 800
stitches will be made. The stitching
is now being performed at the show
rooms of the Domestic Sewing Machine
Company Corner Broadway and Four
teenth street,, by force of twelve
seamstresses. The thread used is silk
and cotton, the top spool being silk.
The valve of the balloon will be
three feet in diameter, and made of
/ Spanish cedar, with rubber-coated
clapper closing on brass plate. The
valve fixtures and top of the balloon
are the essential parts of the appara
tus, and are being constructed with
special care to guard against any acct
dent of arrangement.
The network will be composed of
three strand tarred ropes, known as
"marlin. " The width of the net will
be 2l2 meshes, and its breaking
strength will be $4,000 pounds. Five
hundred pounds of "marlin will be
used. From the netting So ropes, 4
inch In diameter, of MANILA, will con-
meet with the concentrating rings.
These ropes will each be ninety feet in
length, or 4,770 feet in the aggregate.
The concentrating rings will be three
in number, to guard against breakage,
and will be each fourteen inches in
diameter, each ring being of wood,
iron-bound. These rings will sustain
the ear, life-boat, and trailing rope,
and Will bear the strain when the
anchor is thrown out in landing. From
the concentrating rings twenty-four
manila one-inch ropes. each % feet
long, or requiring 52S feet in
all, will depend, and form the
frames for an octagonal-shaped car.
They will be kept in place by light
hoops made of ash. The lower ropes
will be connected with network, and
over the network at the bottom of the
car a light pine floor will be laid loose.
so that it can be thrown out if required.
The car will be covered with duck, of
which fifty yards will be needed. At
tached to the side OF the car will be a
light iron windlass, from which the
boat and trail rope can be raised and
lowered as may be desired. From
pully attached to the concentrating
rings heavy MANILA rope will fall
down through a car and thence to a
sling, attached to which will be the
life-boat. This boat will be of the
most approved and careful construc
ton. 1t will have water-tight com
psrtments, sliding keel, and will be so
made that it will be self-riglting. The
boat will be provided with complete
outfit OF oars and sails, and to it will
be dashed instruments, guns, lines, etc.
and provisions for thirty days, all in
water-tight cases.
The trial rope, by which the arouaut
can maintain any desired altitude
without resorting to ballast, will be of
MANILA rope, It inch thick and l, 900
feet long.
The car will be fully provided with
instruments, provisions, etc, indie
pendently of the boat. IL will be so
constructed that it can be taken apart
piece meal and disposed of as ballast.
Ii will carry about 1000 pounds of bal.
last, which will consist of bags of sand,
each carefully weighed and marked.
Among the instruments to be carried
in the car there will be galvanic bat.
terry, with an alarm, two barometers.
two csronometer watches, a compound
thermometer, wet and dry bulb
thermometer, hygrometer, componer.
quadrant, chart, parachutes with fire.
balls attached, and so arranged as TO
explode when striking the water, so as
to indicate the direction traversed:
marine glasses, two vacuum tubes, a
lime stove, etc. A number of carrier
pigeons wilt be taken along, and dis.
patched at intervals on the route. with
intelligence of the progress of the ex-
petition.
The smaller balloon will be 40 feet
IN height and "a feet IN diameter. and
will be made from 40S yards Of "Man-
chester Mills. It's network will con
sumo twenty pounds of 40 thread cot
ton cord and six pounds of Italian
hemp. Ii will be attached tothe con.
centrating wings Of the large balloon.
and will he used as may be required to
test the upper currents or assist in
feeding the large balloon.
The balloons will be coated with
varnish made Of boiled linseed oil,
beeswax aud benzine, and Of these in.
gradients 1000 gallons will he used.
The capacity Of the great balloon
will be 900, 900 cubic feet Of gas. but il
will be inflated with but 400, 900 cubic
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