Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-05-17
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with basket, and that was his first and
his last in that manner. The very first
time he had witnessed balloon in mid-air
he delighted in the thought of performing |
on tn" trapeze-bar under it. In reply TO |
question concerning fear he smiled and
stated he was not acquainted with it. III !
| had known what fear was he cOntin- |
ued, Il should never have had sufficient
courage to perform for the first time the
drop act" lie had reference to lying eX-
tended OH his back on the bar, head and
feet extended. and then to drop head first
and catch himself by the toes, and in This
position, hanging head downward, sail
through the air hundreds OF feet above
the earth. For" he continued, sit must
be borne in mind that in performing the
act my weight, 1SO pounds, is taken off Of
the balloon from the time drop until. 4
catch myself by my feet. Taking off this
weight from the balloon naturally causes
il To shoot up with great velocity. and
therein is the great danger. The balloon
rises with force when no weight Is at
tached, and if care is not practiced the
bar will shoot up and be very apt To sweep
past any distractions like Il mans feet,
and thus throw him from the bar and send
him tumbling headlong toward the earth.
Before | tried the experiment had no
! itltstlis vi d>CtTldlIlilS Wndt lhC iSSuae
would be, but as had no fear rs to the
consequences went up and successfully
performed what no other man in the world
has yet dOne.'
! asked him why he was engaged in such
/ reckless and dangerous business, and ne
| told me that at first he did il in Il profess
sional way rs matter of business, TO ad-
| vcrtiSc his entertainments as Il magician :;
! finally he inaugurated a system OF i, C.
lures. He would make an ascension and
aftcrward tell the story of his aerial jour
ney from the stage in some hall. to IN
audience at so much head.
Now he states he desires to aid science.
| In a few days he will ascend in paper
balloon. glued together, for the reason, As
he says, to satisfactorily demonstrate to
men of science the entire safety i'm bal
looming in the original manner. MEN of
science" said the aeronaut, "cannOt be
induced to visit clOudland, and aS long as
they remain away the vast resources OF
that undiscovered country will remain
idle and useless forever | found
this daring man also thinking
and careful man. He complained
AT length of the unwiSe expenditure OF
money in examining ocean beds and the
like, when a great natural highway i'm the
air needed immediate attention. He dis
approves of the present method Of gen.
Grating steam. because the weight of ma
chinery is too great for the power re-
ceived. Air contains all that is required
moisture from which steam can be gen
Grated, and pure hydrogen for buoyancy
and electricity for additional power.
These natural agencies in the air can he
gathered rs they are need, d, thereby
averting the necessity of carrying fuel.
&C., aS is at present the custom with
steamships and locomotives. He sayG
these things are all lying idle and waiting
the visitation of practical scientists to eX-
anime and put them into use. He con-
tinued: - | would perfect and patent i
living -maching, but have not the time
People are afraid of height, but. seeming.
", not of depth. They cross the ocean
brave water. storm, and drunken sea cap
tains. but they would shrink in holy hor.
rOr at the thought OF crossing the ocean
i'm balloon
This led the conversation to the subject
of ocean balloOning. Donaldson has hi;
plans. specifications and arrangements al
finished: and by letters in his possession
his project is approved of by Professor
Henry, Of the Smithsonian Institute al
Washington and other scientific men
Donaldson is positive of reaching Europe
by balloon, and as firmly believes that thu
constantly blowing current of air from
west 10 east, at an altitude OF something
less than mile high, was specially cre;,-
ted BY Providence for aerial navigation.
The current that Donaldson speaks OF
is continual blowing from west to east
when at certain altitude. and by this he
is confident of landing on the coast OF
Ireland in about two and half days.
lie will start. however, when the lower
curren; of air is blowing toward the east
and continue in it so long as it blows in
that direction. If it changes lie can
ascend to the upper current and still go
on towards the east. His plans, he thinks.
are excellently arranged, he having thor
Oughly provided for every conceivable ac-
cident or misfortune. In conclusion he
remarked: "SOme day the people will
assurcdly hear of ocean balloOning, and
it will be regarded as ordinary thing as
deep-sea telegraphing. Passengers will
be transported back and forwards across
the Atlantic in One-fifth the time and at
half the cost of the present steamer fares.
Mails will be transported by balloon, and
thus ocean steamers will be only used for
the transportation of freight and lner-
| chandisnr