The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-06
Up in a Balloon.
Prof, King Makes an Ascension from
buffalo With Three Reporters.

AkAAR NMAIu IN AMNEnNl0n NIWln
Bunalo With Three Reporters.
A reporter who was with Prof.. King
in his balloon ascension Of Buffalo, thus
describes his experience: The balloon
was ono Of the largest ever sent up in
this vicinity, and when Allied, measured
SO feet in diameter at the largest part,
and SO feet in height from the bottom
OF the car TO the crown where tho valve
was placed. It took %, 900 feet OF gas
to ill it. II was named Buffalo, after
the city from which it started. In less
than four minutes from the moment
when she rose from the ground We
were gracefully floating along at an al.
titude Of $500 feet. But most surpris-
ing was the delightfully."- easy manner
in which we went up. There was ne
swaying and swinging OF the cars, and
as l looked up ut the immense, bulky
machine above ii seemed exactly MS
though it had attained q position that
was perfectly stationary. There were
no sensations OF giddiness or vertigo ;
no holding on OF hats all was as easy
us feather bed, and as calm rs though
the wind, which had all day long
threatened the balloon with destruction,
had been entirely overcome. Floating
on in perfect quietude we could hear
the tumult that WINS going on below,
from the hoRrse hackmen to the,yelping
dogs The view from tho balloon rs It
scared over must have been magnitl.
cent. But the birds eye view OF tho
city, giving the appearance OF large
rows Of tents, such as arc seen where
ever long armies arc found, though
specially inviting, did not equal the
view now had Of the mighty lakes, Erie
and Ontario, those vast inland seas Of
the North, where every wave, rs 1t were,
brings wealth and stability to the Queen
City.
Looking over Lake Erie to the north
and northwest, MS far us the eye can
reach at this altitude, from the numer-
Gus grain elevators on the shore line to
the fur distant horizon which seems to
dip into the sparkling waves beyond,
there is one vast body OF water. Here
the water appears to reflect the bright
ethereal above there again the rays Of
the sun are dancing on the tiny waves
and sparkling brilliantly, while in in.
Vulnerable other places the separated
portions OF nimbus cloud floating silent
ly alOft arc reflected in dark spots that
represented small islands. From the
direction Of Fort Stanley, on the Cana
dim side, appear number Of vessels
under sail, which arc so small that one
involuntary recurs to the days when he
made ships of O by 4 inch cardboard
md rugged them with half sheet of
note paper and yard OF cotton thread.
Going out Of the harbor to meet these
are several small steam tow.boats. To
look at these from the car it recalls
ocean travelling, when excited passen.
gers rush to the deck to see n school OF
risky porpoises leaping over the waves
and dashing ahead over the billOwy
mountains, covering themselves with
the spray. Towards Dunkirk the as
poet was somewhat forbidding.
Withdrawing the gaze from the wa
tiers OF Erie md still following the
shore line around by Fort Porter We
sec the Niagara River, as II hugs the
city; and, following it in its course, the
attention is soon riveted on one OF the
greatest natural and most beautiful
scenes in the world-the waterfalls and
ravines Of Ningaru. All those who have
seen the mighty torrents or heard the
harmony Of waters, watched the foam-
ing and boiling, the dancing OF the
spray and the unceasing rush Of the
streams there, would be struck with
their grandeur and dignity when view.
ed from Nh altitude Of mile. The i'm
mense body Of water falling over the
precipices represented vast grace.
fully curved fleece OF spotless wool, and
the spray was likened by one OF our
partyto a fountain playing to the height
OF 100 feet, the hills and background
being the basin to receive the ioaming
liquid,
At three o'clock the barometer indi-
Gated that we were 5,454 feet above the
earth, with the thermometer down to
Al. Scarcely had we registered these
figures when We were struck by the
popularity OF the horizon. Ihaye
noticed on previous ascensions that the
clouds on the horizon almost formed q
circle, tho outer edge Of which was on'a
level with the car beneath the balloon.
Now, however, the clouds formed only
about semi.circle, the heaviest por-
ton Of the cumulus stratum being to
the southwest Of Erie Lake, butappear.
ing to be below MS. Mr.. King called
attention to this also, and expressed
some surprise ut the phenomenon.
Away from the horizon and up over us,
in the immensely OF space, the only
clouds visible were gradually forming
a canopy, getting between us and the
sun, causing our captain no little con.
cern, rs he knew he would have to pay
penalty in ballast for this rise in the
misty region, and ballast, above all
things, he wanted to store rs far ms pos.
sible, because on it, TO great extent,
would depend the duration Of our yoy.
age. Hence the study Of the horizon
and the debate on the faultless arc OF
heaven that
Spread Der sheltered Garth
An ample roof
were cut short by the preparing and
launching overheard OF the 300-foot
drug rope. But the rope became on.
tangled, and required three Of us to
clear it again.
The balloon rushed on q distance Of
5000 feet, and then sank rapidly down
to 1900. Passing so near the earth,
parties wero hAiled and answered the
signal. At 5000 feet above the earth,
tho temperature was 81 degrees, aud at
1000 feet, the highest elevation, II was