The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-19
LIFE IN THE CLOUDS
A Grand Aerial Voyage from
Buffalo to Corning.
The Herald's Sky Commissioner Up
with Professor King.
THE DEPARTURE.
Seventy Thousand BufIalonians
Viewing the Huge Gas Bag.
A Magnificent Rise"
Of 1000 Feet.
CAkKlER PlGEUN MESSAGES
Important Scientific and Physio-
logical Data.
Glorious Scenery Above Niagara and
Lakes Erie and Ontario.
A Mile and Three-QuarterS Above
the Lake Level.
Three Hours Sailing by the Light
of the Stars.
Important Scientific and Physio.
logical Data.
Glorious Scenery Above Niagara and
Lakes Erie and Ontario.
A Mile and Three-Quarters Above
the Lake Level.
Three Hours Sailing by the Light
Of the Stars.
CORNING, N. Y, Sept. II. 1873.

CORNING, N. Y. Sept II, 1873.
The good citizens OF Buffalo have effected tri-
umph over New York, and for the time being are
doubtless disposed to chuckle over it. balloon
ascension that may probably set at rest the vexed
question as to whether the smoke and dust of the
American Continent are continually darkening the
face OF the mighty Atlantic was mean task for
city like this, Notwithstanding the prevalence OF
gas. Literature and science were invited to CO.
operate in this ascension, the HERALD's Sky Com
missioner among the rest. The ways and means
though emanating from the few-a very select
1ew-purchased gratuitous excitement and graft
6cation Tor the many although fifty cents q
head from $4,000 bona Hde sightseers would have
made the credit side of the account look
exceedingly prosperous, and science-abused sci
ence-could have been served all the same perhaps.
To be sure the gasbag was not to be capable OF
swallowing oil the nuid from a dozen gasometers,
or OF stretching when nattene. out at repose over
pasture land sufficient to iced all the nocks OF the
Patriarchs and the cattle upon a thousand hills;
neither was 1t to contain enough seams to reach
from the lower depths TO the moon and return via
Japan and the North Pole, nor be made OF the only
two parcels OF cotton that recently came over in
three ships An airship capable of holding 05, 900
cubic feet OF carburetted hydrogen gas was made
30 tnaC IL cOulu De ulieQ Wnlle the WIND was blow
ing at the rate of twenty miles an hour. Ele-
gance and symmetry were combined, and the re-
suit was that strong and handsome machine
greeted the eyes OF the people. But it
was cotton, delicately vanished, leaving an
opaque surface over the evenly sewed seams, and
subsequently taken in hand by scenic artist who
painted in crimson aud green and black, animals,
scrOll-wOrk. letters and stars until the buffalo"
balloon was the most handsome that ever scared
above all creatures here below. Pride has its own
eccentricites and the good-natured people almost
shook hands with themselves when they discovered
how splendid an 'animal'' they had manufactured
at a cost or $1,000. Pieces of the actual material
could be had after the bag had been raised on sits
smallest pint" as boy remarked on the fence
while it filling, but it didn't cost ten cents an
inch The material was not the commonest, per.
haps, nor was 1t prepared and vanished with tar
brushes by men accustomed only to holystone
decks and tar ropes
THE THREATENED HURRICANE PASSES
Old Probabilities gave US but little encourage
ment when he hung out three black flags on Mon
day afternoon, indicating a cyclone, or something
very near it. When the captain OF the revenue
cutter stationed on Lake Erie informed us that q
great many vessels were running into the harpor
Tor shelter we became fearful that our trip would
have to be postponed Tor lew days but, fortu-
slderably to the north OF us. II seemed as though
nO disappointment would have resulted from delay,
however, as the people had not been assured that
the ''show" would take place without FAIL
and preparations were not made Tor the
imitation on Monday evening, account
OF the threatened storm. At about five
O'Clock yesterday morning the agrostat was
taken to the open space called Terrace Park, at
the corner OF Church street and IL was agreed that
Notwithstanding the wind then prevailing. the
balloon was TO be filed aud attempt heaven.
ward made at about two O'Clock In the afternoon.
An iron enclosure assisted the police in keeping
back the people, who crowded around the spot
from the moment the gas pipe was applied TO the
neck OF the vessel A slx-nch pipe was laid from
ten-inch main in the vicinity, which filed the
bag with remarkable rapidity, the leading valve
being opened at ten A. NJ and closed at two p NJ,
when $1,000 cubic feet of gas had been let in-that
is to say at tue rate OF 20 600 feet per hour
TIE AIgsnIP WHEN FILLED.
IL was certainly grand spectacle to hehold the
beautiful, weli-nnated Buffalo," erect, and surg
ing TOO and fro like AN uneasy spirit struggling to
bfeaA The bonds That neld 1t down to this mundane
sphere. Mr. King states that although not the
largest balloon in the country 1t Is the largest one
mat mas ever been put TO q practical purpose
NBunalo," when filed, measured SO feet in
"minceei Nv VIC largest part, and SO feet in
height from the bottom OF the car to the crown
where tue valve placed On one side a ,ita.
sized buffalo was painted, the animal appeariny
anything but friendly he peereu throu0h the
netting at tile gaping crowd. On the oppos,te sida
and about midway the word Buffalo, was nrinted
in letters three feet in height immediately
beneath this again was line of scroll
work in black and green, below which
a band OF deep crimson, a foot deep, an
peared. Beneath this again was an imitation
co Siice curtain In blue, pink and green, with
fassels represented In brown. The prettiest por.
tion, however, was that part OF the exterior which
extended from the mouth OF the balloon and up to
where the above-named tassels reached. This was
marked with thirty perpendicular csrmine stripes,
tapering from fine point at the end OF the neck
and gradually widening a. they reached the
equator, where they were rounded OF ana IN per-
spectiye presented the appearance OF a huge sand
wich Islanders club. Ire corresponding spaces
IN opaque left similar impression and gave
the whole lower part OF the air vessel rich artis-
tic appearance. She certainly mad noble appear
aDce as she swaved unsteady in the breeze that
swept up towards Delaware avenue rom the water
'front.'
EVERYTHING READY.
At one O'Clock the WIDE spaces around the en-
closure, became densely packed with humanity.
presented similar appearance, while the neigh
boring city DdlldinRs, banks warehouses and
private dwellings, appeared alive from sidewalk 10
Tool. TO 20 through that crowd must have been
an easy task for TIC light 1Qaered Fraternity but