The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-19

e representatives Of the local press, and Mr..
we're together Tor the first time that DAY. and were
put through series OF questions by the privileged
lew Within the enclosure. The experience was not
ne" 70 either OF US, the cool King having mace
10 asceDsions, the Boston representative scored
twentyone, aud 10 each OF the Others u was 70 DC
the third attempt az mounting the clouds. Twenty
DAYS OF sand, weighing In the aggregate ABOUT
4 400 pounds, provisions in abundance, sulpled oy
the good citizens, or q two days journey, water,
buffalo robes, indiaru life preservers, instru-
ments ana carrier pigeons were duly deposited in
Tue car, which Is built 10 accommodate fourteen
persons Above The large car was BASKET
belongl2g to smaller balloon winch nae been
rieged up overhead for Tire reception OF snch
things as overcoats and special parcels. A hand
some basket OF flowers was now exhibited, nuch
to the delight OF the spectators and as the flowers
were destined for the voyage, they We're hung up
over the upper basket beneath the mouth OF the
Buffalo. The entire weight OF the car, contents
and passengers was about 1000 pounds.
THE START.
At fifteen minutes TO three o'clock all the passen-
gers were in tie car, and after little testing and
balancing the word to ''iet gO' was gwen. Jhe
monster SHOT up above the lofty Mansards OF the
quietly above the numerous church spires, that
looked savagely pointed and threatened to prick
mendous Cheering by the crowd, and hats
and handkercniefs were waving quickly,
while, as il by one numbering do, deaieailn l
concert, all the steamboats, and locomotives within
a radius of ten miles shrieked aud ho-hoed un I'll
the AIR seemed filed with sounds so devilish
calm In comparison. Mixed with ali this din
came up the SOFT notes OF a he'll from q church
tower near by the starting point, that seemed to
lew papers thrown from the basket created what
appeared to be revolution beneath u.s. The spec
we had reached an altitude of 1900 feet the Park
streets and building tops were Ike vast sheet Of
ny paper with myriads OF winged victims lmmova-
bly, fastened thereon 1t Is probable that as we rose
into the blue the people became more steady aud
watched US with greater interest. With go vast
an area as was presented by this air vessel it
n
less than four minutes from the moment when she
rose from the ground we were gracefully noaJing
surprising was the delightfully."- easy manner
in which we went up. There was no swayipg or
swinging OF the cars, and as l looked up ut the
immense bulky machine above II seemed exactly
as though II had attained position that was per.
iectly stationary. There were no sensations Of
giddiness or vertigo; no holding on OF hats; all
was as easy as a leather bed, and as calm as
though the wind, which had all day threatened
the balloon with destruction, had been entirely
overcome. Floating on IN perfect quietude we
could hear the tuInut that was going on below,
from the hoarse hackman to the yelping dogs
ABOVE THE CITY AND GREAT LAKES.
We had now t2:52 p. Nj set our instruments
properly and discovered that our altitude meas.
ured 6,251 feet or nearly mile The excitement
now subsidized III the car, and we were soon lost in
the beauties that were presented on every hand
On rising our course was almost due east but
alter travelling few minutes we found we were
gong in direction O little to the south OF east.
Directly beneath us was the wel.planned city OF
Buffalo, with its magnificent outlines, Its splendid
avenues and lofty church spires. Main street. that
commences near the lake and runs out through
the City to Cold Spring, seemed like dark straight
line dividing the city, while the cross streets rep
resented the Short straight feeders to q stream.
Niagara street, running more to the northeast from
Nam street, was another large artery while Della
ware avenue-the Filth avenue OF the piace-with
its mansions, bculevards and double rows Of shady
trees, after the manner of the Boulevard des
Capucmes, seemed hemmed in between the two
and played part in perspective vastly inferior to
the reality. But the BIRDS eye view OF the city.
Sv1u IA n a 70
as are seen wherever long armies are found,
though specially inviting did not equal the view
those vast inland seas q the North. whose every
wave, as 1t were. brings wealth and stability to
the Queen City.
Looking over Lake Erie to the north and north
west as far as the eye can reach at this altitude,
from the Numerous grain elevators on the shore
into the sparkling waves beyond, there Is one vast
to reject the bright ethereal above; there
again the RAYS OF the are dancing
on the tiny waves and sparkling brilliantly
while in innumerable other places the separated
rejected In dark spots that represented small
islands. From the direction oil Fort Stanley, on
the Canadian size. appear number mum OF vessels
tarily recurs to the days when he made ships OF Q
by inch cardboard and rugged them with half o
sheet or note paper and a yard OF cotton thread.
Going out OF the harbOr to meet these are several
small steam WILDCATS. To look at these from the
sengers rush TO the deck TO see school OF risky
porpOises caping over the waves and dashing
ahead over the billowy mountains, covering them.
selves with the spray. Towards Dunkirk the aspect
was some what lOrbidding.
NIAGARA's GRANDEUR.
wit ii the gaze from IT. the waters OF Erie
Porter we see the Niagara River, as 1t hugs the
city; and, following 1t IN its course, the attention
Is soon riveted one OF the greatest natural and
most beautiful scenes IN the world-the waterfalls
and ravines OF Niagara. All those who have seen
the mighty torrents or heard the harmony OF
dancing OF the spray and the unceasng rush OF the
streams there, would be struck with their grandeur
and dignity when viewed from an altitude OF a
mile. The immense body OF water falling over the
preclpices represented q vast, gracefully curved
fleece 81 spOtiess wool, and the spray was likened
by one OF our party to q fountain playing to the
height OF 100 feet, the hills and background being
the basin to receive the foamng liquid.
MAJESTIC ONTARIO.
Passing over the narrow neck oil land in the drec
ton of the "Queens DOMINION" a still more en-
Granting vision greets us. Here is the broad majestic
Ontario. At this distance from Us II seems to be
cred by thin, ilmy blue mist, while the outline
OF the southessterly shore has the appearance OF o
deep, dark margin. High above The lake Is float
ing a heavy cloud which gives the water u much
darker appearance. We can distinctly see small,
dark spots on the surface, that evidently repre-
qualled, believe, In the world. Niagara seems
like grand connecting link between these two
vast bodies OF water and enhances their attrac-
ton a hundredold, at least, when viewed in this
way, above the earth. With the exception OF Buff
falo Greek, which Is truhfuy christened 'the
crookedest institution on earth,n there rs nothing
more in the way oil water calling for comment
TUE PECULIAR HORIZON
AT three O'Clock the barometer Indicated that we
were 5,45i feet above the earth, with the Their
mometer down to AZ. Scarcely had We registered
these figures when we were struck by the peculiar
ity OF the horizon. have noticed on previous
asce nsions that the clouds on the horizon almost
formed a circle, the outer edge OF which was on a
leye. with the car beneath the balloon. Now, how
ever, the clouds formed only about a semi-circle
the heaviest portion OF the cumulus stratum being
to the southwest OF Erie Lake. but appearing to
be below us Mr.. King called attention to this
also; and expressed some surprise ut the phe-
nomenOn. Away from the horizon and up over US, in
the immensely OF space the only clouds visible were
gradually forming canopy, getting between US and
the sum- and causing our captain no little concern
as he knew ne would have to pay penalty in ballast
for this rise into the misty region, and ballast
above all things he wanted to store as far as pos
sble, because on 1t, to great extent, would de-
pend the duration of our voyage. Hence the study
OF the horizon and the debate on the iautless arc
OF heaven that
Spread DER SHELTERED earth
Al ample roof
were cut short by the preparing and launching
overheard OF the 300-fOot drag rope. But the rope
became entangied, and required three OF us TO-
clear II again.