The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-01-31
GYMNASTICS IN MID.AID.
Falling from q Trapeze Bar-PrOpesi'
tiOn to Cross the Ocean in q Balloon.
Correspondence New York SUM-
READING. Pa, January 9.

AEADANG, a., OduudTy ..
Passing through this famous
capital of Berks county, yestor-
day, I was persuaded to remain
over a few hours to visit, in COM
pamy with a scientific gentleman,
the rooms of the @ronaut Donald
son, who is completing his plans
to cross the ocean the coming
summer in an airship, bouyed by
two mammoth balloons. 1t is his
purpose to leave New York, from
Union Square, cross the Atlantic,
arriving somewhere on the CONT
nent in two days and ahalf. Your
correspondent sent his card to the
Professors apartments, and was
very kindly welcomed by this the
most daring and reckless of aero
nauts. He remarked, as he point
ed to a seat, ''Next summer ! shall
have something for the Sun to no.
tice, I shall show the pople that
the ocean can be crossed by bal
loon, and that can do it"
Donaldson is a short, thick-set
man, about thirty-two years of
age, dark complexion. dark eyes,
black hair, with gaudy nous
tache, waxed and twisted in a most
Napoleonic manner. He was born
in Philadelphia, and was original
ly a magician. A year ago he con-
ceIved the idea of becoming a bal
loonist. His first ascension was
made in Reading, last August.
That was the first and only time
he ever used basket. He has
made, since then, some twenty
eight ascensions, and every time
has used nothing but the gas
chamber OF the balloon and sim
pie trapeze bar. His operations
have been principally throughout
the South and West. He has dur
ing the year encountered all sorts
of dangers, and the story of his
hairbreadth escapes is thrilling
and wonderful. The eronaut is
quite a cheerful pereonage, and
having made his visitors comfort
able and contented, he proceeded
as follows:
HANGING By THE TOES IN THE
~ CLOUDS.
| "This bailooning is not as dan
| gerous as some imagine. By the use
| of a basket people are inclined to
look upon an ascension with inter
est and amusement. I ascertained
that the time was at hand when
some Improvement ought to be
made in eronauting to attract the
| peoples attention. 1 assembled
| first in a basket, and after ascer,
tanning a few points threw aside
that part, and since then have new
er used it. next assembled dress.
ed as an acrobat, and used moth
ing but q trapsze bar. The people
became frightened, and new in
terest was awakened in ballooning
AT the height of half a mile / al
: ways went through various per
formances, such as SHINING th'
) cat, whirling around, hanging b,
my toes, and other eyolutions gen
, orally done by circus performer
! on the bar. People call me reck
less and crazy, but they forge
: that / value my life as much a
: they do, and that I know exactl,
what am about. / feel just a
contented and safe on the bar
3 trapeze bar suspended from tn
!; balloon three miles high as d
i sitting here. / sec no danger, an
!. therefore there is no danger to me-
u I would like to make an ascensio
STANDING ON TOP OF a BALBOA
II think / can do it. Peopl
Il demand sensation spectaciei
. Their tastes must be gratifed, an
4 to do this shall do few trick
a for them early next spring, befoi
4 1 cross the ocean by balloon.
r. am arranging a trick somethin
Z like this Here the professC
: picked up an ingeniously contri'
: ed bar, composed of two section
:, which can be separated at pleasul
!. by q spring. 'sWhen / am up
: the air, say 1000 feet, and viii
= sitting on the bar waving my har
= to the people, I shall touch Il
i spring, the bar viii snap in tN
d and away ] will tumble headlor
:. toward the earth. A rope vi
= fcatch me when down some tsn fes
Al | with which I can get up to t
of balloon again, adjust the bar al
n sgain take my place. This Al
"A many other tricks l shall put
de | practice to "
i'd AMUsE THE PEOPLE.
ini 81 feel better when about nj
to high, and have often performed
n my own satisfaction when out
nd sight beyond the clouds I ha
been lost, given up as dead, foul
all again, bruised, scratched. land
IL in the Atlantic, and baptized
les Lake Michigan, but am here
nd day with not bone broken MOI
ire mark visible. ] have lost two b
We looms, have had one burst for ]
lat when two miles high, and hs
rec damaged three. So much for 8.
OF tsationaI baIlooning. / like it,
ro- would rather make voyages tn
MS the air in aid OF science and |
development OF eriai subjects.