Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-08-20
Wise's Balloon Trip.

jcumiorence, lO0 feet in diameter, and
lilo feet in height. When inflated and
ready to start, the extreme height OF
the apparatus, from the crown Of the
balloon to the keel Of the life boat,
will be 160 feet.
The great balloon will require 1916
yards OF cloth. The material is un-
l>leaohed sheeting-of thick, close
( {luality, OF the brand known as Indian
orchard The crown of the balloon
J xii. be doubled for a distanea of City
feet from the top, with 140 yards Of
the same material, and third thick
ness will be added of Manchester
Mills blcachod, Of which $50 yards
arc required.
Tho valve of the balloon will be
three feet in diameter, and made oi
Spanish cedar, with rubber coated
clappcr closing on brass plate. The
valve fixtures and top of the balloon
are the essential parts of the appa-
ratus, and are being constructed with
special care to guard against any ac-
cident or derangemont.
The network will be composed Of
thrcc-strand tarred rope, known as
marlin The width Of tho net will
be 212 meshes, and its breaking
strength will be $1,000 pounds. Five
hundred pounds of marlin will be used
From tho netting SO ropes, t-inch in
diameter, Of MANILA, will connect with
tho concentrating rings. These ropes
will each DO 80 feet in length, or 4,770
feet in the aggregate. The conccn.
trating rings will be three in number,
10 guard against breakage, and will
be fourteen inches in diameter, each
ring being Of wood, iron bound
These rings will sustain the car, life
boat and trailing rope, and will bear
the strain when the anchor is throw wn
out in landing. From the conccntra-
ting rings twenty-four MANILA 1-inch
ropes, each 22 feet long, or requiring
52s feet in all, will depend and form
the frames for an octagonal shaped
car. They will be kept in place by
light hoops, made Of ash. The lower
ropes will be connected with network,
and over the network, at the bottom
of the car, light pine floor will be
laid loosely, 80 that it can be thrown
out if required. The car will be COW
cred with duck, of which fifty yards
will be needed. Attached TO the side
of the car will be ligh. iron wind.
lass, from which the boat and trail
rope can be raised and lower ed as may
be desired. From pulley attached
to the concentrating rings heavy
MANILA ropo will fall down through
tho cur, and thence 70 q sling, attach-
cd to which will be the life-boat. This
boat will be of the most approved and
careful construction. 1t will have wa.
tor tight compartments, sliding keel,
and will bo 80 made that it will be
self-righting. The boat will be pro-
vided with complete outfit of oars
and sails, and to it will be lashed in.
struments, guns, lines, &c, and pro-
visions for thirty days, oil in water
hS"e N"oSo.
The trail rope, by which the ero-
naut can maintain any desired alti-
tude without resorting to ballast, will
be of manila rope, II inches thick
and 1000 feet long.
The car will be fully provisioned
with instruments provisions, &c, in
dependently ofthe boat twill be so
constructed that II can be taken apart
piecemoal and disposed of as ballast
1t will carry about 5000 pounds of
ballast, which will consist of bags of
sand, each carefully weighed and mark
cd. Among the instruments to be
carried in the car there will be gal
vanic battery, with an alarm, two ba-
rometers, two chronometer watches,
compound thermometer, wet and
dry bulb thermometer, hygromcter,
componer, quadrant, chart, parachutes
with fro-balls attached, and so ar
ranged as TO explode when striking
water, 80 as TO indicate the direction
traversed, marine glasses, two vacuum
tuueSj Hhoj rtoNc, oc. n uumDcr VI
carrier pigeons will be taken along
and dispatched at intervals on the
route with intelligence OF the progress
Of the expedition.
The smaller balloon will be 40 feet
in height and "a feet in diameter and
will be made from 40S yards Of MAN
chester Mills It's network will con.
sumo 20 pounds Of 40 thread cotton
cord and 8 pounds Of Italian hemp
1t will bo attached TO the concentrat-
ing rings of tho largo balloon, and
will bc used as may bo required to
test the upper currents or assist in
feeding the largo balloon.
varnish made Of boiled linsced oil,
becswax and benzine, and of these
ingredients 1000 gallons will be used
The capacity Of the great balloon
will be 100000 cubic feet of gas, but
il will be inflated with but 100000 Gu
bic feet, which, at the height of one
mile and three quarters, will expand
sufficiently to fill tho balloon The
Graphic.