Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-07-24
A BAILOONEgT's PERIL.
DARING RESCUE FROM A CHURCH STEE

DARING RESCUE FROM A CHURCH STEE-
The Brockyille (Canada) Recorder"
gives the following account of the perilous
adventure of Professor SquHes' the bal
looni.t. in that town on Dominion Day
The starting point was Court House
Square. The Professor regarded the slCua-
ton as particularly dangerous III h!Sll
wind, as the square is ilanked on eacll Slue
by lofty buildings. including tne Ioui ,
House. Bank of Montreal and wesleyan
Methodist church. During the afternoon
the balloon, which was initiating with ny
drogen gas was the centre Of attraction,
and at the time Of starting fully ten thou
sand people had assembled to witness the
voyage in mid all. The Atlantic was con-
structed of peculiar quality OF muslin,
very thin and soft in texture, but when
oiled capable of holding thegas The net
ting which enveloped the balloon was
double and twisted silks and the ropes by
which the netting was attached to the bas-
ket were about three-eighths of an inch i'll
diameter
The basket was of strong wicker work,
about three feet in diameter and two feet
in depth. The ropes by which it was attach
ed to the balloon were woven in so as to
pass completely under. During the day
several small balloons were sent up to show
the direction of the wind from expert
ments thus made it was shown that the
principal danger was the Bank of Montre-
al and the Wesleyan Methodist church,
Previous to starting, it was determined to
remove the balloon from the place where
it was inflated to point nearer the Court
House, with the expectation that it would
pass to the north of the spire. The cargo
| in the basket consisted of three bags of
sand, weighing each about fifty pounds, a
graphing iron, to which was attached q
strong rope, and Professor Squires, who
was to start on his one hundred and eighty
seventh voyage amid the clouds.
All being in readiness, orders were given
to cast off. There was q hush, and the
multitude grew silent as the unwieldy At
| lantic, being freed, SWayed backwards aud
forwards and slowly rose from its resting
place to make another voyage.
A steady gale had been blowing all day
but its strength was not apparent until the
| Balloon struck the current Of airabOye the
house-tops; this reached, it sWayed with
the breeze, and swept on at the rate Of at
least fifteen miles an hour. Its course was
directly for the steeple OF the church. The
| Professor at once perceived the danger
and could have avoided it by throwing out
him sufficient buovancy to have passed
! over the steeple, but unfortunately The
square below was crowded with thousands
of spectators, and u bag OF sand Thrown
out would have crushed some one. Tht
sand was thrown out in small quantities
and the balloon swept upward and onward
but unfortunately not swerving from it
dangerous direction. 1t became apparen
that it would strike the spire, and the anx
ious multitude awaited the shock will
blanched cheeks. With a tremendous rusl
the Atlantic struck the apex OF the splre
! and in another instant parted IN TWAIN. A
the same time the basket containing th'
daring saronaut crashed against the spir
some twenty feet below.
Seeing, as it were, instant death befOr'
him, Professor Squires threw one hand for
ward to avert as far as possible the shock
at the same time allowing his body tosWa.
in an opposite direction. AS the balloon
collapsed and the gas escaped, it was seel
that the netting had caught on the poin
Of the spire. Squires was not seen to NOV
a muscle, whisper ran round, the coils
sion has killed him. Then slight move
ment, and the basket began to slip. 1t wa
evident that the netting was giving way
Women grew white with terror, men trem
bled. There, at height of eighty fee
above the earth, was a fellow-being, hang
ing by few slender threads above an(
around him the glittering steeple sheete(
with tim below, the stone battlements tt
the tower, on which to fall was instan
death. A pause, and the basket had eyi
IDENTIFY been arrested in its downward
| course. SquireS was seen to grasp the net
ting.
The moment he struck the spire there
was rush for ladders and ropes. With
| out number were the plans suggested tC
save him from death. But at this moment
brave men were clambering up the inside
/ of the church tower. A small window be
low the caves opens directly beneath where
| the basket was suspended, but unfortu
nately it was very contracted, and it die
not seem possible to squeeze through the
aperture. But in few seconds a maj
thrust his head through the window, and .
board was pushed out of the lower portion
Of the opening, the end on the inside being
held by men within. Then began a strug.
gle, it was apparent that a man was Ell.
deavoring to crawl through the marrow
hole out upon the board. The clothes Were
torn from his person in the attempt, but
inch by inch he gained. and at last was
seated on the board directly below the bas-
ket. The situation was one of great dam
ger. Should the netting give way the bas-
| llet i'll its descent would catch the daring
man and hurl him, together with Squires
into eternity. At his appearance there
was d cheer that made the welkin ring
again. The heroic man who thus risked
his life to save a fellow-being in distress
was Arthur Osment. 1t was seen when he
stood up that he could only reach to the
bottom of the basket, and that he could
not assist Squires from his perilous posi-
ton.
The main body Of the network had
caught on the northern side Of the spire,
only two OF three small cords having pass
ed around the other side, and these when
the basket slipped became slack. The least
motion on the part of Squires would have
precipitated him upon the stone steps be-
low Osment spoke to Squires, who re-
quested him to place his shoulder under
the basket. This being done, Squires
caught hold of a slight oval projsction on
| the spire, which offered q slight hold, and
thus helped to support the basket
| At this instant Mr.. Andrew Stevenson
appeared at an opening in the spire above
| SQuires. This opening consists of small
trap door, and was not discovered for some
time. Another cheer went up as Stephen
son came out upon the spire, reached down
q hand and firmly grasped the aronaut and
slowly drew him up to a place of safety
The suspense was over. and Squires was
saved.
A LADY ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY
YEARS OLD.-Mrs. Katie Shepp, living i'll
H. +I<x@