Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-09-18
REMARKABLE BALLOON VOYAGE,
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept. {

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Sept 6.
THE balloon Getty of Buffalo," which
started from the park in this city at II a..
M Friday, made most interesting voy-
age of nearly 500 miles, and landed at
II 20 p. m near Smiths Greek, ten miles
from Port Huron, Mich. Its course was
at first northwest from Cleveland, until
when about five miles from Cleveland it
rose into an easterly current and was
carried down the lake to point beyond
Erie. Then the balloon was brought
down several thousand feet into a west
erly current and carried to the mouth of
Detroit River thence northward over
Detroit and Lake st. Clair TO a point of
landing. A special correspondent of the
Chicago Tribune who accompanied Prof.
King says Of the voyage:
CAT noon our altitude was 1871 feet
and we seemed almost stationary for a
short time. The professor gradually dis
charged his sand ballast, hoping to find
sea breeze at q higher altitude, and
thus be enabled to pass over the land.
After a short experience there, however,
it was found that we were destined to a
voyage lakeward, and perhaps to Buffalo,
which would have been a satisfactory
arrangement. At 80 our altitude was
2,527 feet above the lake. At 80 p. m.
the Buffalo was off Painesville, and the
air was still very light and variable.
Prof Holden sat with his instruments
constantly before him, and he consulted
the barometer and thermometer from
time to time, reporting to Commodore
King the status of affairs, whether we
were rising or falling; while the Leader
man took the bearing and held the COM
pass. After good, substantial lunch
the members of the expedition Joined in
the chorus of several songs under the
leadership of Prof. King. At two p. m.
we noticed the singular but well-known
phenomenon of the different currents of
air in the upper deeps. The schooner
which we saw far beneath us was max
ing short tacks with the wind from the
northeast, while we at height of 1859
feet were borne slowly in that direction
that is, we were under the influence of
light air tit could hardly be called a
breeze from the southwestward.
Capt. King on getting over the lake
let down his drag-rope, a two-inch ma
Mia cord about $50 feet in length. This
had tendency to steady the air-ship, so
that its motion was almost impercepti-
BILE. At $50 the masts of a three -masted
vessel were seen standing about ten or
twenty feet above the surface of the water
off gainesville, or between that point and
Ashtabula. Our highest altitude up to
three p. m. was 2,096 feet; at 3:15, 4,200
feet above the level of the lake, or A, 7S0
feet above sea level; at 6 ;45 p. M, 1000
feet. Just below the Erie peninsula
Capt King decided to approach the lake
and try the merits of the drag-rope. De-
sCending until Within abUut fifty feet of
the water, we struck the northeast cur
rent of wind, and instead of reaching
Buffalo, as we had hoped to do at one
time, we were borne swiftly on the back
track, and were swept along about west
southwest. Soon afterward the current
again changed, and our course was
thence about west-northwest, and we
gradually neared to land, to our satisfac-
tion. We flew past Point-au-Pin, and,
slowly descending, we eagerly scrutinized
the shores to distinguish any permanent
point or settlement that might lie in ou1
path. At seven p. m. we ran in over the
Canada shore, and sweeping down close
over the land we ascertained that we
were just below Pointau-Pellee, in the
town of Morsea in Essex County, and
crossing thence the township of West
Tilbury and the widest portion of Lake
st. Clair, soaring away above the clouds
in our transit. This was one of the most
intensely interesting and remarkable ex
perieAces of our trip. The feeling
awakened in me was similar to that
have known on witnessing some of the
gorgeous transformations in the Black
Crook at Niblo's. The great globe above
our heads seemed poised in a perfec
vacuum, while not word was spoker
for some minutes, as the minds of al
seemed thunderstruck at the strange
imposing scene.
While sweeping over the County o
Essex we had frequent exchanges O.
words with the inhabitants, whom Kin!
ASKED to take hold of our drag-rope
one fellow, an Irishman undoubtedly
sang ) OUT, Och, yee's going too fast TO
flight, now rising, now slightly falline
and discharging ballast from time {,
time as circumstances demanded. 4