The New York herald., 1874-09-10
BALLOONING BEAUTIES.
An Extraordinary Aerial Trip from
Philadelphia to Allentown.
SIX LADIES IN THE BASKET.
AarOnautic Pleasures and
Petit Larcenies.

Petit LarcenieS.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 1874
When Mr. 8. II. Rurd, manager OF the Roman
Hippodrome, on last Saturday afternoon invited
your representative to step into the basket and to
accompany Professor W. II. Donaldson and SIX
ladies upon grand trip to the clouds littlo
thought that was to take part in one OF the most
remarkable 9rial voyages upon record. Not tnat
the distance was to be greater, but that we were
to remain more hours in the air and reach higher
elevation than Is usually arrived at, even BY the
boldes aeronauls. The cheerful looks of the ladies'
and the ever smiling countenance OF the Professor
would have dlspelled any uneasness. had felt IL.
was to participate in the frst thoroughly organ.
ized balloon ascension by young ladies upon
record Fully 1900 people Witnessed our depart.
ure and the scene gave me my first realization OF
the true meaning Of the sterecvyped expression,
ga sea OF upturned faces" when the balloon was
let loose the earth dropped from under US as
usual and the cheers OF the multitude suddenly
seemed to become iaint buZzing. At the height
of 500 feet the ladies threw hastily. written
mssives telling the people below Of their feelings
upon this ito most OF them their first aerial hight.
DONALDSON IN HIS PERCH ABOVE
felt the great responsibility he mad assumed and
watched his valves and ropes and ballast closely.
With such cargo questions naturally raned in
upon him prorusey, all OF which he answered
C6urteOusly but plainly. His mind was upon MS
business When we had sailed TO height vi ABOUT
1000 ieet Donaldson made the unWeic0me sugges-
ton that we should return to earth. THIS was re-
Ceived with unanimous disappr0val and an ener-
Gefic but polite request from the ladies' that he
should attend to his own affairs. Professor Don
aldson gracefully gave way TO tne iades ana, a. ~
his direction, your representative united ana
emptled q bag OF sand when we shot up Win =
rapidity which sent noise ringing through our
The barometer now showed an elevation OF
1O,05O feet or nearly two miles. Thick, tmpene-
trable clouds were above. below aud upon every
SIDE and the very stiffness was oppressive. The
ladies', who at no time showed signs Of fear, now
assumed q less demonstratlve demeanor and
seeMss At this oss ii Donaldson again proposed
turn to earth, but tie ladles met the suggestlon
with refusal They held an impromptu meesinS
and
VOTED "NoW TO A MAN.
An 'fncident OF travel" occurred now whick
might nave proved serious but @ lo1 ta ths prompt
more enthusiasm than prudence, secretly cut
loose q bag Of ballast weighing sixty pounds. 10
needs no explanation. ImperceptiDly and without
the slightest evidence OF rapid m0vement-excepe
balloon went up until the barometer showed an
ascent OF 8, 900 leet in three minutes making the
totai elevation l3,o5o feet, and but 900 ieet less
than the total elevation the instrument was made
to register. Donaldson, ever on the alert. dis.
covered the situation even before consulting tae
pulled the valve cord. The gas rushed out with
noise which, at this elevation, sounded Ike
ss om sne sa we sailed to the
westward, having beneath us panorama OF un-
surpassed beauty. Night was coming on, 80 the
and pleadings and promises OF pincusnions and
worked snppers without STINT we descended In
RoxDury, and the Misses Alice Costneyara, Ella
Grady, Maggie Taylor. Mary Walsh and GeOrgana
Mlllson stepped from the basket, their counte-
nh C0lleCtld
' ever
to reach the concentrating ring scqys.
One urchin was discovered craving up the net
Ss woa
actually
We got on at last. having IN the basket Mr..
Manly Gilman city editor or the Boston Post, and
Mr.. J. L. Hutchinson. OF the Hippodrome, two gen.
tlemen whose mysterious appearance suggested
their having dropped from the clouds. Miss Clara
W%s sse OF Ws also ~
rabDe they seized the end Of the drag rope and In
sisted upon our return. For tho irst time Don
to convince them Of his SIS skin III as marksman.
Never vonsA nc rope on'p with 'sS%s %S1s s; sser
Clear OF the crowd we asoended rapidly and pre-
ped pared for "a night voyage. the drag rope Just
fences, tree tops and houses. About eleven
O'Clock our brave lady passenger became sleepy,
volunteered to stop for the night at the first
town. Clouds had now obscured the earth and
our correct eeva1on Deciding to solve the eues s.
ton we opened the waive, and we descended
rapidly: All Lean, leaned ever the basket TO sst
discovered, but too late. One shout from
Donaldson, Hold on all and don't jump"
all into confused heap. sudden rebound and
We were again hundreds Of feet in the air with
Egyptian darkness on all Sides
''CONFOUND THE SLEEPY BRUTRJ,
why don't they come out and pull us down'' said
Donaldson but Oath to risk another descent in the
darkness. The next instant and we were gracefully
roosting in the top OF an apple tree, where we re-
manned until assistance arrived Thirty minutes
later the balloon was securely anchored aud we
were seated In butchers cart en- route for Read
Ing, two miles distant.
the next morning fMonday) we reembarked
ing over the ne districts Of tue sUeV valley
The breeze was light and the ''time" not up
to the average young Americana ideas OF speed.
Donaldson proposed to do little
IN THE FRUIT STEALING LINE,
and IL was during this aerial pillaging that he
proved his perfect command over MS snip. Swoop-
Ing down Ike huge bird the basket would cleave
through the tops OF trees when we would be on
the alert ior apples BY sprinkng little sand e
ascend toward the heavens. In this manner we
could descend within six feet OF the ground and
pears and roasting ears would have made curb
stone huckster wealthy.
AT ten A. NJ. we lound ourselves near Trexler,
In Lehigh county. Pa. A church was seen lar be-
low us, and the Professor proposed that we at
tend-a practice common with him through life.
After being safely anchored we took seats In the
modest little chapel and If there was any lack Of
attention to the sermon the indifference could NOT
be charged to the strangers. AT the close OF tho
service we again ascended, with shouts OF "God
bless you," until the voices became whispers and
the Whispers died away In the distance.
Later in the day we drifted over dismal ana
sparsely inhabited country, where 1t looked as II
the lew residents might still be voting Tor Jackson
Sailing westerly and norGherly we passed over
that portion OF the state populated BY Germans.
The farmers could be seen for miles gallopng TO-
ward us, and when the rope would toucn tno
ground they would seize 1t and call TO u.s. put tmei
speech being Low Dutch we could not understand
1t. The aggregate knowledge OF German wnicn
our party possessed could be summed up III two