The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-10-22
UP IN A BALLOON.
Prof. Kings Ascension from
Akron.
A Detailed and Interesting
Description of the Voyage.

The Beacon Reporter, who accom-
panied Professor King in his aerial
voyage from the Fair Grounds in Ak.
ron, on the 9th inst, gives an interest
ing and minute description of the af-
fair, from which We copy the follow
ing: oN
How the Cloud Nymph went sIxyvTard.
Equipped for the Journey with a
heavy oyercoat, note book, cigars, a
lunch, bottle OF pop and tobacco
box which a friend tearfully handed
me, entered the ring on the Fair
Ground, from the center of which the
Cloud NyInph rose in majesty, and as
the wind whist1ed through the netting
it swayed its amazon proportions TO
and fro like huge bird ready to take
wing. My friends who could reach
me in the dense crowd came around
TO bid me good bye, and the
BITS OF ADVICE
10 the effect that ..had better not go,
were too numerous TO mention. Such
exclamations as, "You'd better keep
your lower lip stiffer," and 'how pale
he looks around the gills," became SO
AECQuC1AL do " US uIaCOuEdH11gIY mo
notonous. Just before the start, at
the last moment, some well meaning
but nervous old gentleman, who had
q rather rich brogue, caught me by
the arm and in trembling accents said:
young man, let me advise ye while
We have chance, to get out of there !"
But, thank fOrtune-I didn't,
E oat THE START
From the earthly standpoint the as
cension has already been wildly des-
cribed in Saturdays BEACON : the
preparations and the start. / will
therefore now confine myself to the.
narrative of the voyege from that
time. 4ss
l heard Professor King saying q few
words to the crowd whilst was ar
Ranging some things in the bottom of
the basket. 1 saw him with his knife
in hand, and ! therefore gathered up
the Beacon billets ready to throw as
soon as we started, as it was expected
we would rise rapidly.
Snap!
Twas in dream. All that l had
read, all that had imagined, was as
nothing. had suddenly been thrown
into a wonderful dream. Every thing
was unreal. / threw the billets out,
and they looked like snow fakes du-
ring a squall. l heard a wave of con-
fused sounds which SO rapidly sank
away that it appeared as If the voices
of those below had failed them, and
their utterance had suddenly been
ehoked.
IN A DREAM.
boya so;d tIof xuoa thpnvv1 into q
dream. That is the best expression
can use to describe the effect produc-
ed upon me by being suddenly usher
ed into that new world. Like persons
and objects in a dream. SO seemed ev-
erything below-the Fair Grounds
and the multitude, the city, the roads,
fields, streams. lakes, forests-eUery-
thing! The whole face of the earth
was at once reduced to miniature, as
if by some powerful genii in vision.
Soon all sounds from below were
hushed, and we drifted away-nay,
the earth moved from beneath us soft
ly and almost imperceptibly.
OUT WITH THE DRAG ROPE.
"Now we will put out the drag
rope" said Professor King.
So, carefully, coil after coil was paid
out, the utmost care being taken 10
prevent its getting into tangle, until
$50 feet hung suspended beneath our
basket. Whilst this preparation was
being made, the Professor softly hum |
med a tune; and l will mention the |
fact here that we had quite series of
vocal concerts whilst on high. such
songs as "Up in Balloon" f" Annie
Laurie" ETC., being rendered with fine
effect-at least no one expressed any
opinion TO the contrary.
After the drag-rope was out, the
ballast, which consisted of
SINGLE BAG OF SAND,
and the other articles we had with us
lunch basket, overcoats, pop bottles,
&c.-were so disposed of as to afford
the most room. The barometer at this
time indicated an elevation of three
fourths of a mile. Akron appeared
like
"A LILIPUTIAN CITY.
The canal wound around like a glis-
tening thread, whilst the railroads
were minute black lines stretching off
in curving distances until lost in OBJ
scurity.o Persons in the streets could
not be seen, and to my proposal to
give parting wave Professor King
said it would be useless as we could
not be seen.
THE PANORAMA
at this time was magnificent. Far as