Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-07-17
Hanging in Mid-Air.

DCIllOuS
sition in which Squires, the aeronaut, was
placed on Dominion day. AT five o'clock
p. m. the aeronaut attempted to ascend
with his balloon, the Atlantic The
starting point was Court House Square.
The cargo in the basket consisted of three
bags of sand weighing each about fifty
pounds, graphing to which was
attached a strong rope, and Squires.
given to cast off, There was a
hush, and the multitude grew ST.
lent as the unwieldy Atlantic, be-
ing freed, swayed backward and forward,
and slowly rose from it's resting place to
make another voyage in the ethereal blue
A steady gale had been blowing all day,
but it's strength was not apparent until
the balloon struck the current of air
above the house-tops; this reached, it
swayed with the breeze and swept on at
rate of at least fifteen miles an hour. It's
course was directly for the steeple of the
w. M. Church. The professor at once
perceived the danger, and could have
avoided it by throwing out bag of bal
last, which would have given him suffi-
cient buoyancy to have passed over the
steeple, but unfortunately the square
below was crowded with thousands of
spectators, and bag of sand thrown out
would have crushed some person below.
The sand was thrown out in small guam
titles and the balloon swept upward and
onward, but unfortunately not swerving
from its dangerous direction. 1t became
apparent that the balloon would strike
the spire, the watching, anxious, breath
less multitude awaiting the shock with
compressed lips and blanched cheeks.
With a tremendous rush the Atlantic
struck the apex of the spire and in an
other instant parted in twain. AT the
same moment the basket containing the
aeronaut crashed against the spire some
twenty feet below. Seeing, as it were,
instant death before him, Prof. Squires
threw one hand forward to avert as far
as possible the shock, at the same time
allowing his body to sway in the oppo-
site direction. The crash of the collision
sounded over the square, now silent as
the grave. AS the balloon collapsed and
the gas escaped it was seen that the net
ting had caught on the point of the spire.
A moment of breathless suspense
Squires was not seen to move a muscle
A whisper ran round-the collision has
killed him! Then slight movement,
and the basket began to slip. 1t was
evident that the netting was giving way.
Women grew white with terror; brave
men trembled. There, at height of
eighty feet above the earth, was fellow
being hanging by few slender threads,
above and around him the glittering
steeple sheeted with tin, below the cold
stone battlements of the tower, on which
to fall was instant death. A pause, and
the basket had evidently been arrested in
its downward course. Squires was seen
to grasp the netting; hope rose-he might
be saved. The moment he struck the
spire there was a rush for ladders and
ropes. Without number were the plans
suggested to save him from death. But
at this moment brave men were Chamber
ing up the inside of the grim church
tower, determined to save human life.
A small window directly below the caves
OF the tower opens directly beneath where
the basket was suspended, but unfor
tunately it was very contracted, and it
did not seem possible for man by any
means to squeeze through the aperture
But in a few seconds man 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 strug-
deavoring to crawl through the narrow
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 bucket. The situation was one of
great danger.
Should the netting give way the basket
in its descent would catch the daring man
and hurl him, together with Squires, into
eternity. AT his appearance there was
cheer that made the welkin ring again
The main body of the network had
caught on the northern side of the spire,
only two or three small cords having
passed 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 below. He spoke to Squires,
who requested him to place his shoulder
under the basket this done Squires
caught hold of slight oval projection
of the spire which offered a slight hold,
and thus helped to support the basket.
AT this instant Mr.. Stevenson appeared
at an opening in the spire above Squires.
The opening consists of a small trap
door, and was not discovered for some
time. Stevenson came out upon the
spire, reached down a hand, and firmly
grasped the aeronaut and slowly drew
him to place of safety. The suspense
was over and Squires was saved.
To Press Flowers. Procure two
boards 12x1S inches and large lot of
old newspapers folded and cut to the
size of the boards. Lay upon the floor
one of the boards and on it place two or
three of the newspapers. Now lay on
the plant to be pressed, add another
newspaper and then the next plant, and
so on till all the specimens in hand have
been disposed of. On top of all place
the other board, upon which place
weight of not less than sixty pounds.
The papers between the plants should be
changed at least once day for fresh
ones, so that the plants may dry as rapid
ly as possible. Care should be taken not
to remove the plant from the press until
it is thoroughly dry. 1t is more con-
venient, especially with the delicate
plants, to place them in the press be-
tween single fold of soft brown wrap
ping paper, as the plant can be left in
this fold till dry, and the specimen may
be transferred to fresh papers without
danger or injury Very feshy, succulent
plants can best be dried by immersing
them in boiling water before putting them
into the praSS