Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-08-06
A Night Balloon Voyage.

Night BALLOON fOydSes
The Sar Francisco CAL of the Sth
SAYS: II. Etienne Buislay and his
son returned from their balloon trip
Yesterday, both of them highly elated
with the success of their voyage. The
description given by M. Buislay of his
experiences is interesting, Immediate
" upon leaving Woodwafd's Gardens,
preparations were made to light up the
fireworks. AS precaution against &C
cident, platform had been rugged over
the iron ring to which the cords are at
tached, and the only passage through
this from the car was an aperture re-
sembling the lubber's hole of a ships
tops. The son of M. Buislay took his
station on this platform, and held him
self ready to climb into the netting
should any of the sparks from the
pyrotechnical display alight on the cot
ton envelope and threaten a fire.
Beneath the platform M. Buislay
grouped around the large car, which
formerly belonged to Capt. Barbier's
exploded LIE Secours and with the re-
qlIisite amount of care set off the brill
iant-colored lights which formed part of
the illumination. When it came to the
turn of the spread-eagle, measuring ten
feet from tip to tip of the wings, 1t was
found that the fuse would not ignite,
and all thought of lighting up the eagle
was abandoned. One of the bengolas,
however, accidently set the eagle In a
blaze and M. Buislay was not little
disconnected by the occurrence.
The eagle at that time was only
twelve feet below the car,
and it was in dangerous proximity to
the gas of the balloon. Doing all that
he could, under the circumstances, In
the most expeditions way, NJ. Buislay
unwound the rope In the car and low
cred the eagle about 100 feet. Thus
swung, it continued to blaze away until
all the cOmbustiblesha had been exhausted.
When the illumination had exhausted
itself, father and son prepared to pass
the night in the Car. Sleep eventually
overcame the son, and he dozed away
comfortably in cloud-land until morn
ing. The fall in temperature expert
enced was only trifing, and, as there
was no biting wind to chill the body,
the exposure to the night air was not
attended with discomfort
After q run across the bay at a low
elevation, the balloon struck new cur
rent and drifted northwest until it how
cred over Alcatraz. The roar of the
ocean surf and of tide and stream cur
rent could be distinctly heard, and the
voyagers were q little concerned lest
they should be carried out to sea. A
favorable breeze soon dispelled their
fears, and they observed with feelings
of pleasure that the Sierra Nevada was
sailing over Angel Island and continu-
ing in northeast course. 1t success
sively passed over Richmond Point and
Point San Pablo. Over the San Pablo
basin it hung in airy stiffness until
about / o'clock. With the rising OF
the moon came fresh, spanking wind,
before which the balloon scudded
at exhilarating speed. Having passed
Benicia, it stood over toward Monte
Diablo, and in an incredibly short time
the mountain was straight ahead like 8
huge breaker. Overheard went the
eagle and the platform, piecemeal, and
thus hgh ened, the air-ship scared alofi
and left the mountain far beneath.
From this point the balloon took a de
rection toward Stockton, and then tow.
ard Sacramento, at terrific speed, pass.
ing up the valley at the rate OF forty
miles per four. In the vicinity OF
Sacramento, when day had dawned, the
balloon had fallen to very low eleva
ton. Observing a wide-awake native
abroad, NJ. Buislay hailed him, and
asked his situation. On catching the
reply, Sacramento" the aeronau'
hghtened his ship of ballast, and was
soon at an elevation of 5000 feet. On
ward the balloon kept, and as the morn
ing advanced NJ. Buislay found himself
over Folsom. Here the breeze failed
him altogether, and for three hours, il
the unrealized expectation that fresl
current would spring up, the balloon
remained almost stationary. The
warmth of the suns rays caused grea
expansion of the gas, which, during tn
night, had remained in a very condensed
state, and Nj. Buislay had to open tn
valve frequently. At length, about
O'Clock, the valve-cord was pulled TO
the descent, and in very steady, grace
full manner, a safe landing was accom-
plished, three miles from Folsom.