The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-10-30
TRIP TO TINE CLOUDs.
A Representative Of this Paper Up
iU balloon srtfh Don0fdson---Sen-
safi0ns and Incidents Of the Trip.

a Represenfaftrc Of this Paper "
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rur ora own corar.rosprsT.l
While Barnum's Hippodrome was cx.
bibitinp in Cincinnati last week. several
balloon ascensions were given in connec.
tion Herewith by Professor Donaldson
in one Of which representative of thi.
paper had the good fortune to partici.
pate. As journeys to the clouds are not
matters of everyday occurrence, we have
no doubt his report will be read with in
terest:
A few minutes previous to the close of
the Hippodrome performance, the lucky
knights of the quill who were to be fa-
vored with ride in the air-chariot re-
tired to take their places in the car, so
that everything might be in readiness to
cut loose from earth Immediately upon
the cessation of the inside attractions.
The party consisted of N. j. Chap'n, OF
the Star; A. W. Robinson, OF the Tunes !;
d. Gutterbach, of the Pott.treund; }. Nj.
johnson, Of the Buffalo Courier; and
"your own" All had come equipped
with overcoats and fully prepared for an
all-night ride, but upon the assurance of
the Professor that they would not be
needed, all superhuous baggage was left
behind.
"Let her go." shouted Donaldson,
when all was ready, and away we went,
slowly, but surely and majestically up
ward, with the shouts and hand-clappings
of the thousands assembled beneath
ringing in our ears, an looking over the
side of the car, a sea of upturned faces
and waving cambric babe us a hearty
God-speed.
Our eyes were riveted TO the earth. A
scene of such enhancing beauty had
never before oppeared IN MS. even in i'm
asination. Nothing could surpass i'm
grandeur the gradually recedinp but
constantly widening view. The mellow
light of the setting sun gave TO every OBJ
;ect an appearance of peculiar lowell
ness. and we could scarcely realize that
we were not in the midst of the most de-
lichtful enchantment. Below us was
Lincoln Park, thronred with a mass of
moving humanity, apparently no larger
than the most diminutiye of dolls; its
romantic little lake had contracted to
the most insignificant proportions, as
had. in fact. everything visible. The
streets did not appear to be wider than
a mans hand, and it seemed as though
an entire block of buildings might have
been covered with a sheet of paper. One
thing that greatly excited the wonder of
tho elevated" journalists. was the re-
markablc clearness and power of vision.
EVERYTHING within the horizon---except
part of the city obscured by smoke
seemed to stand out in bold relief, and
objects at the greatest distance were al
most as clearly discernible as those i'm
mediately under us. Of course, every
thing had a ridiculously contracted aP-
pcarance, and it was not a difficult mat
ter to imagine the sensations OF Gulliver
among the Lilliputians. The streets
were thronged with people, running to
and fro--although to us they did not seem
to he making much headway--and a
strange humming noise came up fiom
the multitudes. Below all was motion
and activity, while we seemed to be ut
terly at a stand-still. Not the slightest
movement was perceptible, except when
DOnal son would get to climbing about
the ropes, and shaking the car. The city
appeared to he recedlng and passing
slowly beneath Us. Exclamations OF
surprise and delight were rife, and every
moment some member of the party
would discover new attractions to which
he would enthusiastically call the atten-
tion of the Others.
GLOW do Won like il, boysg' aueried
voice from above. and quickly looking
mn from the enhancing scene below, we
saw the smiling face of the intrepid DON
aldson poering down from the "upper
dectn aboye the concentrating ring.
" Make ready below" he continued; "Tm
going to come down To prepare for busi.
ness" And the next moment we saw a
n,ir of lees feeling around in the air for