Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-09-11

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articles was extensive and handsome.
Taking it all in all, it was grand
sight, and gave the visitor fair in
sight into the domestic skill of
our people.
The events of the day outside the
regular routine of the exhibition
proper, were very interesting and at
tractive, the balloon ascension, being
of course, the great feature. To pre-
vent any disappointment the air
ship had been taken to the gas works
early in the morning, and it's infla-
ton begun. Professor Shearer was
there with it and superintended it's
manipulation. After putting in some
five thousand feet of gas, which con-
sumed only half an hour, the neck of
the balloon was detached from the
feeding pipe and held in its place by
the guys, and gang of boys who had
gathered about it. About noon the
neck of the great bag was again
placed over the pipe, and the gas be-
gan pouring into it with rapidity.
In less than an hour, Professor
Shearer decided that it was full, and
by the aid of a number of men, it
was towed over to the Fair grounds,
and anchored near the grand stand.
The crowd that had gathered on the
grounds, as well as the greater
crowds that covered the surrounding
hills, watched the great yellow bag
with interest as she swayed restless
ly to and fro in the fresh breeze,
seemingly as anxious as fiery horse
to start on it serial voyage. Professor
Shearer did not keep the people, nor
1t waiting long, and throwing off his
outer clothing, he appeared clad in
flesh cOlOred tights, with blue
breast plate ready for the perilous
trip. Fastening few bags of sand
for ballast, and his clothes in a bag
to the concentrated hoop of his bal
loon he mounted quickly to the
trapeze bar, and at one O'Clock and
thirty minutes, gave the word to
let her 60" Slowly and majesti-
cally the great aerostat arose, and a
cry of mingled, wonder and fear and
then of unmistakable appreciation
arose from the multitude. The Pro-
fessor astride the fragile bar that
was suspended by slight cords only,
gracefully waved his adieu. His
features were smiling, and he acted
as could only bold and fearless
man. For the first hundred or two
feet, which was traversed in less
time than it takes to write these
words, the balloon took no regular
direction, but swayed to and fro,
standing almost directly over the
Fair ground. The bold man cast
out little ballast, and up went the
air-ship to the heighth of a thousand
feet, when the Professor gave a few
graceful gymnastic acts, and then
climbed up into the concentrated
and took his seat upon the fragile
bar. Gracefully the air ship fioated
up into the blue ether, and the APP
parent slowness of the ascent at first
caused many persons to suppose, and
to say that the gas employed in filling
the balloon was unable to lift Mr..
Shearer. In a few moments, how
ever, it was demonstrated that the
coal gas was fully equal to the pur-
pose. When the height of . thous-
and feet had been reached, the cat,
the companion the Professor had ia
ken up, which had struggled with
leonine ferocity from the moment it
was involuntarily removed from the
earth, was detached from the para
chute by its struggles, and fell with
awful rapidity and struck the ground
outside the Fair Grounds, and was
killed. Iu the meantime the balloon
assembled still higher until an alti-
tude of several thousand feet had
been reached. About ten or fifteen
minutes after the balloon had left
the ground the spectacle was mag
nificent, and will always be remem-
bered with pleasure by those who
strained their vision in following it.
1t was now many thousands of feet
above the solid earth, and was stand
ing almost still away off in the dis
lance in the clear, blue sky, seeming
ly against the horizon. At last it
began to move off in a southerly di-
rection, and to go down, and III a
moment the great bag, now almost
speck, was out of sight. But we
leave the story of the ascension to be
told by the brave man who made it :
EVERETT House,
Martinsb,0g, ". Ia,
September I, rs. J
TO tie Directors Of The agricultural Soefty
Of Berkeley County, Vast Va.
GENTLEMEN In accordance with
my contract TO make two ascensions
in aid of your Fair, ! have to report
that on yesterday morning placed
my new balloon, which | had manu-
featured expressly for use at your
Fair, over the main at the gas works
at an early hour to test its capacity,
/ never having used it, even for test
ing, before it was shipped To this
place. | found the quality of gas
good, and after putting in some few
thousand feet, any fears might have
had about the ability of the balloon
to carry me were dispelled, and |
took the neck of the bag from t e