The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-23
SEVEN DAYS GONE
And During That Time Nothing Has
Been Heard Of Donaldson Or
Grimwood.
Theories as to What may Have Befallen
Them,

Theories as to What may Have Befallen
Them,
From the Chicago journal, a3d
1t is week to-day since the balloon went
up from Dearborn Park. There are re-
naming no reasonable hopes Of seeing
Donaldson and Grimwood alive. All that
remains now is possibility that they are
somewhere safe. Ii they we're neither
drowned in the lake nor dashed to pieces
on the land, they have persisted before this
or exhaustion and hunger, Should they,
or either of them, appear now, it would
seem like resurrection from the dead.
But will the mystery of thefffate soon be
cleared uD? for it is mystery that baf1
ies all attempts to solve it. The learned
and the unlearned are alike unable to point
out their path or their fate But if they
must be given up for lost it would be
satisfaction to know the truth. Where
were they carried, and when and how did
they die? Were their last moments in
the water or on landa If only their bodies
could be recovered it would be grateful
relief to all--not only to their own stricken
families and personal friends. but to the
entire community which has been stirred
to its depths by this catastrophe. In every
public place, office, store aud family in the
city,aud, all over the country. people every
day discuss the fate of those two men with
as much
TENDERNESS AND HUMANITY
as if they had gone out from their own cir
cies of kindred OF friends, And if the un-
certainty that hangs over their fate could
be lifted, and the story of the last week be
made known, it would lift heavy weight
from every heart.
1t is safe to say that this event will not
have tendency To give any fresh impulse
to the science of navigating the air. 1t is
fraught with only peril and hazard, and
gives no corresponding gain to science.
For years now no progress whatever has
been made in ballooning, at least so far as
appears to the unscientiic world By far
the longest trip on record is that made by
Professor Wise, and three others, in the
year 1859. They undertook to make the
journey from St Louis to New York city.
They travelled across Illinois, Indiana,
parts of Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania,
and New York, and landed on the top OF
large tree in Jefferson county, N. Y.
The distance passed over was nearly l.lOO
miles, Since that time no such long jour
neys have been made. and no progress has
been made. apparently, in the science Of
air navigation. It has even degenerated
into ascensions for the amusement OF
crowds of people for advertising purposes
But this last catastrophe will be very like
y to put stop to that kind of hazardous
amuSements.
The most sintelligent lake captains, as
ascertained by inquiry among them to-day
DO NOT CREDIT THE THEORY
that the balloon was lost in the lake. They
say it is hardly possible that it could have
been so, without some evidences of it hav
ing been discovered before this. Captain
Chem, of the Goodrich propeller Oconto
which came in this morning, was seen
among others, and his very intelligent
opinion is fair index of the general ex
preston. He says the number of vessels
of all kinds on the lake during the pas
week has been very large. The lake ha
been invariably smooth, the winds ligh
and changing. These very changing wind
have driven the sailing vessels first in on
direction, and then the other. Any Of tn
: floating fragments of the balloon would b
J similarly driven about, and it is almost in
! credible that they would not haye bee
t discovered. The most of the captains OF
the lake now know that the balloon is miss
: ing, and are looking out for indications G
: it. Captain Ghein's theory is that tn
2 tourists landed in the wood, and will
; SOON BE HEARD FROM.
His idea of the squat Thursday nigh
= differs from that of the scientists. Th
latter say it extended high in the uppe
air, and that the balloon probably coul
= not rise above it. The captain was o
g the lake at the time, and thinks the squa
was
VERY Low DOWN, ....
and that the balloon could and did ris
, above it. He does not believe that me
= in the Michigan woods would starve The
q would find subsistence for an indefni
= length of time. There are wild berri,
n and fruits there. There are nutritio,
:, buds and roots which would assist in su
tanning life. There are cartridges, whi(
D will often come near enough to be killt
). with stick In short, he has been in Il
}. woods good deal himself, and does n
- for moment believe in the theory
- death by starvation, nor would there
d any lack of water. He thinks, therefor
lg that Donaldson and Grimwood are aliv
Of and will in time find their wav out WI
:, can say that this view Of the case is not
Ny reasonable as any? Captain CHEM al
s. spoke OF the universal
Oh MANIA FOR SEEING BALLOONS,
which was mentioned in the Journal ye
k, terday. He was at Green Bay, Wis,
b. Monday evening last, and saw lar
n crowd of excited people on the corner
)" the street looking and pointing toward Il
+ sky. There was a telescope among theI
5 and one by one they were looking throu.
ID it at balloon. They could see it as LA
m as day-some of them with the naked ey
:. The captain was handed the glass. I
is looked carefully and satisfied himself tn
there was nothing 1t was merely Il
product of their imaginations--nothi
more. The scores of balloons which a
~ reported as being seen all over the cou
o. try, he thinks, may be accounted for in t
10 same way.
~ Just received, 500 Black and all 9th
T. eolors Of MohaiS Skeleton Coats at Loeb
- Blank Books of every variety al
e. style ruled and bound to order at TT
Do ARGUS OFFICE. $3.50
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